Summer versus Fall

Last week our science lesson was on the seasons and for a science experiment, we decided to head out into the neighborhood and look for signs.  Teetering on the line, Summer keeps taking one last deep breath.  One day soon however, Autumn is bound to be exhaled.

Our Observations:

Signs that Summer is still here: 
a butterfly fluttering between us
hot sweaty heads beneath bike helmets
peaches
skinned knees and elbows
wild blackberries
Signs that Fall is coming:
a few leaves beginning to turn red on the neighbor's sugar maple tree
trumpet geese returning
Apples (and the crabby apples)
the bountiful harvest from our garden
cooler mornings

 

Snippets of Summer Life

This evening while talking with my son as I put him to bed…

Nathan: Mommy remember that nice thing I did for Gabi

Me: Yes, you are a wonderful big brother

N: Well I’m not going to be able to remember it in another week or maybe more because my brain is gonna be all filled up with school!

                                             ____    ____    ____

I turn around in the kitchen and ask my handsome husband who just returned home sweaty from the gym to please stop drinking from the water bottle he pulled from the fridge. 

“Wow, why? That’s good,” he questions. 

“Of course it is!! Its hummingbird food. You know, sugar and water in solution…”

                                              ____    ____    ____

Riding in the car Gabi asks, “Do I have a sweet tooth?

Me: Yes, you have a very big sweet tooth sweetie.

G: Where is it?

Me: Why do you want to know?

G: I want to eat it!

                                              ____    ____    ____

Summer, you will be missed dearly.  Fall, welcome! You promise more of this, more of us and life all open and raw and real.

Tiny Miracles

Do you ever look back over your day to find them there? Maybe your week, as mine, seemed unending. Perhaps you, like me, were overwhelmed by some of life's craziness. Yet, remembering these moments of desperation, still I find those miracles snuggled in the inbetween that kept me going.

All the big life stuff can be going haywire but under close examination the seemingly small stuff is a nicely sewn seam connecting moment to moment, day to day and our lives together.

The only catch, I have to remember to look, lest these miraculous moments be whisked away from my memory, leaving only the stress and none of the beauty the day held. The treasures lie in these small daily miracles. I hope you see them too.

Vaseline, Silly Putty, and Lipgloss, oh my!

Thanks to my busy, dirt and mess magnet, typical two year old I thought I'd share some things I've learned recently in the stain removal department..

A couple of months ago she reached the jar of Vaseline off the bathroom counter and it was wiped all over the front of my favorite dress of hers. Here's what worked to get it out:

First I scraped off as much as I could with a metal spatula. Then I scrubbed it with dawn dish soap and soaked for a long time (a couple days) scrubbing every so often. After air drying, I dabbed it with rubbing alcohol. Let dry again, rinse and repeat dawn/alcohol cycle again. An again and again for a couple weeks until it came out!

Next it was silly putty on a leg of pj's that my MIL noticed when she was folding the already washed and dried laundry (yup, I'm spoiled, she folds my laundry!!!). To remove the silly putty I first tried freezing it like gum but it was very stubborn. Then we read online to use hand sanitizer. My friends, it literally took all the gooey stuff right off! Then dawn again to get out the rest of the stain perfectly!

Next she found a glossy lipstick and painted it all over the front of a dress grandma made her! So to get out my glossy lipstick first I dusted it with cornstarch and rubbed it in a bit to absorb any excess so the stain wouldn't spread or bleed. Then I scraped it off a bit a put it through the wash cycle. Then I scrubbed the remaining stain with my current favorite grease stain remover. Yup, dawn dish soap is pretty high on my list at the moment!

A bonus tip that my Mom shared with me is that one package of lemonade kool-aid will take the hard water stains off my dishwasher. It did! And I'm not planning on ever drinking it again because I don't think my plumbing needs such a thorough cleaning thatnkyouverymuch!

So just in case anyone else out there has a child who seeks out the hardest to remove stains, it's out here!

Wonderful

I'm grateful my husband is home after being gone for three days. Even though he hadn't slept well while away he spoiled me by getting up so I could sleep in this morning.

At the dentist, my son had a wonderful experience, not that a filling is joyful, but I just love the kids dentist. The best part was that dad sat in the room with him while my daughter played in the waiting room and I remembered my book!

After lunch and dropping daddy at work, we stopped at a park with lots of shade for me and my ergo clad baby toddler to sit/nap under. Once again I was able to read for another nice chunk of time. Ahhhhhh.

When we got home I suggested the kids take the accumulation of dishes and pots that go to their little kitchen outside with a dishpan of water and wash them. (Can you guess who's book I was reading, thanks Mary!) it kept the kids happily busy while I marinated a flank steak and cut up fruits and veggies for dinner.

Somehow a certain funk descended on everyone under five right before dinner and they devolved into wildebeests. We all survived an early bedtime!

I drove to pick up my husband an hour early so that I could bring him dinner and get in some more reading time!

I have to say one of the best benefits since Grandma moved in is the exponential increase in time Adam and I spend together taking walks, going for drives or other outings after kids are in bed.

Tonight we went walking in my favorite part of downtown and brought home ice cream. Delightful. All in all a wonderful day.

"Mommy, get on top of the ball!"

This morning, I found myself at the computer, you know on Facebook, reading other blogs and random stuff.

I'm not sure how this happened, but the kids are getting along. I should have known better because a few days ago when they were getting along they made THIS mess. But they were happy. They were happy cleaning it up together too, it was an afternoon affair to remember. Seriously, miracles are happening here!

Back to this morning, I hear my son telling the baby, "follow me" and "bring the toilet paper." To this my silent alarm rings enough for me ask what they are up to. And he tells me that they opened the case of toilet paper and are distributing it to all the bathrooms. He's done this for me before, so I think nothing of it.

Yeah, you're waiting for something right? Well, here's the kicker. Apparently, they weren't just stowing the tightly wrapped new rolls under the sink for when we ran out. They helped the current roll run out all over the floor. Then my creative four year old took the old tube off and put a new roll on. In all three bathrooms!

Can I just tell you how much toilet paper we go through here? It's like the four year old has regressed to a toddler and recalled just how much fun it is to TP a house. Despite my begging him to be the good example for his sister, if she's into mischief, she's the leader and he's happy to be the accomplice!

On a tangent I'm on pace to raise the first male in history that will change a toilet paper roll, not just set it on top of the spent one. Sadly, my husband promised to have a talk with him when he's of age, lest he make the rest of the male gender look bad! :)

And to finish the above tangent. The mess eventually made into the best work table for the little ones. They sure love their gift Grandma, thanks!

Look carefully, they both still have styrofoam pieces in their hair! Enjoy your day!