Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.
Lazurus Long

Adieu.

All the best.

Cheers.

Happy trails to you.

Toodle-oo.

Godspeed.

I have been blogging for over six years. Four years here and two years at my old, original blog (where I met what could be considered my very first bloggy friend, Natalie). I have loved this community not only because it provided countless hours of "I should be working" entertainment and even my first friends in St. Louis (Heidi, Angie and Alyssa).

But alas, each time I've recently logged in I feel that overwhelming thought of, well, I'm over it. I've logged so many memories in my life here but I often find that I just sit at a blank screen with nothing new to say.

My life has shifted. With our recent move to Iowa, I'm now working from home and each second that ticks by is essentially a billable hour that I could be focusing on my clients and work or Nick's business. I have other things I'd like to focus my attention and energy toward. I loved blogging but now it is just another item on my to-do-list.

I'm not discounting a future blogging endeavor with more career focused content or even picking up in the future our lives on this personal blog.

But for now, I'm done.

Au revoir.

Random: lacking any definite plan or order or purpose

• Congrats to Sarah, winner of my little Shutterfly card giveaway! She commented that she'd use them for her son Danny's first birthday party, just five months away. Hooray for you, Sarah! I will contact you with more information.
  
• The weather here has been gorgeous. Sunny most of the day but cool in the morning. I still have yet to make my maiden voyage to the local pool but it's a must do this weekend.
• The Quad Cities Air Show is also this weekend. The Blue Angels will be there and have been practicing over the city each afternoon. It's crazy to be driving down a main road and see a F/A-18 at eye level zooming across the skyline. So cool! We're hoping to go out to the show on Sunday.
• One of my favorite parts about my trip to Florida was seeing Casey and meet her son Eli. Because I hate my camera (here that again, Nick?!) Casey took pictures with her camera and sent them this week. Here are a few of my favorites:

Brought him his first birthday present a little early.

Auntie-approved annoying toy, a drum.
PS to Little Tikes: having the sticks attached to the side don't work so we cut 'em off!

With Eli.

With Eli and Casey.

Every dog must have his day.
Jonathan Swift

A local bloody mary mix company called Irish Dog is hosting a summer contest featuring dogs wearing sunglasses. I posted a photo of Winnie sporting my aviators and she needs your vote. Just click here and "like" her photo. The photo with the most "likes" by June 30 wins!

Let's beat that little Pomeranian that's in the lead and show them that a classic hound is stylish frames is a perfect summer staple!

Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game
in the world at which to be bad.
A.A. Milne

On Friday, we joined in on the summer event of Couples Twilight Golf at Nick's club. He's never played in it before so we invited two couples to play with us. The theme was Mexican Fiesta so after nine holes of golf (in the rain!) we enjoying a great dinner in the clubhouse with tacos, chips and salsa plus tons of other good stuff.

Even though Nick is a golf professional, he's usually so busy with work during the season it's rare for him to be playing a lot of golf. And, because it is what my husband does for a living I hardly play so it was great for us to get out on the course with some friends!

What's the line about how nice it is seeing a man in his element?
I love watching Nick play golf. He's a rockstar.

The three guys on the green.

We hit from the tee and ran for cover. Ladies' do not appreciate golf in the rain.

Florence and Mike, our very first Quad Cities friends

(I know Florence from Tri Delta in Naples).

Ben rocking his Poncho mustache. Getting in the fiesta spirit.

My favorite golf pro. Ole!

Our whole group.

I get mail; therefore I am.
Scott Adams

I've written before how I love a great piece of mail. A birthday card, thank you note and a non-emailed invitation - all make me smile!

So thanks to Shutterfly, I want to offer a little giveaway for 30 free 5 x 7 (flat or folded, must be ordered by June 30, 2011) cards. They have plenty of darling designs that you can select from including announcements, holiday cards and invitations for just about any event.




To enter, I'm going to keep it simple. Just leave a comment about how you would use your 30 free cards. If you're a follower, let me know and I'll throw in a second entry.

I'll randomly draw a winner Wednesday, June 15. Good luck!

Home is not where you live but where they understand you.
Christian Morgenstern

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to take the time to head to Florida. I spent time with my mom and old friends in Sarasota and then headed down to Fort Myers and Naples to meet with clients and see college friends.

It was so nice to be home again after more than a year (yikes!) so I tried to relish and enjoy each day doing something different that I loved. For a full week, I think I did pretty good except I didn't get to catch a beach sunset or eat a Publix sub (sad!).

At home with my mom.

Black Lab #3 of my life - Francis!

Visiting my favorite veteran on Memorial Day.

Beautiful Sarasota Bay.

Hanging out with Mr. Ringling on St. Armands Circle.

Exploring Siesta Key Village.

Lunch with my high school friend, Amanda.

Siesta Key Beach.

Down in Estero, dinner with college friends/sorority sisters Melissa and Ashley.

Gorgeous, relaxing morning on Bonita Beach.

View from our lunch at Doc's on Bonita Beach.

Dinner out in Naples for my final night in Florida!

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• all of the US military, past and present (including my father), for their service.
  
• I'm leaving for Florida TODAY!
• homemade blue cheese dressing.
  
• having fun with our first non-parental weekend guest, Luke from St. Louis.
• bunches of daisies in old mason jars around the house.
  

The greatest truths are the simplest, and so are the greatest men.
Julius Charles Hare

Happy 32nd birthday (oh my goodness, my husband is 32!) to the most funny, gracious, kind and hardworking man I've had the pleasure to not only know but to marry and spend my life with each day.

Happy birthday, my darling Nick!

Thank you, St. Louis.
Mark McGwire

With the rain pouring down here in the Quad Cities, I'm tending to lean toward reminiscing. So, here are some things I really miss about summer The Lou':

• My huge pink peony bush in the front yard heavy with blooms. It brought me weeks of girly-flower happiness throughout my house and on my desk at work.

• Grant's Farm Clydesdales.

• The Soulard Farmers Market: Amish-raised beef, homemade ham and cheese sandwiches on flaky croissants, pots of sweet basil for $1, banjo music filtering through the air.

• Lunch on the deck at The Boathouse watching the ducks and the paddle boats.

• Concerts in Station Plaza in Kirkwood on balmy summer nights with tailgating chairs and dinner on our lap. If you're close, don't miss 'em.

• Heading down the Busch Stadium on any random weeknight to buy scalped tickets on South Broadway and catching a Cardinals game from where ever we got the best deal.
  

• Getting all hot and sweaty watching fabulous Broadway musicals outdoors at The MUNY.

• Outdoor festivals in the parking lot of Schlafly Tap Room.

• Nino the Clown, the Flying Pages and a corn dog at Circus Flora.

As with everywhere in the Midwest, the city comes alive in the summer. I'm looking forward to making new memories and favorite things here too. But, gosh darn it, I will always love St. Louis summers!

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• picking out a few segments of ribbon by the yard in cute patterns, colors and textures.
  
• being surrounded by pansies and pearls hearing stories from Tri Delta alumnae about college life in WWII.
• solo Sunday matinees.
• long walks with Winnie listening to Dave Ramsey podcasts.