Well, my beach vacation was lovely. Made me want to stay there forever. I miss it when I go and can't wait to go back. While I have a particular fondness for Topsail Island, just about any ocean will do. Although I am pretty sure my one day home will be on the east coast, possibly the gulf, but this side of the big ol' U. S. of A.

Bestest Boyfriend and I are going to Key West in a few weeks for Hemingway Days and I am pretty excited about that. I figured out that if I just take a beach vacation every 2 months or so, life will be pretty perfect! That is a plan, right? Life is pretty darn good right now. The cubicle job is over. What one you ask? The one where I got home every day at 6pm and the life force got sucked out of me for three months? Yeah that one. While I loved the people and the work, that was just not for me. Sure, the money was fabulous, but the cost was more than I could handle. I couldn't get any painting done and at the end of each day I had to rush home, make dinner, do homework with the kids and then it seemed before I could just hang out with them it was bed time. Then I was too exhausted for anything else. Painting? What painting? I was more than thrilled when the job ended. Another design opportunity presented itself very shortly after. Actually, so shortly after that I was working the following Monday after my cube job ended. One of my long term freelance clients needed me. Then they offered me a pt position. Only 19 hours a week and fleixibility. I could leave everyday by 2pm and am off every Friday. Now THAT is a job I could live with. It is perfect not only with a school schedule for my kids, but also the fact that I would have time for PAINTING. I can not worry about getting more freelance work and just come home and paint. And oh yeah, I have a book's worth of painting to do this summer! So it is perfect. I will be on a bit of a tighter budget for the summer than I was for the spring, but Michelle is a much happier girl. I get to spend time with my kids, time with bestest boyfriend, make money AND paint. What more could a girl want? Life is good, I am happy and for the first time in a long time I am not waiting on 'when this happens life will be good,' it is good right now, this second, and that rocks.

I will leave you with my most adorable lil' beach girl.