Lots of change...
I cannot help thinking of how things have changed in the past year...

A year ago Vikings fans were once again boasting hope of a new season and hoping for more wins than losses. A year ago we moved to a new home and left our townhome on the other side of the river. A year ago we found out we were going to have a little girl. A year ago we found out our good friends were going to have a baby too.

Now, one year later, the Vikings have Brett Favre and a new-found hope of a Superbowl, of all things, and our little girl has a BFF. I don't know about the odds of the Superbowl (as Lori has been quoted saying, "you can have the old fart!"), but it sure is fun that this is how Roger and Mike will be watching Vikings games this year! :-) Hey, Julie, want to go get some coffee???

I will say this for the record: I am a Brett Favre fan...he is so entertaining to watch and you can tell he loves the game. He is an amazing athlete...even at 39 or 40 (whatever his age!). I hope I can be doing half as much in another ten years...ok maybe not getting tackled by a half ton defensive line but something along the lines of being able to run and jump with my kids! :-)

A few photos to compare...

Here is Gabby helping me do the laundry last week...

Here is OJ helping me do the laundry...a couple years ago...
Here is Gabby smiling about bath time...
Here is OJ being serious about bath time...

What fun to compare and look back on just a few moments ago!

JUST A FEW SPECIAL MOMENTS CAUGHT ON FILM...experiences, special times together, etc...

BIRTH CONTROL...

Someone...I won't say who...saw this picture and checked it off as one more year's worth of birth control. The story goes: This summer I started trying to keep everything ( or get everything) in order. I slowly started to go insane and get really crabby and my house started to slowly become more and more neglected. You see...you have to neglect something when you are given a choice because if you are saying yes to one thing...you are most likely saying no to another thing (thanks to Zach for the wise words and Julie S for reminding me!). I decided to say no to my house and yes to my kids for a bit...

Mind you, please do not think that this is a permanent state of my living room. I have since consolidated the toys, moved things around, stored other things, made Owen take his naps in his room, and been able to clean up a bit and play with my kids without going insane.

I've been asked about my summer quite a bit and I can now answer this way: my summer has been awesome! I did spend a lot of time as property manager, but I also planned lots of trips and playdates with my kids. I cooked good meals and realized how much I like to cook and wish I were better. I realized how much I want a garden next year and how naps are a gift from God. It took more than half of my summer to realize that Owen is happiest when I just get down and PLAY with him. I learned to shoot robots out of the closet, read really long books really fast because Owen can't tell when I am skipping parts (yet!), and how much fun a sprinkler really is. I learned that my TWO kids are great and God gave them just to me. He did not equip me to live anyone else's life and He did not equip anyone else to live my life. Contentment is also a gift from God...Owen has been having a hard time learning that, "I WANT something" is selfish because God has already given us so much. He is learning though. I go back to work on Monday to do some training of 8th grade mentors...then inservice next week...then we start school after labor day...my summer is officially over. Am I sad? I can't be. This is my life. I can't wish it to be any other way. So how was my summer being a stay at home mom? I wasn't a stay at home mom. I am a teacher who gets her summers off. The transition ( and the reality of it) is too much to place expectations that I can be something I am not. I have truly loved being home and have truly grown in my love for my children (whom I will dearly miss when I go back to work). One benefit of being a teacher: I have the hope of another year...HITTING THE REFRESH BUTTON EACH YEAR! What other profession or life situation do you get to do that? :-) And then the built in vacations, off at 3:30 each day, every weekend off, and then summer! Here we go!

In four days we took only a few pictures...here are two from our trip to Florida! What can I say...both are self inflicted as well! :-) We had a good time relaxing and reading and sleeping and eating...what more is there to say?

I took these before I left on vacation...they are now livin' it up at Camp Grampa in WI! We are having a great time relaxing, sunning, and doing all those things we've done without for quite some time: sleeping, eating cheese & ice cream, drinking coffee and other fun stuff, staying up late and sleeping in, taking naps, reading (almost done with Harry Potter #6!), etc...

Tonight we go to Kenny Chesney! Whoo hoo!

Gramma Mama and Grampa Phil are just as busy...actually, more busy!

They've already played by the pool, dug in the sandbox, had camp fires, rented movies, had popcorn night, invited friends over to play, gone to the zoo, had picnics, and much more! I'm sure you can read all about it when Gramma momma has rested enough to post pictures on her blog! :-) Thanks mom and dad!

Gabby and Owen doing their own thing at the park! both barefoot...gabby's first time eating sand! :-)