Absent Blogger

I clearly needed a break from blogging. A pretty long break in fact - six months! I am not sure how that happened but I do know that I needed to just step away completely. I have never been good about keeping a diary of any kind and blogging had been a great way for me to take pictures and document our family life. But somewhere along the way I let blogging get in the way of family. I might be wrong but I think my family needed a blogging break just as much as I did!

When I took a step back from blogging myself I also stopped reading other blogs. I have not read any blogs until a couple of weeks ago when I started checking in again with some of my favorites. It has been nice seeing what fellow bloggers have been up to over the past six months. Seeing what everyone else has been up to has made me miss blogging.

The things is that I am just not sure how to start again. Maybe it is writers block? Maybe I just need to start and get back into the habit? Whatever it is, thanks for bearing with me as I try to get my blogging groove back!

The Art of Fielding

My book club has done it once again! One of the members picked Chad Harbach's novel The Art of Fielding, which is a book that I would have normally walked right by without a second glance. College baseball set in the mid-west is not a plot that speaks to me yet I really loved this book. And in fact it might have been one of my most favorite book club discussion!

Goodreads says: At Westish College, a small school on the shore of Lake Michigan, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for big league stardom. But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended.

Henry’s fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry’s gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners’ team captain and Henry’ best friend, realizes he has guided Henry’s career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert’s daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.

As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. In the process they forge new bonds, and help one another find their true paths. Written with boundless intelligence and filled with the tenderness of youth, The Art of Fielding is an expansive, warmhearted novel about ambition and its limits, about family and friendship and love, and about commitment—to oneself and to others.

No matter what your plans are for the weekend, I hope you all have a little bit of time to read and relax!

First Day Of School 2014

I not sure how we got here so fast but we did. Another summer in the books and a new school year has already started!

This is a year of many "first's". B starts her first year as a middle schooler. Personally I have never seen a child more excited to start middle school. All I can say is that I hope she is this happy for all three years. Our other "first" is that L is starting kindergarten this year! He is just over the moon that he will "finally" be in the same school as M.

May all of their days this year be filled with smiles!!!

Not The Way I Wanted To Say Goodbye To Summer

Ever since we got back from the Cape, I feel as though I have taking on a full time job. This "job" has been the task of making sure that our youngest child to start kindergarten and have us feel that he had a good allergy plan in place. (If you have been reading for awhile you know that he needs one!) Unfortunately, I am getting no where fast!! And I will do a post on all the details soon...promise!

So I am sure that I would hear me when I said that I needed more summer. More time to just hang out with my kiddos and feel like everything was ok because we were all together. I need more time in control. (Yes, I know I need to work on "letting go".)

All of that stress aside, I am happy to report that all we did this past weekend was be together with a nice date night too. I took this weekend as my chance to hold on to family as much as I could and I don't even care that mother nature wasn't going to work with me. I didn't let any thunder storm get in my way!!!

Cape Cod {Brew Run}

If you knew Hubby in real life you would know that he loves to run. So much so that a few years ago he decided that he needed to find a race while he was on vacation. Something about not slacking just because we were on vacay...yada, yada, yada!

Honestly, it is hard being married to someone so fit. But as luck would have it, Hubby found a race perfect for runners and spectators alike! 

The Brewster Brew Run is a 5.2 mile run in scenic Brewster, MA that has been held for the past 36 years. I think its popularity might have to do with the fact that The Woodshed, a local watering hole, provides cold beers for all after the race.

The weather was perfect for the race this year. Only the top finishers get free race t-shirts, so Hubby was in it to win it! And I am happy (plus proud) to report that Hubby once again finished in the top ten.

After he ran that hard, I was more than happy to be the DD and let him enjoy the party. Maybe I need to find a 5K that hands out wine at the end of the race?

Cape Cod {Paddle Board}

I had really hoped for an easy transition when we returned from the Cape but that was not to be. When we got back home I really needed to hit the ground running! But now that things have settled down a little bit I finally had time to go through all of our pictures from vacation and I thought I would share some with you.

Two summers ago my mother and brother rented paddle boards for a day and when they were done my brother took the kids out for a short "ride". Well fast forward to this summer and they are still talking about how awesome it was to ride a paddle board with Uncle Tom. So we rented one for the day. I may or may not have done it simple because I feared a revolt if we don't!

After L had a couple of "rides" with Hubby, the older two tried it for themselves this year. While it was a beautiful day there was a strong breeze that I thought was cause them to fall a ton. But they did a great job and were clearly proud of themselves.

B might have already started talking about asking Santa for a paddle board. Personally I am ok with renting again next summer. Do any of you own a paddle board? If so, is it worth it?

Back To Reality

I am totally surrounded by laundry. I have way too much school paper work to fill out. There is no food in our fridge. But fear not I will persevere!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!