Why?!

Sophie just said, "I want to show you something Mom!"

And then she handed me an enormous cicada. (The disgustingly large tree bug). PUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

WHY!?!

Pictures

Here are some recent pics of our summer/fall. There's some boating, soccer, and the State Fair. What more is there really?


Our friend Jen and Olivia in Saylorville

Tubers

Windy boating

Olivia's first soccer game of the season

Olivia NOT running around like a madwoman! We're so proud!

Little soccer mama

Brother & sister at the fair

Doug at the Nadas

hannah at the Nadas

Family a-fair! Ner...

There is a season

To everything..turn turn turn. There is a season....turn turn turn. Tis the season for FALL!!!!!!!!!!
This is my favorite season of the year because it leads up to Christmas. And Christmas isn't just the holiday...it's a whole conglomerate of awesomeness: smells, taste, events, people, music, atmosphere. I adore it.

This summer has been unusually cool here in Iowa. Nice, but cool. Our hottest days were in June and only lasted about three days. So I guess it was somewhat meant to be that my fall arrives sooner than normal. This is ideal for me, a person who loves to jump to the next thing as soon as possible; someone who suffers from a serious delayed gratification deficiency. I try, but I'm just too excited to wait.

So, as these last few weeks have cooled down to a gorgeous 78 high each day, and nights have been into the low 60's, and my curtains wave and sway in the breeze, and I sleep in my own earthly heaven, I am once again, not anticipating fall, but BRINGING it!!!!!! Hyvee is on board with my earliness. You can buy holiday scented febreeze and plug ins. Check. There are gourds and pumpkins there. Yess! Chili ingredients are on sale! Check. Football was miraculously on TV when I returned home the other night. CHECK!!!! Heck yes. Heeeck yes.

Listen to the locusts awake during the day and singing and awake at night and singing. Beautiful sunsets and cool running..ok....walking weather. It's about time to begin sewing and card making. It's almost time for tailgating and chili.

Somehow I've passed on this love for fall. Olivia said to me yesterday, "MOM! It's almost fall and fall means WINTER! Which I love because that means Christmas and then my birthday! (In January)." So, as a good mom would, I encouraged her and said, "Then comes Valentines Day and Easter, WHOOHOOO!"

Come hang out with the Clarks. We're always cracked out excited about what's next. Good? Bad? Ehhhh...who cares? We're excited!

Sum sum summer time

Summertime has kept us busy! We've loved every minute of it though! We've been boating, camping, swimming, tubing, fishing, picnicking, etc. almost every weekend. And as tired as we might be, we've had a blast. Thus the blogging hiatus. Plus, I've been working more on my book than anything. My job is still going fabulously. The girls are winding down summer at daycare and getting ready for fall (school starts in two weeks) WHAT?! Steve is busy at work since it's summer time. We've gotten together with each side of our families a few times. Dad and Carol are coming from Florida this weekend. And as fun as this summer has been, we're pumped for more. Two more weeks of awesome, then back to the schedule, reading assignments (for both Olivia and me), early bedtimes, and soccer. Sigh. But there's always something exciting about the new start. But until then, we are clinging to our last few weeks of beautiful sum sum summertime! Sweet summertime.


Angela's boat

Eily and girls

Sophie's first VBS was a hit!!! Olivia is hidden behind her.

VBS!

Camping trip to Rathbun with Powers/Cornally/Bailey's

Bam/Lianna/girls

Uncle Dan's boat on Rathbun

Cousins Sierra and Savannah

Aunt Jo and Mom

Saylorville