September

September's looking good!  It's been great for us to have some structure.  It has been especially great for me... whose structure now consists of whatever I damn well want it to be!  (Had to slip there and use an expletive...)  From 6a.m. to 7a.m. is fraught with potential speedbumps:

Make Trent's coffee... make lunches... feed dogs (all three of whom are around my feet in the small kitchen space until fed...), check time, start calling boys to get up, figure out breakfast choices, check time, figure out wording of choices for breakfast choices for Gus, check that no one eats before shoes are ON and TIED, witness lunches going INTO backpacks, check time,  get dogs IN, get Bay UP and wrapped in blanket and put in car, check time, witness teethbrushing, place boys backpacks outside door, leave with Gene, gather thoughts, do mental checklist, check time....

It's a well-oiled machine (when it works).  Mostly it's been a little chaotic but I haven't had to yell yet!  I haven't been working out, but I really need to start that again this week.  As long as I keep my gym bag in my car I should be able to pull it off.

Bay does not seem to have missed her brothers.  We have had her little friend Aidan this week and that's been a huge distraction for her and has helped us keep the TV off and actually do things.  He'll only be here a few more days.  He and Bay have played on the trampoline, played with the chickens, fed the horse, played games indoors etc etc  They've been busy all day and tired soon after dinner.

Neil is liking school.  He has an amazing teacher, who is fun and inspiring and savvy.  Gus is loving life with Mrs Curtin.  He has a little buddy which is something he is thrilled about.  It's one of the first graders and I think that Mrs Curtin has paired up the first graders with the second graders putting the second graders in the role of mentors and helpers.  I don't think that any of the second graders feel anything but special about being kept with their first grade teacher.  There don't seem to be any misgivings!  Gus certainly feels important because he has a "little buddy".

All's going well.  House is coming along.  All I need now is for one of those chickens to lay an egg and life would be all kinds of perfect!