What is even happening here? Why is fall so pushy? (I write this as I smell the spicy scent of a pumpkin candle lit in my own kitchen. I AM SO CONFLICTED.) Anyway, nice weather this weekend and I’m hoping you and yours have a good one! Let’s get outside while we still can! (Unless you’re reading this from California in which case you can go outside every single day all year long.) Anyway, here’s some weekend reading…
a wine timeout.
I feel as though there’s nothing new I can add to the sometimes-melodious-oftentimes-cacophonous commentary on child-disciplining, child-loving, child-everything. I find myself both in utter bliss and utter disgust simultaneously all day long. Like the tick tock from one of those piano metronomes, I’m at one end, and then the other, and then the other, and then the other. Watching from the kitchen where I’m forming meatballs in total ecstasy because I watched Parker assist Anders sweetly onto a little bike–tick— and then witnessing that same angel-boy steal the dump truck right out from under the unassuming toddler–tock.
And then there are the teen years. Which feel more, these days, like tock, tock, tock, tock, tock.
Parenting is really hard. It’s one of the most important jobs in the world and we’re all bumping into the walls like moles, trying really hard to read the manuals with very little light. Never mind that the manuals all give you different directions. You’ve got the heavy-on-the-discipline in one corner yelling “time outs are good! Dole them out a-plenty!” and the validate-above-all-else in the other screeching back, “time outs are evil! They will kill your child’s spirit!” Where’s the one that says, “Put YOURSELF in time out RIGHT NOW (but pour yourself a glass of wine first)?” That’s the one I want.
Why am I saying any of this? Well, it’s just kicking my ass right now. Is it kicking yours too? Solidarity, my friend. And cheers! (Because, if you got anything out of this, it should be pour yourself that glass of wine right now.)
leggings, leggings, beautiful leggings.
i’m trying to get into a routine of working out now that steve’s back teaching for the semester. all summer long, it was so much easier to find the time (well, yes and no. our schedule was all over the place with trips, but it was much more flexible.). and since i was doing it for most of the summer, i want to keep it up. more than the physical aspect, i feel better mentally when i carve that time out. it’s like my quiet time… minus the quiet and plus a bunch of other women. details, details.
this and that.
We were at a summertime festival recently and the line to get your face painted was ungodly long. Parker saw the kids running around with their faces painted, those patient, lucky ones, and I could see the awe in his face. He was able to be talked out of it, reluctantly, but I decided to be the fun Mom and buy face paint. It really is so easy to buy face paint. What are these long lines at festivals for? I now wonder. A few quick Amazon clicks and I have enough face paint to do Spiderman for the next three years. He is delighted. “Wait, really?” He watches my face to see if I’m serious when I suggest such a thing as face painting on a Friday. “Yes, really!”
weekend links.
I’ve had such an emotional week this week. I feel like such a broken record with this time is cruel nonsense so I’m keeping it to myself! (Who am I kidding, I’m sure there’ll be emo-blogging to come.) Hope this transition is a smooth one for you, or at least smoother than it is for me. I’ve always had a tough time with change. Anyway, have a wonderful labor day weekend, friends. Live it up! SUMMER IS STILL HERE.
A mattress specifically for cuddling. I feel like Steve would buy this.
This sweater is a stunner.
Have you guys seen this adorable Instagram account yet?
I love these.
4 great books to read this September. (I just got this and can’t wait to start. Have you read Waiting for Birdy yet? If not, stop what you’re doing and go read all of it now.)
I like Nick, but what?! Luke was all set to be Bachelor?! I’m not sure how I feel about this.
This blog makes me want to throw lots of toys away!
I never knew there was so much to eyebrows.
See you next week!
those late summer afternoons.
Gunstock Mountain and a last sunset cruise.
Our last full day at the lake, we decided to head over to Gunstock and see it was all about. Given how many times we’ve gone to the lake, it’s strange we’ve never visited the ski-mountain resort. Similar to the top of Vail (yet without the breathtaking 360 degree views of the Rockies!), it’s got all sorts of adventurous activities: high ropes courses, mountain alpine coasters, ziplines (one had to be a 1/4 miles long!), tube-jumps (imagine flying off a ski-jump on a tube into a giant air-bag).
weekend links.
The other day at a splash pad/kiddie pool park. I feel like I’m frantically shoving all of the things into the last few days of summer. This was a fun one. Perfect for both boys, really. Today, we have to back to school shop. Wah, wah. Hope you all have a great weekend!
I remember this moment well. A Mom hugs her daughter before going into labor.
The back to school sadness. Feelin’ it.
Did you hear this Parenthood news? (Mixed emotions; on one hand YAY and on the other: it ended on such a perfect note!)
Do you care more about a dog than a refugee? (I love dogs. And there’s nothing wrong with that! But food for thought nevertheless.)
Old chapel converted into a home. AMAZING INSIDE AND OUT. (Seriously. I want to live here.)
I got these for Anders. Even though he’s not “back to school” the kid deserves a new shoe! (So many hand-me-downs for that boy.)
It’s still a dream of mine (ours, really, but Steve’s already done virtually all of the U.S. so I’m playing catch-up.) to do a cross country road trip (remember this post?). My sister is checking this out for her own family. AMAZING.
blueberries in august.
I arrived at the farm wondering, Did Anders come with us when we picked raspberries? Was that before or after we got back from our trip? (Oddly enough, time–to me, anyway–is being measured by “before” or “after” our trip and sometimes I honestly can’t remember which side the event falls on.) Did he ever pick blueberries with us before? I think I remember! He was here, and he was in a carrier, and it was last summer before we left. But wait, it was raspberries, not blueberries. We were gone before blueberry season.
hiking mount major!
Days on the boat are lovely, but it’s nice having your feet on land and getting out of the sun for a bit. Not to mention, being away as much as we have for the last few weeks, I haven’t been getting my normal workout in (and have been missing it way more than I thought I would). Strap a 20+ lb. baby to your back, and climb to the top of a (fairly small, even tiny in the grand scheme) mountain and let’s go. (I wore Anders in the Beco, but someone on my Instagram pointed out that I’d be well-suited to get this one. I think that’s next on the list; we saw someone on the trail with this stand-up carrier. They loved it but I wasn’t sold.)