and with that, we say goodbye to summer

July 16th is the last time I have posted anything on this wee space. This might be the longest blogging hiatus I’ve ever taken since starting. The truth is, summer sped past me at an alarming pace. Doesn’t it always? This morning, I dropped my big girl off for her first morning of preschool for the 2013-2014 year. I came home, put Baby Girl to bed, made myself a deliciously sweet iced coffee and decided that this morning … I will do nothing. Of course, there is a list as long as I can imagine of things that need to be done. I’m still catching up from a long holiday, but this morning, it all can wait. It’s been over two months since I’ve had time to myself in the morning like this. So, today I will savour it. I decided it was a perfect time to stop in for a little catch up.

The girls and I enjoyed our summer. Oh so much. As much as it zoomed past and seemed to be over before it started, we truly did make the most of it and take full advantage. We spent time at pools, at the beach, at the zoo at least once or twice a week and finished the summer off with a bang by spending two amazing weeks at the cottage.

The girls are at fun ages. While Eva’s age is incredibly trying and Gwen wears me out before my feet hit the floor in the morning, they are sweet and oh so fun. They are beginning to play together more and more each day. I see Gwen learning the ropes from her big sister all the time. They are starting to fight and butt heads. They are starting to learn to share. Eva is starting to renegotiate her place as Big Sister now that Gwen has started to express her desires and ideas more strongly. Gwen is learning that crying doesn’t always make Mommy give her what she wants.  I guess this is life with two toddlers.

Next week (well, today actually as I have a meeting this afternoon) things will change a bit as I start back to work. I am incredibly blessed to have a job that allows me to still spend most of my time with my kids. They will be with daddy one evening a week and with our lovely neighbor who is babysitting them for one day a week. Aside from those hours, when I’m on campus, I will try to get the rest of my work done during sleeping hours and on weekends when Dad is around. It will be busy. I’ve spent some time trying to get myself organized in preparation – some home organization and freezer meals, mostly.

The canning season has also begun. So far, my parents and I tackled peaches and dill pickles at the cottage and I’ve done salsa and pears at home. There is still a lengthy list of things I’d like to get canned in the next month or two. Once I started, I felt like I unleashed a hidden monster. It’s been two years since I’ve canned since last year I was drowning in new baby/new house crazy and we didn’t plant a garden. Our cellar shelves have gotten awfully bare so I’m glad to be able to restock them.

My hope is now that we are falling back into a more predictable and normal routine, I will be able to be more organized with my life – which will hopefully include once again carving out time to maintain this blog and document our life here.

For now, it’s time to finish sipping my iced coffee and enjoy a few moments of quiet. (and mentally prepare for my birthday, which is tomorrow, people. Shameless plug) ;)