Recap: Summer, Summer, Summertime. Time to sit back and unwind.

"Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind" Will Smith definitely said it best in this classic summer tune from the summer before I entered high school. Summer definitely was spent unwinding from my first year in Brasilia, living and teaching in a new country.

It's hard to believe that I'm writing this from O'Hare waiting for my delayed flight to Atlanta. Now am back in Brasilia and just procrastinating.  Make that my really delayed flight to Atlanta. I feel like summer can't already be over!

I took a break this summer from this blog for lots of reasons. Figure it's time to catch everyone up and also as I feel stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted, a chance to relish the good "stuff" from this past summer. Gotta remember the unwinding I had.

Onto The Good Times!

Eating my first "real" cheeseburger of the summer at Chilli's (not quite the same in Brazil)

Shopping with the Goo

Working on my first graduate school class as I earn a second masters degree in Educational Leadership

Watching the Cubs lose to the Pirates with Courtney in center field with Byrds

Catching up with Alpha Chis at the Cundiff's bbq (Thanks Cundiffs!)


Working on grad school


Dining with the Harrisions in Lincoln @ the Elk's (even Maxine came for it)


Visiting with GAD and GUE in Lincoln


Meeting the newest Krodel, Garrett, and catching up with the rest of the Krodel crew over dessert


Eating yummy breakfasts with my BT girls so I had lots of qt with each of them


Working on grad school


Celebrating the Goo's BIG 30th b-day

The Looney's @ Goo's 30th

Andrea and me @ Goo's 30th

Bigs and me @ Goo's 30th

Jez, 'Lil Jez and I @ the Goo's 30th

Hanging out with BT and our vampire friends while watching Eclipse


Catching up with Holly


Working on grad school


Playing Poison Princess with Ansley @ the Geneva Commons clock tower


Celebrating the almost arrival of our newest BR member, 'Lil Jez


Celebrating the Fourth of July and Andrea's birthday @ Pearson's


Working on grad school


Exploring Chicago's architecture, food and boobs with my mom and the Goo

Having a real Girls Night Out with CPF, AP and LM in Geneva

Bien Trucha = comida buena and amigas buenas

Games with names

Roadtrippin' with Sam to the Pacific NW

Touring Portland with the Wolvies who are amazing guides by the way.  Thanks guys!

 Columbia River Gorge

 Hood River wind and kite surfers

Mt. Hood

 Cannon Beach

 Seattle

 View from Space Needle @ night

 I tried and like fish and chips.  My tastebuds are officially dying but I like new foods.  Trade offs I guess.

 Gasworks Park in Seattle

Sipping a frap at the first Starbucks ever.  Yummy!

Laughing lots along the way

Learning literacy tips at the F & P conference in D.C.


Making new "friends" in Georgetown with Hirsch and Monica, OMG


Visiting the dr for what I thought was a quick trip and wound up being an entirely scary day (FYI my left breast is great in case you wanted to know, probably a little too much info for some of you but I can't just leave you with "scary day" and not say more)


Eating a delicious BBQ dinner with my fam


Sipping mochas and waters with the Faivre girls


Visiting Chilli's for a final chips, salsa and quesdilla explosion salad at Chilli's on our way to O'Hare

The summer was pretty amazing when I look back. I told the Goo yesterday, that I think a big part of why I'm feeling so stressed is because the last few days were chopped up by my trip to D.C., that my students arrive in less than a week and that my last few days went in unexpected directions. Thank goodness I was prepared so things went as smoothly as they could go.  More importantly, thank goodness that I’m okay.  I wanted lots of quality time with my friends and fam and as you can see, I didn't do too shabby at all. I might not have gotten to see everyone or for those I did see, maybe not quite as much as I'd hoped but I did pretty well for the time I had.  And if I didn't catch you this time round, lets plan a date for Xmas vacation.