One

One week left to:

* snuggle after naps

* go to the park

* watch Yo Gabba Gabba while eating breakfast

* read to her for HOURS on end

* Toddler Gym and swimming at the YMCA

* running errands together while everyone else is at work

* go on field trips

* try to find something nutritious that may also be considered edible for lunch

* hang out in our pjs until 10

* call Daddy at work to check in

* get a lemonberry slush at Sonic

* sew/knit/read/clean during naptime

* sprinkler fun

* movies

* watch my girl talk, play, learn, and grow all day long

* just pal around

* did I mention snuggling after naps? I did? Can you tell that's one of my FAVORITE things?

I've been SO loving being a stay at home mom all summer. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. I really do enjoy working, I just always have bouts of anxiety before going back after a break. It's so hard to leave her after spending so much time together. I know that I have a GREAT job for a mom. I get to be home with her about 1/2 time if you count weekends/holidays/vacations - still... I miss her.

I know how much she loves all of the kids at Sheri's, and I know how good it is for her. It will be fine. It's always the anticipation that's the worst. I'd better end this before I wind up in full-blown tears!

"Baby baby you're the world to me."

My Loot!

I've been wanting to join a CSA for several years now, I've just never pulled the trigger. They only run from about June - October, you have to drive down to pick up the box, and it seemed pricey. I'd thought about trying to find someone to split with but then you have to coordinate that each week as well.

Last week a friend told me about Terra Organics and suggested I check to see if they deliver (yes, DELIVER) to my house. I didn't get my hopes up - nobody delivers anything except luke warm pizza to my house. I was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong! My interest was peaked and I looked into it further. We decided to have a small box delivered every other week. I'm not sure the 2 1/2 of us could get through more and I wanted to try it out before we got more. Our first delivery was today and I'm thrilled! Check out the fresh, organic produce that was left on my doorstep:

Our first box contained:

* pluots

* blueberries

* corn

* cherry tomatoes

* donut peaches

* cantaloupe

* celery

* green cabbage

* yellow beans

Can you believe that??? I cut up the cantaloupe while Stella was napping so we'd have it for dinner... not quite half of it made it to the table and I must say it was the sweetest/best cantaloupe I've had in as long as I can remember. I can't wait to see what the next box brings!

A couple of other things I really like about them: you can substitute items (although there isn't a lot that I think I'd choose not to get), you can put it on hold if you aren't going to be around or just don't want it for some reason, you can stop at any time (as opposed to buying in for an entire season), it's year-round, and you can add on to your order. And... it's all done online. These people are geniuses!!

She might look like Daddy but she's a lot like Mama! (and what we've been up to)

When I arrange things Jim says I have mild OCD. (I may... how many other people eat colored candy in pairs arranged by color?) When his darling girl lined up all of the cones he was trying to use for soccer he said she's "linear". Funny how the title is different for different people.
After putting them in a line she paired them up carefully around the yard. This took a while and a LOT of concentration - what could be going through that little mind?

And just goofing off...

She now knows where popsicles are kept and goes to the freezer saying "sicle" many times a day.

We made playdough,

met cousins at the wading pool,

practiced guitar with Daddy,

and helped Mama make homemade lemonade.

The girls liked strawberry best, Dad liked blueberry. (We picked blueberries from a local farm that morning - YUM!) I wish you could have seen how beautiful the colors were. I tried to capture it, but this is the best picture I could get.

Look at her DEVOUR that burger... Oh wait, nope it's a Gardenburger. That's my girl!

And totally unrelated, I've been making belts! This one is probably my favorite. Jim got a navy one and an olive one, I got this one, chocolate, charcoal, and olive. I got the webbing and hardware from an Etsy site (I just searched for "belt buckles"). No tools required, just cut the webbing and crimp the ends of the hardware. I think they cost about 5-6 bucks a piece. MUCH better than the price in the stores!

There are only a few weeks left of vacation so I'm trying to enjoy the time with Stella as much as possible. She actually napped on my chest the other day - AH HEAVEN!!!!