Happy July to ME!

The first half of this year was spectacularly awful. Almost anything horrible you can name happened to me. Lost 2 friends, a patient died, an uncle died, sleep deprivation, mid-life crisis, personal betrayal, car died, etc. If I had a dog, it probably would have been attacked by a rabid squirrel and died.

Today, I bought my first brand spanking new car. It is slick! And super-fun to drive. It's a Liquid Sliver Mazda 3 HB s Sport and I must humbly admit that I look dang sexy driving it. It has a 6-speed manual transmission and doesn't hit 3 RPMs in 6th until you're going 80 MPH. Oh yeah, baby! It also has super-cold air conditioning; I actually had to turn the A/C up a bit because I got cold. (I've been driving a car with no A/C for the past 2 years. Summers have been interesting.)

After driving my new baby off the lot, a friend and I celebrated in the best possible way: Japanese food!! It was quite tasty. If you're in the Clear Lake, TX area head over to Michiru. I think I need to eat there at least once a month--it's worth the 90 mile drive! We shared pan-fried gyoza, mango chicken with steamed rice, and I had a Philadelphia Roll because it's my favorite. The mango chicken was easily eaten by 2 people and the presentation was visually beautiful. (Another friend recommended the restaurant and he said the Dynamite Roll is pricey but worth it, as is the Hot and Sour soup. I've never had eel and will probably try it on another visit.) I was one happy woman on the drive home. Now just need to program that BlueTooth thing-y.

To top the fabulousness of July off, I'm going on my first REAL vacation in almost 4 years!!! My sister and I have been planning this trip for a while. We're heading up to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. She procrastinated and didn't get her passport so I will be going to Ontario, Canada, without her. Luckily, our mother decided at the last minute to tag along. There was something about my sister being potentially kidnapped if she flew alone, so Mom decided to make sure that didn't happen. (I laughed. Mom let me fly to Europe when I was 16 with a group of teenagers from school and no one was worried that I'd get kidnapped. Hmmm.....)

Items to see while on Vacation

1-Kirtland, Ohio Temple
2-Erie Canal
3-Lake Erie--I just want to stick my toes in the water because I can.
4-Niagra Falls from both sides
5-The Sacred Grove
6-Hill Cumorah Pageant
7-Other LDS Church historical sites in the Palmyra, NY area
8-Attend Palmyra LDS Temple
9-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
10-The "A Christmas Story" House
11-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
12-Anything else that looks neat-o

Oh, Happy July to Me!! Oh, Happy July to MEEEEE!!!!!!

May you also enjoy a Happy July and fabulously unexpected things in life to celebrate!

Here is my favorite dance-around-the-house-to-celebrate song: