Pausing time: A two month long snowday in our swimsuits!

One week of vacation over, and only eight more to go. But after only one week off I already feel soooo much better. And I'm already thinking the crazy anxiety I thought I  would have about going back after such a rough year won't actually be the case. I think I'll actually be back in my old ready to take it all on mentality. Because this year I think it all took me over. The beginning of the year for teachers is always hectic and crazy but you know once September ends everything kind of falls into place and life gets a little smoother again. You ever hear that song, "When September Ends"? Well, we were still living in September in June this past school year. The madness of September never ended last year. But I think I'll have my old positivity back for August this year and hopefully September ends on time this year.

This first week off after our camping trip to West Virginia last weekend was pretty low keyed. I completed one of my summer projects which was to paint my kitchen. It was yellow and I just am not a fan of yellow but I have white cabinets so didn't really know what colors to use that would go well with my white cabinets and I married a man with interior decorating opinions so our idea of comprising was to paint two walls his color (burnt orange) and two walls my color (a neatral cream). I actually ended up really liking his color. But it is a bold color so depending on your taste I feel that the new kitchen colors are either a you like it or you don't. Guess we'll get the final verdict when my mother and sisters get here in two weeks.

Other than painting, we went to the park one night, went out for bowling and ice cream one afternoon,  had a two year old birthday party with some summer swimming yesterday, and hung out around the fire pit one night. Even though it seems like summer goes too fast in some ways, time in the moment seems to go a little slower in the summer.  Everything isn't so rush, rush. Summer is a time for family and friends and one of the best things in life-the pure enjoyment of just each other. For my family because our family life is dictated by the school calendar,  summer is like those family snow days; it's just a two month long snowday in our bathing suits I guess.

Even like yesterday, we spent the afternoon at my friend's shorehouse on the Chesapeake for her daughter's second birthday, and places like that are always like little time bubbles. The day was gorgeous, the kids had a ball, the peace that being near water always offers was right there. A bunch of us from work were there and it was nice just to sit and visit with one another without the chaos of work. I've gotten to visit with friends, work around my house, play with my kids, snuggle and kiss on my little monsters until they were crying "No more, mommy!"  For the rest I'll let the pictures do the talking.