Monday, August 1, 2016

Summer Highlights (So Far)

Highlight #1
The kids have all agreed that the best day so far this summer has been at our friends Tricia and John's house.  Over the 4th of July weekend we gathered in their backyard for 10 hours of fun.  Yes, you read that right.  10 hours.

Tricia is one of the Six, and this party was for all 6 of our families.  It's rare for us to get together, but even more rare when it includes the husbands and kids. We enjoyed a plethora of games, food, drinks, and great company.

Pizza making in their pizza oven. So fun!

Backyard games

ping pong


Our hosts Tricia and John are standing next to me and Bill (second from left)
The day was a total blast. Thanks Tricia and John for spoiling us!!

Highlight#2 
Friends from our parish retreat team hosted their annual pool party/bbq.  It was a great afternoon. Not sure how the kids didn't shrivel up from swimming for 4 hours straight.  Here is a picture with some of the team, with an added late-comer edited in for fun.  Can you see it?


Highlight#3
A friend of Bill's from college, who lives in California, was vacationing with her family on the East Coast.  Our families met up while they were in Philadelphia. They hadn't seen each other in 18 years.  It was so nice to meet all of them and we really hope we get to see them again soon.  Maybe a trip to California in the near future is in order??

Highlight #4
Not too far from our house is the #9 Coal Mine and Museum.


While there we rode a little train car 1600 feet into the mine and had a guided tour.  We saw a 900 foot deep elevator shaft, an underground mule-way, and heard about the working conditions there.  

After that we had lunch at a local pizzeria....


.....then found a Country Junction to peruse and have fun in.....





And as luck would have it, on our way home we came across a store that had just what I had been looking for....a new hex sign for our garage.

Highlight #5
We enjoyed a day at our township community center with some of my sisters in law, nieces, and nephews.  They were kind enough to drive 90 minutes to our neck of the woods and spend the afternoon with us. 


All that in July! Wow.  Counting my blessings, for sure.

Thanks for visiting today!   Hope your summer has been a fun one as well.