It's only been three weeks, so here are the highlights:

1. Arizona was hot (like the fires of hell and damnation), but we had a GREAT time with family and friends.
a) We hit up the ostrich farm again with Mom and Dad, Jewels and Roo...
b) We played with Treen and Zac and Jewels and Roo at the Phoenix Farmer's Market (come on, what ELSE would I do on vacation?!) and hooked ourselves up with some seriously yummy grub...
c) We laid by the pool (or swam in it) and downed Chicago-style dogs at Wendy's mom's clubhouse where we met up with just about every family member under the sun (still missing Nik!)...
d) Jess threatened Jared's life...(mostly in jest, and he knows why...)
e) We visited Kim & Bella in their lovely new home (and Kathy in hers!) and salivated over the price of an apt the same size as ours for half the number of people...
f) We played (and played catch-up!) with Audrey and her munchkins at their place for far longer than we'd planned, each moment a laugh and passing all too quickly...
g) We ate at Pete's. Eat there. You'll understand.
h) The Bradshaws surprised us with a giant 4-layer, chocolate-frosted Wendy-creation cake (watch that girl BAKE!) for an early celebration of Jessica's birthday.

2. We returned home to our crazy over-grown tomato plants...and pruned. We were worried that they'd never produce and never recover, but we've already got about 18 tomatoes coming in...amongst 10 veritable tomato TREES...making them quite feasibly the most expensive yellow cherry tomatoes EVER...oh, and our zucchini and pumpkin plants are going NUTS!

3. We missed out on Ashleigh's baby blessing (sorry!) but congratulate Bridget and Dan (and Katherine!) on a beautiful, sweet baby girl, whose birth announcement we have sitting on our living room 'cuz she's just that adorable.

4. Kim has returned to California!!!!!!!...for a few days. (Her brother's wife is having a baby shower.) We, of course, realize that we miss her tons when we see her...but we're making the most of the couple days she's here and we're thrilled for her that she's so excited to go home (not that we want her to)!

5. We're mourning the loss of Michael Jackson...but not because we loved him. Instead, we can't WAIT until people shut UP about him, and we're wishing he hadn't died just so we could stop hearing about him on the radio...tv...on the net...on people's t-shirts at Disney...UGH. Come on, people. You haven't wanted anything to do with that creepy once-black almost-destitute man since the early '90's...why are you suddenly mourning him like he was a family member and letting the city of LA spent a couple million bidding him a ridiculous farewell? (Stepping off my soapbox now...)

6. My hair is darker and re-layered...and I love it. ROMAN ROCKS. Let me know if you need a SPECTACULAR stylist...he's the BEST!

7. We're in SWIM LESSONS! (Yes, we're...Tyler has his class, but Mikayla's class involves Mommy participation, so we're ALL in swim lessons!) You know...it's amazing how a mom can get everything in the world done in a day and THEN spend 3 hours watching a Masterpiece Theater/BBC production, and STILL not have time to shower after a swim-lesson-chlorine-dousing. We'll see how long my hair stays dark...(and if anyone says anything to me about priorities...I'll let you borrow Cranford. You try walking away from Judy Dench on the television to take a shower!)

What else, what else, what else...? Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...I guess that's all for now! Everything else has been laundry this and grocery shopping that (you know how it is when you return from "vacation"...) so I think I'm going to go take a shower...in time to get back in the pool for swim lessons, and then to head to the pool with Kim and Bella. Aaaaaah, Summer.

OH! 8! Brandon is coming out to visit us the first week in August, and the kids are quivering with excitement! More on that one AFTER the fact, but suffice it to say...that's gonna be ONE FUN VISIT! (We're already planning Disney, the beach, and a Six Flags venture...WOOHOO!)

Okay, so now THAT'S it.

Will post again when I have a new canvas painted or another chapter to my book...so I'd better get on it! Love to all, and thanks for the catch-up!