Preparing for Adele

During the summer of 2005, our family hosted an exchange student, Camille Richet. Sarah and Cam bonded and became really great friends and sisters. Sarah visited her family in France the following summer.

Now its time for Will and Cam's sister, Adele to get to know each other. We will be hosting Adele beginning July 8th for three weeks. We are super excited to get to know this young lady and to welcome her into our home and more importantly into our family.

We have lots planned for her during her stay including a trip to St. Augustine, which we love and is very special to our family. We visit there every year and always enjoy ourselves (well of course we do, we would be complete dunderheads if we went back every year to a place we hated).

So welcome Adele, we are glad you are staying with us.

Celebrating the Red, White and Blue

Every year, our family looks forward to celebrating the Fourth of July. Why? We really are not sure. Perhaps its the patriotic atmosphere, the fireworks, the feeling of summer finally (although the temperatures have been summer for quite some time now), the food, the yearly get together, most likely the food. Each year for the last 4 years, our family has hosted a huge cookout/party at our house. We start by decorating the inside of the house and finish up with the outside (both front and back). Our house looks like the fireworks spit out all over it. But we love that feeling we get after decorating. And of course everyone knows a party isn't far behind.

I have already begun decorating the hall way (although the funny vintage red, white and blue tinsel garland has yet to be hung) and a few places in the family room. I will be decorating a little each day for the next couple of days and on the morning of the 4th, we will do the outside.

This year, we have folks coming in from Tennessee and of course our friends here to join us for a twist to the fourth. Instead of the normal hamburgers, bbq chicken, etc., we are adding a Latin twist to the holiday and cooking up a butt load of Pork Roast Dinner. One of my family favorites. I'll be adding guacamole (homemade of course), cheese dip and churros to the mix. We are really looking forward to this Fourth!!!

Not only do I get into the spirit of the holiday with decorating and cooking, but I have discovered a new love -- NAIL ART!!!! A friend gave me a couple of bottles of Milani Nail Art polish in gold, black and white. I loved it, so I went looking for this fun stuff and found red and blue on sale!!!!! I spent a few hours playing around with it, but ended up painting my toenails in a metallic blue and doing a white french tip. I had to do this several times with putting it on and taking it off before I was satisfied that it didn't look like one of my ex students did it. If you haven't tried this fun fun fun twist to painting your nails and you want to save a few bucks at the nail salon, or just want to go that one step further to celebrate the holiday, go in search of this nail art polish. I think you will be glad you did.

I want to give a huge salute and big kiss to all our soldiers, here on home soil and those who are away in places they never dreamed of being. Also to those who have fought and died so that we all have the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. Thank you all for your sacrifices and bravery, without you, we would have no reason to celebrate the 4th of July.