Can't wait to fall into fall

It's August. Just the sound of that word conjures images in my mind of sweat running down the back of my legs. Oppressive heat that makes me want to watch the sun shinig from the inside of my house.

But the last few days haven't seemed like August. They've seemed like Fall; or Indian Summer, at the very least. And I love it.

I keep forcing myself to keep putting summer dresses and summer jumpers on the girls. All I really want to do is put them in cable knit tights with matching hats and sweaters. I want to go pick out pumpkins at the pumpkin patch. Go on a hayride. See the girls jump in piles of leaves. I want to run out and find another pair of bright pink 'mary jane' rain boots for Kate; to match the ones I found for Ella. And then I want to put those boots on them every day. Even when it's not raining; just because they're so damn cute.

I've been obsessively thinking about Halloween. Already ordered their costumes. Ella will be Snow White and Kate will be Happy the dwarf. Yes, I feel a little guilty about dressing my beautiful little girl -- who happens to look exactly like Snow White -- like a dwarf. But the dwarf costume was just too sweet and funny and I just couldn't not buy it.

I love these Halloween costumes so much that I think I may have to have a little kids Halloween party this year. I need an excuse to see the girls all dressed up more than just one time.

I want to buy the apple flavored caramel latte from Caribou Coffee, on my way to take the girls to the park. I want to dress the girls up in their matching red-and-black pillow case dresses, in celebration of OSU game days. And when the weather gets even cooler, I can't wait to put turtle necks and black leggins under those dresses. And I'm really trying to fight the urge to buy them matching black, knit hats with big, red bows on them.

I've always loved the change of seasons. But with Ella and Kate, I get a different kind of excited. And I kind of love that the things that used to excite me about the change of seasons just don't matter all that much anymore.

Just a few years ago, I would've been excited about the excuse to buy new boots; a new fall coat; a new fall bag. I would've been sad that summer 'patio' season at the bars would soon be gone. This summer, I don't think I saw a single drink on a patio. And I honestly didn't miss it. And as much as I'll always love a new wardrobe, buying my own digs just doesn't compare to getting to buy a new season of clothes for the girls every few months.

Today was a beautiful, Indian Summer style day and I loved spending every second of it with Chris and my girls. I am so grateful to have had this weekend all to ourselves. A long, perfect trip to the zoo. Pony rides and the 'dumbo ride' and the boat ride and the carousel.








A Clippers game on Sunday night. Lots of playing outside.





I have a feeling that next year, my girls' little bodies won't fit so easily in the red, plastic Fred Flintstone car they love so much. That we might not need two 'baby swings' on the swingsets next year. My heart already aches to realize that their little legs will grow longer and leaner -- less chubby and squeezable -- in next year's shorts.



So I plan on enjoying every minute of these last few summer days with my girls.