Not Fall Yet

Some people call this fall, I call it "late summer". Late summer has a flavor all it's own and while it's obvious that fall is nearly here, this is just a last bit of summer.  Everything in it's own time, and I dislike getting ahead of where we really are.




I just love the light and air on days like these.  The sun is extra golden, nights and mornings are crisp, and the days warm so pleasantly.

These days, Andrew lives on my back in the Ergobaby carrier.  He seems to only want to be in constant contact with me, and the only way for me to accomplish anything at all is to strap him on.  This is a new thing for me, actually.  I usually wear the babies when they're tiny, but when they get big enough to protest, I don't put up with it.  They just always seem to want to be in my arms (not strapped in hands-free) or on the floor, so that's what I work with.  Andrew has been so clingy these days, though.  But he doesn't seem to mind the carrier, and will even happily co-operate while I get him in the carrier on my back by myself.  He just clings there and waits while I buckle and snap.






We're spending time outside in this perfect weather while we can.

There is certainly lots to do!

We picked all the storage onions yesterday and laid them on bread-racks to cure on the front porch.

I have to remind myself to slow down and go at the kids' pace.  Evan doesn't just put the onions in-- he puts them in and takes them out and moves them around and throws them in the yard and puts them in shovel to scoop into the racks.  It's just more fun that way, see.

And Jonah takes sooooo long to get the trays from the barn because he puts his feet in them and monster-walks all the way to the front yard.

I'm too quickly inclined to snap at them to stop playing and go faster, comeoneletsgetthisdonealready!  But what's the point, really?  I tend to miss the forest for the trees.  "Have some fun." I remind myself.  If the kids are happily working steadily, then the battle's already won!

This morning when we started school, Jonah asked for a break from regular school.  This is very unusual for him, Most Regimented Second-grader Ever.

Instead, he wanted to do this "science" experiment in which you measure a gummy bear and put it in a cup of water and then measure it again the next day.  "Hm." I said.  "I don't have any gummy bears."

So we made some sour gummies, which I had seen a recipe for only a few days before.

And we had some good math lessons along with it.

Then we cut them out (I don't have fancy silicone candy molds, but I do have tiny cookie cutters, though cutting this stuff is not easy, I should point out.)...

...ate all the scraps...

...and admired our work.  (And shared them with Daddy.)

THEN and only then, did we finally get to that science experiment and there is now a homemade sour gummy soaking in water on top of the fridge... and a whole jar-full for eating.

Great things happen when I have fun with them.  It's just hard for me to slow down, sometimes...