Cicada symphony ends

Columbia was invaded. We've reached end of the little suckers life span, but what a loud life they have. If I was only going to live for a few weeks? Yeah I'd be as loud as I could be too. Just sayin.  

I hear them every summer (I actually like their song), but didn't really know anything about them. This little graph gave me some pretty cool facts.  

I took this video June 8th, which seemed like the peak of their life. There's a couple of jumpy parts... I was being dive bombed.

Creepy lookin little guys, aren't they?

Annie kept "sneaking" them in the house. Pretty sure she just kept them in her mouth and carried them in. I don't think she ever actually ate one, just played with them.

Then she'd get all bummed out when they stopped buzzing at her.

xoxo

Lissa

Pink Party

My friend Dawn & I played "party planners" and planned an office baby shower. If I do say so myself, we rocked this one!

The theme was a nursery rhyme toile

Advice, or wishes of love & happiness for the new Mom & Dad

We had a PINK candy buffet. 

LOVE this cake.

Yep, we made the diaper cake.

xoxo

Lissa

Happy Summer Solstice

I there a few days every year that I get homesick- always. This week is one of those times. Today is Summer Solstice. In Missouri it's something that we think about because it's the first day of Summer. But in Alaska, and especially Fairbanks, the land of the midnight sun? It's a week long celebration .

My very favorite event? The Midnight Sun Baseball Game.  And when they say midnight sun, that's what they mean. The Fairbanks Goldpanners throw the first pitch at 10:30 pm and there were years when we were at the field until 3 in the morning. At the 1/2 inning closest to midnight they stop the game and sing the Alaska Flag song. This video shows you just how bright midnight can be. *sigh*

No matter where I celebrate the day, it's still the first day of Summer, the beginning of my very favorite season!

xoxo

Lissa

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my daddy.

xoxo

Lissa

June 14th

Happy Flag Day!

June 14th is Flag Day and commemorates the adoption of Old Glory, but it's not an official federal holiday.

I was taught to love the flag pretty early in life by my Papa. It flew every single day in front of his golf course. He was a WW2 vet and it was very important to him. He taught us that it didn't touch the ground. That it had to come in before it got dark, or had a light on it. And how to fold it just right.

Grandpa's teach you the best things don't they?

xoxo

Lissa

Diana a Celebration~ Kansas City Union Station

How about 1 more little road trip? Oh come on, it's just 300 miles or so! 

Friday Adam & I hopped in the truck and headed back out to KC to meet up with Danee, Jamie & Myla, and see

Diana a Celebration

I was pretty optimistic that it would work on this, our 3rd attempt. The fates had worked against us the last 2 tries, so this time just HAD to work.

You see, I'm one of THOSE people. A Royal watcher yes, but pretty much all things English, Scottish or Irish fascinate me. My freshman year of high school when I had a British pen pal (yes, real letters) started my borderline obsession. Even on of my very favorite author Rosamunde Pilcher is British.

 So I watched, along with the rest of the world, as Diana Spencer married Prince Charles the summer between my freshman & sophomore years of high school. And  a few years later I did the same with Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson. And, of course, again with Prince William & Kate Middleton. Not to mention watching the funeral of Princess Di in the wee hours of the morning. 

Danee & I were so lucky to visit London when she was in High School. Sometimes after dreaming about doing something for so long it can be disappointing, not quite living up to super high expectations. Not this time.

 I LOVE London.  

Those cheeks KILL me! She'll remember her Princess Di visit don't you think?

There were guest books to sign & leave your thoughts on the exhibit or share a memory of Diana

No photography was allowed inside the exhibit so watch this  or look at these to get an idea of what the exhibit is like.

High points for me?  From childhood- school uniform, diary, letter to her parents, ballet slippers. Personal bits- her passport, various correspondence, a prayer book from Mother Theresa. Her dad was an amateur photographer ( a good one too!) so there is a personal photo album of wedding celebration photos. A copy of the score for Candle in the Wind with Elton John's notes on it. Her brother Charles' eulogy.  THE WEDDING DRESS. I'll admit it, I went thinking this would be the holy grail. A collection of her dresses through the years. From the early 80's to the very last of her dresses- it's fun to see how much fashion has changed over time. And then there was a room that was a complete surprise to me. When you walk in you see 2, very large, glassed in book shelves with HUNDREDS of books. "Books, I love books"- is what I was thinking. But then you start to read the placard, and you realize that they are all Books of Condolence from around the world. They didn't call her the "People's Princess" for nothing.

xoxo

Lissa

Operation "Save the Shed"

So I showed you the fun part of last weekend's road trip to Arkansas. But there was something else that took us that way. A few weeks ago Adam got an email from Chad. One of their big, pretty trees had been growing INTO the shed and it was time to do something about it. The bid to take the tree out was crazy high & they wanted to save the tree anyway. The question- Did Adam think there was a way to save both the tree & the shed. 

First, as we said many times last weekend, this isn't a "shed" it's a barn. It's bigger than some apartments & has a loft. Replacing it would have even more that cutting the tree down. So, it was the engineering brain, Builder Bob to the rescue. I had no doubts (ok maybe 1) that he could rock this challenge.

It was so hot last weekend. The guys went through a case of bottled water, a 6 pack of Gatorade & a 12 pack of beer. 

For 2 hard days of work Adam earned himself a weekend pass to the Bridger's very exclusive Cabin Club at the Lake! Woo! Not sure which lake though. Hmmm.... think he'll take me?? 

Here's where we started

Before they could demo, the new walls had to go up

New wall going up

Framing, walls, flashing & weather proofing. DONE

How do you cool off & celebrate? Margaritas of course!

xoxo

Lissa

Emerson Kate is great!

So, I'll just get this out there. I suck as a friend. No really. Emerson Kate is 4 months old & until this weekend I had yet to make the 5 hour drive to visit this very anticipated baby . Yeah, yeah. Life gets in the way, I'm busy, all true, still takes me out of the running for aunt of the year.

So, here she is. A-DOR-A-BLE!

FYI- Kelly took most of these pics. :o)

This weekend was even more special because 1 year ago on Saturday was the day we found out that the little elf was on her way.

Kelly's mama Suzanne & Maggie the protector.

Aunt Lissa & Aunt Lisa. I love just hanging out with friends & catching up.

I did put her down sometimes, I swear

Maggie takes her job of protector very seriously

Annie had a great weekend too

Our little elf. So freakin' cute.

Aunt Darla came on Sunday to hang out for a while too. 

Baby bath time is awesome!

If mamma gets this wet when she is 4 months  old, can you just imagine what it's going to be like when she's 2!?

Annie is just a tiny bit jealous

 This was a work weekend as well. Very impressive work in fact. You'll have to see Adam's storage miracle.

xoxo

Lissa