Dog Days Continue...

The dog days of summer are hanging on.  

I realize that I am going to soon be complaining about how long winter has hung on and how I am longing for spring!  But really, fall is now officially here and it is 90 degrees!  The air quality is also suffering, so the windows are back to closed tight.  The worst part is that all the pools closed weeks ago.  

But, you probably are not here to listen to me complain about the weather!  

We took our first college tour this week!  I was brave.  I really think I am going to be able to let him go.  It doesn't matter if I am ready or not, but I am proud of myself for getting to this point.  I liked the campus, except for the liberal influences.  I wish he wanted to go to a God-honoring school.  Again, it is not about me.  He has his life to live.  And I am proud of his commitment to getting through college with minimal debt, so a state college makes sense.  Especially if one is considering a Music Education degree.  Teachers don't get the big bucks to repay those big school loans, sadly.  

In other news, 

We had a great family reunion this year.  The kids enjoyed playing board games with one another, and I brought my coloring materials,too.  

We had fun despite the heat. That has been life lately, living despite the heat.  And, I am so grateful for the life I have.  

September Favorites

September has always been one of my favorite months.  The weather is still summery.  The family celebrations flow, and the natural beauty of late summer is a sight to behold.

In Indiana, September is still warm, maybe too warm at times, but it is usually less humid, so I can deal with it.  For instance, it is going to be in the 80's today, but right now as I write, I have the windows open and there is a lovely breeze flowing through the house.  I am thankful for a lower electric bill, too!

September is the month of celebrations.  It is so special that my parents and Jeff's parents celebrate their birthdays this month.  Besides birthdays, my family has our family reunion in September. I have such a fun time with my cousins.  As I get older, this gathering becomes even more important.  I appreciate my family all the more, too.

 Finally, late summer is just a beautiful time of the year here.  This year, we have had plenty of rain so plants are still blooming and the grass is bright green.  There is the bountiful harvest, too.  Gardens are bursting.  Well, not mine, I kind of lost interest during the heat and humidity of August.  But, the farm markets will be awesome this month, another thing to be thankful for.

What is September like in your corner of the world?

When Plans Change

Hello Friends, 

We usually go away for a long Labor Day weekend, but this year, we decided to cancel our plans and enjoy life around home.  It is a new stage of life that we have entered with three kids in high school.  We decided that it would be best for our youngest, the newest to high school rigors if we did not stress him out by asking him to finish his school week a day early so that we could go to the lake.  He also had 7 tests and a paper to write that week.  We all agreed that staying close to home was more relaxing.  

Of course, we did not just sit around the house.  We enjoyed a LONG bike ride with grandparents and a big lunch at a buffet afterward.  The next day we took a day trip to the above farm.  We met another set of grandparents for lunch and then a stroll through the farm.  

Times change.  We adapt.  We will get up to the lake next month during fall break for my birthday, LORD willing.  

~Jenn