Everything that has happened since the middle of May...

I've been neglegent in posting mainly because I've been so busy. I have a little more free time now, as I have quit working for New York & Company so that I can stay home with Rhiannon over the summer. Alas, I still work at Outback Steakhouse about three nights a week. Because it's been a while since anything new has been posted, I figured I would just put up a bunch of pictures with captions - especially since I have taken about a bazillion pictures with my new camera.









I have taken up painting again - sort of. What I mean is that I mean to take up painting again. I want to do bright fun pictures for kids' rooms and maybe even sell them or something. So far, I've only finished one - and we gave it to Rhiannon's friend Dylan for his fifth birthday. It's called Ringtailed Lemur.




Rhiannon's boyfriend Dylan turned five on May 23rd and had a pool party.Rhiannon had a blast, even though Dylan also invited his "church girlfriend".







My best friend Liz came over to see me on June 28th. We don't see each other as much as we'd like now that we are out of school and I moved to Lakeland. We went to see the new Indiana Jones movie - we liked it. As anthropologists we had to shut off our brains when we watched it, but otherwise....










This picture was taken when we went out to eat one night. Joel was being his chipper self while Rhiannon became best friends with the waitress.





When we let the dogs out at night they always go after the toads. We also saw this spider - about 3/4 inch (?) - we don't know what kind, but Joel said he thought he saw marking s on its abdomen, so we killed it to be safe. We usually let them live, as they eat other bugs (beetles- ugh!) but this one weirded us out a little for some reason. Anyone know what kind it is?



















Just a picture of me reading a bedtime story to Rhiannon.




Rhiannon graduated form La Petite Academy (VPK = Voluntary Pre-K) on June 3rd. She was very excited. They sang the cutest songs. There are a few okay pictures, but this little boy kept stepping in front of her throughout the whole ceremony (he was cute, though) and then parents and such kept getting in the way. After getting her diploma she ran to sit on her dad's lap, ripping the cap and gown off as she went. She was also very excited about the new pink dress I bought her to wear. They had a little party afterwards with cake and Rhiannon got to say good-bye to Miss Lynn and Miss Barbara.








We took Rhiannon to her favorite place to eat after the ceremony - Cracker Barrel - and gave her a Graduation Barbie and a Graduation Beanie Baby Bear (just like the one Liz gave me when I graduated- she has been coveting it since last year). Well, I have more pictures from our adventures yesterday, but I've been working on this for a while, so they will have to wait.

Anyone reading this who doesn't already know, Joel's brother Nate is now in Kuwait. I'm sure his family misses him and we all hope for his continued safety. My cousin Tracy is actually home from Kuwait now, safe and sound, although I haven't heard from her yet.