Summer is over

So, there went August in a flash.  It's hard to remember sometimes that is't not July anymore and in fact, it's September!

Oh gosh where to begin: I'm sitting at work staring at the mountains because I know that in about 4 days I won't be able to see them anymore.  We've had 46 days of "summer" which is really just the dry season.  34 days ago it even got warm and it has been over 80 for 7 days total (not in a row).  It's probably going to rain Monday though and thus end "summer" for PNW.

Looking back on "summer" it was truly an amazing summer.  Since July 28th, we haven't gone a week without seeing friends or family from the Midwest.  And that makes us a little home sick since that run is now over.  Instead of dwell on that though we are going to enjoy the next few weeks: Fall soccer starts tomorrow, fall swim lessons in a week, and before we know it, it'll be pumpkin patches, and pumpkin carving and Walters birthday.  Not long after that, will be the newest Keibler baby, then the holidays and we start it all over again.

Evan has 2 weeks of vacation to use by the end of the year so we are looking forward to finding ways to use that.  Because of the way the holidays land this year, we could be home for almost 2 weeks and only take 4 vacation days, but that doesn't really solve our use it or lose it vacation problem.

The boys are both doing great.  Welsey recovered from our trip to the midwest/sleeping with his favorite parent just fine and is now good friends with his crib again.  Walter adjusted to going back to school seamlessly   Almost too much so.  He loves being an "older" kid and knowing where everything is, saying "here let me show you" when a new kid needs help.  His 2 BFF's are in extended day now too so every night when I get there the 3 of them and the 2 older girls are in their own world.  The absolute worst part of his day is when I say it's time to go home.  He starts getting an allowance at 5 YO so we started identifying what his chores are to make sure he gets his allowance each week.  It's really designed to make him more helpful. I swear if I have to pick up one more pair of underwear (anyone's really) or clear one more breakfast plate/morning coffee cup/previous night snack remnants when I wake up in the morning i'm going to start tossing things.    I threatened to throw away toys that are left in the middle of the stairs or directly in front of the door and that back fired.  He went and got the garbage bag and started to throw them away himself.  So hopefully an allowance will help with that.   If I could bribe Evan with an allowance, I would do that too but so far I haven't found anything motivating enough to get him to clean up after himself either.

As I expected, Wesley hit the age where I'm certain he's not doing (Something) on track.  I obsess with him being age appropriately developed.  We: aren't reading to him enough, he's not singing yet, he's not babbling enough yet, not crawling yet, not picking up cheerios yet, and any number of things I am off on my milestones on.  He's probably the most easy going, relaxed child you'll ever meet and he knows it.

Evan's work is going fine: pretty good actually.  He's happy doing what he's doing and is learning and growing a lot in his role.  He's been making some new friends and has been busy with hockey and trying to get in shape.  Our neighbor Andrew is in a mens roller hockey league and he's probably going to start playing in that on Monday nights now, too.

And me: I'm never going to be on time for anything again, probably.  I live in my car, and I sleep about 5 hours a night but that means that we are very fortunate. We've both got jobs that are going well and that keep us challenged (never ANY shortage of that).  The kids are engaged and having fun and staying busy, and I'm starting to really find my place in this city after 6 years.  Sometime in the last month I stopped feeling guilty for paying for babysitting so I can go out with friends, and stopped feeling guilty for leaving Evan for a few hours a night so I can do a monthly book club.  These are pretty big accomplishments for me.  It went from feeling totally isolated and Target being my greatest escape, to having to turn down invitations because I feel stretched too thin.  I got an invite to an amazing farm to table dinner tomorrow night that would have been a great girls night out, but I backed out today because the 6 hour event would have meant I wouldn't have any extra time to relax, something I used to HATE to do on weekends.  Go me!

So our plans this weekend: first soccer practice tomorrow, then some yard work/chores before it starts to rain.  Sunday is my final 10K of the season and then brunch with friends before our neighborhood picnic.  Next week is my first full week in the office since the last week in July and then my travel picks back up so I'll have less time in the office and less time for my busy social schedule :)