Summertime Blues

Wow...today's heat index is 95 instead of 105. Is fall in the air already?

Hah...August is not my favorite month. I haven't allowed the kids to play outside all week due to temperatures of +100. We've colored every picture imaginable, flown paper airplanes, explored the contents of several closets, ran through the house screaming and taken lots of Advil. It didn't help matters that the elusive scorpion has managed to escape capture and I still haven't reopened the basement to people under 5 feet tall. Someone tell me I'm overreacting...please? Actually, we did venture out one day to nearby Cathedral Caverns where it actually gets down to 55 degrees inside the cave. We almost decided to move in.

Whew. This summer has exhausted me in every way and I am ready for it to be over. I want cool breezes, football games and days where I actually have time to be semi-productive. 41 days and counting...

First Day of School! First Day of School!

"We're off to learn to get some knowledge!"

And if you haven't seen Finding Nemo, then you just think I am insane and that's okay.

Hallie had her first day of first grade yesterday. She was fine until time for me to leave and then the tears started. Man, did I have a difficult morning worrying about her! I was quite relieved, though, when I picked her up and she said "I can't wait until morning so I can come back!" I can't ask for more than that!

Here's the little sweetheart on our porch before leaving. Notice the gap in the smile...she sure is proud of that!

Reasons why the last 24 hours have been interesting...

1. Hallie, with her brothers in tow, discovered a scorpion in our basement, which, according to Hallie was 3 inches long.

2. I looked for this houseguest for an hour with one of my husband's shoes and had no luck.

3. I am now restricting the children from the basement out of fear, whether rational or not, until this pest is found and destroyed.

4. Ethan had diarrhea during his nap and didn't make it to the bathroom.

5. Our new carpet upstairs now has its first blemish.

6. The brand new Buzz backpack that has been glued to his shoulders also has its first blemish.

7. I used an entire box of wet wipes before I got him in the tub.

8. I will not let Ethan eat three servings of fried okra any more.

9. Herman the crab had a birthday party since "he may not make it to his real one", whenever that may be. The kids and I sang "Happy Birthday dear Crabbie" at the top of our lungs while Hallie presented him with a present (a shell from the beach) packaged in a cough medicine box and a homemade card.

10. Apparently uplifted after his party, Herman the crab managed to escape his confines (mainly because Hallie forgot to put the top back on) and was missing for about 10 minutes in which I made the kids sit on the couch with their feet up while I frantically searched for him, praying he wasn't already carpet blemish number 2.

11. I found Herman safe and sound on the other side of Hallie's bedroom in her Polly Pocket mini salon. Hmm......

12. I made two fudge pies and a crock pot of homemade macaroni and cheese for the school picnic tonight. Okay, one pie is for the picnic. The other is in case there's no leftovers to bring back home.

13. I sold my first item on ebay for $79.00. Not bad...