Transitions to Fall

It's kind of difficult this time of year. As much as I enjoy the summer I'm still ready for fall. I don't know what it is. I seem to look forward to the next thing more. I wait and wait for summer and it's here and I don't want it anymore. I guess we are programmed to enjoy change. Which is good because otherwise we would be screwed. As we are going on our trip in about 5 days this is really our last full week of no school. Next week counts but I have a feeling we won't be burning daylight but having a ton o' fun. So realizing this I know I should enjoy these days. But I can't help it. I'm ready for the girls (especially Edith!!) to be in school. I think I say especially Edith because she needs a full day of constant activity. Miriam is still quite content to come up with her own things. This last year of preschool is going to be so beneficial to her.

We get back from our trip and school will start for Miriam 4 days later. And Edith a week later. I am terrible at transitions and I have created children who are as well. I just want the next thing now!! Please, please, please let me get what I want!

Just a spoon full of sugar...

Gulp. We did it. We pulled everything out of the closets and cabinets and did a huge tidy/goodwill/garbage/recycling weekend. And we stained the back patio. It feels so nice to have accomplished so much and it warms my heart to know where to find stuff.

It's countdown to San Francisco. We leave this Saturday and we are gone for a week. (Squeal)! I can't wait. It's been awhile since we have had a just us family vacation this long so I'm really looking forward to it. There is so much I want to do.

How to make watermelon juice.

1- Have almost 5 year old child knock watermelon off the table where it cracks open and immediately starts pouring with juice.

2- Put that 5 year old in her room because it's the 10th time she has made a huge mess in 5 days and it's better than yelling at her. She screams but then falls asleep.

3- Quickly scoop out watermelon flesh into blender and blend. Strain through a sieve and reserve juice in pitcher. Throw away pulp. Repeat as many times as necessary.

4- Add a bit of lemonade and water to your liking. The lemonade increases tartness which I like. And the water makes it a little more refreshing.

5- Add tequila as required for a nice party punch.

Voila!

Summertime and the living's a filthy, messy house

I remember telling myself 2 weeks ago that I was going to post 3 times a week or something. Well that never happened. Oops. Summer is kind of hectic like. I genuinely thought there would be more time for all sorts of projects. But there really isn't. I manage to get the bare minimum done everyday. The mystical bar of what constitutes a clean house has been lowered so much this summer I wonder if it will ever go back up. Somedays I do just try to embrace it. Edith and Miriam are having so much fun and playing so well it's hard to be angry about messes. Other days? Well they are unpleasant and I might have accidentally sworn in front of the children when I stepped on something small for the 3rd time in a row. I believe the phrase was "Enough of this shit! We are living in our own filth and this house must be made tidy right now!" I am really not obsessed with cleaning but it has gotten to the point where I complain about it a lot. Also I will not be surprised if at school they make a poster of what my mother likes, one of my kids will put cleaning the house instead of sewing or reading. How disturbing. But to be fair I don't think kids can understand how we can obsess on something so much and not love doing it. They certainly do not do things they don't love.

In more exciting news we did Bridge Pedal with the girls. The family ride which is 6 bridges, 14 miles. It was fantastic and Edith did brilliantly! It was hard for me (pulling a 50 pound Miriam). But we did it and it will definitely be a family memory and something we would try and do every year. I would have put the picture at the end but I don't know how to move it!

Portland is having a Heatwave.

2nd day of 100+ degree weather. One more day to endure and then we will be back in the 90's. Never thought I would look forward to weather in the 90's. Even better will be high 80's next week. I love that.

Flannery O'Connor

I'm reading the biography of Flannery O'Connor right now by Brad Gooch. If I was at all computer savvy I would post a picture of that for you. Anyhow it's so good. I really enjoy reading about real lives. I'm also going to pick "Wise Blood" when it is my turn to pick a book for book group. Although there is a chance that will not go over very well. I think it will be a great discussion and I have tried to read that book on several occasions but was too immature to get through it. The biography would have been a good discussion as well!

Lookout August! I'm going to try and blog 3-4 times a week, minus the San Francisco week we are away. But then I'm hoping to do a big trip post. I believe I just need to get in the habit of doing this. I think posting once a month is kind of lame on my part.

Berrytastic!

There has been lots of berry-picking around here. I have been canning jam and making pie. I am feeling a bit like a hard-scrabbled pioneer woman. And I look like one too sometimes. So far I have made and canned raspberry and marionberry jam, as well as pickles.

Here are some nice pictures of the family on Sauvie Island taking a break from berry-picking. And the first of many flats of berries we have picked.

As well as a very cute of picture of the girls doing a lemonade stand.

I have been doing lots of sewing projects that I have not blogged about. We have been living on full-throttle summer mode. Swim and tennis lessons, playing at the pool, berry-picking, sewing, croquet and picnics. It's been so much fun.

We still plan to make a family zine. Too little time of late. And I'm hoping to get more into this blog. I have been living too much. Isn't there a quote that basically says "bad girls don't write in diaries as they are out living their life"? That's basically my unofficial model.