Summer 2016 in one post

Well.

Hi.

I miss you blogging world. Are you even still a thing?

I have been so dang caught up with working from home that everything has sort of evaporated into the netherworld.

But. It's quiet right now. (Well, quiet is relative, I mean, there are six children here still) So I thought I'd catch up.

We have a had a low-key summer. No big trips, no huge outtings, nothing like that at all. Just a few perfect beach days. A few park trips. A lake trip, some birthdays, some work-at-home days when the kids ask, "Are you going ANYWHERE today?", lots of karate classes, and just summer.

Somehow, summer is perfect. I'm lamenting let it go as we head into school on Tuesday. It's still warm out, but the light is shifting. It's autumn light. I love fall, but oh winter. I'm pretending you aren't a thing.

I haven't much to say about summer. I have lots to say about summer. It was magic. It was mundane. It was busy, it was lazy. I think my kids will be the ones without much to report come the first day of school. Yet it was agood time. It was all I could hope for.

I'm going to miss my babies when they traipse off to school. I'm pretending that's not happening too.

Oh summer.  I am going to MISS you.

An Ode to Summer

The light is changing.

I don't mean that the days are growing shorter, but of course that's true too.

No.

I mean that as the world starts to tilt and let the southern hemispheres have their days in the sun, our world here is changing. The hazy, glittering light of spring gave way first to robust gold of summer. And now? Creamy ambers filter through the tree leaves that are losing the fight.

Summer is over. Despite what the calendar claims, our summer, our golden summer has come to an end.

I am sad, I'm practically in mourning.

Sweetest summer, you were impossibly short.

I am proud though that we LOVED summer with the love that only those who have long winters can love summer.

We played. Every chance we got, we chose to ignore our responsiblities and play.

And play.

And play.

The lake knew us by names.

The ocean became our friend.

The trees welcomed us.

Winter is still a ways off, blessedly. Autumn is full of its own magic, for which I am grateful. There is beauty and joy to look forward to. Apples to pick, a visit from my parents, a baptism for my sweet boy, my favorite Holidays approach, more birthdays (Henry is approaching TEN!!).

Yes, I can appreciate the fall with all the happiness of my heart, whilst forcing thoughts of ice and cold out as much as possible. I try anyway.

But my dear friend, summer, the whole of you should be written SUMMER because to us, you were EVERYTHING.

We hit the lake one last time today. I know we won't make it back. Rain was forecasted, and it was only abot 75 degrees. That mattered not at all.

We went.

We played.

We rejoiced.

And now, we kiss summer goodbye. Oh my how we will miss you SUMMER.

We Love Autumn!

I blink and nearly a month has passed. Hello! Life here is moving along. Autumn has hit full-force with cool temps and famous colorful leaf displays in our own yard. The days are getting shorter while getting busier. It's a rare day when we have nothing scheduled. It's fun and crazy. The kids are learning (I hope) and the grown-ups spend a large chunk of our days asking where the puppy is and what is he destroying?

Really, I have nothing REAL to complain about.

Our little town had our fall festival last week, and it was so fun.

Basically, if we ever have to move, there will be much keening on my part. Holy crap, I love it here.

The fire department let the kids shoot the water hoses. 

Ezra at the fall festival.

Miriam shooting the fire hose. 

Ice cream! It was cheap! 

Oliver and Henry on the hay ride!

Henry on a horse.

Fireman Spencer. 

Now we are in the throngs of "What should I be for Halloween?" which is always fun, until I click "check out" on that Amazon cart. Then the debate is over. I am mean like that. Fall is a favorite around here. I hope it's treating you as well as it is us. 

Thank goodness for October. 

Birthday Adventures

With Miriam's birthday yesterday and mine on Tuesday, we decided that an afternoon off on an adventure was definitely in order.

Tomorrow is too busy, so Derek played hooky. And we went to Maine. See, when you live in New England, like 13 states are all just a quick drive away. I'd heard rumors that this particular quick drive up was VERY worth it, so we threw a picnic in the back, grabbed some diapers and went.

We should have put a BIT more thought into what to bring along... like towels... or extra clothes...

Anyway, first stop, Nubble Lighthouse! It was beautiful, and closed to the public which was a tragedy indeed. But we did get the chance to watch a Mainer fisherman who was CLEARLY extremely experienced save the life of a sea bird that had tried to steal the bait off another fisherman's hook and failed. The bird and lesser experienced fisherman were struggling a lot. Mr. Experienced saw from across a rocky cliff, took off running and in a matter of tense minutes had the bird free and on his way. It was amazing, and we all applauded.

I wanted to break into the lighthouse and move in. I mean, and never ever leave. Squat there for the rest of my days. Oh it was beautiful.

Then we headed to Short Sand Beach. It was COOL today, so I had veto'd swim suits. I demanded that the boys wade and not get soaked. We had no extra clothes after all!

Yeah. That worked.

For about three minutes.

The freezing water did not slow them down one bit. We left covered in sand, having eaten sandy PB&J, soaked to the bone, and thrilled with ourselves.

Next, since we were filthy, wet and still hungry, we got a couple wholesale lobstahs to go. There wasn't anywhere to eat them except in the parking lot of the Rite Aid where we bought paper towels with which to dry off. We are KLASSY.

And, neither Ezra nor I had any interest in eating the lobster. Everyone else found it quite the adventure. It WAS an adventure, airing the car out, and ensuring that the lobster juice didn't stick to the floor and cause un-earthly stench.

Then we drove through McDonalds for the momma who won't eat lobstah.

It was the BEST Birthday Adventure I could have asked for. I love the ocean, I love the waves, the sand, the rocks, the infinity of it all. LOVE. It was amazing. I could go back everyday. Too bad ocean front shacks cost a million dollars.

So so fun.