September 1st...

It's finally September! Of course it is going to be in the 90s today so it isn't quite what I had in mind. The weather has been unusually cool and with very low humidity. I'm afraid I've gotten a bit spoiled. It will be OK, though. Labor Day is this weekend and although it isn't he official end of Summer, I always think of Labor Day as the last big hurrah! One more cookout. A little more time in the sprinkler. The last gasp for my flowers in the pots. Although, full disclosure, my potted flowers gave up the ghost mid-August. That 22-day stretch of near 100 degree days in July and a storm that knocked them all around pretty much did them in.

I'll be getting out a few Fall Decorations and cozy-ing up the house. Washing up the Snuggies. (Hey, don't laugh. When it is below zero outside nothing feels as good as a snuggy!) I'll put throw blankets in baskets and wash all the throw pillows and toss them around in the family room. They've spent the summer being used to build forts and block off the baby. Now, their service will be required for snuggling, couch napping and the occasional pillow fight. I've always tossed them into the washer. Sometimes they come out a bit lumpy but we just pound them back into shape. When they start to unravel or get ragged we just buy a couple new ones. I've actually been thinking about just buying a few nice pillow shams and using extra bed pillows. It's for the family room so it isn't like someone would be sleeping on our living room sofa.

I've got an Apple Cider Spice candle that I've been burning for the past few weeks. It smells divine. I saw where Yankee Candle has $1 tarts and Votives but with our Disney trip just 3 weeks away I'm not spending anything extra.

My parents are coming to visit this weekend. We are using the extra bedroom as our school area (and it is working out great) so tonight we'll take down the table and put up the extra bed. Which means Nicholas gets an extra day of free time tomorrow. It's OK. We start kind of slow until after Labor Day then we start hitting it a lot harder. This "soft" start gives me a chance to see what is working and what isn't. To assess how much time we're going to need in a day and to iron out the wrinkles of having a little one now. She definitely makes a statement during our school day!

The coming of Labor Day has me realizing that soon we'll be replacing the 14 pairs of flip flops at the back door with snow boots and heavy coats. I need to start looking to order snow pants, gloves and hats. TIMES 2! Sarah was just a little immobile thing last year. This year she'll need her own little pair of pink snow pants or, better yet, a snow suit. With a fake fur lined hood. And pink snow boots. And mittens with the little clip that attaches them to her suit.

*Sigh* It's like she knows I was thinking about her. I hear stirring. Better get breakfast going and another cup of coffee. Yay for a long weekend!