Friday, August 12, 2011

winding down summer

Big sigh.

Another summer has come and almost gone.

Goodbye backyard pool.



Goodbye summer visitors (in the backyard pool).


We loved the family reunion:



And the staying up late. And the sleeping in. And the barbecuing. And the trips to the lake. And we loved having Kristi home, sniff sniff. We leave for Rexburg in 3 weeks where she will begin a new and wonderful chapter in her life.


Austin and Dallin return to school on August 22nd. The alarm clocks will be set for seminary time. Dallin will be off to middle school and Austin will be playing football under the lights every week. I will not be returning to work at the elementary school, but will instead be handling the books, the billing, and the errand-running for Keith (as he tries to keep his consulting business going on the side while working full-time for the school district managing the construction projects financed by last year's school bond).


The end of summer also brings our wedding anniversary, which was yesterday! Keith and I went to see "The Help" (which was GREAT, go see it!), and then came home to a fancy and fabulous dinner prepared by Kristi, Kelly (Vaughn - here visiting!), Austin and Dallin. We had menus, which no doubt you can't read but were VERY clever and sweet: There was mood music playing in the background and fresh flowers in a cowboy boot (a memory from long ago that the kids know about). It was a wonderful way to commemorate our 23 years together. What started out looking like this:

Has turned into something more like this:


But we still think we look the same. (wink, wink)


I always love the hint of fall in the air, and the feeling of a new season, new school year, etc. But it's still hard to say goodbye to summer.

Another big sigh.