on girl's weekend and the week that followed.

when august arrives, i always get a case of 'the sads.' the summer's-almost-over-and-i-still-have-so-much-i-want-to-do sads.

don't feel too bad for me though. i gotta say, we have been one busy bunch these last two months and maybe the fall will bring some rest!

no rest last weekend, however, as i spent some quality time with three of the people who have helped shape me into who i am and how i live. my college roomies and i celebrated (and i mean celebrated) our second annual girl's weekend. when the four of us get together, it's nothing short of a miracle. these things don't just happen.

16 years have past since meeting these women in a stuffy hot dorm room in south hall on trinity's campus, and in those years, we've all filled up our lives. we have fourteen children between us. we have husbands, houses, jobs, and lives that are lived hundreds of miles apart in three different states. but when we do get together, none of it matters and that's why we make the effort. we do it because we're good for each other. in the two days we spend together each year, we laugh, eat, talk, laugh some more and maybe drink a little vino too.

these weekends are more than just that though. in those two days, we're allowed the time to remember that no matter the miles and the years, we're still in this together. when the days get hard, we're not alone. and in our victories, we all cheer. this friendship is lifelong and i'm so grateful to be a part of this posse.

here's to 50 more girl's weekends, ladies, and 1,000 more bottles of silver beach.

isn't she lovely?

livin' large.

i adore this picture and this person.

this might be my favorite 'shannon and jeni' picture ever.

the weather was perfect. and so was the view. thanks to andi's uncle bob and aunt barb for the use of the greatest cottage on the planet.

ladies, we still got it.

this is where the self-timer goes wrong.

i blame andi.

this is us. and we're awesome. and ladies, you're welcome for the ones i didn't post. (evil laughter.)

since getting back to life (back to reality, back to the here and now, oh yeah) i've been spending lots of time soaking up time with the schans kids. sophie spent the week at smart kids camp young scholars day camp, and the three amigos and i kept busy doing lots of outside stuff now that it feels less like i want to die the second i step outside (ummm, the heat this summer, wtf?). today we ventured into the beloved forest preserve and i had the chance to snap a few summer shots.

the winding wooden stairs that lead down to the path. nora is finally able to do them alone. phew.

cute kids.

green green green. having seen how hard so much of the midwest has been hit by this drought, i don't take this for granted.

me and mimi me.

group shot fail.

the floating bridge. it makes me nervous.

we missed sophie, but made the best of our days. so glad that next week, we'll all be back together!

  i feel like we're sprinting toward fall and the start of school and everything else that the end of summer brings. i'm not ready for it. so, even though i find myself worn out by the business of summer, i'm going to soak it up. we've got plans for lazy august days, eating fried food on a stick at the minnesota state fair and some day trips around the twin cities. when fall does get here, i'm going to need a serious nap. 

long live summer fun!

pictures and words on summering in minnesota.

here are two of my girlies. being girlie.

same deal, plus one boy desperate to be in the picture.

ellee wanted to take a picture. and she didn't do too bad! here's me with my two babies who aren't really babies at all.

this i found tonight when i went to check on the kiddos after i had put them to bed. charming.

and this is how i found casey. a day at the beach in 105 degree heat can really take it outta you.

not if your name is nora. honey badger don't care about no heat.

see? honey badger loves heat.

and sunglasses. she loooooves sunglasses.

casey showcasing his love of all things tigers. just like dad.

this summer we're keeping busy. i have actually been kind of stressed out about doing just that. having four little faces wondering what we're doing everyday has been challenging. i have begun having lots and lots of helpful conversations with superdad and super friends to try and gain some perspective on it all. i've decided that it's not actually my job to keep them busy. quite the opposite. we've been working on finding things to do on our own...a new and freeing idea to this weary mom. truth be told, i remember my mom shoving us all outside and telling us not to come back until lunch. why is it that my children seem to thing lunch is every five minutes? the work on this continues, but things are improving.

for sophie, keeping busy means a new judy moody book. she's loving it and so am i. she's the hardest to keep away from the tv, but she's also the one who can busy herself the longest once she's invested in an activity. she's been crafting, making forts, and missing her friends. she's been having fun and growing up everyday. second grade gets closer as the weeks fly by, and although she'll be more than ready for it, i often wonder how my heart will take these giant hits it keeps enduring as my kids inch their way through school. growing up is hard, but watching your kids grow away is harder.

ellee is smiling and laughing and enjoying more freedom than she has ever had. she's already been to one vbs, had a playdate and will just finish up her teeball season tomorrow night. she's busy and fun and getting more and more ready for her kindergarten debut. one more hit to this ol' heart.

casey has been a champ this summer too. with one vbs and two playdates under his belt, he's getting more and more comfortable doing things away from me. it's good, it really is good. he loves me almost to a fault and to see him love life without me by his side gives me a measure of comfort because the fall will bring a new school for him too. five afternoons a week away from me needs to be doable, and this summer, we're working to make that happen. of all my children, i pick him to make the 'nursing home' call, though. i'm pretty sure he'll make his wife let me live with them until my last day, so as far as i can tell, i should be set.

nora is two now and we're enjoying a summer without a baby in our midst. it's been a long time since we were able to actually get out and do things without having to think about when the baby will eat, sleep, or need to be changed. she still naps, but when the day takes us somewhere off course, she goes with the flow and shows me she's growing up too.

i'm a lucky mom. my plate is full and our family feels, for once, so complete. with nora getting older, we find ourselves looking to the future. not held up on babies, having more babies, wondering when our babies would be born, or worrying that we would have no babies at all. our family is all here and we're living life together, fully, everyday.

matt's work schedule is set to change on november 1st. he'll be working as a dispatcher, monday-friday from 9am-7pm. so this summer, we'll cherish the afternoons we have with dad. he's everything i ever dreamed i would have and the idea that a great deal of parenting will be done without him is scary and sad. but knowing that he's being readied for more opportunities is comforting. knowing who is in charge of all things, from parenting to promotions, offers much more comfort, however.

with all these changes, i'm feeling more and more settled in my role as stay-at-home-mom. not looking for something different, but focusing on being good at this most important work. i'm learning to trust that money comes when we need it, and help does too. i'm working to remember that work will be there when it's time, and for now, not to measure my worth in how i look, who i know, or what my skills are. for this former career woman, it's been a journey. and the journey continues. 

all of these things are challenging, but a good friend recently reminded me to 'not waste my years' and it struck me as almost urgent to do the opposite. tonight, i'm thankful for a summer filled with loving on my kids, dinners with my husband, and life lived to its capacity. i hope the same is true for all of you. if not, then what are you waiting for? because i'm pretty sure these are the good old days. now, get out there and don't forget the sunscreen.