lately.

It’s been ages since I did a big photo drop of pictures and slapped a lately title on it, but sometimes it’s just necessary. So many things, so many of them undocumented, that I needed to come on here and get them out before my photo roll is even more packed with summery photos–the best time for memory-making, really. Mind you, my photo roll is also very, very packed with 37 of the same photo and the length of time I go between deleting the crap ones and actually loading the good ones onto my computer for safe keeping is… a very, very long time.That top picture is Anders-badger (we still call him that fairly often) running around my college campus. We were there for a farewell event for a longtime professor and Steve was singing at it. The caption I used cracked me up, and it definitely cracked you guys up too. I’m so glad we’re appreciating the trippy together (because it so is! A young, unknowing freshman Bridget walked–or ran; I was often late to class–up that very path with zero knowledge that in a few short years she’d be marrying the professor whose class she was running off to. Sometimes my story still astounds me.). Now that we got that out of the way… we’ve also got summer drinks! I went with some of my girlfriends on a gooorgeous Friday night and then came back to our place where we remained for a few more hours with a firepit and gin and tonics. Summer is good, man.Also… backyard beautifying! We just ripped out some more backyard plants to clear the way for a line of hemlock trees that will abut the fence next to our firepit for some more privacy. And I got a little outdoor coffee table that has a succulent on it, and some plants for the window boxes, etc. It’s all coming along, slowly but surely. I think a raised vegetable garden will be next (but probably next summer).  Amazon’s giant balloons for the win. I got exactly zero pictures of William’s actual graduation party–but I did manage to take this picture to remember it by.The seniors had an all-nighter event where they went to a bunch of places–Dave and Busters, Fire and Ice (in Boston), SkyZone, and then a sunrise cruise (both fun and exhausting after the full week of other activities they had!). So this was William the next morning… going to bed for the night while we were just waking up. Anders cuddled up with him a for a good ten minutes. It was really cute.My friends brought these rhododendrons to the party. Aren’t they GORGEOUS? I never would’ve really thought to cut and arrange rhododendrons but why not?!Hugs with one of our favorite guys. No filter on this picture but even so it’s still hard to capture the new highlighters–that shimmer is hard to take a picture of but the new rose one is really so lovely. Light pigment plus highlighter… enough pigment that you don’t need an additional blush when you use it. Also, wearing what is probably top 5 favorite summer shirts ever (this one; I have it in three colors!).You know how I feel about sugar intake, but I’m keeping us pretty well stocked with s’mores fixings this summer because impromptu fire pits are just too fun, and that much more fun if there’s s’mores to make.Made a favorite salad the other day when Steve came home from England–beans, corn, pulled chicken, peppers, on a bed of greens. You could add cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado… with a good dressing?! YUMMMMM.Fast asleep in the stroller. AND NOT TOO BIG FOR IT YET.We made mint chocolate chip ice cream the other day following this recipe but I can’t say I liked it that much. Though, I think Anders did. Too eggy/custardy to me. Any really, really great ice cream recipes? Send them my way!My Mom and the boys while on a walk. Aren’t they cute? Also, I love where I live.cxAnd finally, these sweet ones fast asleep together. Love them more than words can say.

Phew, that was a lot. Hope you guys are wrapping up this school year nicely and gearing up for some relaxation–somewhere, some way!