pictures of august

it's been awhile.  maybe the longest span ever of non-blogging.  and i really hate that, because the little things are lost.  things like savannah's commentary on traffic lights {mommy, the light was red but now its black!!!!} or documenting ethan's newest obsessions {currently his new transformer, starscream and his lego house he built with my dad}

but seriously.  it is august.  my husband is on a very intense rotation, so when he comes home he is tired.  not chatty.  my dear friend that keeps me sane and we talk everyday, she just moved.  so we haven't talked everyday because she is very busy with the hell that moving is.

and i can literally go a day or so, with no "real" adult conversation.  which really, doesn't seem so bad at the time.  ethan is very conversational.  savannah, too.  i feel like there is a lot of talking going on...

but little by little... i start to lose my mind.  and i am not kidding.

little things become big.  i lose perspective.  i have been out of the house without a child in the car three times now since the kids' summer fun school program ended in july.  3 short errands.

bananas, i tell you.

i wanted to do an entire post on how i miraculously saved a smocked dress from savannah's non-washable expo marker graffiti.  it took internet research, an hour and a half, and elbow grease.  i was a stain fighting ninja. 

that is not worth a blog post.  i even took pictures.  do you see how i might be losing it??

i also have thought about blogging about the stress it is to drive to different grocery stores to get the things that i like {TJ's has the best salad dressing.  i like sprouts' almond butter.  blueberries from costco.  organic strawberries from tom thumb.  a different salad dressing and tortillas from CM.  milk from braum's.}  again.  this is me being neurotic.  not a blog post.

and august paleo?  big fat fail.  as in, i didn't even try.  ahhh.... there is always september...

i can't wait for the school year to start in september.  i really crave the schedule, whether i want to or not.  i need it.  i need it to be cooler.  a little house and triple digit temps... not good.  and i need the precious little break i get with them in the care of someone else.  i need them to be disciplined by someone else, so that they see i am not the only one demanding good manners.  i need them to miss me.

we have had a great summer.  we have played, and swam, and seen friends.  we have enjoyed nature, visited my family, and made new friends.

ethan went from knowing the alphabet, to knowing how to read quite well.  nothing beats witnessing your child unlocking the knowledge of reading.  nothing.

savannah plays pretend and plays well with ethan and ethan's friends... she is transitioning out of parallel play.

she also managed to get all of her molars in... so we are free and clear of the dreaded teething.

it has been a rich and full summer where i have loved on my children.  where they can play with each other in their pajamas in the mornings and love on each other.  and fight with each other, too... :)  

but i am craving fall, because i need the schedule.  somehow, the summer can leave me lonely, and i really don't think that it is very accurate, because i have had lots of fun play dates for the kids... but it's like i can't shake those middle school year summers.  those were lonely summers for me and i don't like it when that 11 year old girl resurfaces in me.  the truth is, i have these two, so i am never lonely.  and i have sweet friends.  and what more do i really need?

i have two more weeks of summer... here's to making it count.  we went to the zoo yesterday.  a play date today... the weather has been cooler, so i am making full use of outdoor activities. 

xoxo, s


p.s.  these photos... about half were pulled off instagram... sorry they are so grainy on the blog.  one day i will have more megapixels in my cell phone :)