Random, Random, and more Random

I feel like I'm in hyper-speed right now. Everything is moving so fast and I'm doing my best to take it all in. We had the boy's birthday party, then a two week break before we headed to Florida for family vacation. While in Florida, we hit two major theme parks and a Florida game. We got home on Labor day and while I'm home this week there are numerous doctor appointments to make, birthday parties to attend, and projects to complete. Parker's back in pre-school this week too. I'm trying to breathe. But hold on. I leave this coming Monday for San Diego with my best friend!!!! The roller coaster continues. I can't wait but I don't really have time to think about that trip yet.

I doubt I'll have time to blog about Florida til after San Diego, but I'll leave you with all sorts of randomness from this month before vacation.

We spruced up the back yard and play area. We try to do a little each year to improve the disheveled exterior we were handed when we bought this house. It's far from perfect and maybe even pretty, but it's getting there! We added lattice around the air conditioner to hide it's metal-ness, and some hardy shade-loving Hosta plants along the wall.

 I sanded, stained, and painted an old picnic table. We needed some outdoor seating, but I didn't really want to spend the money this summer. We already had an old picnic table, but it was a sight for sore eyes. I think the end product was really pretty for only spending $8 on two cans of white spray paint. I already had the stain and polyurethane from my hardwood floors.

 I think the boys play on top of the sand box as much as they do in it.

 I bought some laminated fabric online and made and pennant bunting for the play area.

 More randomness. We love to read to our kids. I feel like a lot of Parker's verbal skills are attributed to his love for reading and books. Our house is typically a very loud place with two little boys running wild, but when reading time begins, you can hear a pin drop. I love quiet time. Love.

 Though we had already celebrated the boys' birthdays, we took just Graham out on August 17th to spend time alone with him. He enjoyed a ham, cheese, and spinach crepe and the Creperi Cafe, and then woofed down some vanilla frozen yogurt topped with rainbow sprinkles at Yogurt Mountain.

 Parker finished his first level 1 swim lessons at the YMCA. It went well. Kind of. Okay, maybe not. If I have time when I get home, I'll extrapolate on this adventure. Glad we did it, not sure we'll do it again in this setting. Doesn't he look all modest covering himself? Hilarious.

 I can't imagine how much fun I'll have next week, but I know when this mad rush of events is over, I'll welcome the semi-predictable monotony of our fall schedule. This week has been super chilly. Fall is truly in the air!