August 20, 2008

Summer is Winding Down

Goodness, I didn’t realize it had been all month that I’d been neglecting my blog. I enjoyed writing in it while in England and was hoping I’d continue again upon returning home . . . perhaps from now on I’ll make better updates.

Daddy left for Rita’s this morning after spending a week with us here in Austin. We greatly enjoyed his visit and are sorry to see him go. It’s always nice having my daddy in the house :-). I think he enjoyed himself, although he might have been able to do without the gluten-free bison meatloaf I served one night. It was tasty, but not as good as the beef tenderloin I served the first night. I like to make a big first impression and then coast on that for a while . . .

I do think he was pleased that he got to see little Simone when she was only about ten hours old. And, of course, he got to hold her too. Yesterday Daddy, Jonathan, and I went over to the Riha’s with provisions, fixed them lunch (chips and guacamole, fresh salads, crabcakes, and mini dessert parfaits), cleaned up, and then took ourselves away again. It was nice getting to see the baby a bit. She is so beautiful! I love it when she just looks straight in your eyes and makes noises at you.

This week Kayleigh and Magda are at summer camp! It was a spur of the moment thing for me, and at the time I called after getting back in town from our England trip, the place was full but offered to put us on the waiting list since they said frequently they got cancellations for the last week. So last Friday, sure enough, I got a call that there was space for two if we were still interested. The girls seem to be enjoying themselves tremendously—camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and their day begins with swimming. They play lots of games, and every day they ride horses. Can you believe that!

It’s working out really great for me since Stepan is off this week taking care of his wife and new daughter, so he comes by in the mornings to pick up Kayleigh, and then the girls get to arrive at camp together (it’s only about 8 minutes away from our house). We are alternating picking them up in the afternoons. Yesterday I barely saw Kayleigh at all—she left around 8:45 a.m., Stepan picked them up after camp (he gave them baths and then they made chocolate chip cookies before having dinner), and he took them to pajama storytime at our local library branch before dropping Kayleigh back off at home at 8 p.m. It was so quiet and low-key here without her—very odd. But this afternoon I get to have them over here, so that will be nice. I feel a little guilty that Stepan is taking them every morning and I get it so easy, but I know that when school starts up I’ll be picking up Magda three times a week (twice for CAPS and once for her Friday over here), so I am trying to tell myself it’s okay and to just appreciate it.

Jonathan is desperate for school to start, and frankly so am I! Luckily there is less than two weeks to go (he goes back on 2 September, the Tuesday after Labor Day), and for most of that time Mom will be here with us. She comes on Monday and will stay until the day after her birthday—yippee!

Posted by elizabeth at August 20, 2008 12:13 PM
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