summer lovin'

Soooo basically, I took an unannounced, unintentional sabbatical from blogging these summer months. I didn't plan to. It just sort of .... happened. I didn't forget about you though. In fact, I thought about you often, thinking, I really should post something. Truth be told, I've felt a little stale and unexciting. Although, seems like I'm not alone. Many around the blogosphere were on blogging siestas.

Turns out it's a lot like riding a bike. Once I put my mind to it, I'm able to ramble on just like old times. Whose the lucky one? You are! (wink)

While you are reveling in your luckiness, you might be wondering just what exactly has been keeping me too busy to tickle the QWERTY. Well, mostly managing the smallish people while trying to keep them from killing each other and surviving on coffee and sour patch kids. Sometimes, my friends, you really can spend too much time together. That old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder". Yeah. That is so true!

Divide and conquer is my running motto. The kids took turns spending time at Camp Grandpa getting dirty and living the farm life. Taking one kid out of the equation makes a gigantic difference. And, just last week, I was lucky enough to send two at time. Woot! Woot!

Other than that, we spent much time floating around the lake, staying up late and watching movies. We've eaten our weight in s'mores, visited with far-away friends and sported too many pairs of bowling shoes. We also photo bombed the host of our local human-interest show while at the grand opening of new movie theater and watched ourselves on TV. We celebrated El Fuego's birthday at the water park. Burnt out our forearms driving go-karts. And, logged in many steps at the zoo. I ran a 5k, celebrated my 15 year anniversary with Mr. Hawthorn and (gulp) went to my twenty year high school reunion. How am I this old?? We had backyard sleepovers in tents, started (but haven't finished) house projects, sold our living room furniture, enjoyed a few pedicures and came 'this close' to adopting a pound puppy. This close I tell you. This close! And, as of late, we cheered on our hometown All-Star baseball team as they battled in the Little League World Series. That, folks, was our summer in a nutshell.

The school life routine is pressing upon us. Only a week left before we have to set alarms, pack lunches, do homework and hit snooze buttons. Oh, who am I kidding? I don't pack lunches!! But I can hit a snooze button like nobody's business.

This year calls forth a new experience for us. Middle School. Shiver me timbers!!! While the girls were at Camp Grandma, El Fuego and I took care of some middle school business. Like finding the perfect pair of tennis shoes and getting an ASB card. The dude is way more excited about the ASB card than the shoes by the way.

The girls will be starting fourth and second grade. My babies aren't babies anymore. Sniff! This week has us learning who their classroom teachers are and collecting supply packs at school. I started buying the school supplies through the PTSA in June shortly after I decided rounding up supplies at Target in August is pretty much like being on the front lines of Vietnam. It. Ain't. Pretty. And, that's all I will say about that. I also have grand plans to get the backpacks in order and organize the laundry room which is supposed to be where the backpacks reside when not at school but has become a dumping ground for outgrown rain jackets, dust, gloves missing mates, dog leashes and crap sent home from school last year. You know, that stuff that was thrown in a corner while I told myself I would clean it up later. Well, it's still there. Yay me.

And now....I will present you with pictures in no particular order from the last few months.

 

 

 

 

 

The end.