some things with some pictures

I haven't had much to say here on the ol' blog lately so I thought I'd catch you up on some things (some things which I realize now might actually explain my absence...)
So here goes-

::I read the entire Harry Potter series (again) in July. I've lost count of how many times I've read those books, but I still love them every time and still cry most of the way through book 7. I actually read some other books too -they're in that scrolly amazon thing in the right sidebar along with some of the kid's latest favorites.

::We like to go to the beach in the evenings. For some reason the crowds pack up and leave just when it starts to get really pretty. There is always a cool breeze and the lights and colors at sunset are incredible.

::I have a lot of photos to edit from our vacation. OK I have pretty much all of the photos from our vacation still to edit except for the handful already on flickr.
Computers, bleh.
But I know Lisa wants some pictures. So tell you what, Lisa, I promise to send them to you before that baby is born...

::Shawn and I are on week three of Insanity. It's bananas yo. But I feel great! OK I feel really really sore. But I feel great!

::School prep is in full swing over here. I've cleaned out closets and baskets and boxes and binders, I've ordered books, I've printed maps, I've aged fifty years and installed a wood stove...

::Ha. Kidding. That's Tristan and his cousin Joey in the one room schoolhouse at Deanna Rose Children's Farm. Our school room definitely looks more dining room, but it's the same idea.

::Classical Conversations starts in two weeks. I'll be tutoring a class of 4-5 year olds. Do you know how fun it is to hear 4-5 year olds chanting Latin declensions and singing about the Heian Empire and easily identifying places like Timbuktu on a map with their tiny little hands? It's really fun. I just hope I can keep up with them.

::We love our church. They grew a garden this summer, bearing literal fruit to benefit the community...

::I've had Josh Garrel's albums on a never-ending cycle of repeat in my car for the past year. Now he is giving away his Love & War B Sides Remix album. It is of course fantastic. Also, watch the trailer for his upcoming film, The Sea In Between, which looks amazing.

::I took the kids out shopping for a slip 'n slide today (because we're all tired of the heat and the indoors and I figured the good ones should be on clearance by now -they aren't.) We brought it home, opened the box, and the thunderstorm began. Of course.

::Kate is officially, finally, completely, potty trained. Then End.