week 2, oppressive heat; oppressive snot

Ok.
As a favor to you, all I'm going to say about the weather is that the current Special Weather Statement says that a cold front is heading our way ending the "current extreme heat situation."
It is a situation indeed. Did you know that the cold front will mean that the highest temperature over the next 10 days is 92.

Somebody get me a sweatshirt.

There is not a trace of irony when I say I'm SO excited for it to be only 89 tomorrow.

The last, oh, 6 months of work there were a few images of what stay at home motherhood would look like to me. Especially this First Summer. I'd be outside working in the yard while the kids were frolicking in the sprinkler or some such awesomeness. It's not that that hasn't happened, it's just that if we're going to be outside frolicking it better be before 10:00 when it hits 90 degrees, or after 7:00 when it hasn't cooled down at all, but at least the sun's kind of down. Our grass is like straw and the garden is wilty and truly the only thing growing in some areas are weeds. I planted a bunch of perennials this year and it remains to be seen if they will survive to be fully themselves - perennial.

We did get 4 giant red tomatoes out of the garden a couple days ago. I say giant and I mean like I can't grip them like a softball they're so big. How come every year I forget what real tomatoes taste like? Every year that first bite is a shock. There were enough cucumbers to make some sweet relish for john this past weekend. I forgot how satisfying (and quick) it is to do small batch canning. Just three jars for the winter. Unlike here in a few weeks when it will be "shit ton of tomatoes" time. Things didn't work out with our CSA this year and I'll be honest I'm not entirely missing it. I was better about planning our garden. We were gifted a 1/2 box of peaches last week from an old coworker. We're at that time of year when I don't think a day goes by that we don't eat something we've grown. Oh how I love that! Things are moving along fine without that weekly delivery.

We do really, really need some rain though. Hopefully tonight. It's supposed to be near Des Moines right now - hopefully visiting Sierra's garden. I would send you some cukes if I thought they would make it! I'm also starting to think about what we're going to plant for fall crops - lettuce for sure, that was the best this year, and we'll try some broccoli again. Rumor has it you can grow peas in the fall too - has anyone tried? And more carrots and beets.

Also both kids have been sick. Although not entirely coinciding - which may I just say is a giant pain in the butt. I don't want both of them to be "clingy sick" - you know what I'm talking about - at the same time, that would make me go bananas, but "tired sick" might be ok at the same time. Instead we've been laying low for a week now as the snots went for Laithe and have moved on to Guthrie and hopefully are now headed out the door.

 I do have to say that I was dreading the first time I was home with sick kids. But it's over now- or mostly over. And I survived. And we all lost our tempers and there were frustrated tears on everyone's parts probably - although I'm not sure about John. Did you cry? Onward and upward.

The next few weeks will be busy and then school will start the 20th of August. Crazy right? But 1. I'm a routine kind of girl and these days of no rhythm except meals and naps aren't the best for my mood and 2. it's so hot we can't really do any of the summer things I thought we would be doing. So we're going to get this party started.