summa time, and the livin' is eee-zee...

I am taking my second ever commercial airplane ride in July to Washington to see my family. My granddaughter is going to escort me up there and back home, and she has extra bonus air miles, so we get to fly first class. I think I'm looking forward to it. Will let you know how it goes.

Love to Margie and Bob. They're in my prayers.

Lorraine P

------------------------------------------Hi Kate!
I just got myself caught up on the blog. I am sooooo thrilled that the
Leukemia is gone!
Although it sound as though it's been a terribly difficult road to this
point, she is getting to where she needs to be. That is great!!!

Hi Margie,

Our summer plans look something like this... Dylan (who is now 5 1/2 if you
can believe it!) finished preschool at the JCC on Thursday. They had a
lovely little "moving on" ceremony, just like they did with Parker's class,
I'm sure, and Dylan was full of pride when he received his "diploma". So he
is technically on vacation at this very moment. I, however, am not! I am too
busy trying to appease Ben, who is 8 1/2, and obsessed and deeply perturbed
by the fact that he still has two more days of school left before summer
vacation begins! He, much to his chagrin and dismay, is not "free" until
Tuesday at 2pm (at which time I officially begin my latest trial by fire; 10
weeks straight with my children! Terrifying but I'm sure I'm up for the
challenge!

Recently Kate and I were talking about how she and her brothers and sister
were shipped off to relatives for weeks at a time during the summers when
she was a kid. Now I can see why! Where do we sign up? Just kidding... I am
actually looking forward to the little adventures I have planned for the
boys and myself this summer.

We are spending the remainder of June at home with few concrete plans. My
first cousin and his wife and kids are coming for a visit. Ben will do a
little 2-hour-per-day tennis camp in Golden Gate Park for one week. Most
notably, however, is the fact that in less than two weeks I will be
celebrating my 40th birthday! I don't know whether to cry or rejoice so I'm
doing both! Planning a b-day bash for myself with the help of my dear
friends, contemplating Botox and the hiring of a male escort to attend my
party with me (just kidding) and concocting subtle and not so subtle ways to
tell my family what I'd like for my birthday! After all, I've got to milk it
for all it's worth! My mom, dad, and step-mom will be making their ways West
to celebrate with me. I am so thrilled that they are coming! Kate doesn't
actually believe I have parents since she's never met them yet. This will be
my chance to prove they really exist!

In July we will be in NYC and the surrounding countryside for three weeks
visiting my family. We will move back and forth between my mom's tiny-tiny
apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and my dad's little country
house in Saugerties, NY. In NYC we will see friends, play with my little
nieces in the playgrounds where my sister and I played as children, and eat
pizza and soft ice cream from the Mr. Softy trucks parked throughout the
city. In the country we will swim in the creek surrounding the house, hike,
torture insects, get dirty and generally do "boy-style" country activities.
I'm still learning what those activites are, but you get my drift.

In August we go to Yosemite for 1 week. There is a family camp there called
Camp Mather, and this will be our third trip up there. We stay in a
bare-bones cabin with nothing but a light bulb and two beds. The great thing
is that I don't have to cook for the whole week! The food is served
cafeteria style, and it is really tasty! There is a beautiful lake for
swimming, a pool, tennis courts, great hiking, horseback riding and plenty
of camp-like activities. At night they do marshmallow roasts, sing-alongs
etc. Lots and lots of fun. Oh, and the kids ride their bikes everywhere
which they love.

Once we get back we have two weeks at home before school begins again. We
will just lay low, relax and enjoy sleeping in for a few more days until
school starts.

Sounds like a great summer right? I certainly hope the boys enjoy it. I am
trying to treasure my time with them... They seem to be growing up sooo
fast!

Margie, I want you to know that I think about you every day. I am sending
you all my love and good wishes and strength and hope for your continued
recovery. You are amazing!!!! I am so inspired by your strength and grace
and beauty!

Love,
Lara
-----------------------------------------------------------
Hi, this is RachelAs of today i am waiting for russ to get home within six days and we might go to abbys wedding this summer.
take care, rachel.

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kathleen,
Well, we are celebrating Sarah'sgraduation from college this weekend. Way to go Sarah! There is also the 4th of July where Michelle & I will be dressed as Raggedy Ann & Andy (those happen to be our two middle names by the way) and with my accordion, will be marching in our annual 4th of July neighborhood parade. Also, with Hilary making the cheerleading squad, she'll be having practices two days a week this summer, which includes tumbling workouts. Jeff has moved back home after a year of being out in the real world (reality check $$). He just completed his 1st year at the local community college and is working full time at Rite-Aid this summer. Where will I be? Oh yeah, I'll be working. I do look forward to the weekends when I can play my accordion and entertain the patrons at Nonna Emilia's Ristorante Italiano. I am taking one week of in late July and maybe go to the beach and do a little camping, just to get away and relax.
Well, that's about it. Nothing too exciting. I wish I could say I was touring Europe this summer, but I guess I can pretend that I am in Italy on weekends while playing "That's Amore'.

Love You.
-Joe
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Richard and I will probably be working all summer, but we are going out to
Ocean shores here on the Washington Coast for 5 days when he gets home from
the ship he is on now. It's our 20th anniversary June 14th so it's an
anniversary trip. He may stay in town and work for Arrow Launch for the
summer. I'm hoping we get to take a trip to Victoria sometime this summer
also. My niece and her family will be coming to visit us from Catalina in
July for about 5 days too. I'm excited to see them! OH YES!! And the best
news of all...Jade and Luke are expecting a baby in January! We should have
a full summer!

Take care now!

Debbi

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Randy and the boys and I will be doing our annual trip to Mexico in July-
besides that, Parker has science camp for two weeks, Randy goes to San Diego for
a friends retirement party and then in August, I'll be coming up there with the boys.
Love,
Kathleen

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So, thank you everyone that contributed, I know that Margie loves to hear about what everyone is doing-