Hi there! No pics today but lots to say!! SOOOO much has been going on with us that I have so many things to tell. I will start in the past and work my way forward.

Going back about a month ago which seems like forever ago I was off to Chicago to meet up with Marilee to start my venture towards my new business. Marilee and I took the train into Chicago on a Saturday to attend the Gift and Giving show at the Merchandise Mart downtown. WOW. Is all I will say. It was quite the experience. There were vendors set up between three huge floors with everything from stuffed animals to stuffed purses! It was SO crazy we decided we needed another day to get through it all. We had a really good time. Saturday evening we enjoyed free Como's and sandwich wraps at one of the interior design stores while we took in all the amazing home decor that was SO reasonably priced we couldn't believe our eyes. It was a very successful weekend. We ended up putting in a couple of different orders with some of the vendors there for jewelry, purses, wallets, diaper bags, etc.... It really got me excited about starting this new venture. Monday after I got back I hit the computer and managed to go online and file for my tax id number. Since, I have gotten my trade mark through the state and filled my business license with the county. I decided on The Simple Diva for my business name and have had a lot of positive comments on it. I am hoping to have all my merchandise and ready to do a open house in the fall. I have contacted my neighbor who is a graphic designer and she is working on a logo and some print for me. Things are really moving in my favor so I have to believe that is a good sign!!

Next up in our crazy world was a battle that came about with the school board on busing and transportation issues for this school year. With the construction on Rotamer Rd. behind our house, the same road the school is on they have decided to cut out our busing starting Oct. 3rd. I do understand the cut because the kids will now have sidewalks to walk to school. We are so close I always thought busing was so silly but it sure was a treat! So, with them eliminating some buses and knowing the car traffic will increase they had decided the best plan for school drop off would be to have parents drop off on the two subdivision streets about a block on either side of the school. Not a good plan for us with one of those streets being in our subdivision. All the added traffic coming and going in different directions, people parking their cars on our streets to walk mixed with walking children in the neighborhood just wouldn't be safe. So, my friend Kim and I led the crusade to approach the school board about changing the drop off back to school grounds. After a couple of different meetings, we met yesterday with the Principal, Superintendent and some reps from the Janesville Police department and transportation division. When we arrived they presented us with a whole new plan for school grounds drop off. It was SO cool like victory had dropped down from the sky! They had heard our outcry, and what a cry it had been with petitions and letters, emails and speaches to the board!! It was a really great plan that should be SO much safer for our kids!! I was so proud to be able to be able to lead the fight and let my voice be heard with a great victory!
In the midst of all of this for the last month I have been the main planner for our annual neighborhood block party. We decided this year to do a Luau theme and with a growing neighborhood we decided it was necessary to rent a Port a John and a Bounce House for this years party. This is quite the project with getting flayer's printed and hitting the pavement to stuff mailboxes. We ended up handing out over 200 flyer's this year. Then afterwards we wait, and wait to get responses, which for anyone who has planned a party with an RSVP date knows how difficult it is to get responses. Aug. 1st. was our date and at that time I wasn't even close to coming up with good numbers to pay for the party which became very frustrating. So then we email and post signs and what do ya know people start to call, slowly. As of today with the party this Saturday I have finally met my quota for guests to be able to cover the expenses, whew!!! Now comes the grunt work of setting everything up and running the show! It is all worth it in the end, I love party planning and love to see everyone having a good time!
Just this last weekend we took a trip up the U.P. to stay at my Dad and Holly's cottage on Little Lake. I will be sure to post photos of this weekend, soon! This is our second year going up thier with our friends Nate and Nicole for the annual Ore to Shore Mountain Bike race. Ore to Shore is a mass start 28 mile mountain bike race held in Marquette MI. Nate talked Aaron into doing it for the first time last year. Also joining us for the race in Marquette is Nicole's two sisters, brother in laws and kids, Jalen 7, Grace 9 and Abby 6. The race went really well this year with perfect 70 degree weather. Aaron rode a really good race improving his time by 25 minutes. This year Grace joined the ranks and rode in the Junior Rock 4 mile kids race along with Grace and Jalen. She blew us all away averaging 8 miles an hour, 10th out of 20 in her age group and beating both Grace and Jalen!! Aaron rode along with her and said it was a little difficult keeping up with her after just doing 28 miles himself!! She was SO proud of herself! It was all SO exciting. We had a really good weekend at my Dad's cottage too. Friday we took the boat out to do a little swimming in the lake, Saturday was spent in Marquette and Sunday we hung out and picked blueberries, which is a job that I will leave to my Dad, Holly and Grace. We also tried to go into Marquette to the Childrens Museum but it ended up being closing time when we arrived, so instead we went up to Marquette Mountain to take a peak from above which was pretty cool! Monday we headed home to continue our busy schedule at home, yikes!