The Blur That Has Been July

WOA! Where has July gone? It’s been a busy few weeks.

Michigan Weekend: Over July 4th, I joined my sister and her family for a long weekend in Michigan. We had a blast, even though Michigan was experiencing unseasonably HIGH temperatures. YIKES! It rarely gets above 100 degrees F, but it did while we were there. HA! We caught fireworks along Lake Huron, shopped at the Croswell Stockyards, played games, had our own fireworks show in the side yard, and just had a great weekend together with my parents and my Grandma. I also got to catch up with my friend Melissa over lunch at Junction Buoy. We hadn’t seen each other in years (too many to count really). It was great to reconnect and enjoy laughing together again.

Newport Aquarium: My friend Becky and I drove to Newport, Kentucky to take in the amazing aquarium there. Tickets are a bit pricey ($22 for adult tickets), but it is worth it for an occasional visit, in my book. If I visited more frequently, a membership would be the way to go. They have lots of shark and tropical fish. Of course, I especially liked their turtles, but that's just me. I'm a turtle girl! I’m also crazy about the jellyfish exhibit. I think jellyfish are beautiful creatures...deadly but beautiful!

Weekend with Jacob: My 7-year-old nephew Jacob came to visit me last weekend on his own. We bowled together on Saturday morning, where Aunt Mel won both games but not by much. Yes, I confess, we both used the bumper rails. I'm rather fond of the bumper rails myself. HA! Saturday afternoon, we toured the IMA's contemporary collection. He liked the Untitled exhibit by Tara Donovan, which was one of the reasons I wanted him to visit the IMA. But in truth, he loved the Jeppe Hein's Distance more. It's an amazing "indoor rollercoaster track for a series of white, plastic balls." You can follow the balls as they make their way along the track, and it is fascinating to say the least. [By the way, both of those exhibits close soon, and so check them out.] We did walk through part 100 Acres as well, but the heat soon sent us heading back to the car for some needed AC. On Sunday, we saw Toy Story 3 in 3D, which is one of the best films of the year, I believe. It was a great end to our incredible weekend of bonding. OK, so I spoiled him a little bit. He got to eat the foods he wanted and watch lots of Scooby Doo movies on Netflix, too. But, hey, I think it is an aunt's right to spoil nieces and nephews! I think of it as my job really...