Hello hello hello! Blog. I currently have half a voice from a gross, long-lasting cold, a sinus headache and the air outside is smoky and awful, but my mother in law is watching the little redhead so let’s tawk! Here we are in Leavenworth, some time back in August. AUGUST. Seems like a long time ago.

It was my mother’s first time watching the boys by herself for a WHOLE NIGHT!!! and our second time spending the night together alone since January 2017 so heyyyyy, you know, special. I had never been to Leavenworth before. It’s a little old-timey German-inspired tourist town about two and half hours away from where we live, and it was delightful.

We ate German food, we went to an art walk and bought actual art and talked to actual artists, we sweated, we ate gelato, we went for a walk along this gorgeous river and went for a swim. 100% worth it!

14 years married; 17 years total together. And his bubble butt still brings a smile to my face.

August was hellaciously hot in a multi-level home with no air conditioning. Like I told my in-laws last night, with climate change and yearly forest fires, we need to have central air installed in the house next year. It will cost a lot but we need it. Look at these maniacs wearing hot Halloween costumes on one of the hottest days of summer! What?!

Look at this big boy! In August he started kindergarten “early start”–a full week of half days of kindergarten to get the kids (and parents) ready for a big change. August was stressful for me (mostly due to work stress) and I barely slept before his first day of kindergarten. Why?? Ask Anxiety Brain. It isn’t always logical. Of course, he did GREAT. Goo is a great adapter to new situations, much better than mama.

My mother and I flew to Boise for a second time this year in August as well, to visit my brother and celebrate his earning his Bachelor of Science degree this year, as well as to see his baby. First night in, we had to have Big Bun! Some things never change.

Laney is looooong and lean and will definitely be taller than me. As of tomorrow, my brother will be moving from Boise to Kansas, where he found a job at a church as a youth pastor. So! No more flights to Boise! My mother and I are pretty happy about that. I will miss my favorite hippie shop “Eyes of the World” but post-divorce, Boise is just too damn depressing for us. And let’s face it, Boise wasn’t that great to begin with.

Total count of colds that the boys have gotten since school has started: two. Are we surprised? Nope!

Our green grapes did very very well this year. They aren’t huge and they aren’t super-sweet, but aren’t they gorgeous? 2022: the Year of the Grape. Grape tattoo, grapes in my backyard, and wait until you hear about my Halloween costume this year! Hint: GRAPES.

In between colds and before school started, Josh had the bright idea to pay a visit to GG and Lew’s house. They will both be 92 soon, and we all appreciate spending time together. Apparently, nobody noticed that Goo’s shoes were on the wrong feet–ha!

Look at the big 5 year old kindergartner! I didn’t cry the first day of school, but when Josh and I met up with the other parents in August in a school conference to get introduced to the staff and school curriculum, it hit me harder then. Wow. I am now a parent of a school age child. I’m a 42 year old woman but I finally feel grown up.

Doing my best to take care of myself. It takes a lot of energy to parent small children. I started a low dose of Celexa after my anxiety got the better of me in August, and I’m feeling good now. More patient. I also reduced my coffee intake down to one cup a day, and I think that’s helped a lot of things.

Any time it’s not smoky, we’re outside. Nature is healing!

We “discovered” a new “discovery” park. Not much to discover except a lot of blackberry brambles and prickly holly leaves.

We even managed to finally convince my mother to hike in the woods with us! It only took 3 years. She loved it, of course. What’s not to love?

We also re-visited Howarth Park, which was pretty notorious back in 2017 when Josh sank into quicksand up to his thighs with our fresh little baby Goo strapped to the front of his body. We are more careful now! Who would ever think that quicksand would be an actual threat! I mean…really!

She was always taller than me–5’8 to my 5’7 and 3/4 (although once at a doctor’s appointment I measured at 5’8 so I’ve gone with that ever since) and now at age 70 she’s shrinking and she HATES IT! My husband, 6 years my senior, is also starting to shrink. Who knows, maybe I am too.

Would you believe that we broke out the Halloween decorations right on October 1st this year? HELL YEAH WE DID! I’ll be back next month to talk all about October, one of the best months of the year. After all, November is borrrrrring. Ta ta for now, blog!