Moving to Georgia from Ireland was a huge change for us. Within a few months, however, we really did fall in love with our new home. The sun was usually shining which meant we were outside more, new friendships started to form, and the charm of the South began to reel us in. However, there was always one lingering fear that was often mentioned — summer. ‘You just wait!’ people would say. ‘July and August are killer … the humidity … the bugs … did you know we have FLYING COCKROACHES?!?’ And so, while we continued to enjoy the mild winter and spring, we awaited the summer months with much anticipation.
June came … then July … and here we are, nearing towards the end of August.
And you know what? We still love it:)
I sometimes think people like to scare you a little. Yes, there are cockroaches here, but I’ve only actually seen a few (and they are usually already dead). Yes, it’s crazy hot, but thank goodness we live in the 21st century where the air con is constantly blasting. And yes, you sweat — a LOT — but, luckily for me, I’m usually in a sports bra and work out clothes anyway so it’s all good. The kids have been troopers and honestly, I don’t think they’ve ever complained about the heat! They just get on with it. Granted, I don’t take them to the park at 4 pm — I stick them out back with a popsicle and a big bucket of water to wash their sticky hands in when they’re done:)
I’ve sort of fallen off of the blogging wagon this summer. Even though my kids aren’t in school yet, fall still seems to bring a new sense of routine and productivity so hopefully I’ll be posting more often. I’ve missed writing down thoughts or sharing a new recipe (I have a few good ones! Coming soon). I’ve also not been very good at taking pictures with my ‘real camera’ — and those are usually the ones I actually get printed or post on here. So — my goal for this upcoming fall / holiday season is to get back to it!
Here are a few things we’ve been up to:)
I’m still on a painting kick after our kitchen project, much to my husband’s dismay;) To be fair — I did our front dining room all by myself! And it was previously dark red so it needed three coats. I was quite proud of myself. Maybe I’ll do a bigger post in the future about transforming this space when we finish putting the room together. We’ve decided that in this current phase of life with little ones, it’s kind of pointless to have a fancy shmancy dining room that will more than likely never be used. So, I’m calling this the music / art / creativity / future homeschooling perhaps (?!) room:) I love having a desk space and with the white color it’s always nice and bright in this room.
MY MOM SURPRISED ME!!!
Yep, I literally woke up one morning and found her in the guest bedroom. She has done this before so I shouldn’t have been so shocked! We enjoyed morning coffee on the front porch, chatting, and just simply being together. I was able to do little things like go to the grocery store by myself or pop into my coffee spot with a book … bliss. How do moms know just when you need them? My kids were also so happy to have a surprise week with Grandma:)
What else? We went on our first boat ride in the South:)
Our friends invited us out for a half day trip to a little beach on Williamson Island and we all had a blast. Méabh couldn’t stop smiling:) It’s definitely a different kind of beauty here — I’ll admit, sometimes I really do miss the Southern California beaches with their big crashing waves and cool surfer vibe. But the marshes have their own distinct charm and the quiet island beach was perfect for the kiddos.
Summer has been full of all the little things too — lazy mornings, pool dates with friends, afternoon thunderstorms (I love these), trips to the park, and weekend bbq’s. The kids keep us laughing and are great at making sure we are never too relaxed;)
Summer, despite the not-so-great rap you usually get, I’m happy to say that so far — you’ve been a good one:)