August in Review

Back when we were just a few days into the summer break, Haley was complaining about the heat, and I said (in my sagest, English-teacheriest voice), "ahhhh. But if summer comes, can fall be far behind?" and then she rolled her eyes and wondered if that was part of a poem.

It's hard having a geek for a mother.

But it's finally here, September. Fall. The leaves on our mountains are already bright red and I am yearning to go hiking in their color. But before I get too immersed in fall, one last look back at summer, through the lens of our August:

• At the beginning of August Kendell and I had a date night in Salt Lake. While we were waiting at our table at Red Lobster, I made him come outside with me and walk across the bridge that goes over the freeway. He doesn't love heights so he didn't love it. But I wanted to be able to look at the bridge, next time I drove under it, and think about us walking there, just the two of us, talking about nothing important.
• Then we went to visit my friend Chris. Totally impromptu hanging-out-for-a-few-minutes. I don't see her enough!
• I started working on my goal of not having sugar for two months. I had two little slip-ups but made it. One month to go!
• August was the month of shopping at Dillard's. There were three different extra-30%-off sales. We got almost all of the boys' back-to-school shopping done at these sales, and I might have bought a pair of shoes, and I even talked Kendell into buying some new shirts for himself.
• Nathan had his special night at Burgers Supreme. It didn't go as smoothly as we'd hoped, given a BYU football game I forgot to plan around, but we still had fun.
• With three kids in junior high/high school, we spent more on school fees in August than we do on Christmas.
• All four kids started back to school: Haley, senior; Jake, freshman; Nathan, 7th grade, Kaleb, 2nd grade.
• Haley got asked to Homecoming. We found her dress, shoes, and earrings the very same day. (We rushed to the mall that Saturday because it was the last day of one of those Dillard's sales; we ended up finding her dress at JC Penney, but the shoes & the earrings were Dillard's clearance, woot woot!)
• I ran 70 miles.
• Jake worked every Saturday morning at his summer job. He helps one of my librarian friends with her yard. (I don't think I've said this but I LOVE that he has this! It is so good for him.)
• We played miniature golf twice. And I went laser-tagging for the first time. (It wasn't what I expected, although I didn't really know what to expect.)
• I ran into an old friend, Tracey, at Target. We talked for a half hour while Kaleb tried to decide which Imaginex toy he should get. Our daughters are only one day apart and they used to live right across the street. I miss them but it was good to see her again.
• On their way to Seven Peaks, the kids locked the keys in the car. Not the best afternoon.
• Kendell and I made two attempts to get to the saddle of Cascade Mountain. We made it the second time. More on that in a later blog post I hope!
• I made thirteen layouts.
• Jake, Nathan, and Kendell went to help my mom move some furniture on Saturday afternoon.
• My mother-in-law discovered she has breast cancer.
• Haley colored her hair brown.
• Jake discovered the joy of longboarding. (Can you guess what he wants for Christmas?)

Sort of random, but a good August nevertheless. How was yours?

Comments

[Becky K]

70 miles - nice.

I am sorry about your mother-in-law.

I like that story of you and Kendell walking across the bridge. Now I want to know which bridge it was.

Not looking forward to jr high. Or fees. Blech!

[Helena]

I am no-sugar by necessity (it makes me burst into tears and fall asleep).

[Jenna]

70 miles!!! I think I ran four. :)