What's Around the Corner?

The summer is officially over for us. Is it really over? When does it officially end? The weather is changing and slowly getting cooler and wetter. I am holding out hope for at least one more scorching week in September though. Vacations are ending. Kids are going back to school. People are re-entering their routines. Our routine won't change all that much. The biggest thing is that I can actually put away the suit case for a while!

Lisa's wedding marked the end of all our summer adventures... but my siblings and I did sneak in one last summer fling and headed out to the zoo! That is, all my siblings, plus Livi, and minus She Who Must Not Be Named (meaning my sister who is still refusing to participate with her family). The zoo was quite fitting actually. Maggy joined our family on September 1st, 1999. Ten years ago! When we first met her a few weeks before she moved it, we all went to the zoo! Here are a few pictures of all the fun we had....

We love having Maggy as a part of our family. She is the best thing to happen to us! I will write more about her in a future post... or you can look back at a post about her on my old blog here)

 There were lots of baby animals that we got to see. Including this mommy and baby Wallaby.





Yes, I leash my child! With a leash as cute as this how could I not? The was, actually, the first time I used it and she is still a little to wobbly for it to really be effective.

Livi loved the Raptors show (picture above). She just stared and stared at the birds swooping past her. The owl swooped so low that it touched my head!

Posing for the camera! I'm imitating Livi's stressed out face. She was doing it too but we didn't quite catch it.

Livi wasn't too impressed with Uncle Sean making her look at the camera.

 Livi had only napped for about an hour in the morning but made it all day without a melt down! Her favorite animals were the monkeys and birds, probably because they were the loudest. She could relate well!

We have had a wonderful but very busy summer. We crossed Canada and back... well, at least we made it as far as Winnipeg and Vancouver Island. Livi has had quite the little life for a one year old. Too bad she won't remember any of it. Our routine won't be changing much. We don't have any one going off to school and no new jobs, although Jon is still on the look out for better opportunities. We will just be trying to relax and get in to a regular routine. We'll be concentrating on our family and trying to figure out and reach the goals we have set for ourselves.

Some of my personal goals include domesticating myself. Not completely - there is no hope for that. I want to cook more good, well-balanced dinners and bake a lot more often. I want to clean my house more regularly. I want to play with my daughter more. I want to fall more deeply and romantically in love with my husband, again. I want to read more. That's not too big of a list is it? After the last year we've had (see here to get a small recap) I'm looking at this stage in my life as a new beginning. What other option do I have, well, other than falling in to despair? Okay, maybe that is a little over dramatic, but it has been a really tough year. Our busy summer of weddings and travel is over and the cool fall rain is on its way. What's around the corner for me and my little family? Thanksgiving is in five weeks and then comes Christmas!

Yes, I DID just mention Christmas! And it is already at Costco!