WOW -- Life is going so quickly!!

I have taken a two week hiatus from work. I needed the time to get our life back together, back on track and ready for school. I have worked at this job for nine years and don't remember EVER having two weeks off. I'm beyond excited. Of course, not getting paid won't be such a great thing, but there is more important things right now that need to get done.

So, I'm doing a quickie blog post to try to cram everything in our lives in one post. Possible? Probably not.

Summer has flown by so quickly that I would swear we didn't get one. School starts back next week for Josh and on the 23rd for Ellie. I think she is looking forward to getting back to her friends. Josh, not so much.

Summer held lots of time at the baseball park with Josh. He was chosen to play on the All-Star team this year and we travelled to Dyersburg for the State tournaments. We didn't place, but the boys did well and it was fun going, being with friends and getting away a little bit.

Kevin has a new job and it allows him to work from home. Of course, he still works in the field quite a bit, but his primary base of operations is a home office. We have YET to get the office cleared out to make him an "appropriate" office, but hopefully during my two weeks off we can get that done.

Consignment has been going hot and heavy and I have completed two and have two more to go before Fall season is over for me. I'm glad to report they have spread them out some so I'm not doing back to back to back. I have gotten some great finds for Ellie's fall clothes. We haven't been looking for any toys or large items this time because the girl has more than she can/will play with. As a matter of fact, we are trying to weed things down some.

Speaking of Ellie, she had a riot of passage this summer when she cut her hair. I was working consignment and she was upstairs while Kevin was working. Later that evening we found the PILE of hair all around her room. This was a Sunday. I was SICK to my stomach. Rebecca, who cuts our hair, was off on Monday but I called and begged and she made a special trip in to cut it Monday evening. Ellie is now sporting an ever-so-cute little wedge/bob cut. She pulls it off incredibly, but the first day she went to MDO, she wore a hat and wouldn't take it off. I think we are past that now, but occasionally she mentions how she wants long hair again.

Josh has now started middle school football and that has been a totally new experience. We have been so spoiled with such a great team with the Vikings that this year's change has been ... interesting. Not bad, really, just different. I suppose I don't do change well. We've had one scrimmage and another for Monday night before we open the season. I'll reserve judgment for a few weeks about how I think the team will do this year. I think it's too early to tell.

And, like the blink of an eye, summer passed and so did Josh's middle school years. Seems like it was yesterday he started middle school and now this will be his last year (8th grade). Don't blink, someone said. I get it.

We are all still dealing with the loss of my dad in January this year. Yes, I suppose it gets "easier" if you will, but it still hits hard sometimes and at the craziest moments. Today it was while I was clipping coupons and saw one for Efferdent. I used to pass those on to my mom for him.

I started my photography business this year, Maria Latham Photography, and am pleased with how it is coming along. It is one of the other reasons I needed to have small break -- to get some things done/caught up there. I am hopeful it will continue to grow because it is something I truly LOVE to do -- it is my passion. It is where I can experience creativity and get lost in myself and my work. It makes me happy and proud.

So, that's pretty much all that has gone on with us, I suppose. Somehow, life stays REALLY busy to just be this much. I joke and say that I didn't realize that I would have the "Hormone Trifecta" going on in my house -- a 13 year old going through puberty, a 3 year old asserting her drama/defiance/independence and a 40 (something!!) who has been hit with hot flashes that could take down the best of them. Life is ALWAYS interesting in our house. Is it hot in here to anyone else??