And such is life...

Sacramento's natural air conditioning kicked in last night! The breezes from the delta cool the region so our air conditioners don't have to work so much. It's only going to be in the very low nineties today. That sounds toasty to some of you, but it only gets uncomfortably warm for an hour or two in the afternoon.

Jessica and I might go to Old Navy and TJ Maxx today after class. First we have to stop at Costco to put gas in the car. How does she not know how to put gas in the car, especially since she will be driving her and Andrew to school everyday in two and a half weeks???

School clothes shopping is upon us. Usually I take one kid at a time up to the mall to hit American Eagle, Aeropostale, Express, Vanns, Macy's, any all the other stores they love. This time I have to take both at the same time. At least they are not at the age where they bicker (too much). Jessica loves to give her brother fashion advice. I'm contemplating letting them get what they need while I stop in Ann Taylor and New York Styles. They are fantastic shoppers and know how to look for the deals. They always have a budget to stick to, I can trust them to make the best decisions. One of the hardest things to shop for is jeans for Jessica. For the longest time she was a zero short. Not many stores carry small sizes (due to the fattening of America). And to help our shopping experience, the stores that do carry short sizes always seem to put them on the very top shelf (I wonder if they understand that short jeans means short people will be buying them?).

The paper for my communications class is done and just needs editing. yeah! My final for Biology is Thursday....I'm in the homestretch here. My next class (some kind of History class) starts Monday. I get a two day break!!!

Empty nest syndrome-is it all it's cracked up to be?

It's been just over a week since we've had no children in the house. Here are a few observations about life with an empty nest (those of you who have already reached this phase can identify with what I'm talking about).

1) never has the house stayed so clean
2) the grocery store has only been graced by my presence once this past week
3) the animals have become a source of enjoyment and entertainment
4) suppers are so much simpler. who wants to cook for only 2?
5) the laundry pile is almost non-existent
6) did I mention how clean the house is?
7) the house is quiet
8) radio and tv stations are tuned to what I like
9) the kid's bathroom is so...fresh!
10) the kids are missed so much, it almost breaks my heart to have them gone

I suppose empty nest is something you get used to. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Someday this will be my reality :(

Wow! It's been a busy week.

Elk Grove's Strauss Festival has been a local favorite for over 20 years. An orchestra performs traditional pieces while dancers tell a story. It is a wonderful event. A friend and I went last night and had a fabulous time! There are even fireworks at the end. It is a free event with a $10 parking admission, however, we hit the parking lottery when I went in the VIP entrance and realized I knew one of the girls working :) We brought snacks and wine. I know I've blogged before about Michael David winery in Lodi and how much I love their 7 Deadly Zins. Well, I bought their 7 Heavenly Chards for last night. It was the perfect choice.




Sacramento is the land of the hot, hot sun! However, there are certain advantages to living with the heat. One is the flowers! This beautiful bougainvillea graces our back porch. I put the pot here a few months ago and it is really taking off. I love the bright pink flowers against the backdrop of our pool. We also have 3 crepe myrtles in the backyard and they just started blooming. I love flowers, especially in the summer.


I was thinking this might be a quiet week with the kids gone, but it really hasn't. Having no kids this week gives us the opportunity to live a slice of empty-nest life. I must admit I have been wondering what we would do when the kids are gone, since we spend so much time with their various activities.

We might run up into Placerville wine tasting. A friend of Joe's pours at a winery up there. Plus it's a beautiful town, full of quaint little shops.

One of my favorite books!

Frank McCourt, the author of Angela's Ashes, died this past weekend from cancer. Angela's Ashes is one of my favorite books. It is funny, poignant, sad, and just so full of life. Many of you may have seen the movie, but I would urge you to read the book too. The movie is a poor substitution for this glimpse into the daily struggles of a poor Irish boy.

Friday!!

So I'm looking all over for Jessica's flat iron. It's not in the bathroom where it should be. I have a sneaking suspicion it is at Camp Menzies with Jessica. A flat iron at camp? Oh well, I think I took a curling iron to camp when I was sixteen.

Super hot today! That is not preventing me from wearing my new Ann Taylor 3/4 length sleeve white cardigan (I bought for my birthday). The A/C is always cranked at the grocery store...which is where I am headed in a few minutes.

Off to the store we go. I love to take one of the kids (only one, not two) with me, that way I can tell them what to get while I just push the cart :) We are having fish tacos tonight with corn and black bean salad. Of course I have none of the ingredients on hand but it sounds so good it's worth a special trip.

Comedy night at Laguna Town Hall, starts at 8pm. Tickets are available at the door for anyone who did not pre-order. The Stolzman's will be there will a crisp white pino on a HOT July evening. Anyone want to join us??