Autumn in August

I love Autumn and might blog about it until the day after Thanksgiving. No apologies. I need Fall to get here now and looking at "Fallish" rooms gives me hope that one day the thermometer in my car might not read 109.

I have this picture on my fridge.

I love it. (Lane says I'm not allowed to bring chopped wood indoors because termites will infest our home and we will have to move into an apartment. I told him to prove it.)

Except, I would rather have this table.

With these chairs in Rustic Pine.

I've even been using the Crock Pot and dressing Harper in sweats to bring on the cool weather. Jk about the sweats. She doesn't have any that fit.

My Daughter, the Klepto

Our most recent obsessions, in no particular order:

The secret to my "womanly" figure. 

5 days out of 7, Lane de-thatches the yard. 

I had a hard time convincing Brock that there was no way Harper could have taken Cassie Jo's phone as her diaper bag was mysteriously ringing.

"Back to school", as sung by Billy Madison

I woke up this morning with an extra spring in my step. As an adolescent, I hated this day. As an adult, I love it. Most of Texas goes back to school. My mentoring and tutoring programs start back up at work. Lane begins teaching his 21st freshman English class (p.s. I am crazy proud of this guy. I made him and egg sandwich for breakfast to show him how proud I am). It is the eve of Harper moving up to the 1 year old class at PDO. And, it is the beginning of "Fall," minus the 109 degree weather.

More than anything, I like the feeling of routine and structure that comes with school in session. My life isn't actually that different, just kind of feels like everyone is back where they should be.

To celebrate today, I am wearing my Chi Omega pledge shirt and am cooking meaty eggplant casserole. Nothing says "Bring on the school year!" like an over sized faded tee and a Pyrex medley of ground beef and purple veggies.

To all the Baylor freshman. Good luck! I noticed an increase in my anxiety last week while driving around campus and seeing the move-in tents. Remembering getting dropped off at college gave me the "williams" in my stomach. Lane says I have a super-hero power of taking on other's stress. The  only hiccup is that the other person doesn't actually feel less stressful...I just feel more. I call it empathy. He calls it a mental health issue.

Nonetheless, happy 2011-2012 school year, people!

More Like It

This is what we hoped for when we bought the boat. Good family time with the lake to ourselves.

Minute to Win It

If you can guess what we are looking at, you win $100.

A Well-Oiled Machine

Dazed.

Pleased.

Curious.

Content.

Discontent.

Disappointed.

Annoyed.

Persistent.

In charge.

Disgusted.

Scary.

 In love.

No Words

Sometimes I just stare at her and don't say anything. Her extreme cuteness leaves me speechless. She has started calling me "Creeper" instead of "Mama." It could be worse.