the ice cream truck

Happy September, lovelies!

It really IS still summer and I know this because the ice cream truck is still frequenting our neighborhood right around dinner time. Evil, I tell you! And the little birdie has quite the ear for the ice cream truck soooo, yeah, dinner started out with a green apple-flavored Shrek popsicle last night. Before you go judging my parenting abilities, remember that we’re soaking up the remains of summer here. We’re on a mission, people! Truth be told, I get about as excited as Wren does when I hear the ice cream truck. Partly it’s the thrill of the hunt. We hear it, but can’t quite determine where the awful music is coming from so we begin our frantic, bare-footed search in its general direction. And then we catch a glimpse of it: There it is, I see the ice cream truck!!!, she shouts. We start running toward it, waving our arms and licking our lips, forgetting that the half-melted pops are ridiculously expensive. It doesn’t seem to matter in those jubilant moments. We stand around for a minute or two, letting the popsicle drip down our hands and onto our toes. Quiet except for the sound of the ice cream truck moving on to the next block. Priceless.

a late summer meal

There seems to be a steadily growing pile of tomatoes in our kitchen and my heartburn has really been feeling it. But it’s worth it (thanks, Tums) because fresh tomato season is too short. Last night I threw together some carrots and tomatoes from the garden, plus some of Grandpa Jon’s corn. Tossed on some cheese and some crunchy potato chip crumbs. Baked and enjoyed with friends. Perfect! What late summer meals have you been enjoying lately, lovelies?

soaking up summer

Even though the calendar says that summer will still be here for another month, I don’t trust it to stick around much longer. I’ve learned my lesson in the past. Sometimes we are blessed with a beautiful September, filled with water warm enough to welcome us until the leaves begin to cover the lawn. Other years, Labor Day hits, local stores begin to shorten their hours and boom, Lake Michigan turns frigid and summer is OVER. Sigh. Summer’s not even my favorite season, but it sure is fun to play at the water’s edge with the little birdie. And a husband who will swim no matter what the water brings. And the big belly. Swimming is one of the only times I feel a bit weightless; what a relief!

So we’re soaking it up while we can and enjoying the sand in our sheets for a little while longer.

tomatoes, finally!

It seems that for the last couple of months our garden just kept getting greener, wilder and more overgrown, but wasn’t producing much of anything. I wondered if we would ever harvest anything but herbs, salad greens and peas. And then seemingly overnight we are giving away big ole brandywine tomatoes to friends, neighbors, even the appraiser who came by this morning. I noticed that we’ll have a head or two of broccoli this week and it got me wondering about the fingerling potatoes in the ground… The dark, leafy greens we planted last week are sprouting too. Pretty soon I’ll be complaining that we have too much to keep up with – be careful what you wish for, right? Make haste and get the canning jars out, lovelies! It’s tomato season. Finally!

What are you harvesting from your patches of green, lovelies? Any fun farmer’s market finds lately? Cheers!

 

creative movement

I registered the little birdie for a “Creative Movement” class this fall. Not that she seems to need much help in this area especially when she’s inspired by Lake Michigan’s crashing waves, but I think she’ll have a BLAST. She’s such a natural little dancer that I sometimes don’t want to dance in front of her in fear that she’ll be influenced by my movements… or lack of.

The class requires that she wear pink tights, a pink leotard, ballet shoes and pull her hair back. She is ridiculously excited about this part of the class. Who IS this girl again? Did she really come from me? Boggled.

How was your weekend, lovelies?

this week

We thankfully felt a bit of September on our skin this week and as I write this, I’m still wearing fuzzy slippers, a fleece jacket and clasping a hot mug of coffee. Ahhhh. With the cooler temps and plunging humidity levels, we’re all sleeping better at night and I have to believe that the week has been a lot more easy-going and less edgy because of it. 85 with 80% humidity really takes it out of you, eh? I even told a few people last week to remind me never to be pregnant in the summer again. And today, I’m feeling at ease. 60 degrees and a full night’s sleep will do that to a mama at 29 weeks.

With a bit more pep in our step, we had a full week of nesting and playing…

  • painted the front porch of 605 with my Dad and watched the neighbor cat walk across it
  • grilled more pizza
  • enjoyed our first backyard tomato (“Mama, it’s RED! We can pick it!!!!”)
  • ate my body weight in fresh peaches and the season’s last sweet cherries
  • sorted through more baby clothes, shoes, toys, diapers
  • swam with the evening’s long shadows
  • began to transform the guest room into a cozy space for little birdie #2
  • moved one of the guest beds into Wren’s room and she decided to sleep in it (!) instead of her crib
  • shopped for a leotard, tights and ballet slippers for the little birdie’s first dance class
  • paid off my car loan (yesssssssss!)
  • started planning a mini babymoon/anniversary getaway for late September
  • made a peach pie and a fresh green bean salad to take to my Grandma’s 90th birthday party tomorrow
Happy weekend to you! Any big plans? May you enjoy some relaxing moments in your nest. XO