School's out!! Permanently!!

Not to confuse you, yes, for most people, school is starting this week...BUT, many of you know that I graduated recently, and comically, this fact really didn't hit me until yesterday!

I came to work like I do every day and it occurred to me - as I watched our students looking frazzled, overwhelmed and hurriedly lugging around large stacks of expensive books on their first day of classes - that this is the FIRST TIME in THREE YEARS that I haven't been "going back to school" at this time!!! Wow...what a delight that was to realize!! Yay for no more school!!

Happy belated blog-a-versary!!

Okay, okay, I am such a dork...I know...I've resorted to inventing words for my own entertainment!

But, our one year blog-a-versary passed at the beginning of August, and I missed it!! That's right...we've had our virtual blog-home for over one year now!!

Just for nostalgia's sake, take a trip with us down memory lane when we first began our virtual home away from home...

Our first blog post...awww!! How sweet!


Thanks for joining us in our virtual home on this joyful journey of marriage and life!

Fun time with family

My cousin Julie and her husband Rob just bought an awesome new house in DC, so we headed over for brunch on Saturday!

I made blueberry crumb cake and fruit kebabs:

Momma Julie with sweet Sydney:

Peek-a-boo with Sydney!

The hubbies, Steve & Rob:
Sydney with Grandma Donna:

"Aaaaaaah!!!" ;)

What fun!!

(Except that we missed UNCLE MIKE, who is normally present for such family functions!! ;)

Scroll down...this is only the beginning of our California adventure!!

As I'm sifting through my hundreds of pictures from our recent California houseboat trip, it occurred to me that this would have to span over several posts...so, ENJOY!!

This is the cove that we parked our houseboats in for the week:

Home sweeeeeet home for the week:

The second of our fleet (yes, we had 18 people attending this party - we needed TWO houseboats!!):

Living room/kitchen:

Oh, and the boats came complete with a full gym - ab machines and an exercise bike! haha...(the guys set these up themselves):Boat ROOFTOP = the game table and bedroom for sleeping under the stars:

OH, did I mention no showers for a week?!

Yes...we bathed in the lake ALL WEEK LONG!!

Steve's sisters demonstrate the finer art of shaving and bathing while simultaneously grasping a ladder or treading water...family FUN!!!
Silly Aunt Shakey...love her!
The view from our "front porch":

WOW!!!

California, Part 2...a week of fun activities!! Boating, floating, kayaking, playing games and wakeboarding...among other things

Mama & Papa McMurray, ready for kayaking: Steve, acting silly...are we surprised?! ;)
Steve & Tristan, paddling away:
Now THIS was my favorite activity, f-l-o-a-t-i-n-g!!! Doesn't Papa John look comfy on his big pink raft?
Stacy and I created quite a contraption to ensure the highest quality floating experience possible...it included a hula hoop and life jackets!
And in the "among other things" catagory...Shooting? At the lake? Yes...soda cans, that is...
Yeah, we thought they looked like Rednecks protecting their trailer too....
And the biggest highlight for most aboard?

WAKE BOARDING!!

The McMurray kids, starting with Sharon:
My hubby!! Whatta hottie!!
Catchin' some air:

Stacy takes a turn at sunset:
Game time on the roof!

California, Part 3...a sampling of our nightly sunsets from the houseboat:

California, Part 4...Random fun photos

Me & Stacy (Aunt Shakey) hangin' out after dinner...now tell me I'm not showing!! ;)

I LOVE MY HUBBY!!!
Me with Steve's awesome sisters, Sharon and Stacy (minus Kathryn, who couldn't come! ;(
More of the cousins, hanging out on the rooftop!
The WHOLE GANG!!

(We are so grateful that I was finally able to meet Steve's aunts, uncles and cousins!!)
And the ever-important SILLY SHOT!

California, Part 5...Saying goodbye...

Heading back to the marina to return the boats...so sad...yet, so beautiful!

Off to Uncle Jeff and Aunt Susie's house in Chico, California;

Aunt Janet lounging in their pool:
Kissing GEORGE, the famed pom, good-bye...we all wanted to take him home!!!
The final McMurray family shot!
Bye California!! What fun we had!!

Too many pictures!

Alright, I have TOO MANY pictures...can you imagine?! Moi? With too many pictures?
Yes.

Our trip to California was awesome and I am trying to sort through the hundreds of snapshots to blog about it!
But until then, I will share the winner of the "Most Creative" shot for the whole trip, snagged by my sister-in-law Stacy, aka, Aunt Shakey!!

Hahahaha...isn't she funny?! I had no idea why she was insisting that I go stand in front of this particular van at this particular moment...then I turned around and finally "got it". Too funny.
More later....