My To-Do List:

1. Survive five days of family time down in balmy Lake Charles, Louisiana. (check) We stayed at LOML's cousin's house ON the bayou. Sorry, I didn't see any alligators.

2. Celebrate Grandma's 90th birthday. (check) Yes, that does mean she was born in 1918. Whoa.

3. Cut up more bananas. (check) Our new favorite snack is frozen banana slices. They say that bananas are the healthiest fruit you can eat. These frozen treats are almost like dessert. Try freezing them in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Sweet!

4. Announce the official first day of my birthday month. (check) Yes, I said month. I don't expect any type of celebration each day. And I suppose I've grown out of my child-like ways of being so excited about the 26th that I waste away the rest of July. On second thought, maybe not. However, I am turning 25. That's a quarter of a century. Well, it's a big deal to me.

5. Wait for Friday to roll around. July 4th is my favorite holiday. I'm looking forward to our HUGE neighborhood parade. It's actually on our street and it's the oldest July 4th parade in the city! You know how I love tradition.