This has been kind of a hard summer for Mommy... It's hard to watch your kids grow up enough to leave home. Tiffany earned a full summer scholarship at the San Fransisco Art Institute and is in her final week. The final tests are over, all final projects are in and she's really anticipating coming home. It's been a wonderful growing experience for her, but having her gone has changed the whole 'flavor' of our family. She has been severely missed! The money for this was extremely costly even with the scholarship! We'll get through that part though.

She called this morning to tell us what she misses most. Home cooked meals, hugs from her momma, kisses from Shiloh and she misses her guinea pig Pete. (I took really good care of him though, he's quite possibly the most spoiled rodent I've ever heard tell of... )

It's got to be hard going from a household of 9 family members, 2 cats, Shiloh, a guinea pig and passels of fish to a tiny one bedroom dorm room where you don't know anyone. She made lots of friends, some I'm sure she will keep in contact with long after the summer is over. Daddy asked her what she wants for her dinner Sunday when we have all rested from the seriously long road trip... Daddy's barbecued chicken, Momma's tater salad and Jelly's chicken salad. Sounds like fantastic choices!

I can't wait to see her!

Here are three pics of Miss Tiff,

1.Paint Ball Shop (She volunteered to be the target for their opening promotion, much to my dismay!)

2.Tiffy and her best buddy Liz being silly

3.Self portrait

Hey, also, without any prompting from Mommy, rumor has it that she's dyed her hair back to a normal brown. WOOHOO no more blue! LOL

Here are a few of the decorations before she even gets home lol can you tell I'm excited??

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Well, we're back and she's home safe WOOHOO! lol

Boy, that 600 miles is a long haul to do in one day! Glad to have it behind us though. Today we PLAY!! Apparently, the kids want to go to the river swimming with friends today. BBQ isn't really until tonight anyway so that should keep the masses out from under foot as we prepare food anyway. I'll take pictures and get them to you all tomorrow. Here are a short few from her art exhibit and her er uh... lovely new hair color. She told me it was back to natural brown. I don't think so! yikes it's somewhere between neon yellow and a funky green. Matches quite well with her camo pants and army green hat though, don't you think??

Oh well, hair grows... I'm just thrilled having her home

Oh and a couple of Johnny. Now I know we don't get out much so you'll have to forgive us country bumpkins. Johnny used the bathroom in St. Mary's Square. Apparently they have self cleaning toilets. Everything is automated from the door, to the flushing mechanism, the sink and when  you're done it closes itself back up and washes it's own floor. I NEED ONE OF THESE!!LOL

Well Josh found Johnny's reaction to be a riot. Turns out, we have more pictures of graffiti and Johnny in a potty than anything else. That'll teach me not to give my 15 yr old my camera!

Thanks Jan, Ill tell her you said so. I find it funny. She's my goth kid, generally dressed all in black but since babyhood she has always LOVED vibrant colors. I sure will be glad to see this non-color phase-phase out. I think she has a good use of color too. The theme for these murals was movies of certain eras. I have a few of her photographs that I've seen so far. At bedtime, she handed me a kitchen sized garbage bag full of developed pictures lol... haven't had a chance to look at those yet but when I do, I'll scan some.

Well, best laid plans and all that... Everyone showed up ready for a barbecue but the stupid weather drove everyone away just as soon as they ate. We had wind gusts that blew everyone sideways. Oh well, the food was good. Tiff was surprised and rather satisfied with the menu, so not a total loss. Sigh, now to do the clean up. *Mental note, it takes far more preparation and clean up afterward than actual party time, especially when you do all the work by yourself...

Oh well, I've got my Tiffy home!

Camera didn't behave well either, but here are a few pictures. My favorites are of hubby trying to eat in the wind... smiles

HAHAHA---last pic is a hoot!  

Johnny and Tiffany look a lot alike in the face!