The kids are still asleep. They were up late and played outside all day yesterday. Just like when I was a kid. Summer was for staying up late and sleeping in. No all day camps, all week. Last night, the lightning bugs were out in force. I made the kids turn off the boob tube and go outside and try to catch some. It was much harder to catch lightning bugs than when I remember. Nevertheless, we were busy for a while. I've always thought lightning bugs were magical.

I'm so tired from work yesterday. I need new shoes. I would rather buy nice, cute shoes. Oh well. Anyway, I have to work today and it will be a long one since I told the boss I could help them out this afternoon. The schedule is a mess and there are spots all over when we are short-handed. I won't volunteer for the extra hours much longer though. My boss refuses to make me part-time (20hr/week min), so I need to make a point.

Better go. Happy Tuesday!

I'm still here, just lazy when it comes to blogging. I've been working a lot and the kids are out of school. The three of us just got back from a quick trip to Arkansas. The best thing about my current job is the free, albeit standby, airfare! So, I hope we can go down and see the family more often than in years past. My parents are getting old and I feel like I need to see them as much as possible. My dad and my son have the best time together, too.

Speaking of work, we still don't have a new schedule. The boss isn't keen on implementing it, either. So much for the recruiter telling us that every 6 months you have a chance to bid on a new schedule. Ho hum. I'm not a union person but if it means our boss is accountable for doing his job, I might have to become one. So for now, I'll just keep my head down low and dream about the next trip.

The farm is looking pretty in the summer. We have birds everywhere. I love it. Our garden is coming up. I didn't plant anything, of course, but I can be excited about the fruits of others' labor! We had some plans drawn up for our dream house. It will be a great day when I don't have to live in this little farmhouse. It's like a hotel without being in an interesting place.

Roots or Wings?

I heard Tina Brown on NPR this morning talking about some books coming out and she was talking about the struggle with roots vs. wings in one of the books. I do think there are those who are in between, but I think, in general, you are one or the other. I know I have wings. I love going places and seeing new and different things. The reality is I'm grounded here in Pennsylvania with a husband and kids, but I dream of seeing the world as often as possible. Yeah, my dream job is being a host on some travel show where you travel around and discover the hidden treasures of some off-the-beaten path. I would bring the family along when possible. I would learn to travel light, too. I just got back from Sweden and already I'm dreaming/planning the next adventure! Southern Spain? Istanbul? London? Paris, perhaps? We could stay with family friends of my husband in Paris. Hmmmm.

Yes, the one huge perk of working in the airline industry is the free, stand-by travel. For the international trips, I only have to pay the airport taxes. It can and will add up, I'm sure. But the thought of my kids seeing this world makes me very happy.

I think my husband is a person with roots. He is the happiest when he's outside working in the garden or driving his tractor around the farm. The idea of the vineyard taking off puts a smile on his face. Funny, we have so many things in common, but this is totally opposite of me. Of course, he's traveled the world from a very early age-even living oversees in Taiwan when he was 3. The academic world his parents were part of took them all over. I guess I'm making up for lost time.

So, the kids' last day of school is tomorrow. Let the summer begin! Look out world! We're coming to see you!

We're back. It was a nice time but I think we were jet-lagged the whole time. While it was neat, it was tiring considering the sun didn't set until around 11 pm and then came up around 3:30 am. Of course, one wakes up and then goes back to sleep, but it takes its toll.

We only got to see Stockholm for a couple of days. We definitely need to go back to give it a fair shake. Poor planning on our part meant we missed the Vasa Museum. The line was way too long with two kids in tow. It was a holiday weekend so the crowds were everywhere.

Stockholm is very pretty. It's surrounded by water and boats. I love that part. The weather could not have been better, too.

Greetings from Stockolm!

We arrived to Sweden on May 30. The first few days were spent in a college town and today we went to Stockholm. It's a vibrant capital and there's lots to see. We'll have to come back another time to do it justice.