Back to life...back to reality

Anyway, so we didn't make the China Referral cut for August. Meh. Whatever. Moving on...

It's Back to School round' these here parts - and so we've been somewhat immersed in the goings on of returning to our regularly scheduled family programming. I guess I've only done this once before with a child - and I was still in the throes of brand new motherhood and totally upside down - so I look back on it as a total blur. This time, I'm more like "uh-huh, ok...we're ready".

This means we get AB back for dinner time - something we learned to live without while he worked as a chef over the summer in a fine dining establishment (and taking him away 5 days a week during dinner). So we're back to being fed, like...real food. Not ramen, mac-n-cheese, or pbj every night.

It also means, we made our annual trek to the school to help prepare AB's classroom for the coming year. This time, he brought re-enforcements in the form of several students and their moms. He also enlisted the help of a certain 21 month old to make sure that the whiteboards were in proper working order. They were as you can see. So were the walls below said whiteboards. Ahem. ("Does this dry erase ink come off?!?"...you could almost here me murmuring under my breath...)

We're getting used to our routine again - and I had almost plumb forgot what it was like to wake up and pal around with my favorite toddler all day long. What to do?! Picnic at the park? Lunch at the "Fil-A" and adjoining play area? PBJ with some Noggin in the background? Magic Markers on big pads of paper? Play-doh? Backyard playtime? To the pool? Mall? Playdate with friends? So much to do and find to do...

As much as we love having Daddy home all the time - or at least during the day - it does create a sort of bump in the road to our routine. I think Summer break in general does this to most families. But for families with a teacher - then it's another element of change. Because it was the three of us sitting around trying to figure out what to do for the past two + months. When AB is gone for nine months working - we know what to expect. We have our day to day stuff and we look forward to the evenings when we can be together and talk about our day, etc. Summer just throws a monkey wrench into it - because we weren't able to really travel anywhere, and so we just sat around staring at each other. Got very borin'. (not really, but you get the drift, eh?)

AB is getting back into his routine as well - teaching, planning for big theatrical performances, scheduling practices and extra curricular this and that...rounding up his active parents, and thinking ahead to the coming months. It's definitely that time of year...

Speaking of - can I just say: I love summer. I do. I love flip-flops, Capri's, swimming, summer fruit - like berries and watermelon. I love getting a whole shade (snort) darker than LILLY white, wearing tank tops, and lounging around with AB to the tune of nothing... I love all of this.

But what I love even more is Fall. Yes I do, I really love you, Fall. You're my favorite. Shhh, don't tell. And, I miss you so much when you're gone. When summer seems particularly hot and long, and school starts up again - I start imagining when you'll come around again. Just thinking about it makes me want to light up a caramel apple scented candle. Oh yes! Caramel apples, chilly evenings, trees losing their colored leaves, pumpkins, apples, spice, warm flannel sheets on my bed to snuggle into, hot oatmeal for breakfast, harvest sights and smells, and all those beautiful colors that you bring with you. I just can't hardly wait for it!


And next month is September - and actually we're already almost there...it's the 19th, after all. Which means, in two weeks - it won't be too soon to break out my fall colors and decor. Oh joy! And for three months I can enjoy them...and let them linger in the house. Until it's time for....you know. BTW - yes, there are only four months and a couple days until Christmas. Not that I'm rushing you. I'm just sayin'. Just puttin' it out there. For the early birds. You know who you are.

So there you have it. Back to life. Back to the family routine for the next nine months.

Oh wait!! ...the routine is about to change again, very soon in fact...in the form of a little girl named Keira. Better not set anything in stone, eh?

Cheers!