I Survived!

This is my victory post to remind myself that I survived the most crazy-busy month of July EVER in my life! August is trying to rival July, but it can never be THAT busy.

July was a great month, don't get me wrong, but a lot of stuff fell to the wayside (including blogging) while I was busy with other stuff. Here's everything I had to do on top of my regular work schedule:
- Started my business photography course
- Worked extra hours every week at CSCC to pick up shifts for a co-worker who left
- Parents visited for the Delaware Fourth of July festival, which included the symphony, fireworks, parade, festival, frisbees, and more
- Ghost club cemetery clean-up and monthly meeting - with a DELICIOUS lunch at Dan's Drive In
- Photo shoot with the butterflies at the conservatory (baby shower gift)
- Still trying to get our bathroom toilet and floor repaired!
- Time Warner was trying to fix our horrible cable signal... not always working
- Travel to Georgetown for consulting orientation and tour of the Toyota plant (got to see Alex!)
- Our first real client ghost investigation at an abandoned house and cemetery -- definitely fun stuff!
- Cousin Nancy's 50th birthday bash - included Elvis impersonator
- Photo shoot with little Nadia at the park
- John Mayer concert (with Colbie Calliat)
- Flyball classes with Brutus every week
- Photo shoot with Smokey the dog
- Beth & Chris' maternity photo shoot - how fun!
- Aunt Rita's pool party and cookout - with her stepson's live band... I tried to play drums and guitar, and I got tossed in the pool by my sis! :-P
- American Idol concert - I got hugs from Chikeze, Michael Johns, and Jason Castro, and YES I touched the dreds!
- Reviewing our "evidence" (or non-evidence, as it turned out) from our haunted investigation
- New hairdo for me... 8 months in the making. I think I like it now! I've gotten lots of compliments.
- Overnight visit from Mr. Harrington - he brought me chocolates!
- Beth's baby shower at Bullwinkle's - had fun and loved the food
- Overnight and cookout with Brian and Kelly at their new house - someone's hubby had a little too much to drink :-/
- Working on training with our neighbor's dogs so we can all get along, darn it!
- Canoe trip with friends down the Little Miami River
- Brutus gets an elbow injury which requires medical attention, drugs, and bed rest
- Uncle Jim & Pete's dual birthday party at the Harrington's
- Photo shoot at the Western & Southern Open Tennis Tournament - one of my photos was published online!!
- Advisor's night out at El Vaquero - we decided to start a monthly night out after work, and this was our first

Overall, I think I kept pretty busy. August started out very similar:
- Lunch at El Vaquero once again with Shayla and then she practiced her Mary Kay skills on me (and hooked me into buying a bunch of makeup)
- My first Saturday in FOREVER free!
- Another ghost monthly meeting
- Cleaned, and I mean CLEANED, my computer room for the first time since we've lived here (over a year)!!! It's so organized now!
- Diversity training in Georgetown (by myself!) for two days - I had a really challenging/bitter/angry/hateful group on day 2 but I was ON it and got my best evals yet!
- Shopping at Kohl's for cute new earrings and top
- Guess what? More Mexican food... 3 times in one week!
- Completed my www.harringtonphotos.net website and business card design
- The 9th Annual Ghost's GOO Jamboree - at Mohican State Park, there was cornhole, hillbilly golf, food, dogs, cute kids, and adult kickball. Then we toured Malabar Farms with the Ceely Rose Murder house - Mohican country is sooooooo peaceful... I want to move there!
- Getting caught up on yard work and cleaning the garage
- Wore my new Buckeye earrings and OSU shirt in preparation for the upcoming season... I'm ready for it!

Tonight I am off to Ann Arbor (boo Michigan!) for three days of diversity training. Not really looking forward to the long drive and early morning tomorrow. But three days of diversity training means three days of relaxing by myself each evening. I'm looking forward to that!

I'm going to make the goal not to overbook myself for the rest of the month. Amongst other things, Adam and I have been planning for our anniversary vacation in September. We're thinking Kelley's Island on Lake Erie.... anyone been there? We're also planning for our annual Labor Day festivities at the end of the month! So, hopefully you'll hear from me again soon! I'll try not to stay too busy.