Cross Country

 The guys are sending me periodic updates on their travel - this is their story, and this is their trip.

Carlsbad Cavern

Johnson Space Center

Galveston, TX

Breakfast on the Run

 Bob, Lukas, and Noah are off on a cross-country road trip. Noah knew he would be too tired in the morning to make breakfast, so he prepared it the night before. Based on the look, I am surprised it was still in the fridge in the morning.. 

Happy trails! See you in Miami!

Deep Dish Pizza

 Friday night pizza is being mixed up! This week it was a deep dish with layers and layers of meat and cheese. Tasty!

Welding

Noah is adding to his resume - welding. The end product? An electric scooter for Bob. 

We Made It!

 This was a birthday gift that we finally took the courage to take out of the box. Noah and I spent some time each day building this gorgeous but oh-so-hard puzzle. It did not help that we had kind helpers who saw nothing wrong with taking it apart. So, in reality, we put it together more than once. 

The Desert is Blooming

 All the rain is making the desert explode in color. I cannot help myself, stopping every few feet while I am out exercising, capturing the beauty of the wild flowers. 

These clouds are bringing more flowers...

Fourth of July Tradition

Bob had the kitchen all to himself while making enough ice cream to share with friends. So, although the boys were not with us for the 4th of July, the traditions live on - peach ice cream from the old Joy of Cooking. 

It's Raining

 After weeks of high temperatures and fire restrictions, we welcomed the monsoons. However, although we wanted rain, we did not want the flash flooding, mudslides, and cars being swept away. Once again, the microclimates are stark - on our side of time, I am taking pictures of beautiful flowers drenched in flowers, whereas our neighbors on the east side are shoveling mud out of their living rooms. 

    These are all pine cones we will not need to rake up this winter... 

Good Bye

 Lukas and Noah packed their bags and headed off to visit friends in Michigan. They had fun assisting in home renovation and backyard design projects. They returned tired with lots of memories. 

Quilt Sewing

 Lukas made a special order quilt in this yummy color for a friend from church. Two pounds of goose down will keep the owner toasty even when the temperatures drop into single digits, yet it will not weigh down the backpack, coming in at a scant 40 ounces. 

An End of an Era

 Noah has done most of his school work at the kitchen counter with a monitor mounted on the wall. Today, he dismounted it and even patched the holes. This is the end of an era. 

Mobile

 I had a chance to visit with friends over a long weekend. We shopped, ate, sipped, chatted, and laughed. I also got an opportunity to experience glamping - 36 ft trailer, beautifully decorated and so comfortable. We met when our kiddoes were in elementary school, and now some of these little ones are big enough to be off on their own or in college! 

Chimney Sweep

 Lukas has secured a backup career - if robotics is not working out - he will make a great chimney sweep. He and Bob cleaned our wood-burning stove; when the thermometer reads 90+, there is no need to have a fire inside. 

College Shopping

 It seems it was just yesterday, we outfitted Lukas for college, and now it is Noah's turn. We spent the day in Phoenix to check off all the items on Noah's list. We also had a chance to cool down with a Rita's Water Ice and stock up on our favorite Trader Joe's staples. 

On our way back up the hill, we were reminded of the drought as we saw dark smoke clouds rise up on both sides of I-17. Since neighbors were in "set" mode, we grabbed a quick snack and headed over to rake pine needles to minimize the risk of the fire reaching the house. It was a very long day. 

It's About Time

Lukas finally sorted through his food pantry box that he brought back from college in late April. Had it not for us getting ready to go college shopping for Noah, it might still be sitting out there in the heat. Oh well, the pantry got a few new additions. ... 

Father's Day

Lukas and Noah cooked a fantastic Father's Day dinner. Fresh brioche buns, Bob's tasty hamburgers, and onion rings. For dessert, Lukas made white chocolate mousse garnished with toasted coconut and fresh raspberries. 

We are all so blessed to have Bob in our lives - he is the most amazing father two young men could ever ask for - and I am so thrilled to parent with my best friend.