So long sweet Summer

Although school has started, and Summer is officially "over," it is 108 degrees outside... and will be for at least another month (and has been for the past 76 days). Not really your typical Fall weather. It feels very much like Summer here, but we still thought that the "end" of Summer needed some celebrating, and celebrate we did.

Up at the lake with some friends,

and our Summer hats,

with a couple of kayaks,

and a GIANT umbrella. (which I have been wanting for the past year, and have just been waiting for it to go on sale, or even better go on clearance, but apparently in Texas things like giant umbrellas never go on sale because you can use them all year long... so I bit the bullet and paid full price for it. It was worth every.single.penny. Can't wait to use it for soccer season!)

We spent the last "official" day of Summer vacation kayaking and swimming, and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,

and playing in the water with the sand between our toes...

(and between everywhere else imaginable.)

So long sweet Summer....

No seriously, get out of here. We are DONE with 100 degree plus weather.

We are ready for Fall.

And while we're making requests, can we get some rain too?

Back to School

We succesfully started a new year of school. This year, with a third grader and a first grader! The boys were very excited about the first day of school, except for the fact that they had to wake up at 6:30 a.m.... they were still a little groggy during breakfast.

My big first grader was actually embarassed of me when I walked him to his classroom. Isn't he too young to be embarrased of me? He still managed to have a great day.

Ammon also tried to tell me that he is "too old" for his mom to walk him to class. Despite all the protests, I walked both my boys to class, took pictures of them in the hallway and gave them GIANT hugs before leaving the school.... I know, I'm embarrassing.

Love those smiles. I was so ready and so excited for school to start until yesterday morning. Seeing these two smiling on my front porch made me want to keep them home with me.

Little sis is already telling me, "when I'm THREE I can go to school like the boys," because the boys both went to preschool when they were three. I haven't had the heart to tell her that she still has THREE years before she can start Kindergarten, which means we won't be going to preschool until next year... when she's almost four. She was pretty content that she got to be in the picture anyways.

After dropping the boys off, I had a "back to school brunch" at my house. We had a blast celebrating the first day of school with about 20 other moms and their non-school age kids, and lots of yummy food. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures during the party... but here's what it looked like after. I know my empty, dirty kitchen doesn't make it look like it was very fun, but it was. :)

Ready or not....

Today is the last official day of Summer vacation. My boys will be heading back to school on Monday. I am really excited.... okay, I'm not going to lie, I'm ecstatic. It's been a long, HOT Summer. As ecstatic as I am, I'm not sending them back to school without some reservations. My biggest one being that I have a THIRD GRADER... a third grader whose classroom is on the "big kid" side of the school, a third grader who no longer thinks it's "cool" to wear shirts with a collar, a third grader who is halfway done with elementary school, a third grader who is embarrased to be seen with me at Meet the Teacher night. My biggest reservation about having a third grader is the fact that I REMEMBER THIRD GRADE. Up until this point I was hoping my kids would just forget all the mistakes that I've made. But I have real, vivid memories of third grade. I remember my fabulous teacher, Mrs. Terry- and Colby remembers having a big crush on that fabulous teacher (yes, we were in the same 3rd grade class... and YIKES- are third graders old enough to have crushes?) I remember all the actions the Laytones did to "Hooked on a feeling," when they came and performed at our elementary school (and we have never, ever done those actions while singing and doing the dishes. And I do NOT have "hooked on a feeling" on my ipod) I remember riding my bike around the neighborhood and playing ghost in the graveyard and sardines in our fabulous backyard. Reservations or not, come Monday morning I will be sending a third grader and a first grader out the door to start another year of school. And we are as ready as we are going to be...

We made apple shaped cupcakes,

We got all of our school supplies, and drove to every store in town looking for 9x12 inch colored construction paper (luckily it's not a very big town).

I know one girl who is going to miss these two boys... strike that, I know TWO girls who are going to miss these two boys.

LOVING....

Lately at our house we have been LOVING....

1. Tap shoes.

Abbi wants to wear these all the time.

2. This sweet note from Carter's Kindergarten writing folder,

Makes me smile.

3. Bowling!

With good friends in a nice air-conditioned bowling alley.

4. Popsicles,

In the FRONT yard, where the shade is!

5. Pandora Radio

Love this. Enough said.

6. These yummy lemonade popsicles.

Perfect treat after spending the day at the pool... and they are only 100 calories a piece so there's not too much guilt involved :)

7. Homemade tortillas.

You can find the recipe for these babies here. They are easy and delicious!

8. This picture....

Why so serious, Abbi?

What are some of your favorites lately?