Hello, Fall.

I make no attempt to hide the fact that summer isn't my favourite time of year.  It's not as though I despise it or anything, but since having little kids, I find the long hot days to be ... well ... long and hot.  With the boys playing outside with neighbourhood kids until after 8:00, different activities and events that happen on summer evenings, and waiting till the boys bedroom cools off at about 9:00, the long days make for short nights.  Perhaps if I was more creative in finding ways to stay cool and in the shade, I'd be more enthusiastic about the sweltering heat. Thing is, the heat really sucks the motivation to do more than go anywhere other than the A/C in the van to the A/C somewhere else.  On some of the really hot days we had, the boys' neighbour friend wasn't allowed outside to play because it was so hot.  Those were the days I was happy to let him play in that same friend's incredibly cool air conditioned basement.  The Grandma even gave him lunch once.  Squid.  I do like the perks that come with the kids getting so much time outside, but I'm never really sad to see summer come to an end.  The crisp (or soggy and foggy) mornings of the fall always make me sigh with relief.  Like coming home from a really long time away.  I mean, really, apart for 12 months of living in Winnipeg, I have always lived in or very near to Canada's rain forest.  Last year I came to the conclusion that the hot sun and long days make me feel exposed and vulnerable.  When the rains move in, I feel cozy and at peace.  Not to say that I enjoy hauling kids and groceries in a torrential downpour, not sayin' that at all. Maybe it's just the absence of heat. I'd be happy with springtime weather all year round. It just feels like home.  Maybe this was already welling in my soul before we lived in Prince Rupert for 2 years, where it rains A LOT. Or maybe it seeped into me while living there, and now the rain reminds me of that wonderful town and very special people we left behind there.

~ North Pacific Cannery in Port Edward, BC ~

click the link to see the Cannery on a sunny day

Anyway, Fall is here and I couldn't be happier!  All the colours, festivities (not limited to back-to-school, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Paul's birthday, Jaxon's birthday, Christmas, our anniversary and New Years!), traditions and routines.  I really love and crave routine but am terrible at establishing and maintaining it on my own.  The structure of fall activities helps get me back on track after the willy-nilly lazy days of summer.

First on the list ... back to school!  I forgot my camera on Max's first day of Grade 1. A few days later I had him stand in the same spot he did for his picture last year.  He's in a class with many of his buddies from Kindergarten, and is excited that he gets to see his friends from church and way back in  preschool at recess and lunch.

~ My big Grade Oner ~

Then there's Marty ... (I have a feeling we'll be saying that a lot over the years with this character!) I wasn't sure how keen he would be about going back to preschool since he was getting two new teachers.  Turns out he was very keen to get back to preschool! So keen that he really didn't have time for me to take many photos.  One thing I really love about our schedule this year is that as long as the timing and the weather are good, we can get home from driving Max to school and then bust out the stroller to walk Marty to preschool 2 blocks away.  I guess after my opening paragraph about how much I love the weather this time of year, I better bust out my rain jacket and enjoy the elements on my walk!  In his class this year, there are a few more boys that I think he'll have a good connection with (I already know the moms), although he often tells me he played trains with a girl or by himself.  He's our little Maverick.

Jaxon is finding ways to deal with the quietness of the house - often going outside ...

... when he's not ... otherwise occupied.

He'll be getting a painting lesson just as soon as Paul locates the can of leftover wall paint.

On a related note, he's now very familiar with the expression "Uh oh.".

Back at it in the morning!

G'night!