I noticed the signs today...

Signs that winter is coming.  Well, besides the obvious; that I really needed my hat and gloves and maybe an extra layer today when I walked the kids up to school.  I went to the grocery store and saw them.  The tall post markers with red at the top to signal the end of a curb so the plow doesn't hit it.  So cars know to go around it. 

The very huge piles of salt downtown by the river that have been delivered in preparation for upcoming snowfalls.

The snow will come soon enough.  And it's funny to see those poles pop up in people's driveways too.  Except those ones seems to get shorter as the winter goes on because the snow keeps piling up and piling up without a plow to clear it.

I find myself looking forward to this winter unlike seasons past.  I think last year I actually truly enjoyed it but wasn't looking forward to it.  We had such success last year with ice skating that I'm just itching to get out there and have another go at it.  Another 6 weeks or so and I think we'll be on our way.

For now, just trying to manage kids who don't want to wear appropriate clothing or complain because it's still new enough in the season that mittens and bulky coats feel funny.  A few more weeks and it'll become second nature to everyone.  Until then, I just brace myself for the few moments before everyone gets out the door.  There is usually one meltdown; admittedly, sometimes it's me. 

sigh.

We'll get there.  A few more weeks and it'll all be second nature.

Breathing a little easier...

Well, four days without a kitchen sink just about did me in.  And it wasn't the eating simply or washing dishes in the bathroom sink that was the problem.  It was the "what if we can't get it unclogged?" that wracked my days with worry.  In my mind I saw cupboards needing to be ripped out, walls torn apart and a savings account dwindling down to nothing.

With a sigh of relief, our plumber was able to get it unclogged yesterday.  And if any of you locals need a good plumber, let me know; we found a great one.

Our very long string of warm days has ended and the crisp fall weather has arrived.  I think these were taken last week or maybe just prior to that.  The walnut tree in the backyard has been abundent this year and every time Jim mows he has to get the walnuts out of the grass first. 

This year he enlisted the help of the kids.  I am adoring this picture of Jim, the kids and the mower.

   

Oh how they love to throw chuck these walnuts!

When push comes to shove...

it turns out I clean the spice drawer.  Actually, I clean in general.  Call it nervous energy.  If you come to my house and it's sparkling clean there is a good chance I'm overwhelmed with life.  There is also a good chance though that if you come to my house and it looks like it's been tossed on its side....that, I'm overwhelmed with life.  :)

Did you know that three years ago this month I flooded our master bathroom?  I did a bang up job in there.  And, three years later it is still a torn apart, uncompleted bathroom.  Functional, but very raw.

Well, this weekend I managed to clog the kitchen sink.  Note to self, when making applesauce, just throw the peels in the garbage can.  It may take a little longer but it's got to be worth not having the hassel of unclogging a very looooonnnnnggggg drain.

It's still clogged by the way, and we are eating in shifts so we don't dirty a ton of dishes, and washing those few and clean(ish) dishes in the bathroom sink.

Thankfully, the rest of the hosue is fine.  We can all use the bathrooms and showers.  No major upsets there.  Praise the Lord. 

On a completely unrelated note, since our family has easy access to college athletics we attend as many home games as we can.  Jim and I did this a lot during our seminary days and we love getting a chance to do it again.  The kids are learning about different sports but they usually end up reading.  Matthew is always armed with a book or two wherever we go.  Like father like son that one.

Ella Jane has a little more tolerance for watching but usually defaults to a book too.  Sara on the other hand is usually on the move from lap to lap or whatever.  She doesn't last very long so sometimes we have to take multiple trips to the drinking fountain to keep her entertained.

I finished that Jodi Picoult book I mentioned last time.  It was crazy.  I might just come over and clean all your houses if I had that kind of stress!

Here's to a new week and a working kitchen sink.

{we hope}

Almost forgot...

Ha!  I almost forgot my password to log into my account.  It's been that long since I've posted!  I haven't had a whole lot to say, life has been stressful, life has been busy and on and on.

And then sometimes I think I have a whole lot to say and then think, well, it's not really anything really.

The boys are at the football game (which I just looked at online and looks like we won't walk away with the win tonight.  So sad; we were undefeated until today), there is banana bread in the oven, the girls are wearing tutu's and dress up shoes and dancing around the house...and no one has had dinner.  It's 7:04pm.  Kids are normally in bed at this house by 7:04pm.  But it is Saturday afterall and all of us were at the football game earlier.  The girls don't last much past halftime so we came home early.

I just checked on the bread.  It looks amazing!  I think I've made banana bread maybe 3x in my life.  I'm thinking maybe we should have it more often as it has made the house smell wonderfully delicious.  I think we'll have eggs, toast, and banana bread for dinner.   I love breakfast for dinner.  So do the kids.

I've been reading a lot lately.  The last two books I've read though had people die in them which I wasn't expecting and found myself a little unsettled.  Usually I know if that sort of thing is coming and here I just didn't.  Not that I've made it any better this next time around.   I'm reading a Jodi Picoult book.  Her topics are always so heavy but I still love reading them.

Here are the girls in all their dress up glory.

Not a nice and tidy put together post tonight.  Just something to get out there so ya'll know we're still here.  Enjoy the rest of the fall colors!

Summer Runnin'...

Summer Runnin'

Had me a blast

Summer Runnin'

Happened so fast

I'd start my runs under the sun

sweatin' it out to be number one

Ohh, ah, on a suumer night...

So my summer runs are over.  No more hot, humid weather to sweat it out in.  At least while on a run.  Summer is my favorite season of the year; kids are home, weather is hot and lots of time to play.  One of my favorite things to do is run in the sun.  Not the hot afternoon sun beating hard on my face but the after dinner sun still up in the sky but less likely to fry.  :)

We had a nice routine going where Jim would come home from work, I'd have dinner ready, have a quick bite, let it settle and head out.  The humidity is still there, the sun still warm, the need for water still high.  Such a great little route with water fountains along the way and my favorite spot was getting water on a little corner, splash my face and hands and be on my way up the hill, face in the sun, refreshed from my water.

Don't you love working hard?  Pushing yourself just a little bit further?  Wearing a shirt that's covered in sweat?  Stinking?  Summer running memories is what keeps me going on the blah days.  The ones where you just don't really know what to do with yourself.  Summer will come around again.  Until then, I'll take the runs on the cool 70-80 degree days we've been having.

{Oh, and the kids are still up early and ready to go.  I thought that would've passed by now.  At least I don't have to shoo them out the door}

{just yet}

My dear one...

{first day of third grade}

A penny for those thoughts?

What do you think?

Well, let's see.

Kids up at 6:30am.

Dressed and eating breakfast by 7:00am.

(inlcuding backpacks)

School starts at 8:10am.

I'd say they were a bit eager.

What do you think?

{by the way on the first day of school parents can come into the building and walk kids to classrooms.  When it was time to leave Sara was grabbing onto the door frame.  She didn't want to leave.  Who's going to tell her she's got two more years before she can go to school with the big kids?}

Summer...it ain't for the faint of heart.

That is for sure.  For summer to run smoothly and be successful there is a lot of work involved.  I am sure this looks different to every family but for us it looks like;

*signing up for the summer reading program at the library and attending free programs that they offer
*going to VBS
*playing soccer
*taking swim lessons
*summer camp on campus
*weekly themes (we had success with bugs, frogs, rainbows, plugged in, and space)

and that's just the programming part of summer.  Those are the fun things.  (We typically do not do programs during the school year so for me it's a lot of fun to be involved in something during the summer even if it means a lot of driving)

The tougher things are the everyday things.

A trip to the grocery store usually sounds like this...

everybody out of the van. yes you have to come in.  everybody out of the van.
yes, you can sit in the cart.  no you cannot sit in the back.  because that is where the groceries go.
stop hanging on the cart.
watch out for other people. stay to the right.
can you stop dancing now? keep your body still.
stop hanging on the cart.
everyone move forward.
you need to stand by me.  come here.
wait until we get home.

:) ha!  those are all things I say at the grocery store!  That goes for our Target runs too.

I will not miss having to take all three on errands, but I will miss having all three at home with me.  They fight a lot but we've tried to use this summer as a way to teach them to share, take a breath and get perspective.  Not an easy task for any aged child but part of the life lessons we're trying to instill.

The reward comes when one of the kids acts on what you've been trying to teach and you rejoice, thinking, yes!, they did it! they did it! 

So tomorrow it's 'back to the daily grind' as they say.  Getting kids up early and out the door ain't for the faint of heart either.  Big sigh just thinking about it.  Oh well, though.

We've had a terrific summer and tomorrow we'll dive right into fall.

Fall!  I can't hardly believe that. 

Happy school year to you.