What Are You Reading This Summer?

 

 I Love Summer! 

And I Love Reading Books set in the Summer! 

Here's some of the Books I enjoyed this Summer . . .  

Whistling Past The Graveyard 

by: Susan Crandall

RV There Yet?

by: Diann Hunt

 The Vacationers

by: Emma Straub

 

 Eat Pray Love Made Me Do It

and I'm now Reading;

The Rocks 

by: Peter Nichols

What have you been Reading this Summer? 

I have a whole Bookshelf on Goodreads dedicated to Summer Reads

If you're on Goodreads, lets be Friends! :) 

BFF's

 We moved into the house we're in right before my girls started Kindergarten.  At our Church they met Maddie & her younger sister Morgan, and they became fast friends! Their Mom, Tammy and I became friends as well. We spent many afternoons poolside and on outings with our girls. Tammy & I ran a Mom's Group together at the Church. Our kids never went to the same school, and even after we no longer went to the same Church, we stayed close . . .

 

I love this pic of the little cuties!

 Here they are a little bit older.

It's great when you can be friends with your kids' friends parents! We all love hanging out together! Our families enjoy getting together. Over the years we all have spent countless Holiday's together, every Halloween & New Year's Eve among them!

 Ringing in a New Year Together

 Us at Maddie's "Sweet 16"

 One of the MANY Dance Concerts we all went to! 

Girls supporting each other, become Women who support each other!!

 Beautiful Girls and their first Prom! 

It's also great when you find "Couple Friends!" Too many times, you'll meet someone you might like to hang out with, but the husbands might not get along, or vise-versa. But, thankfully that's not the case here.

At our oldest Son's Wedding! 

 Daddy/Daughter Diamondbacks Date!

 Happy Birthday to me! 

Happy Birthday to her!

 Tammy and I do have some things in common; Besides raising Brilliant and Beautiful Daughters! :) We Both love Reality T.V., especially American Idol! And could Fan Girl with the best of them! And we Love Movies, and have seen too many together to count! And have stood in line for Twilight and Hunger Games tickets while our girls were in school! Yeah, we're the "Cool Moms!" Though like all Friendships, we've had to overcome some hardships; namely She Doesn't Like To Read! (I know, right?!) Yet, she will ask me what I'm reading and listen intently as I talk nonstop about Books! Now that's a true friend!

Here we are waiting for one of the Twilight Premiers to begin!

Here's Tammy having her Favorite American Idol, Danny Gokey, sign her Boob! :0

(Okay, it was really her VIP Name Tag, but what are friends for if not to tease you?!)

We really do Sparkle!! 

As do our girls! 

Jay taking the girls out 4 wheeling! 

So, why the Blog Post talking about our 13 year Friendship? Because as long as we've known Jay & Tammy, Maddie & Morgan, they have talked about a dream they have to live on a tropical island. Now a lot of people dream of leaving the daily grind and living on a Beach somewhere, but who really does that? Well, they sold their big house and their boat. Rented a smaller house the past few years till Maddie Graduated from High School. They sold just about everything they had, and actually did it! Yes, our good friends have moved to Aruba! 

 Hanging out together before they leave!

 

 These four little girls are so grown up now!

We are so Happy and Thrilled for them, but we are sad for us. We text (or Facebook Message) and Facetime, but It's hard not seeing them all the time. My boys used to house sit for them whenever they went away. We have dog sat each others pets. Shared Birthday's and Holiday's. Gone to each others School Events. After they shipped what they were moving with them & sold everything else, we had them over for dinner once a week. I've always loved their big square dinning room table that seats 8. Our little table sat just 6, and with us adding 2 Daughter in Laws, we'd have to squeeze around it. Well, that big beautiful table is now ours! We think of them every time we sit at it!

 Dinner in the Square!

 Our last time together in their empty house

The Amazingly good news is that we will always have a place to stay on Aruba! :) It's been a huge undertaking to move out of the country. If you'd like you can follow along on their adventures and learn the ins and outs, and all the things you'd never think of, with a move of this kind on Tammy's Blog. Z Island Life. And we can all live vicariously through them together!

 Just hang up the phone! ;)

 Just don't forget where you came from!

So, now I guess I'll be taking applications for a new Best Friend! :)

What I Learned At The Democratic Convention . . .

Turnabout's fair play! I shared what I learned from the Republican Convention, now it's the Democrats turn! I have not been to Philadelphia as of yet, but would love to visit! Here are just a few observations I made while watching;

- The crowed here, doesn't dress up as much in the fun, bright, and very patriotic costumes that the Republicans do. Not sure why that is, costumes are fun. YOLO! There were a few, Meryl Streep wore a Flag Dress when she spoke, but overall not as many. Lighten up Democrats! :)

- There were Many more celebrities at this one! Again, not sure why that is. With so many celebrities hoping for a job from Trump in The Celebrity Apprentice, why they're weren't many to sing or speak for him. Not that a celebrity should persuade your vote, but it's fun to see them. Scott Baio spoke at the Republican Convention, and I loved Joni Loves Chachi, but I couldn't name all the Celeb's who sang or spoke for the Democrats!

- 9/11 Survivors and First Responders really credit Hilary Clinton with being there for them. As a New York Senator, she lobbied Congress for funds, and signed a bill into law within 48 hours of the attack, for benefits for those cleaning up, who had been told the air and ruble was safe. :0 They also shared how she visited them in their Hospital rooms, and has continued to check on them all these years, and never for the camera!

- The speeches weren't as negative! It was nice to actually hear plans for policy, and not just bashing the other side. My Husband, who hasn't totally decided who he is voting for at this point, even said how much nicer the speeches at this convention were, compared to the first one!

- I really like this pick for Vice President. In a world of Positive -vs- Negative, I will always strive for the positive!

- I really liked the fact that we heard Independents and Republicans speak at the Democratic Convention! Talk about Unifying the Country!

- History Was Made!!! Weather you're voting for Hilary of not, if you are a Girl, or a Woman, or you know or Love one ;) It has to make you grateful and proud!! The first Woman nominated by a major party for President of the United States! (In the same way even those of us who didn't vote for President Obama, felt pride in the fact that this country with it's history of slavery, could & would nominate an African American man for President.) It wasn't all that long ago that Women couldn't even vote in this country! Look at us now! I loved when Hillary said to all the little girls watching her accept the nomination, they could be next!! "When there are no Ceilings, the Sky's the Limit!"