Schools out 4 Summer

Another summer is in full swing and I'm still amazed at how quickly the year passed. The end of

year brought with it a little bit of craziness, but also plenty of time to reflect and enjoy time with some fairly quality people. Even on the most insane of days I would never hesitate to say how profoundly blessed I am with work, family & friends. Often times I feel very unworthy, but embrace each moment & try to not let it all slip through my fingertips.

Each year I have my kids tackle a wall in my office as a way of expression and end of year bonding. This year's project went way beyond expectations. We drew an outline of a tree with branches spanning across the wall. Within the body of the tree each student & many teachers penned words of inspiration, quotes & poems that held meaning to them. The end product was astounding and a dynamic way for student to leave behind a message that will be passed onto others. There is so much power and substance in words that go way beyond just the surface and to be able to convey that to teens is both profound and awesome.

I'm not one for sitting still long so with the school year's end I headed to the farm for a few days. Last night I spent the evening building a bonfire with Tristan, roasting marshmallows and watching the clouds roll along the sky line. Moments like those are my utopia that make it all worth it. Gabe is growing by leaps and bounds and already has my heart.

We headed to the market Saturday and the place was hopping with vendors selling their local goods that ranged from heaps of carrots & lettuce to goat soaps, meats & radiant bunches of flowers. Being able to stroll up and down the rows with Tristan

's hand in mind eating crackers with goat cheese and munching on fresh strawberries is like nothing else in the world. On the way home we stopped at a convenience store that embodied small town Virginia where you can purchase bait, bread, ice cream & a fresh cut of steak all in the same spot. You have to love it : )

Heading back to Jersey & truly on the road again as of tomorrow. I'll be in Jersey for a few days before hopping on a plane & heading to San Salvador Island for some truly epic diving. Stoked -