Chatter Boxes

I've referenced the office bulletin board here before. They're at it again. At the end of every summer they do a board with the theme "What I Did on my Summer Vacation".

After looking at last year's submission...I think next summer we should branch out a little. I think I'm even wearing the same shirt and capri's!

July 2007 - Shaver Lake, California



July 2008 - Robber's Cave State Park, Oklahoma


Stay Tuned for more pictures of our Oklahoma weekend. We really did have a great time and the trips were nothing alike - although you wouldn't know it from the pictures. Jiminy Christmas!

And finally we have arrived at our last stop on this update train. Update numero tres.

We took a break from our jobs as house builders one cloudy Saturday morning. Spring, who had been helping us with landscaping (and various other tasks...she's handy that one), went with us.

We picked Strawberries!





Aren't they pretty?



I love the color.



And yummy too. Here Spring is "taste testing". They told us taste testing was free. That's all you needed to tell John. He ate his weight in strawberries.



Our loot! This stash made 8 small jars of jam (That's right! This little lady made jam!) and 8 bags of frozen strawberries that have been used mostly on ice-cream.



I also picked blueberries a while back but I was alone that time and would have felt a little weird taking pictures of myself - or worse - asking someone to take it for me. Nevertheless, those blueberries made a yummy blueberry cake for the 4th of July. It would have been perfect to add strawberries for the red, white, and blue. Which just goes to show that no matter how domestic I pretend to be...Martha I am not!

So there you have it folks. Updates of epic proportions here at chatterbox. The likes of which may never be seen again. I'll try though. I really will.

As promised, we're on to update #2 - I know you are all waiting with bated (or is it baited?) breath!

With the house almost done, we have been entertaining more. It's fun to show it off - even in it's half-decorated state. This would be a good time to tell the out-of-towners that the guest room is complete and ready for visitors! I guess we can tell the in-towners too. You're all welcome! I'll even fix you breakfast...as long as you wake up at a reasonable hour. If you rise before the sun...John'll do it.

Anyway, back to my point. Father's Day! We had my parents and sister over for some grilled kabobs. As luck would have it - it poured. I got a good shot of the kabobs on the grill before we had to rescue them from the downpour.

Enjoy the pictures.



The Assembly Line - and our unfinished kitchen island. Eventually there will be tile in that open space, and you know - pictures on the wall.



Like a good Nazarene on a Sunday afternoon. Now that's a happy Father's day! Falling asleep with a crossword on your chest.



Wait...neither one of you are Nazarenes!

At long last...an update. I've returned from my journey into the ancient world of taking pictures with film. That means that you can finally see something interesting on this ye ole' blog. Thank you for your patience and encouraging words while I have been away.

And now, update number one (there are actually three updates on this roll of film and you better believe I'm going to stretch this out and not give up all the blog fodder - mom, that means topic, subject, material, if you will - in one post!)

In May I traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine for a conference. The conference was mediocre and not worth a lengthly discussion. The scenery however, was lovely. It was my first time to Maine, at least that I can remember.

Picture proof that I was there.



Obligatory picture of a seagull



View from our hotel



We went to a lobster feast. I think preparing to eat lobster is really fun but the actually eating part is disgusting. My co-worker loves the taste but thinks the cracking, splitting, gutting part is a crime against lobsters. So we went in with a plan. I shelled - she ate. It worked perfectly, especially because she spent a good portion of the preparation part of the evening with her head under the table - and I had prime rib.



I'd recommend Bar Harbor as a vacation destination - in the summer. We were there "pre-season" so the water was a little cold and not a lot of the tourist attractions were available. It would be really nice if you were outdoorsy and could split your time between Acadia National Park and the quaint town of Bar Harbor.

Coming Soon in Update Number Two - Father's Day at the Lodge.

I sometimes audibly huff when I go to someone's blog and they haven't updated.