happy july!

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Hello, friends and happy July! I am back after an extended early-summer break:) Sorry to have left you hanging...we embarked our trip in a whirlwind, and right when we got back promptly got really sick. Twice.

But, now we are well and getting back into the swing of things. I just started teaching a couple summer classes, and Jake is clearing out his school studio, and we're both psyched to enjoy a slower summer pace. As I ease back into my little blog space, you might want to check out these fun links:

--Em from hiphipgingin posted this perfect list. (what do you think? I agree with everything on it!)

--Alli over at hooray posted about this sweet date night.

--I'm excited for these July Events.

...and wouldn't you love to throw (or attend) a backyard movie party? With the heat climbing in the daytime, it would be the perfect temperature for lounging at night!

What about you? Do you have any fun July plans?

Spain and France or bust!!

Friends, I am bursting with excitement--we're going to Europe in May!!! I mentioned this in a passing gratitude the other day, but I wanted to fill you in on the whole, lovely story.

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As you know, I turned the big 3-0 this year, and was wracking my brains on how to celebrate. Well, on the day of my birthday, I had to drive four and a half hours back from a conference (meh). Once I got home, however, I was ready to settle in for an evening of birthday bliss.

My mom had dropped off dinner and goodies...

...and Jake cleaned and heated up dinner while I sipped champagne (and frantically finished a last-minute project for work!) 

After dinner: birthday cheese, more champagne and gifts! Jake got me Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris and surprised me with a proposal...

...let's go! (and of course, I said "yes")

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We will be leaving in May, after my semester ends and Jake's thesis and the undergraduate class he's teaching wrap up. We're planning to visit Madrid, Granada, Tarifa, Tangier, Seville, Barcelona, Provence and--of course--Paris. I'm over the moon! Any suggestions for us??

go find yo mind!

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Hey all! Sorry for the long silence...I've been trying to get a handle on things. So much to share with you! Last week, I was in St. Louis for this professional conference, which was fun and interesting. However, I feel like my life/schedule/brain has been thrown off-kilter by that chunk of traveling. As I slowly attack the pile of projects I have to grade, I'm also trying to get back in the swing of my own personal writing and blogging--so, I hope to see more of you all here, soon:). Hope this post finds you all well, and with at least some idea of where your brain is!

Two weeks to go...

...until we head here! Jake and I are gonna escape for a "mini-break," as the Brits call it, with our friends and their two adorable boys. I am so, so excited to get outta dodge for a long weekend. And to my beloved Lake Michigan, no less.

 

*sigh*

Do you have any mini-breaks planned this summer? Any regular-sized breaks? Where to?

fancy a quick drive through Paris?

My Tuesday has been the kind of day that makes one dream of escape. Thankfully, Pret-A-Voyager posted this great video of "Paris at Warp Speed"--shot with a video camera attached to a Ferrari dashboard.

Watching it was a nice, and startlingly evocative, escape from my crazy day--I feel like all morning, I've only done things or not done things that I then need to apologize for doing or not doing. Sigh. Ever have one of those days? If so, check out this clip. I could almost feel the cool, Paris-morning air, and remembered vividly my own walks down those historic streets. Anne suggests watching it at "full screen," and I agree!