Grandparents and Tomatoes

To be perfectly honest, it wasn't the best back-to-school week. By the end of the day on Monday, I already felt weeks behind with hundreds of pages to read, presentations due the next week, and complete exhaustion setting in. Every semester is busy, but I can't remember ever getting hit so hard so fast before. The good news is, a week later I'm slowly catching up. I've already given a presentation on The Wizard of Oz, and I've survived a week of teaching my first literature class. I love my work, but I hate having so much of it.

JD has been such a great husband, picking up my slack around the house and supporting me through the stress. And when I'm busy, he heads out to the mountain biking trails at nearby Evergreen Lake.

The good news was that Grandma and Grandpa gave me a mental breather by visiting us this weekend. They had seen the house before we bought it, but they hadn't been back since. So, Saturday we were able to catch up while Grandpa hung the beautiful stained-glass lamp they brought us (can you think of a better gift?!), and Grandma and I spent some quality time together.

We also went by the Sweet Corn Festival in Uptown Normal where Grandpa got interested in the Kettle Corn.

It is also now the heart of tomato season here. Take a gander at some of our beauties: This is an heirloom tomato that grows darker as it ripens until it acheives a dark purple/black color. They are so juicy!!