First Day of School

Daphne's first day of school went off without a hitch.  She took the bus again and likes her teacher and likes eating lunch with all of the other kids.  She's doing great for all day first-grade. 
It's a little quiet without her around...

 First day of first grade...

 Waiting for the bus with Joey

 A beautiful moth that was on our Wishing Well in the backyard - love the colors.

 Some new earrings for myself... with lampworked glass.

 I'm trying to finish some projects and this bracelet has been half finished for awhile, so I finally took the time to tie up the loose ends - figuratively and truly.

And another project that I started awhile ago and have been taking up space in teh dining room.  Some fabric covered button hairbands.  They turned out very cute.

Dog Days?

The weather has been so nice here.  Even though I love hot weather, I prefer not to sweat as soon as I open the door to go outside.  The last few days have been so nice - we could open the windows (after clearing the cobwebs - since its been 2 months of straight air conditioning) and sit outside and really enjoy this weather. 
It's especially nice weather to go running in and since Kevin and I are gearing up for the upcoming Warrior Dash, we have been trying to run more.  But I have figured out that the race is a 5K with 12 obstacles, so really, we will only need to run no more than a quarter of a mile between each obstacle - that is if the obstacles aren't all bunched up together.  A quarter of a mile doesn't sound bad, right? 


The kids enjoying themselves out back...

 A new listing for Etsy. 

 Another finished wrap bracelet

 And some earrings for a dear friend for her birthday - its hard to see but the lampworked beads are a beautiful blue that remind me of my friend's eyes.

Bracelets

Finally getting back in the swing of things - we have been enjoying the summer quite a bit lately - swimming and visiting with friends and family. 

Tried a pattern from Bead Fantasies II.  The patterns are a little hard to follow - but that could be user-error - the end result is beautiful. 

Made some leather wrap bracelets with the TILA beads...  Some for sale, some for a friend and one for myself. 

And some pumpkin earrings for Etsy.  Just in time for anyone gearing up for fall...

And I have 3 more bracelets that I am putting the finishing touches on and will post pictures soon.

Vacation

Just got back from vacation with the family in Indiana Beach - lots of sun - which is what I love.  We are all tired and recovering this week. 

Chicago on the SkyDeck in the Willis (previously Sears) Tower.  Joey was fascinated with looking at the boats below.

We couldn't get the kids to look up at the camera - too much else to see.

Our cottage in Indiana Beach

Riding the train.  Joey's first and only time to ride the train because it went through a 'scary' tunnel by the Haunted Castle.

They were all so cute riding together.  I think this is Kori and Brady's first time riding rides.

On the Shafer Queen before we went out on the Lake.

The kids enjoying the view out on Lake Shafer.

At the Whistle Stop - a pretty, neat train restaurant and museum nearby.

The family portrait.

Ken and I went ziplining over Lake Shafer.  Pretty awesome!  I'd do it again anytime.

Making a race car at a Lowe's event at Indiana Beach.

Kevin and I took the kids to a Monticello city park.

My parents and Daphne, enjoying the last evening.

Outside our cabin at Indiana Beach.

And the result of getting rear-ended on our way home.  :(  But no one was hurt and it's all fixable.
We had a great time!