Favorite Day

A while back my sister asked me a question that almost made me laugh out loud:

"What was your favorite day this summer?"

Here was my thought process:

"Favorite day? How am I supposed to pick a favorite day? I can't remember what happened last week, nevermind last month...wait a minute...last week. That was a good day, wasn't it?"

So here are the elements that made up my favorite day of the summer (or, at least, from one summer week).

• we were out at the lake
• the weather was warm and sunny; the first after a few cloudy and cool days
• the boys got to do all their favorite things - gator rides, playing in the water, fishing, running around outside, berry picking
• we had ice cream with wild blueberries for dessert (I LOVE wild blueberries)
• we went cruising in the boat before bed time (the boys' bedtime)
• I got to play with my camera at night and managed to include my hubby who actually enjoyed himself
• oh, and I was wearing my favorite summer dress (because, as you know, everything is nicer in a summer dress)

Can you pick a favorite day?

Previews

I know.
I've been absent. (I've missed you, too.)
I won't bore you with excuses - we'll just skip right to the show. And maybe in a little while I'll have more to show you.

letting go

Things have been a little crazy around here lately. We sent our oldest son to school last week. His very first day of school - pretty big milestone.

When he was a baby, I thought school was too far away to even think about and then, as a preschooler, I thought "school can't come fast enough!" (in a pull-my-hair-out-losing-my-mind sort of way) But these last few months I've been thinking about how much I'll miss having him around.
So I was prepared for missing him. I wasn't prepared for the "letting go". When I dropped him off that day and walked away from him, I found myself getting all choked up. I wasn't going to be there to make sure he was okay. I was leaving him all alone.

I knew that came with parenthood - letting go - I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be so impacting. And now I'm wondering - does it get easier every time? When he goes to summer camp, or gets his drivers' licence or goes to university or when he gets married or moves away, will it be easier than that first day of kindergarten? Or will I still feel like I am letting him go? Maybe that will be a good thing...

Sigh....

Today was the day.

I was going to have to clean the bathrooms. It has to be my least favorite job. Seriously.

But it needed to be done. So, dressed in my favorite summer dress (because everything is nicer in a summer dress), I gathered my courage and - decided to take some pictures of the cookies I'd just baked - they looked so good! (I can't pass up a photo op!)

So, after the pictures were taken, I gathered my courage and my resolve and went to the bathroom - where I noticed my cleaning supplies were totally disorganized. And, as a matter of fact, so was my bathroom closet.

So, after the cleaning supplies and the closet were somewhat tidied, I focused my courage and resolve and began to clean.

It becomes pretty anti-climatic here: the bathrooms were cleaned.

I wish I could say they were cleaned so well that every surface sparkled and there was a glow about the whole room; that I was crowned queen of the loo and there was an angelic "ahh" after I'd finished and surveyed my throne.

But there was nothing like that. In fact, before I'd officially finished cleaning, someone came and used the bathroom.

And so it goes.

At least I have my cookies.

favorite of the month: August

So. Here we are, at the end of August. Summer is almost done for another year. I confess, that makes me a little bit sad. But I do enjoy fall, and winter has its good points too, though I don't want to be thinking about them just yet.

I took a lot of pictures this month - it was hard to choose a favorite. But this one here makes me smile so the honour goes to it. (I LOVE wild daisies!)

It must be LOVE!

I love my husband. Have I mentionned that before? It's worth saying again.

I love my husband.

The other night, he was washing the car and I was here, at the computer. (Typical.) He came in and casually said "It's a nice night. There's some fog north of town. Maybe you'd like to take your camera and go for a drive." And I was like, "oh"- in a surprised, pleasant sort of way. Of course, I grabbed my stuff and went.

It meant a lot to me that he was thinking of me and my photography. He's not really into pictures. He appreciates a good one, but the whole "hunt for the best photo ever" he's not really into. And that's fine. We can't all be like that:) So I really appreciate it when he shows an interest in my photography and suggests to me that I go do something I love. Because it means he loves me.

Just Because: Roger and Colleen + kids

I had the pleasure of spending some time with this lovely family the other evening. Just a little bit of time - the kids don't have a lot left to give at the end of the day:)

I love it when I get to have some say in the where and when of picture taking. Roger and Colleen were gracious enough to allow me to plan the shoot to my specifications, even though I'm not the one with a hungry four month old and a two year old nearing bedtime. Thankfully, the kids were into it too.

I think it went rather well, don't you?