Georgie K Fitch

This tucked away park is dedicated to Georgie K Fitch, a woman who was devoted to her family and community. When I take the kids to the library, we will often stop here to play. Years ago, I used to live across the street from this park when I lived with Catharine as a single girl. I had no idea how significant the inscribed words on this plaque would be to me. Such affirming words for all mothers, fathers, educators and helping professions who quietly mold the "rest of us" and hold our world together.

Dominic with Mrs. Hahn

First day of school

The first day of school was a smashing success for Dominic. He thinks his teachers are great, and we happen to concur!!! We have been very blessed with a strong, energetic and enthusiastic 2nd grade team at our school, I am so thankful! Dominic is taking pride in being a 2nd grader. His little brothers glom on to him the minute he gets in the door, so I try to have everyone doing something so Dominic has a minute to have a snack and tell me about his day before the afternoon picks up, and it gives him some space to rest (although I can't use the word "rest" or he will deny it vehemently that he is tired). Dominic is taking karate 3 times a week and we are so impressed by the skills and discipline that he is cultivating, and I enjoy that time together with him. I'll steal him away after his brothers are tucked in, so we can read together. We all miss him and we're all happy when he's back home :)

Milo's LAST first day of preschool was today, and it was so nice to see him hop into the classroom with such confidence. He is so comfortable and familiar at his school and with his teachers (same from last year) and is looking forward to being the big 4 year old who helps the new 3 year olds - a Montessori rite of passage! He is also getting to have lunch there which is another big milestone. My heart is so happy when I think of our kiddos at that school house where they are so nurtured and challenged. I really look forward to when Jonas takes a nap, as Milo and I will read books and play, and sometimes fall asleep on the couch together. I still need to stage a fake first day picture since we were having a massive meltdown about the "bumpy feeling of socks inside of sneakers" on the first day. :)

Jonas...well. I couldn't leave him out of all the back to school fuss! So he got a new pair of crocs and a "back to school" shirt. But the biggest prize of all, of course, is one-on-one time with Mommy, 3 mornings a week. I know, right? Jackpot of amazingness. So I promoted him into junior assistant and I'm involving him in unloading the dishwasher and picking up toys. He's happy doing it, as long as he's allowed to wear my shoes :) and it's certainly better than him raiding the pantry for cookies and coloring on himself with markers - the tell tale signs of a bored and frustrated toddler! I am really excited about taking him to music class and the library, and walks to the park. It's precious time together.

For me, I am looking forward to so many things this Fall.....trying my hand at planting, a Moms prayer breakfast, a book club that I adore, getting into a new fitness routine, carving out one on one time with each child and hopefully finding some more writing gigs. And cooler temperatures. That might be the best one of all! :)

Life is good, thanks be to God!

Here we are trying to establish our after school routine for 2012.

Defender of Lego city

Lunch date with Dominic

Cookie treats to celebrate library reading certificates

Trip to Waco with the Dvorak family

Night of fun with the Tremblay kids

Last days of summer

We had a fun visit with Grandpa and Grandma! Grandma made some curtains for us, Dad played chess with Dominic, we got some projects done, had a nice dinner out and they got to see Dominic do karate. They also brought us an old dresser that we are using as an entry piece! Yea!

Swim lessons with Coach Kyle Taylor

We lucked out big time this year with swim lessons. We signed up through a gym because we wanted to try being "far from the maddening crowd" and getting some more focused time with an instructor. Oddly, the instructor for our group never showed, nor did the rest of our class, so our fee was applied towards a private instructor and we got private lessons! I'd never have splurged for this unless I had a kid with water phobia, but the kids really loved the one-on-one attention. And especially Coach Kyle, he was phenomenal. Thanks Coach K!

Lesley and I at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral downtown Houston

Night with the sibs in Rice Village

Dominic earned his white belt today!

Boulanger send off

We are going to miss you all!

Molly and Juna

Dominic's Happy Aliens

Making banana bread with the dark knight

We are making a new movie... The Dark Knight Rises and his banana bread does too.

It's good to be Jojo

Tie dye trio

We made these shirts together!

(tap, tap)

Is this thing on?

I'm not sure how many visitors I've been having lately...I waffle about my privacy settings every couple of months and make my blog public and then panic a little and switch it back to private. And ever since Facebook took over the world, I unintentionally began to neglect my blogging and blog-visiting. Then the move took over our little world for an entire month. It turns out that moving "around the corner" is just as difficult as moving around the world. That's possibly an exaggeration.

But I'm trying to make a come back! July and August have been great months for us, the heat besides. We are settling into our nooks and crannies and just enjoying empty spaces, to be perfectly honest. I have no desire to buy anything that remotely resembles future clutter. We have all this great closet space all over the house and yet I'm more intolerant of clutter than ever before. History can not repeat itself!!!

We are all head over heels in love with our new house, and we feel so blessed. All brand-newness aside, home is where the heart is, and as I keep reminding the boys "wherever we are together, that is our home."

July brought us a bunch of service workers, a TON of visitors (including key family members who were very helpful in getting us settled), a birthday party and a house blessing. Our adventures in August will be pretty close to home - we are in superhero camp, swim lessons and karate. We stay busy with visitors and trips to the library and pool. The kids have been really content at home this summer, nobody is really anxious to go anywhere. Which is GREAT since I am reading a 1000 page trilogy set in 14th century Norway that I can't put down.

Dominic is into chess, Milo is into dressing up in different costumes several times a day, and Jonas is into everything...but mostly the kids utensil drawer in the kitchen. I am blissfully lost in books, and Bronius is enjoying his work and tinkering with things in the house. This is by far my favorite summer ever.

I am not looking forward to the school year. I know I say this a lot...but I mean it! Every summer I approach with fear and loathing, and then somewhere after June, our family finds its balance and harmony, and the boys start bonding, and I get to see our eldest "unplugged" and we all enjoy soaking up time with him. In one year Milo will be in Kindergarten and so I have GOT to be mindful to care less about every day details and more about showing our kiddos that they come FIRST. The school year always tempts me to be waaaaaaay more productive than I should be. Which explains why the summer just feels so right, I guess.

Thank you Lord for the gift of staying at home with our children, thank you for my husband who works so diligently to afford that luxury for us. Thank you for my healthy family. Thank you for the struggles, big and small, which remind us how much we depend on You. Thank you for our beautiful, new home. I pray it will be filled with family, friends, love, laughter and peace (most of the days, at least). ;) Amen!