Epitome of Summer

Does this picture just not say "summer" to you??

It does to me.

Lush greenery.

Blossoming strawberries.

Short sleeves.

Tan skin.

Messy hair.

Contentment.

And if you were to see the companion pictures to this one, you'd see she has a bug of some kind.

Summer, you've been good to us. Although I was nauseous the entire first half, we still enjoyed our days of warmth and outside discoveries.


But with school starting and cooler air blowing in, there's no denying that summer is coming to an end.

And I am fully ready to welcome Fall.

Cool, crisp air.

Changing leaves.

Apples and pumpkins.

Cozy nights in.

Halloween.

Soup and homemade goodies.

My favorite.

Bedtime, Storytime

This was a quiet time for us this evening. Both kids were ready for bed with teeth brushed and pajamas on. Both enjoying their nighttime stories on Jane's bed.

So excited for school!

Jane is officially a preschooler! Her first day was yesterday and she loved it.

Her teacher is one of my good friends and lives just a few blocks away. 

I was a little worried that I might be a little emotional sending her off to preschool for the first time, but I surprised myself being more excited for her than anything. I knew she would love it, and I'm happy for her.

{And Dick loved the two hours to himself. He had free-range of the house and wandered around without anyone taking his toys or snacks or books. And I got a few things done for my Usborne business.}

She is so social and busy and it really helps her to play with other kids and get her energy out. And she really loves it.

So it's a win-win for all of us!

{I know I've had a short hiatus from blogging...and it will probably continue off and on. My new business is taking up lots of my "free" time, but I am loving it. I'm also starting up piano lessons again next week, so it's going to get even busier. These are exciting times!}

Problem Solved

Just thought I'd drop in and share a little laundry tip I discovered a few months ago.


You know those clothes that you always air-dry because you don't want them to shrink in the dryer? The ones that always turn out stiff and starchy and wrinkly after air-drying, especially jeans?


Well I have a solution. Wait until the clothes are completely dry, then throw them in the dryer on low heat for about 10 minutes with a dryer sheet {fabric softener}.


The dryer sheet will soften them right up and the wrinkles will be gone. {Plus, they'll smell great.} And since it was only for a few minutes on low heat, you don't have to worry about any shrinkage! {At least I haven't seen any yet. I haven't had any problems with this method so far.}

Color Spectrum

I've been at both ends. I can never decide which I like better.


I love being blonde, but my color was turning brassy from the bleach kit we used at the beginning of July. And my dark roots were starting to show and so it made the blonde look orange.

So I opted for a coloring job when I got my hair cut yesterday and sort of unintentionally went darker. I wasn't really planning on going as dark as they made me, but I wanted something closer to my natural color than the bleached blonde so that my hair could grow out without routine maintenance.

Do bangs make me look chubbier? 
Or is it the shorter hair? 
Or is it the color?

I'll probably end up going back and forth for the rest of my life. It seems inevitable. I just hope I can always pull it off. Why can't I just make up my mind?

*****

{Just for fun, here's a recent belly picture.}

See my orange hair?

Half way there! 

Surprise

Today was a big day at our house.

We got to go to the doctor to "see" the baby.

I'll be half way {20 weeks} next week.

Everything looks great.

We saw fingers and toes and arms and legs.

The only thing we didn't see was...{wait for it}...the gender!

Baby #3 will remain a mystery until January!

We are so excited for this big surprise.

Counting My Blessings

This past week has been a week of blessings. I just haven't been able to ignore them.


#1 - I am finally starting to feel 99.9% myself {12 weeks later...} and with this renewed sense of physical well-being I have felt much more motivated to get things done {laundry, dishes, organizing, you name it}.


#2 - For almost two weeks now, I've been able to feel the first little flutters of the baby everyday, multiple times per day. I've never felt movement this consistent this early, so I know Heavenly Father is blessing me with yet another sense of well-being.


#3 - I have been blessed to realize again how much I love being a mom and have had some sweet moments with the kids. I'm starting to feel more like a "mom" and less like a young girl taking a shot at raising some little kids.


#4 - I have felt more motivated to prepare and plan more activities with the kids and get out of our lazy summer slum {of watching movies all the time, for example}.


#5 - This evening, for whatever reason, I received profound revelation that because I have been blessed with two {soon to be three} beautiful children, I will be given the capabilities to take care of them and fulfill any need that they have. I need not ever feel afraid or unable to take care of them. Heavenly Father wouldn't put have them in my care if I couldn't take care of them {which he makes possible}.


Sure love these kiddos.