August Thoughts

After spending a much-needed weekend away with my husband and no kids I have been settled back into reality. I don't even want to count how many years it's been since  he and I got away together without a car seat or four in the back. Completely enjoyed every moment! Of course, the joy of it was punctuated by the fact that I found out I'd passed my boards the day before we left. What a relief to finally have that over and done with. And no, I do not yet have a job, a possibility, or even an application. But, just to have my boards done makes me happy. At the moment, I am content to just be where I am. Whatever will be will be.

I'm gearing up for fall over here.
  Excited to see the days cooling off and the nights carrying a chill.
    Ready, even, to find some sort of schedule.
      Hoping my baby decides that this season she will actually begin to sleep.
         Realizing this probably won't happen based on her record.
      And being okay with spending much of my days holding and playing with her.
        And, of course, readying myself for the fact that I'll be sending my oldest off on the school bus in two weeks time while remembering an August six years ago when we moved into this house awaiting her birth.

Feeling just a wee bit reflective tonight. Letting my heart travel where it will as I look back over the photographic memories of a summer we so fully enjoyed while I can't help peeking ahead at what's coming next.

How about you? Squeezing out the last drops of summer in a fun getaway, a family camping trip, or an afternoon at the beach? Feeling ready for cooler days and colored leaves, apple cider and sewing projects?

Whatever it is you are doing to enjoy summer's fading light- embrace it. Enjoy it.

Iced Coffee

**UPDATE: Turns out the following recipe is actually BETTER if you omit the step of freezing it and just put it in a blender with some ice cubes. Add a little chocolate syrup and it's just like a McDonald's Frappe!***

I don't remember if I posed this recipe last summer, but even if I did I think it deserves to be posted again. Because if you happen to be a coffee-addict like myself you might find yourself struggling to get in your daily quota of caffeine on these hot August days. And that just can't be. Not with a house full of wild, wound up children and temperatures creeping higher will I surrender the one thing that keeps me sane.

So here it is (recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Ingredients


3 cups hot, strong brewed coffee
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

In a freezer-safe container, stir coffee and sugar; until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Add the milk, cream and vanilla; freeze. Remove from the freezer several hours before serving. Chop mixture until slushy; serve immediately.

Sip and enjoy. Sip and enjoy.

Ahhh. That's better. Let the kids pull the filter out of the vacuum cleaner and smear chocolate frosting from one end of the kitchen to another. Watch as they pull out every piece of dress up clothing and throw them down the stairs. Sit there and slurp away as they slide down the stairs and pile into a heap amongst the pile of dress up clothes. Just chill.

And pour yourself another iced coffee.

Blueberry Pickin'

I almost panicked a few days ago when I heard there would be no more picking after this past Sunday at the local blueberry hot spot. Almost thought I'd have to actually pick my blueberries by {audible gasp} by hand. I know! You see, last year I became obnoxiously spoiled when I discovered the ability to pick several (as in, oh 50 or so) pounds of blueberries in just as many minutes using a blueberry rake. Ah, the ease and instant gratification (I'm just a child, really. Never quite truly learned to looove berry picking- just the results.) I only felt a momentary twinge of guilt the first time I tried raking blueberries-- it felt a bit unnatural not to bend over in the blueberry patch for hours to fill a couple of pails. And then the guilt passed; raking them was oh, so criminally quick.

So back to the begining- when I heard the season was in and out in a week I rationalized with myself that if I wanted berries this year I'd have to do things the old way and gear myself with a few ice cream buckets and the better part of a day. Then I talked to my sister who informed me there might be (drum roll, please) one more day of picking at the blueberry farm.

And, so for my giddy conclusion: I got my 47 pounds of berries in about 47 minutes much to my heart's content. Most of them went right into the freezer, many went into three little mouths, some were left out for eating, and others went directly into a pie... which, if my husband doesn't come home from work quickly, might soon disappear.

I love having a freezer full of berries. Sadly, there are no local strawberries in there this year so I'll just have to get the preservative infested frozen ones from the super center that never quits supplying all our major necessities. We'll probably survive and I'll probably discover how easy that way is too- much to the dismay of my inner domesticated homemaker's voice that seems to get quieter with each baby.

The busier life becomes, the more I realize I can only make room for a certain amount of passions- spending insane amounts of time housecleaning and berry picking do not top off that list. Sewing, baking, writing, and spending the day with my family at the beach tend to win out. Oh, and eating- preferably ice cream. And that's what's important in life, right? Not pretending to be what you wish you could be but just going with what you are. If you hang around me long enough you'll soon discover I invent all sorts of neat little rationalizations to combat my guilt. It's a coping mechanism. Really.

And now, I'm off to (No, I'm not going finish up the pie! Shame on you!) ahem, I'm off to search for a superb blueberry muffin recipe for tomorrow's breakfast. Fresh blueberry muffins and coffee... Mmm.. I could turn into a morning person, you just watch.

Becuase in January, I'll need to remember this

Ah, I love this lake. It's impossible not to feel alive sitting on the shore. Sometimes the waves come tumbling in on top of one another, fighting for their way. Other times they seem to sneak in,  whispering secrets that silence the chatter within, begging you to listen, commanding you to stop everything else and just be still.

Beautiful colors of summer... Sweet and fresh.

Mmm... Nap, anyone? If I can burrow in quietly maaayyybe no one will know where I am.

My kids are getting older. Lydia, especially, wants to pick berries wherever we go lately. I wish we could say we've picked enough for jam or even just a single pie. And in truth, I suppose we have. But we eat them as fast as we pick them so all we have to show are red stained fingers and bellies full of berries.

 We've been doing a lot of touring around our area this summer, and even though we're seeing places we've grown up knowing as well as our own neighborhoods, I never fail to be amazed. Such beauty sits all around us. Summer moves so quickly (we even have a countdown going on courtesy of our anxious kindergartner), but we're taking the time to enjoy each moment we can.

The laundry needs folding, the floor needs scrubbing. But, the sun is shining and the lake is calling. And, everything else can wait.

Go Fish!

When we woke up to rain this morning, I kind of hoped Lydia & Jack might decide to forgo the kid's fishing derby I promised them earlier this week. When I asked what they wanted to do (you know, because of the drizzly rain and all) they looked at me like I was suggesting they just curl right up and go back to bed when I gave them the option of not going. They were most definitely still interested. Good little fishermen- not scared of a little rain like their mom.

The rain came down steadily at first, but the fish were being pulled out of the pond at great speeds. In fact, as I sat in the warmth of the vehicle with a sleeping baby and a toddler who was content- for the moment- to watch through the rain-streaked window, I assumed they would continue that rate all day. Which was why I must admit I did not hop out to capture Lydia's two 6 and 7 inchers on camera. Those were the biggest she caught- the rest were itty-bitties. I did manage to take a picture of Jack's "big one"- albeit, a blurry picture. Sigh. So wasn't in the picture taking mood today. Sometimes I really am just too content to watch life unfold rather than catching each moment. And then again, sometimes I should really make more of an effort to catch a few of those moments. Ah, well.

Anyways. Ryan and I both agreed on the way over (around 10 a.m.) the kids would be bored and ready to leave after a half hour or so. Again, we heavily underestimated their enthusiasm for fishing. At noon, they were still going strong and we had lunch there. The local sportsman's club puts on this annual fishing derby each summer and they gave out free lunch, ice cream sandwiches, freezies, and a bag of candy and a couple little prizes to each kid that shows up. Then, there's prizes for the biggest catch, littlest catch, and a large array of runner ups. They also do several random drawings in which Jack scored a fishing pole.

Overall, it was quite the fun experience for the kids. Lydia was hoping we could go back and fish some more this evening... I think their Dad's got a couple of good fishing partners coming up!

It's All Greek To Her! (Hah! I crack myself up)

I really have to quit using idioms around my oh-so-literal children. I don't think of myself as someone who goes around spouting out these types of comparisons on a regular basis, but a couple of times in the past few days I've been called out on phrases such as "happy as a clam" or "hungry as a horse" by my ever-questioning, can't-hardly-wait-for-school five year old.

Well, tonight I was settling the kids in bed when Jack decided (shocker!) he needed to run for one more drink of water. No fail, every night this kid has to jump back out of bed right after he's tucked in- which inevitably starts the whole process of tucking the blanket under the chin, tight bear hug, and a round of "love yous" all over.

Hurry, I told him. So he tears out f the room on a mission for that much-needed glass of water (and oh, how this kid reminds me of myself sometimes!) he runs right into the kiddy kitchen set in the hallway and crash! down come the plastic pots and colorful cups. Unfazed, he hops over them and continues the dash to the bathroom.

"He's like a bull in a china shop," I commented absently.

"Like a what?" asked Lydia curious at this verbal image I'd suddenly presented.

I set about trying to explain myself with very little success. I tried to explain what a bull was first of all- did my best impression of one stomping across her room. And then I tried to explain what a china shop might be- It's um... It's a place where fancy dishes are sold? Hello. That's what I would imagine it to be, but I guess I never really pictured one until that moment.

So there I am painting it all together for her- delicate dishes teetering on glass shelves and all- and imitating a bull crashing through that. And so that brings up the questions of why a bull would be in a china shop and what else does a china shop sell anyways? So I try to explain that statements such as this one are sometimes spoken to compare one thing to another which, uh (sorry, can't help myself) flies right over her head and out the window.

Well, by then Jack had returned, they were both tucked in, and as I was going out the door Lydia says, "Mom can we go to a china shop someday?"

Oh, sure why not.We'll have a field day. Seeing as china shops are a dime a dozen and all. Should we take Jack the Bull along? And the rest of the herd of elephants as well? Piece of cake, I'm sure.

The Best Days of Summer...

I'm finally home and ooh, does it feel good!

We spent a week at my parent's camp (and practically the two weeks before that when my sisters and their families were there). So to actually be home with no real agenda for the next week or so feels really nice to this self-proclaimed homebody!

I loved our vacation week there as I always do every summer, and once again I found myself declaring last night that the week went by way too fast! Why do we always choose the quickest week of the summer for our stay there? I don't get it.

Yet, after spending the morning packing up and cleaning, and then all afternoon and evening unpacking and washing clothes, I'm beat and content to be in my own home . I wanted to get some pictures up on this post, but that's just going to have to wait for another day when I can catch my breath.

The kids fell asleep swiftly and soundly tonight tucked into their own beds and lulled to sleep, I'm sure, by the memories of a perfect week swirling through their minds: jumping off the dock, running across the beach to the lake, gooey s'mores for bedtime snacks every night, and their first successful fishing expedition. Even the baby turned in at 7 p.m.- all the fresh air caused her to bump up her bedtime by a couple of hours this week.

And by the pleasantly exhausted way I feel right now there's a really good chance I'll be turning in early as well- all those late nights around the bonfire have caught up with me. But, oh... I'm already missing the sweet lullaby of the waves against the shore!