Decompressing

After 4 days of 6+ hours of driving per day, I'm in decompression mode.  First home to Virginia from my dad's in Illinois...  That took 2 days (we split up the drive for the kids' sake) and we delayed leaving because we were having such a good time SO that led us into 2 more days of straight driving up and back from NY to celebrate with some friends. 

{Justin "up-up-up-downing" at our McDonald's makeshift picnic on our roadtrip home}

Before we left though, we did get some fishing in at the lake...


I'm a terrible fisherman  ("fisherwoman" just sounded odd there) but I love it now that Christian has so much fun doing it:


He kept reeling it in and seeing the minnow (for bait) on the hook and thinking he'd caught "a little fish!"  (We didn't have the heart to tell him.)

Dave's learning too...

I love those cloudy days at the lake where you just relax.  There's gray beauty everywhere...



{"One-two-three-four-five-six-seven... SEVEN snails" says Christian}

He was so excited to catch his very first bass with his Nanoo (my dad)...  (It was definitely the smallest bass we'd ever seen ;) 


My dad's an awesome fisherman and even mounted "my" very first bass that I caught at four years old.  Here he is now in the playhouse:

I wasn't ready to leave for home but I guess it's always better to leave while you're still having fun.  We're finally home from an amazing time in NY at Eddie & Jaithan's where we got to see & meet some amazing blogging friends in person.  ...Debra of5th and State, Patricia of PVE Design, Michele of My Notting Hill, and the Vamp (Valorie of Visual Vamp) to name a few...  it was like meeting old friends and they're just as amazing as you'd expect in 'real' life. As my usual I'm-having-too-much-fun-to-take-pictures-self, I didn't take any but in true Eddie & Jaithan fashion, you can bet it was beautiful.   And when I got home, there was a beautiful package waiting for me from Patricia who had no idea we were even going to meet when she's sent it the week before:



She'd found an amazing book that she thought I'd love for $1 and sent it to me!  (Now this is the kind of person I want to be.  She's so incredibly thoughtful and generous!!  And seriously chic- oh my goodness!)  Anyway, It's called Found Style by Amy and David Butler and the photos are incredible:


I plan on taking some time this week to read it and another book (Living With What You Love) this week ad am attempting to decompress from our whirlwind of driving. 


I've got a great week set up with clients to get back into the swing of things (if any of you are reading I missed you!! ;)  ... tonight we had an awesome dinner-  a Greek Salad with ground tukey (I swear it's good) and life is beautiful.


I hope you're having a great summer too& are enjoying any minute you can. 

xoxo, Lauren

ps-  This is so odd, but for the past 5-7 days or so, I haven't been able to type...  I don't know what's up but it's worse than usual!!  (I keep mixing up all the letters and leaving letters out.... ??hahaha  ....  ok only funny if it stops.)

26 comments:

Chrissa said...

It's okay, Lauren.

Mispell as much as you want, we know what you mean and love you anyway :)

Our reading list is totally the same. Heh.

Gwen Driscoll said...

Hi Lauren,

Such precious pictures. I've been taking a blog break this summer but I've missed all my favorite blog friends so much. Hope you are well.

Gwen

Teresa Hatfield ~ Splendid Sass said...

Glad that you had a great trip. Your typing problem could be your computer. My computer makes up its own words and sentences and inserts sentences into other sentences. I thought I was losing it until someone else used the computer and the same thing happened. I am soon to be a Mac owner, so I am looking forward to that. Probably too much info, but for what its worth.
Teresa (Splendid Sass)

LindsB said...

Sounds like a wonderful trip! And that book from Patricia, she is seriously the most thoughtful person ever!

EDYTA & CO. INTERIOR DESIGN said...

Beautiful post.
Great photos,, I want to decompress by the lake too :) looks divine!
Happy Monday!

xoxo
Edyta
http://edytaandco.blogspot.com/

Elizabeth said...

your kids are so cute! i love the picture of you sitting on the dock with your little one.

Jules said...

Computers are awful when they get into a playful mood!! We couldn't find any files this morning only to discover that overnight they had all jumped ship and decided to float of in somebody else's boat! Tops art files were in health, meeting notes in emails, dog files in with real estate and so it went! Don't worry about spelling errors! Gosh the babies are growing.

Anne-Marie @ 10 Rooms said...

so great that you got in some family time.. those are the most precious memories, aren't they? I have that book - think I got it for $3!! and love it too.

cotedetexas said...

I love your back yard retreat - it really came out sooo cute. love it!!!!

Joni

pve design said...

Lauren,
My Dad always told me to celebrate Christmas daily and to give from the heart. No matter that the book was a dollar, it really just had your name all over it.
Great to meet you and you mate, only wish those handsome boys were in tow. I may have taken them home with me though! Now that my boys are 17, I miss those days. Enjoy as it goes far too fast.
(somedays!)
Now, beauty, you should talk, you are glorious!!
pve

Ness Lockyer said...

Looks like you guys had a great time and I especially love your bass in the playhouse!
Ness xx

Laura Trevey said...

What a fun post full of special Summer memories....

Where were you from in Virginia??
xoxo Laura

V said...

Patricia is the best!

A Perfect Gray said...

welcome home. great post; so enjoyed seeing the photos of the kids. so jealous of your meeting all those great bloggers!

p.s. am mixing up all my letters as I type this - happens all the time...!

Acquired Objects said...

Welcome Home Lauren! Your stroll thru a bit of our country sounds and looks like heaven and your boys look so happy. Love the book suggests so I’m off for a look!

High-Heeled Foot in the door said...

Welcome back home! So jealous that you were in my state and I didn't get see you!

Eddie if you are reading this next time I need an invite too! :)

debra @ 5th and state said...

lauren
another post to love!
summer fun, family, travel and friends..........LOVED seeing you both at eddie's
xo
debra

Kiri said...

The photos of you and your husband fishing with your little boy are SO adorable! You need to frame those babies!

~Kiri

jvw home said...

Hi Lauren,
Yall are such a precious family....
hope you're doing well....still working on tweeking my house before those photos happen!
take care....

DecRenew Interiors said...

We just got back from a family vacation in Colorado and the kids caught some trout! So much fun! you are right, it's so calming and when it's overcast it's the best ever! We have to treasure these times with our kids. It's fun to see our husbands relax too, isn't it?

Ruthie

Unknown said...

Oh, Lauren! I was there, at Eddie & Jaithan's ---- I can't believe we didn't meet! I was there on the early side and had to leave early for another commitment. I love at least knowing we were in the same space.

Hoping you had a wonderful time and wonderful trip.
xoxo Elizabeth

Donna Lynne Cox said...

Thanks for the pics of your boys big and little!

Luv ya,

Ma

Megan // Honey We're Home said...

Those are the days to cherish and remember. I especially love the photo of you and your son fishing on the dock. Just precious.

Cristin // Simplified Bee said...

I love meeting up with other bloggers too... you met some of my favs!

xo,
cristin

Visual Vamp said...

It was so great meeting you!!!!
I hope your travels bring you to New Orleans one day soon!
xo xo

Anchor Interiors said...

One word- Kesha.