Officially Calling it Over

This weekend  is  General Conference. General Conference is where we are able to hear from the Leaders of our church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The messages are so uplifting and amazing. We get to watch and listen again tomorrow. Join us if you would like. www.lds.org 

Right now the men are at the Priesthood session, and that's where Dan is tonight with his friends. So I thought that this would be the opportune time to sit and write a few things down on the blog. It's pretty full of happy emotional mushiness over here. I just put June down to bed, and I decided to come sit in baby boys room (Which is so close to being done! YAY) and I can here her chatting away, saying "Sally in her blanket" "Sally needs water" and more about the things Sally does. I also cracked open the Window to let some of that fresh air in, and just sit in this room, blogging and thinking of life once this baby arrives. It all just puts a smile on my face. 

So today's post is to mark the official end of Summer. 

 It went by so fast, and it honestly was one of the best summers yet, but I am ready to see it go and get on with the new upcoming changes, and that includes the weather! We have said goodbye to all of our out door water activities, like the splash park, and our water table, and closing up the pool, but we will get to that in just a sec. 

We have started some fall activities like leave scavenger hunts and picking out the dead leaves to draw pictures with. I've been a bit of a slacker when it comes to activities with June. I have been trying to get the nursery done, and every other million things, along with just not having the energy to keep up with it all and so sometimes our fun little activities get pushed aside. I feel really really bad about that. We do still try to make it to singing time each week, play with friends, and a walk to the park every day, so at least that counts for something. 

June and I did a little leaf drawing for Halloween. She loves stickers and markers, and she does very well at keeping herself clean along with keeping the markers on the paper. Of course we have a few slip ups like thinking it's lipstick and smearing it all over our face, but like I said for the most part, I trust her with them. 

She helped me glue on the leaves and then placed the stickers for heads and such. She named them as well.  Yes, I taught her how to say Cray- Cray. It's my favorite and she calls everyone Cray-Cray now. You can judge me a little for it. haha 

We have lots of fall things planned, a bucket list sort of thing, for this fall. I'm not exactly sure how much of it will get done, with a brand new baby, but I'm hoping that we can at least accomplish a few of them before and after he arrives! 

I pulled out all the baby gear this past week and washed all the fabric and wiped down all the metal. June was loving it all. She loved the bouncer, and she loved to put Sally in the swing and rock her. She now goes into the nursery all the time just to sit and play. 

So today. Saturday. 

Today was chilly, like cold chilly.  I loved it. I loved being able to put June in some of her new fall clothes, I loved that I was able to wear a hoodie and get a salted carmel hot chocolate from Starbucks and actually enjoy the warmth of it, instead of getting one and sitting in my car with the air conditioning blazing, kidding myself that it was cold enough for  a hot chocolate, but today it was! 

                    

And today, we officially closed the pool for winter. That my friends says it all. Summer is over. Dan mixed all the chemicals and gave it a good scrubbing and brushing. I really did help by skimming what floated to the top. So I felt I contributed. 

June is glued to her daddy's leg when he is home. I don't know if she knows something is going on with mommy or she feels the change coming on, but she definitiely is his little side kick. 

After putting June down for a nap, I came back outside to give Dan my moral support. Like I said, skimming the top was all my 9 month pregnant body was capable of doing. 

Once Dan was finished with all the maintenance, we covered it with a pool net. Now most of the time you don't have to cover your pool here in Texas, but last year was a nightmare for Dan to have to deal with all the leaves falling off the tree, and he refused to let our brand new plaster get stained because of the leaf mildew, so we covered it just enough to keep the big leaves and other junk from sinking to the bottom. 

I really am grateful for all of Dan's hard work with the pool. He did it all himself this year and he kept it spic and span clean. June and I definitely  used it way more than he did, but he never complained about cleaning it once. I have loved the pool this summer, June especially has loved it. In fact she tried to get in it today wanting to splash around... 

We really do enjoy having a pool, yes it is work, but so would a back yard full of grass, and I have loved just being able to go swimming without having to pack a bag, or load up in the car. It's been fantastic, so if you're wondering if it's worth having a pool, the Lancaster's give it two thumbs up and a big Yes! 

So here is to you Summer. It's been a blast. I really have loved every minute of it, and yes even the constant 100 degree weather. It's Texas, what do you expect?! It was all about embracing the heat and figuring out new places and adventures to beat that heat! 

Farewell summer. Until next year.