It's been HOT in Spokane. We went to Liberty Lake with a picnic dinner the other night to cool off and have some fun. It's only a 25-30 min drive from where we live and it was lots of fun! Summer time is the best!

What do you do on those hotter than summer October days? Pull out the pool of course and try your best to cool down. It seems to be fairly consistent - a heat wave in October. When my girls weren't in school full time, I would take advantage of those hot days and drive to the beach (with zero traffic), laughing at all the poor souls who had a school schedule to keep. Well, now I am one of those poor souls. I'm grateful we have such a fun neighborhood at least!

Summer has and hasn't ended. Holly's been in school for one week, but the weather is still summery and warm. I'm full of emotion over the close of this summer season, not only because summer has ended, but it's also the close of a season of life. How I've enjoyed these last 5 years of mothering, of being at home with my children and my children at home with me. If only it had no end... But here we are. Holly has begun her school years and so we now have early mornings, and life revolves around a schedule that a system has set for me rather than my own, likely for the next two decades. How short those 5 years were!

I should be reflecting on the positive. This summer has been beautiful, even if I didn't do as much as I'd hope. We made some splendid memories and had sweet moments. My daughters played endlessly with each other and we went on an amazing vacation.

I'm torn between not wanting this season - summer and my babies being at home with me - to end, and wanting to stay in bed for a week and cry because school is my reality.

I'm so grateful I have these beautiful memories to cherish (if only I could remember more) and photographs to adore.

I love being a mother.

Everything is more fun with Conor, including swimming. And we always feel lucky to swim with friends at their apartment pools.

Just a fun afternoon with a friend...