This Summer I took a break. Not just from blogging but from just about everything except "the basics". I decided a while back I didn't want my 6-year-old to only know me as a blur - going from point A to point B as fast as I can so that I can get a head start on getting to C. I've lived so much of my life that way and I've paid my dues. So I made sure that, as much as possible, we managed to spend some quality time as a family unit this summer. We didn't roam far, but we did roam. It was NOT easy. But it was so worth it.
The Zoo
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzA_Pq6EkBox-SEz3yOrWKNadBADVKzaHrPIa-13rQkSWwV8v4U5iZo4bnauw5wehiYVEToX4NO7qYc5P5dnX4jDQoRMjgfebAc9lemw3A_FFqpNLiI8sR9B_UD9K9Ke0V1nCqRF5GoE/s320/0summer.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuj1U-YiJAyBtCgWpKWYsNN2rKyF7JpDJiHq428FwnrNJnxzm3j5jhiaytwPJKVmDX9yoVO3MZxiAB4ei5xtA6zZ4utUzs1UaSlUugTCz4bq_QKPw9amDNEfl12WKbGqPm1LnNq77eyJQ/s320/0summer1.jpg)
The Mall
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYp-0uLZedCmeNmY6CpQn_OAMFaQyxxtTxYK9Bt4woLrTHFxSbRvR7t388bxrK3xreK3Y0ut5ANt52Y6IO1gcvHlZY4EzFWCNPB8lkldDaZPjjIzsYtPRB2myW3wWIN_R0k3IVZtrX5w/s320/0summer2.jpg)
July 4th
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnRS7VQ_CCa8ZO3ljxut56xzAJdbK5gpal0YJR0Tu1Pu2-xf9pn9dyGLVNw10a3NpqBUHYxQWVlZd78iaAKtLqJ1PRhswKVHUc3YuH4dqlv031TqNssFKjiO3F8TrDMFmlSjuD8pOAcWM/s320/0summer3.jpg)
Summer Camp
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnMkRV8uX6obt41Fo8jdTwT4J-n9Y953nmevcTn8saaBtUX7xBaSxo1zoV7YdovpPflcHqpHqRflaOdYjtWWTEh4DqAKrg8-8DyeKM3jroK9lGp4o3X76WQzCxS8VomNzzFWw1GlsF6E/s320/0summer4.jpg)
The Baseball Game
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRAOP664cl3brkZ73d3a_oomff-hwYv5DI709ahN1MvvtyJnyHIm-vzqr0WxelKzLUe4x4NTIXjnb-Pb_0WsJSIQTLs5svIg3nA0kw6f8za7rSEpRAICgfo1tIwE2yo96pT_DKQ09Mzc/s320/0summer6.jpg)
The Dentist
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3UJjW5gxj7T6bmCBdmirlzjGiDNtwqm5SrTQ06C3kSKDsGUcKoqpq5BPw_zUzYXPHd0t9OVzV9xWBVJuakUx4kOfrrczSUfefLjUwrJB7i52io2JBaenLcVWFYN0AtIKsJ-4OgxOGrc/s320/0summer5.jpg)
The Bike Shop (Proteus Bicycles in MD)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PqK5Egg1uV3vyngDVq8nIdSV80Dpw_xxnidUdqR-8-hBYmao-nLPSTeL6z6QeacUJPnpBI0CojjEr3YnvNHLBSRRO_Hvn-Ch1nEQyHn8f_ZNLzgQAiKl3RIDz3y2rYFvtt2JGIymSes/s320/0summer7.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0IRRpDarWE_mekh1PNJKJSY1hLkAwy8g6AiRLUnizWa_iNoZl5eo1RHqXpRTuv53F9btxYLl0QNRTvtFsiQCLLxphBgDJwl3FJ1qHTx3yL2JspcaFoZ_RW8mE4f_dpGF14QAUtSwuqg/s320/0summer8.jpg)
The Park
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nKXBUINStYgSDO6GSEu_6s6woN_dR_OL1QTFA-qwOq3Kd-KMFaMqrWjdnFKW-u0kzlrZ7ZqrOX3oGHNbwyOqB6VdF90eywpWsbQOX56QxJKNxqUu9-MkTSuJtUjAzwcFarz6VSt6HOI/s320/0summer9.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6V_PRQ8NqZ3swQSx_ngvXRiemz9iRNtaOm4WJ0Nkvz4lrojZVmU3i1l90a9tcMPgt0HpFBd50l8NDAo8zZ7XBCzkaMF15q_5NhxEJ_MLxSlwkEalbGqLojc3vCqrhWk4Uee7ofe-gZI/s200/0summerf.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqinDzmJtzUO-EKnAmr3vsATu1jR41hZHU-XhqLmHMWlVfWKyBhdCKU9YlL5egW74-aMhiv9ab1jlkKnt88v-nUR6uePhHTyT12nqDzjYEb1Qg7laGyxx2C4Xe7Rzti0GF_N0a23o8pI4/s320/0summere.jpg)
The Park II
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pbC6c4DRhUcqysywJ5GDiG2lZAdwycIKW6qbPo03EXXzd2KK2ZMiq6d3-sWdXUVGt48zJ-9x5hpWR8fb2NwosP3Wuw1T344gDgiqnmn-oBmZ01mL2dJ7n_ZSgXZBaGRIJecjkLfjA14/s320/20130822_151330%5B1%5D.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZbYzdoKacQideTOFB87sGASxbf0wbv76gfB1Sf9EogarDRWrnhSreqXx_p-m1gwDC7i1DWUu5s3JjJNY7yGS2XCjhyphenhyphen1ZYptRJizogJkLTzzAk2UzTgcCf35s2HSvvlurLQTiq3AmkLY/s320/0summera.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj55iudEg7eyg56mAsRn4fJt2-zrfiJ2a20eAhyphenhyphen4Bhhy4RIQgfSSUyPiHRTegAqHjl6il7OOFbDbgFLx11mYwfVNTavskzTfrKNHHQZIYDlI05atDbctcXyGZUrKeosaO6eHBQ9OCavUAo/s320/20130822_150845%5B1%5D.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KdWZrQlgpQsqxIaIu0kmV9RaDx8m7-XtwrfswCv3FpDQaGipNk6KjKvNcRVttFxqglx2Or52iJAdd2-X8HdmrtViFiXAnzpffR0JKI-PD6lrwz7oMheVjkxB0sXIJef7CWDNwUlOxnE/s320/0summerb.jpg)
Rita's Italian Ice. We're regulars.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRPKCbpzqKyxC4HNhJg50JgXnJo4CF6qszqd3LC0K-3KVs6m5NEFuI65Ig2Eair1iolHIACMBFJSi0Glfd-smJehobTxSOpCXI5EpANEWiTpWLLO2KR2EF4FCkgsRiSsem90UNZcfLsg/s320/0summerc.jpg)
Irving - Did I neglect to mention our new family memeber?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OUkiy08vQjQYmpxQWLy3GCzc_kBlG5dJN4aRd3l30ZVQcsRw1KIQUmz4rig6VGS50F7dujZV93tjvLL3kKFAKWUTFO40IegMcZZokM0OjGksQLm2SkMdb42Fmb9b1gLV0DCKt55-foQ/s320/0summerd.jpg)
We had a GREAT time.