And, we're back (I think! I hope!)

I've tried to catch us up here with (quite) a few picture posts of things I've missed. As you've noticed, I'm sure, we've had a BUSY summer! Add in a wacked-out internet connection (frustrating when trying to blog!), a super-tired and very nauseous mama (not often in the mood to blog!), a couple kids who were sick a couple of times, long cabin weekends, and lots to do in the short weekday weeks between... and I haven't posted since... the beginning of summer. And, here we are in September. Post-Labor Day. Summer. Is. Over.

Some of the stuff I wanted to jot down-

Mia and Ali started eating meat this summer. And they like it! A LOT. Mia's favorite meal, in fact, is meatloaf! She calls it "meatlove," which makes me smile. We haven't adjusted our vegetarian family lifestlye, but out and about, at Great Grandma's for lunch, or Poppa/Dama's house, the cabin, etc... they're able to indulge their little carnivorous selves :)

Oh and the fighting! This summer has marked the beginning of the sister wars, I'm afraid. They often play really sweetly together and love each other up - very very often, actually, and I should (and do) consider myself so lucky to have such sweet little girls - but, man oh man! they can bicker with the best of 'em, and poke at each other until my nerves are frazzled beyond the point of virtuous patience. Neither is a stranger to a time out. And, they both cry in their rooms to Daddy (whether he's home or not), "Mommy scolded me (fake sob, sob, sob)." Although I can't let on, I do find it pretty funny when (inevitably) sweet play time goes awry and I go to check on them because I hear someone (almost always Mia) crying or yelling, and I walk in the room and Ali right away says "I [insert naughty behaviour here] Mia." No remorse. No fear of punishment. No denying it. Just "I hit Mia." Or, "I bit Mia." Or, "I pulled Mia's hair."

OMG.


Mia has become a little fishy! She has been swimming with her life jacket on at the cabin out past the end of the dock. A couple feet past the dock and she turns around and yells to me and JD, grinning widely, "Mom, Dad! Look at me! I'm in the middle of the lake!!" Alice loves the water, too! We are so fortunate to have two family cabins to visit-lots of chances for "fwimming!"


Mia is starting preschool. I can't believe it-she's getting so big! She is so excited, and I am thrilled for her. She's going to have so much fun. We had the orientation, and she loved her teachers, and was already meeting new friends. She was very worried that Ali was going to be sad and miss her while she was at school, but she explained to her that she wouldn't be gone very long, and that Ali got to stay with Poppa Dahl and have "sooooo much fun" while she was gone with Mom. She was telling everyone that "today I went to preschool with my mom, but next week I'm going to go to preschool all by myself." The official first day is next Tuesday, September 14th!

The girls also start dance next Tuesday evening.

And swimming lessons start next week.

It was a busy summer, but it's shaping up to be an even busier fall!

For any of you who didn't know: We're having a(nother) baby! (see above note about the fatigue and nausea) But that's finally starting to get a little better so YAY! Due date is March 1st.