In which I post an obscene number of pictures

The second half of our summer has been wonderful and swift, the last 3 weeks in particular.

This is what we've been up to.

Time outside

One of the 3 ears of corn from our garden that were large enough to eat

Scoot scoot scootin' along

Celebrating Gramma's birthday

We had lemon cake and watermelon, and enjoyed a gorgeous late summer day on the farm

Beautiful

Love her so

Labor Day Festivities
After celebrating Gramma's birthday, we headed to Colchester to spend Labor Day weekend with my family.
On Saturday...

Josh with the best 8 bucks we spent all weekend

Down at the carnival

Elaina went on the Ferris Wheel with Daddy

Ellie road with Mama

My hometown from atop the Ferris Wheel

On Sunday...

Mom and I went out to take some pictures in the morning light

Love this picture of the girls and Nehemiah, who is sporting some mighty fine footwear...Elaina's sandals

Church at the Main Tent

My bubby

Ellie on the Methodist church carport. So many wonderful memories at that church, and so many pictures taken right where she is sitting before leaving on Habitat trips. I don't often wistfully think "Those were the days" about high school and college, but wow, when I think of Habitat trips, I sure do.

Visited friends from high school

Amy, me, Sarah (with Adam), and Alison

Went to the parade

It was hot. Like 95 degrees hot. Here, Josh expresses his thoughts on the heat.

After the parade, Sarah came over. YAY! Me and my two best friends.

And then we headed home.

Elaina never naps. Her napping here style is awesome.

Elaina started preschool (oh, my heart...)

She insisted on wearing her backpack around for 20 minutes before we left

Elaina and Arcadia

Working on her first assignment

Everything Else :)
Halloween costumes came in the mail

The princesses of Tiber Arendelle 

Anna

Elsa

Impromptu concert

Yuna joined our family

Chocolate lab? Pit bull? Who knows. But she is 100% lovely!

Puppers

Checking out her new backyard

Down on the farm

 Arcadia's birthday party

Random pictures I love

4 year checkup

Stylin' in Pampah's hat

Sweetie

On her way to her 3 year check up. First ride in her "big girl" car seat.

She's a beautiful butterfly!

Lemon ice cream...yum

River sunrise

And finally, football started today! Bear Down!!

For Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I know yesterday you didn't want to get into the pool. 

Part of it was the weather, to be sure. It wasn't like the suffocating, humid days that populated our childhood, where we'd run helter-skelter into the lake in Minnesota just for the chance to cool off. Yesterday, instead, was overcast and drizzly, cool for mid-August, with a slight breeze that threatened rain more than it did clearing. When I saw the forecast and checked the radar, I decided to leave my swimsuit at home. You are braver than I am.

It wasn't just the weather that caused you pause, nor was it just your decision to bear the chilly weather that made you brave. It was that you have had a baby, this beautiful little boy I call my Bubby, who runs like a wild man and smells like sweet lotion, who is learning to say "Mom-meeeeee!!!!" with his husky voice and give kisses and high-fives. And having Nehemiah, my Bubby, changed the way you look a bit, as having a baby is wont to do.

I understand it all too well--having a baby stretches you in ways you expect but can't fully understand until you look in the mirror and realize that the marks that appeared on your tummy as you carried this new life didn't magically disappear once that new life was here. I carry marks from Elaina, and more from Ellie. I carry a few extra pounds, too. Even when I'd lost those pounds after having Elaina, my weight didn't fit me like it had before. It takes time to get used to this new skin, and no matter how much you love your baby, and no matter how hard you try to reach that old number on the scale, sometimes it is hard, maybe even impossible, to love the way you look afterwards. (Ellie is 3, and I am still trying.) And I know what it's like to feel like all eyes are on those marks and few extra pounds. They aren't, of course. But when they are all you see yourself, you don't expect anyone would see anything else.

And that's why my heart soared as I went going through the pictures I took yesterday at the pool.

Don't you see?

You have never, ever been more beautiful.

Love,

Amanda