Dog Days

Though summer is still in full swing here in central Texas, I'm anxiously waiting on September to get here. To me, September is a fresh start. I know technically January means a new year, and while I love a good New Years as much as the next guy, September is a close second. It means pencils and papers on the end caps at the grocery store, it means leaves starting to turn and fall (even if it's only because of the heat here!), and it means fall and winter are almost here. I love when September rolls around. 
But in the mean time, we're living in the dog days of summer. The heat hangs in the air and weighs on our shoulders like invisible bricks. Our only relief is a swimming pool or hanging out at the bowling alley. Maybe the occasional warm gust of air that blows through. Heaven forbid we wear our hair down, and even with it up, the little whispies stick to the back of our necks. M and I are living in maxi dresses and skirts, and we seek the safe haven of the air conditioner in the afternoons. We venture outside in the evenings when the temperatures dip down into the 90s. She rocks my sunglasses and we picnic at our favorite places.
Even though I'm longing for autumn, I love seeing my daughter live in summer. Her hair curls in the humidity, and sweat beads collect on her brow. She wipes them away, mumbles something about how "fweaty" she is, and goes back to playing. She climbs into her fort, flies down the slide, and runs over to do flips on the trapeze. She's a summer girl, for sure.  

I've got to run, it's been trying to rain for awhile, so we're escaping outside so M can dance to the tune of the thunder. Happy dog days of summer. 

Celebrate Solstice

Summer solstice is upon us, which means the longest and hottest day of the year, but it also means celebrations! Lots of cultures celebrate the solstices, and I've always wanted to have a solstice party. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to yet, but I still plan on celebrating the solstice! Want to celebrate too? Here are 5 excellent ways from The Old Farmer's Almanac:

1. With a bonfire - Traditionally the summer solstice was celebrated by lighting a bonfire and dancing around it. Just don't get too wild and fall in. Summer solstice is no fun when it includes a trip to the ER.
2. Plant a seed - To some farmers, the solstice is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvesting, and an occasion for celebration.
3. Watch the night sky - In ancient Egypt, the new year was celebrated when the star Sirius rose around the time of sunrise. This roughly coincided with the summer solstice and the annual flooding of the Nile River.
4. Soak in the Light - the summer solstice is the longest day of the year, so why not open the curtains and let in some light?
5. Rough It - I don't need a reason to go camping, but if I did, celebrating the summer solstice would be a great one! 

Happy summer solstice, y'all, how are you celebrating? 

{photo via}

Sandals for Summer

Summer has arrived here in Texas, which means we're all wearing less clothing. It's hot y'all. I desperately need new sandals because there's no way I'm wearing flats all summer long. Seeing as how I'll be wearing them every day, I don't want to spend a fortune on them. I've sat out to find the perfect pair of sandals. Or the perfect 4 pairs. Don't tell B.

Clockwise from top left, Matte Metallic Gold Sandals, Elysia Braided Upper Flat in Black, Marley Wedge Sandals in Bronze, Jute Braided Wedge Sandal, Tate Braided Toe Sandal, Schooster Gladiator Flat Sling in Turquoise,

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Five Things on Friday

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(This post is inspired by Lauren from Texas, because she's wonderful and has the bestest ideas.)

{1} How is is June already? Seriously, how!? It feels like I fell asleep in February, and woke up in June. It's ridic.

{2} The Hubs has taken vacation time this weekend, and we actually get to go on a date tomorrow night!! I plan on getting all fancy schmancy and looking hawt for mah man. Whatever that means.

{3} This weekend also brings M's cousin's 2nd birthday party, which has a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme. One of our most favorite boutiques, of a feather, made M the most adorable Minnie Mouse applique shirt that I can't wait for her to wear. It's quite possible that I'm more excited than she is. If you haven't heard of of a feather, you should get your rear in gear and check out their stuff! (Here's an insider tip, I'm teaming up with them later in the summer for a giveaway!!)

{4} As of last night, this little blog of mine has 166 followers. I can't even wrap my head around that! Thank y'all, all of y'all, for being so amazing! I adore each and every one of y'all!! Y'all have listened to me moan and groan, and have been so supportive to me when I've been down. Y'all have stuck through the dry spells when I didn't have anything to say, and I appreciate it so very, very, much. I'm so glad I've been able to build this little corner of mine in the great big interwebz universe, and I'm even more glad that y'all have been here to read all about it! I seriously love my readers! And yes, I love y'all newbies already!!

(side note: jeez, could I get more Southern!? I think there were at least 42 "y'all's" in that last paragraph! Sorry I'm not sorry!)

{5} Last, but certainly not least, we have started chipping away at our Summer Bucket List!! Day before yesterday, B brought home a $10 slip 'n' slide, and we promptly set that sucker up on our front yard. Boy was it an experience! By the end of our outdoor play time, I was sunburned and covered in ant bites. But M had a blast! It took a bit of coercing, and maybe a bit of bribing, but we finally got her to play on it. Granted, she never really slipped or slid, but she did sit in the little "water catcher" at the end, and by the time we were finished, we had her crawling down the slide. Baby steps, y'all, baby steps. And we learned the very valuable lesson that fun doesn't have to be expensive! So, to start your weekend off right, here are some adorable photos of M checking her first item off of the Summer Bucket List! (There's 12 of them, I couldn't pick my favorites!)

This was the location I set it up in. B wasn't happy with the placement because it wasn't "downhill enough". Excuse me, Mr. Perfection. M is very cautiously checking this thing over. The pool hadn't filled with water yet and she kept putting the boogie board there like it was a docking station. She wasn't quite sold on it.

Waiting on Mr. Perfection Daddy to move the slide! So asided by now!!

"Alright, let's test out this bad boy!"

Still unsure....

"Wait, let me step off a minute and look this over again..."

"OK, OK, enough with the cheering, I'll try it, jeez!"

"OHMYGOODNESS THERE'S A POOL DOWN HERE!!"

"ASDASHFALHFLASKFH!!!!!"

I think the slip 'n' slide won her over by the end of the day.

Obviously Nona was trying to keep M warm. At least that's what I like to think!

Happy weekend, Love Bugs!

(Come back tomorrow, I may actually have a Saturday Sensationals up!!)

Before Summer Kicks the Bucket

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Friends, summer is already in full swing here in Texas. It's hot and humid, and feels like 120 degrees, even in the shade! But, we Texans secretly love it, otherwise, we'd move away, right? Right.

This is M's first summer that she can actually be outside and really enjoy it. You know, run through the sprinklers, and play in the pool, and eat melting popsicles on a blanket under the shade tree. It makes me giddy just thinking about it! So, to honor this wonderful season, and to make sure we take full advantage of it all, I've spent the last couple of days coming up with a list of To-Dos, a Summer Bucket List, if you will. I had seen this idea floating around the blogosphere last year, so I tucked it away in my head to save for this year. And, I figured I'd share it with y'all!

Our 2012 Summer Bucket List

1. Make sponge bombs
2. Go to story/activity time at the library
3. Walk to our local snow cone stand for an early evening treat
4. Make homemade bubbles and play with giant bubble wands
5. Go to the park
6. Fly a kite
7. Paint on the sidewalk with chalk paint
8. Make bathtub puffy paint
9. Make a tie-dye shirt
10. Visit the Houston Aquarium
11. Go to the movies
12.  Make ribbon wands
13. Read books outside in the shade
14. Make bathtub crayons
15. Do kid friendly yoga (my favorite!)
16. Play with water beads
17. Build a fort (complete with hanging stars!)
18.  Take a "glow in the dark" bath
19. Make a giant bubble to play in (like this!)
20. Then fill the bubble with water and make a giant water bed (like this!)
21. Have a picnic
22. Run through the sprinklers a few thousand times
23. Play on a slip 'n' slide
24. Make homemade glitter play dough
25. Eat watermelon and watch fireworks in the fourth of July

There is it, in all of it's heat filled glory. It's not a long list, but I wanted to make it manageable, and I didn't want there to be so many activities that M would end up being overwhelmed, so I figured a good, solid 25 should do it.

I'm was so excited to start checking things off the list, that we already started on it yesterday!
Oh, and, I found a clever way to keeping track of your activities! Delia had this same idea last year, and she came up with the idea of writing your activities on clothespins, and clipping them to the side of a bucket. It's literally a bucket list! Once you've checked something off of the list, you toss the clothespin in the bucket. Cute, right?
OK, love bugs, I'm off to get busy checking more things off of our list! Have a fabulous Thursday!
Tell me what's on your Summer Bucket List!

Soak It Up

Well friends, summer is starting to wind down, kids are starting to go back to school, and moms are weaning themselves off of the xanax. And I couldn't be happier. I'm itching for fall to get here. Autumn brings cooler weather, college football, and fair time here in Texas, which just so happens to be my favorite time of year!

But, I have to say, I'm always a little sad to see summer go. I always feel like I didn't spend enough time in the toasty sun, or float the river enough, or drink enough beer with friends. So, I plan on fixing that this year. For the rest of the summer I will grill at least once a week, play in the pool often, and lay out until my skin tingles. We will send this summer out in style. And then we'll bask in the glow of this summer's memories all winter long. And when next summer rolls around, we'll do it all again.

I'm out until Monday, here's a few songs to set the mood for my perfect summer weekend. X's and O's lovahs!