It's Officially Summer When You Break Out The Disco Ball

I didn’t have my blog last year so this is my first real attempt to portray anything that resembles my actual summer life (with the exception of Dumpster Diving) and what we fondly refer to as our “dance parties”.

And this is exactly how the first one of the summer came to be on the first potential night that everyone could be together (we really only see each other in the summertime). It took one phone call and two boat bys. “Come over for burgers. No don’t bring anything. Just come. It’ll be low key”. Ya, right!

You could cut the excitement in the air with a knife because it was the official beginning of the summer, Friday of Memorial Day weekend. We all know what that means!

Our four families have been busting out the moves, some better than others, since the moment the children were big enough to swing around in our arms without the risk of injury (sleeping babies dance too, you know). It never took much, just one kid or one “grown up” with a bit too much mojo goin’ and it started.

The ingredients for our style of fun are simpler than baking a cake from a box mix. All it takes is exactly 18 people (kids’ ages range from 16-22 and the "grown ups" (ages not disclosed)), our garage with two kick ass 30-year-old rebuilt college speakers, an iPod or two and this...

DJs get changed out every 2-3 songs to accommodate everyone’s tastes and alternate between adults and kids but it’s amazing how much overlap we actually have from listening to each other’s music for countless years. Some country is even tolerated because the college girls insist.

Our two mandatory songs are oldies but they’re the ones the kids request fondly and enthusiastically because of memories and traditions from so long ago.

“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison 
(funny 90% of us are blue eyed)

And “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

EVERYONE drops what he or she is doing to dance and sing (scream?) together... All 18!

It hasn’t gone unnoticed (and makes the “grown ups” smile) that our kids WANT to spend evenings hanging with us. They constantly ask, “What're we all doing tonight?” and they’re disappointed if it doesn’t include everyone because sometimes it can’t. They are together constantly, anyway.

We are a sentimental group and always take a moment, on such nights, to look around, take it all in and realize…

This is where we’re meant to be.

We DO have rules, however! Well, only one rule. Cell phones on the table, kids. Your video content will be perused and deleted because, if you remember, we said no evidence and no YouTube. Two were confiscated Saturday morning!

“These Are Days” By 10,000 Maniacs

These are the days you might fill

With laughter until you break

These days you might feel

A shaft of light

Make its way across your face

And when you do

Then you’ll know how it was meant to be

See the signs and know their meaning

It's true

Then you’ll know how it was meant to be

Hear the signs and know they’re speaking

To you, to you

I Know What Day It Is...

But I don’t celebrate the “big” day and it’s not because I’m not romantic or in love or anything like that. Is it a Hallmark holiday? I usually say let’s not do something just because someone decided we should; nothing like putting pressure on people to act! You know I love you because I tell you.

I've never been a present person so if you ask me what I want you know you’ll get a list of stuff like a robe, gloves, water glasses and a teapot (my Christmas list for the family). I don’t wear a lot of jewelry… one ring on each hand, one special necklace, sometimes a bracelet and earrings occasionally on the weekend, if I remember. I look at a box filled with lovely things that are never worn. I’m not ungrateful. You know it's not important to me.

Pick a random day, put on your awesome iPod and grab me to dance.

Ask me to go on an afternoon walk with the puppies.

Call me up in the afternoon and suggest dinner around the corner at the diner.

Talk to me about anything other than the kids, our families, work and all the sensitive subjects that confuse our everyday life.

Take me to the movie I’ve wanted to see and hold my hand through most of it except if I’m going for the popcorn then let go.

Let me plan a trip just for us and because I’m really good at it know I’ll pick a place we both have been longing to go. You know the combination of a bathing suit, sun and a beautiful beach melts me into putty.

I am grateful because you do most of these things for me (except the grab and dance thing) but let’s do them more often!

What I’m saying is let’s keep creating memories but not on a day when we're supposed to. Those are the gifts that are most special to me…places and moments that I can lock away in my heart, which can’t be lost or forgotten. It’s what’s important to both of us. We had nothing when we started and some of those times were our happiest (although it's nice to be able to afford dinner out without the worry of credit card bills). I remember telling a friend that you marry for love and cross your fingers. My fingers haven't needed crossing in years.

I have this vivid memory of my parents dancing to I Hear A Symphony on random weekend nights.

I want to do that but let’s do it to 

Chaka Kahn. 

And just when I thought this day would be like yesterday, the doorbell rings. I peek out and there’s someone standing on my porch with a simply gorgeous vase of red roses. The last time I answered my door for flowers, they were for my neighbor. I only get flowers on my birthday from my dad.

I’m stunned! This is definitely a huge surprise (I should go re-check the card). I think I'll welcome him home a little differently tonight. Not because it’s Valentines Day but because he made me feel special when I didn’t expect it!

What Is Life

(Just a favorite song of mine)

I like to play the music that is special to me so thank you for reading and listening to my blog.

Tomorrow, I’m going to write about a very special present I received yesterday from a brand new friend of mine, Jen from 

We're Living A Full Life