Actually no, I have not abandoned you

I’m sorry I vanished, friends.  I was just so very busy with the other parts of life.  Parts that can’t wait.

Doctors have been visited, closets have been cleaned.

A birthday was celebrated, and a yard sale was held.

Garden tended.

Family visited.

Bible School. Girls Scouts. The zoo.

A funeral.

We’ve enjoyed the county fair, and lounged in our new pool.

Pesto has been made, and popsicles have been eaten.  Many, many popsicles, since it’s been unbearably humid. 107 degrees yesterday, according to my friend Ginger’s thermometer. Ick.

And now, hopefully, what precious little remains of the summer will be unadulterated fun.

Very little indeed, since we have year-round school and an abbreviated summer.  Back-to-school time is already upon us, and we’ve already stocked up on pencils and crayons, backpacks and uniforms. We’ve met the new teachers and bought the lunchboxes, and nothing’s left to do but the going.  Always the hardest part. (For me, anyway)

I’m a fair-weather blogger.  Or a ‘the kids aren’t home’ blogger. Whatever.

Priorities.

The little people have needed me.

Be back soon.

PS) Check out the sculpted abs on Catie!

County Fair!

The girls entered a few things in the fair again this year, and tonight we learned the results. A very successful year!

I say ‘the girls’, but actually only Annie entered last year. Sweet Catiebug is only 3, but she has to keep up with big sister so she was very excited about entering things her OWN self.

Catie’s cornbread won a blue (1st place) ribbon:

Not that you can really see the detail, but in the back there is a coloring page that she did – a little cheerleader girl. This won a white (3rd place) ribbon:

Annie and her cousin Erin made these patriotic rice crispy treats, and they won 1st place as well:

Annie and Erin also teamed up for this Peanut Butter Fudge, which not only won a blue 1st place ribbon, but it also snagged a purple Grand Champion ribbon! This is the second year in a row Annie’s made prize winning fudge, and she’s pretty darn proud of herself.

Here are Annie’s super-duper chocolate chip cookies, on a stick, and dipped in chocolate. I have to say that I’m really not a chocolate lover, but these are pretty good. Just the regular cookie though, I can’t do the chocolate coated part – that’s just insane. (But if Aunt Amy were here, I know she’d be up to the task!) These also took 1st place:

Again, very hard to see detail. At the corner where the tables meet is Annie’s coloring page with Jasmine, for which she won a red (2nd place) ribbon. Two pictures up from that is her drawing, which won a red ribbon as well. She drew herself, her cousin, and her sisters all in a flower patch.

And finally here is Catie’s banana bread, which also won 1st place. I have to say I’m shocked that this didn’t also get a purple ribbon, as it is hands down the best banana bread I’ve ever had in my life. If I do say so myself.

So sorry I haven’t been blogging lately! As I mentioned above, our very dear cousin Erin and my sister are here visiting, and we’ve been so busy having fun that I haven’t found time to blog about it! I’m taking lots of pictures though, so hopefully we’ll be up and running again soon!

Thanks for letting me brag about my girls. They are such fantastic little people.