Five Things for Friday

1. We've been home from our month on the Cape for two weeks now, and it's been a little challenging (as usual) to adjust and get back into the swing of things. This past week especially I've felt like I've barely been able to keep above water, like I'm swimming through mud and can't seem to get and stay on top of things. August is typically a challenging month for me in this and other ways and sometimes I wonder if it a premonition type of thing, like that when I die, it will be in August. I hope not! Although it would be fitting, I suppose. 👻

2. Things that have gone wrong this week: John's week of High Adventure at Scout Camp was suddenly cancelled the evening before they were supposed to leave because of a human case of eastern equine encephalitis in the area of the camp, which was sad and disappointing and further muddled up my already muddled up life this month. On random mornings there's been a big puddle of water in front of the fridge, so I need to get that figured out and fixed. There's a big re-paving project happening on the street that my neighborhood is off of and it's been very inconvenient. Violet stole my french bread pizza off my plate and there went my meal. I continued to feel conflicted about the amount of time the boys have been playing Fortnite. I feel guilty for not using the pool with Sam when he's asked me to. That's an item on the summer bucket list that has been pretty neglected so far. Et cetera.

  

3. Things that have gone right this week: I wore some cute outfits. I love some of my summer clothes; they "spark joy" for me. I read a really good mystery, The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. The weather has been nice. I started exercising again after about six weeks off. The new sheets on my bed are very comfortable. I read a funny book with Sam. The new season of Grantchester ended on a better note than it started. I made my favorite brownies. I got stuff done. I enjoyed my friend Meredith's delicious chocolate peanut butter cake at book club last night. I'm going on a fun trip to Virginia and North Carolina with Peter and the boys (and have a lot to do today to get ready for it!). I watched a good, not-too-cheesy Hallmark movie (Sister of the Bride). 

4. Speaking of "brides," I got a funny email yesterday in which the sender made quite the blooper. 

Better get to it, bribes! 😂

5. This is the last thing I posted on Facebook before my monthly 10-day break from it. This makes me LOL!

First Day of School 2018

The boys' first day of school in their new schools in their new school district in their new state was last year on Wednesday, August 29th. (And, I might add, their first day of school for this upcoming school year is exactly two weeks from today(!!).)

John was off to 8th grade at the middle school in the building that used to be my junior high and high school. I still think it's really cool that he was a new student going into the same grade at the same school as me exactly 25 years ago when I moved to this town. Same age, same grade, same school, same town, everything! I never thought that would happen!

Sam was (kind of) excited for his first day of third grade even though he didn't know anyone yet. My kids don't seem to get too nervous about school, which is nice.

 

I bought this cookie cake for the occasion, but it wasn't very good so I ended up throwing most of it away. You live, you learn. That's part of what education is all about, right!?

John's First Ninja Competition

John had his first National Ninja League (NNL) competition last August in Connecticut, in a town right near where we used to live when he was a baby, toddler, and preschooler. So close in fact that we ate dinner at our favorite restaurant in our old town before going over to his competition. It was a fun blast from the past before going and doing something totally new!

The competition was at Real Life Ninja Academy, which is one of Drew Drechsel's gyms. Drew is a star on NBC's American Ninja Warrior. He's the one who got the farthest on the show last season. He was there setting up the course and going through it with the competitiors and it was neat to see him in real life (get it?! -- "real life ninja" 😄).

That's Drew up there in the red shirt. 

 

Going through the course rules before the competition began.

There's John!

This is John right before he went. He was nervous but he did quite well in his run and was pretty happy with it!

The 90-minute drive home. He was looking up the scores and standings from the competition. 

We've enjoyed our first year of going to NNL competitions for John. It's a fun and growing sport and one that we're happy to support!

A Young Man and His Cat

Bentwood loves John and John loves Bentwood!

They kind of look like a married couple. 😂 So sweet!

August 2018 Randoms

There was a day at Saint's Landing Beach in Brewster when the water looked tropical. That's another reason I like low tide--it helps make pretty water colors.

I looked out my bedroom window one day and there was a turkey!

I noticed that my notepads were randomly stacked in coordinating colors. I love that!

We had a big family reunion for the first time with my grandmother's side of the family, the Browns. There were 13 kids in her family and these are many of the descendants and some of the original kids.

This smaller but still big group is my grandma's kids and grandkids and great-grandkids. 

Pretty, delicious cakes that my sister Jennifer brought from her husband's work.

😋


But sometime the waves are really big!


I saw this at a bookstore and want to read it. I wanted to buy it but I was trying to obey my book-buying ban.


The boys' annual carousel ride and picture at the Cape Cod Mall.

They always go on this one now and spin it around as fast as they can. 😵

Sam's in that giant hamster ball!

Sam did the trapeze at the Inflatable Park for the first time!

Summer freckles 💓

John's eyelashes are to die for! And he could care less about them. So unfair!

The sunlight in the ground floor bathroom shines so prettily in the afternoons. I like how it illuminates the room. Even if it is just a bathroom.


Screen time

John and I went mini-golfing together. Here's my vanity talking; for once in our lives I actually look better in a photo than he does! This is quite a feat for me, personally.




I adore my babydoll!


My vanity just evaporated; I look rather haggard.




Last beach day of the summer for us


Shell haul from the beach

This was a good place to hang our wet swimsuits and towels. I say was because the tornado last month knocked that tree down. No more tree, no more drying line. Now we have to find a new spot for it.

Backyard afternoon shadows

The hydrangeas are pretty dried out by mid-August. It's nature's sign to me that it's time to head home!