September 3

This morning I woke up to the beautiful rain and we decided we would take the kids to breakfast. I fell and twisted my ankle while holding Lark. She's fine, thankfully. After eating, we decided to run some errands, but our car decided to be troublesome instead! So, my weekend has been rearranged. It's not so bad though. I'm going to spend a lot of time on the couch vegging out, something I rarely do. I keep telling myself things could be a lot worse than having my family to wait on me hand and foot while I order in dinner. Right?

September 2

Hurricane Earl is headed our way and though we probably won't be hit directly, we are expecting a lot of rain since we are on the coast. The kids are always thrilled but terrified whenever storms head our way. I remember being quite afraid of storms as a small child. I spent the early part of my childhood on an island and my older relatives would tell teasing stories about houses swapping roofs during hurricanes and such. I sneaked an episode or two of the twilight zone late at night too and somehow combined those two fears. I'm better now. I love even the most intense rain and generally enjoy weather most people consider gloomy. I find it the perfect time to stay inside and cuddle up with a good book and some knitting. I plan on doing that tonight.

September 1

This year, I swore I would not be scrambling a few days before school started to find all the school supplies. So, I bought everything back in July according to the lists that went out at year's end. I knew the teachers might change them a little, but I figured I had it covered. Cut to today, me in Target frantically searching for the right size, color, and type of each item still needed. There were about 3 items left on the school supply shelves. I came away with just a fraction of the things we still need. So, tomorrow, I get to hit up some more stores to make sure we have it all. I would gladly pay the school a supply fee for them to just have this stuff ready when the kids come in on the first day. Forget wrapping paper sales, school supplies could be the PTA's big money maker!

August 31

To me, the new year really begins in September. There's back to school, the changing seasons, the lead up to the holidays... Everything feels fresh and new, from the smell of freshly sharpened pencils to the crunch of leaves underfoot. With those things in mind, and since my kids are headed back to school next week (yay!), I'm setting some New Year's resolutions:

1.  I will get out of my computer chair and into the gym. I ripped out an article from Family Circle magazine (recently got a subscription dirt cheap and actually love the recipes) about 6 weeks to a 5k and I'm starting on the first day of school!
2. I'll learn to use my camera on manual. I've been saying this for over a year now, and I've finally reached the point where I need to be able to focus manually. 
3. I'll invest in quality clothing. I have to stop going on crazy $5 t-shirt binges and buy some grown up clothes.
4. I'll make more of an effort to make friends before complaining that I don't have any. I'm just coming out of a 6ish month long PPD fog and am new to being a sahm in my area and I am so lonely!
5. I'm going to make time to volunteer. I used to coach my kids' sports teams with L and even though I don't love sports, I actually did enjoy running around the various fields after 4-8 year olds. While I don't know if I'll be able to coach, there has to be something else I would like.

That list doesn't seem so bad, does it? I'm going to make a note on my google calendar for a month from now to give myself a resolution checkup!

July 14

Meet Albert, Wren's pet rolly polly. He lives in the garden, is the eldest of 6 and his parents are frequently away. He enjoys mudwrestling and crawling.

July 13

July 10

My oldest child, Robin, turns 10 in three days. We have been traveling since school let out a few weeks ago and so I haven't really had the chance to put together a party like I wanted to. We are gifting him with an activity and a trip, but I still wanted to make some new decorations for him. The result of reading too many party blogs. Yesterday, after asking him for the millionth time about some minor detail, I realized he didn't care. I made him a birthday banner and crown years ago, and he has enjoyed both immensely ever since.



Why was I running myself ragged trying to make things just so when he is happy with what he has? Today, I am letting go. I am deleting projects from my delicious and email that I know I will never complete. Those include:

A super fancy mobile for the crib Lark barely sleeps in.
A handmade duvet for Wren who is content with the one that came from Ikea.
A beach blanket. I saw some cute ones at Target that will fit the bill.
A vegetable garden. Not going to happen this year. I finally have to admit, finding creepy crawly critters like snakes and salamanders had me a bit shaken, and so I'm leaving that alone for now.