It has been a month since I’ve posted here on this blog and I have to admit that it kind of feels longer. (yikes!) I have so much content to post but am excited to start with a summer recap (part one) of the memories from time with friends and family!
This summer a lot happened! This was my first summer as a full 12 month employee (versus having the summers off as a teacher) and it actually made me really intentional with my time off and how I’d spend it with friends and family. We were blessed to have a bunch of friends come visit us this summer as well! Sterling’s sister and her family came up and we went to the National Aquarium and then had a slumber party, our friends Lauren and Andy came up and spent the weekend with us and our friends Natalie and Nathan came as well! I also had my good friend Leslie and her family come up for a weekend and we had a little camp reunion spending time with their kids and going to the Orioles game!
I got to go to a Maker Conference “Constructing Modern Knowledge” for a whole week in New Hampshire where I learned how to code Microbits, and utilize my own problem-solving strategies to create something of my own making! I took a whole week off and spent time with some of my closest friends down in the mountains of Virginia, where we met as 12 and 13-year-olds! That week off with them was exactly what I needed to clear my head before making the decision to take a new job and return to public ed. During that week I also got to spend time in Charlottesville with Sterling’s mom and our niece and nephew as we went up to Carter’s mountain, had ice cream and played outside together!
I finished off my summer with another long weekend trip down to Millboro Springs Virginia for yet another informal camp reunion! A group of 18 of us ranging from all ages went down to our favorite place to reconnect and spend time outdoors. Some of these women were my favorite counselors during my awkward teenage years and some I didn’t become close to until we became counselors ourselves! Regardless of our ages or how we knew each other when at camp together, all of these women have impacted my life in some way. Each and every one of them embraced me in my truest form and encouraged me to always be myself. They saw the best in me, which encouraged me and gave me more confidence than I had ever had before. They made me laugh until I peed my pants… multiple times and still manage to pick me up through my toughest times! Ending the summer with them, swimming in the river and singing songs by the campfire was a dream!
But would believe that’s not all we did this summer!? Check out the compilation of photos (mostly iphone photos) below to see a (mostly) complete recap!
Kicked off the summer with friends at the Orioles game when Lauren and Andy came to visit! The cherry on the cake was when my friend Liz made it on TV for a commercial for the ballpark!
FOURTH OF JULY was a blast! My brothers and sister came over along with my brother’s girlfriend Marissa and my sister’s boyfriend Will. I spent most of the time taking (tons) of pictures of my brother Bradley as he tried to get a great cannonball shot. He’s a great test dummy for getting fun pictures! I ended the day at my friend Kate’s house celebrating her birthday and eating crabs! In case you’re wondering, Sterling spent his 4th in Folley Beach at a bachelor party!
Winnie got in a bad habit of sleeping on our pillows…. I got in a bad habit of letting her. 🙂 
At my conference we saw so many amazing projects! This project was wearable Quidditch game hats! The pieces on the hat moved as you tried to score a goal through the hoops! I coded a Social Emotional Learning calm down button that helps people do deep breathing. My friend Caroline created a heart monitor that could measure stress. You can see more on my twitter page. 
At the conference we went to the MIT Media Lab which was incredible!
These sweet friends are some of my favorites from Camp! Leslie and Peyton have to additions to our friend group and it was great to spend the weekend together in Baltimore!
Traveled to DC, rode the Metro for the first time by myself, went to John Mayer and felt like a 16 year old all over again! Amazing night with my friend Melissa!
We kicked off our Homestead trip by heading straight to the pool! 
Then I woke up early one morning to do the History Tour! Mostly so I could hang back and get pictures of how GORGEOUS this place is! If you’ve never been and are in a place where you can splurge a little, go to the Homestead!! It’s the oldest resort in the United States! It’s gorgeous, so relaxing and happens to be in my favorite place on earth!
After going to the Homestead for a few days, I spent quality time with Sterling’s family in Charlottesville! We went up to Carter’s mountain to get their homemade ice cream!
Then this August my mom and Sterling spontaneously signed up for a 5k through a winery right by my parents house where I grew up. They may have gotten a free glass of wine at the end but I think my dad and I got a better end of the deal by not racing and enjoying a bottle of wine while we waited for them. 🙂
Went to the Dahlia festival right by the winery I just mentioned! Prigle’s Creamery is so pretty and has great ice cream if you’re looking for something fun to do on the weekend!
Back at camp with my favorite people for our mini unofficial reunion!
Finished the summer going to the Raven’s preseason game with my sister and her boyfriend Will and then watching the first JMU game with friends downtown!
