a freshman, a middle-schooler, a kindergartner, and 2 partridges in a...

Sometimes I wish I had a more meaningful reason as to why my blogging has been put on the back burner. Then other times, I look at the loads and loads of photos on my computer and I could care less. These wonderful kids, my amazing husband, my growing business... that's what's really important and I'm okay with not blogging as much or as well as I'd like. Always something to strive for.

Enough rambling... the real reason for this post. School started. I wouldn't say I was the most.excited.ever. but there must be some sort of checklist kids have in their brain to accomplish the week before school starts. It goes like this: argue incessantly. check. use sharpie on all walls, doors, floors, COUCHES. check. remind mom how bored I am every waking second. check. make a complete mess of the house twice, sometimes three, times a day. check. eat everything.in.sight. check twice.

The week before school started I was ready. Ready for them to go back to school. Ready to have a better schedule. Ready to catch up on everything around here. And then I watched them get on the bus and almost immediately missed them...a little...for like an hour  ;)

They were ready. I was ready. It was time. Do I think the summer went unreasonably fast? Yes. Do I want to pack everyone up and go on a long road trip out west today? Yes. Do I want a nap? Yes.... wait...that also has nothing to do with this post...

Because time is a jerk and I need a reminder that I am getting older...very, very slowly... 
a first/last/first day comparison.

September 2013   *   June 2014   *   September 2014

Peyton lucked out and got my genes. He too is aging slowly.  ;)

swamped!

I'd like to say I can't believe it's been a month since I last blogged, but that would be a lie. I do believe it. August was so SO busy. I'm in complete denial that it's already over. The kids are back in school. I have house chores to catch up on. My apple trees produced 500 million apples this year. I'm trying to keep my counters clean. We purchased our first rental property. I have wayyy too many photos to edit. We're working hard. Really hard here. And I have a feeling my blogging is taking a back seat until we catch up some. Or even a teeeeeeny tiny bit caught up. Until then... follow us over on Instagram. I have a bad habit of being there more often than I should.

Will: Wilbur, willdabeast, willburger, Willie.

Oh my, baby boy... how has the time gone so fast, yet again!? I probably dwell on it too much, daily maybe, but one constant in life... time passing incredibly fast. As usual, I'm late posting this, but you're 4 months young now! You're another 'easy' baby... easy going, bright blue eyes, almost always smiling... just perfect  ;) I tease, I tease... you fuss occasionally. Usually swapping turns with Theo Daisy to mess up auntie and mom's coffee mornings ;) 

The other 23.75 hours of your day you're sleeping, rolling around, eating, smiling, talking, loving peek-a-boo, eating, getting your toes to your mouth, flirting, perfecting your grasp, eatinggg (see: thighs, below)... that smile though... my heart!

but you do have a serious side... and the scowl and chin are more defined when you're serious  ;)

iPhone photos so not quite the same quality

still just as cute!

wwweeeeeeee

I'm going to go ahead and steal the hashtag #sweetsummertime idea from Casey and start some related blog posts. Mostly because she told me these photos shouldn't go to waste ;)

Our crazy neighbor up and moved away (huge pouty face) :( Thank the Lord she only moved a city away so she's now 4.5 miles away rather than 400 feet. Instead of walking over, now we have to get in our van to go visit... we're so lazy ;)  the kids love swimming in her pool and we love to visit. Downside: my garden needs weeding. daily. eek. let's not go there!  literally, don't go in there... it's a mess!

instead, here are some cute photos of Drew just swinggggging away at crazy neighbor's house, which I guess we'll just have to call her Crazy now ;)

confession: there may or may not have been a tiny meltdown because someone couldn't get themselves on the swing without some help. 
photos are nicer to see than her meltdown :|