Summer Recap

It’s Labor Day weekend. I look forward to this holiday because of the long weekend. I dread this holiday because it signals the end of summer. I wanted to take a few minutes to share the highlights of our summer…

In June, I spent several days in Chicago at the SHRM conference. I enjoyed the conference and the opportunity to see my friends Beth and David. I was also able to spend a long weekend at my parents’ cottage in Bellevue. Unfortunately, my visit coincided with the Iowa floods, so it felt more like swamp-land than natural bliss.

In early August, Dave and I traveled to New Jersey for my Cousin Debbie’s wedding. Evan stayed with Grandma and Grandpa, so it was a nice break for the two of us. We planned our trip to include an extra night in Baltimore. After 8 years of marriage, the wedding was the first time that Dave met the Dugan side of my family. The wedding was wonderful, Debbie looked beautiful, and the party was fantastic! We loved seeing this side of the family and look forward to more frequent visits. Congratulations Debbie and Kyle!

August was a month of family “togetherness”! After spending a weekend with the Dugan’s, my parents and my Aunt Dee came to Virginia to visit. Unfortunately, it has been rare for the entire Kutsch clan to be together at the same time recently. But, I have a picture to prove that it actually happened!

What summer is complete without at least one trip to the beach? Evan and I went to the beach for the first time last weekend. Overall, I would say the trip was a success! Evan liked the water. Evan really liked the sand. He played in the sand. He rolled in the sand. He licked the sand. (You’re grossed out, right? But admit it, you know EXACTLY what that tastes like, don’t you?)

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the summer:

Happy Labor Day! Milk the last moments of summer for all they’re worth…

When I was a kid, I got a bicycle for my birthday. It was purple, pink and white. It had a big banana seat, handle bar streamers and a big basket with a flower on the front. I rode the bicycle around with our little Yorkshire terrier perched in the front basket. It was a sight to behold and I loved that bicycle.

But, perhaps my feelings are stronger through the nostalgic lens of time than they were in reality, because despite all its 1980’s glory the bicycle was often neglected. I left the bicycle in the yard. I left the bicycle on the front porch. Frequently, I left the bicycle out in the rain.

My parents wanted me to learn to be responsible. They wanted me to know that there are consequences to poor choices. So, they did what most conscientious parents would do, they gave me an ultimatum. The bicycle is stored in the garage OR it’s the last bicycle we ever buy for you. Until two years ago; the purple, pink and white bicycle with the banana seat, handle bar streamers and the big basket was the only bicycle I’ve ever owned.

Note: Now, some of you may be picturing me riding a bicycle for the first time in 20 years. You may be thinking that it probably wasn’t pretty. Well, I can assure you that the actual event was far uglier in real life than you can possibly imagine. But, THAT is another post for another time…

I’m going to start a blog. Let’s hope that this blog lives longer and receives better care than the purple, pink and white bicycle with the banana seat and the handle bar streamers.