Confession

Dear Summer,

I just want you to know that I still love you. You are still my favorite season. You have done nothing wrong this year but be beautiful and warm and lovely. You have given my children hours of fun playing in the kiddie pool. You have given me ample opportunities to wear my favorite dresses. You have even helped give me the boost I need to be healthier. However, I find myself thinking frequently, and fondly, of Autumn.

It wasn’t something I set out to do. But somehow I found myself Google-ing for images like this,

And sighing over outfits like this,

and this,

 

And then, like a fan to the flame, I unpacked the 2T things I had stored away for the girls. Which included sweaters, and long-sleeved shirts, and flannel lined jeans.

I have also been thinking about soup, chili, and being able to turn on my oven without raising the temperature inside the house to 90 degrees.

I apologize if I have caused you any grief or pain, Summer. It simply can’t be helped. But I will enjoy every last day we have together, even though I will be thinking of Autumn all the while.

 

All my love,

Emily

 

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Fishies!

A couple of weeks ago my mom, sister, and I took the girls to the aquarium.  It was supposed to be a “hooray it’s summer” kind of thing, but it, of course, poured. Buckets. Because the rain follows me wherever I go. If my family wants to go on a sunny vacation, they don’t invite me. I’m kidding. They still invite me, but it does rain.

We still had fun, but part of the Oregon Aquarium is outside, so we got soaked while we had fun.

Once upon a time, this aquarium was home to Keiko. You know, this guy. Since then his habitat was turned into a series of underwater tunnels.

I think the girls and I were equaled in our awe and excitement. Not that you can tell from Hazel’s Stone Cold Steve Austin face.

But it was pretty cool to be surrounded like that. I love sea life. I find oceanic life completely fascinating, but I like being separated by glass. I get a little nervous being submerse in a foreign ecosystem.

The first tunnel was a replica of a reef habitat. I can’t remember what the second one was, but there was a fake sunken ship in it and some beautiful fishes. And the third tunnel was the sharks! Little sharks, but shark none the less.

Is it wrong that I’m teaching the girls that a shark says “chomp chomp”?

There was also a sign that said that the otters were experiencing high hormones and to not antagonize them because they will then lash out at their handlers and fellow otters. And Ken thought my PMS was bad! 🙂

We spent the longest with the seals. This torpedo of blubber kept swimming slowly towards the glass until his forehead gently touched the partition and his skin rippled up like an accordion.  He would hang out like that for a moment and then slowly swim away.

I’m choosing believe that he was playing and not so bored that he was slamming his head into the wall.

I wish you could hear the giggles. It was adorable.

So here’s some craziness for you. These guys were in the shark tunnel when we went through a second time. The guy with the hose is cleaning the tank. See the guy just behind him? The one carrying the big stick? That is his body guard. Who answers that want ad? Shark tank cleaner sounds like a scary job all in itself, but then there’s guy who defends the cleaner in case the sharks decide the want a snack. I just hope they both have awesome health insurance and disability insurance. And please-god-don’t-let-a-shark-bite-me insurance.

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Happy July!!

It’s July! My favorite month of the year!! Why? Well, because it’s my birthday month. Also, because it’s when summer really starts here. The weather finally gets it’s act together and it’s warm and sunny and wonderful.

Happy July, everyone!!

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