Ruby at Grandpa Ed's house
Hangin' with the cousins
Picking blackberries with Grandma Pat
Chillin' with mom and a popsicle in the late-day Michigan sun
L to R: Ruby, me, Daran, Grandpa Bob (Daran's grandfather), Grandma Norma, Grandma PatAlso this summer, many trips to the local free pool were taken; tomatoes were grown and eaten and shared and frozen; a chest freezer was purchased to freeze said tomatoes; and oh! the kitchen! That was completed. Thank you Brad, for that.
Lots of summer veggies in an almost-complete kitchen. Dig that counter space!Rain fell in these parts enough to keep our grass green and our green beans producing. In fact, we staved off several of the most extreme levels of drought. Rain makes a huge difference in a garden. Huge.
Front and center: an almond tree growing from composted trail mix!
Cucumber vines growing up through tool storage
Wildflower wonder by the mailbox
Peaches (white peaches!) from my peach tree - planted last spring (2007) purchased cheap from Whole Foods
A cornucopia of vegetablesI also ventured into running and I can now run 4 miles without stopping (most of the time.) I ran a few trail runs with a local group, but I am a lazy (slow) runner and the pace of this group was a challenge to me. So, a slow roadrunner I am.
Enough about me. Onto Ruby: Ruby has developed a certain meta-cognition regarding Spanish. I don't say this to boast, but she understands when Spanish needs to be spoken, when English needs to be spoken and can verbalize this. She can translate (individual words) and interpret (conversations or events) and knows who speaks Spanish and who speaks just a little and who speaks none. And, she speaks Spanish!
Back to me: Perhaps a return to school means the end of summer to some, but since it's still mid-90's I can consider it summer anyway. But a return to school it is, for me, and now our 2 parents working fulltime/1 child in school fulltime feels everyday and normal, rather than new and interesting, like it did last year. I am working at a school that is mere moments away by car, and for this I am very grateful. Ruby fully enjoys Mi Escuelita and for this I am grateful, too.
Ruby achieved a few firsts this summer. They may not seem terribly impressive, but to me, the sappy mom, they are momentous. Her first "first" was achieved at Daran's brother's in Michigan. After napping in one of the kids' bunk beds, she decided she wanted to spend the whole night in one. That meant sharing a bed with a cousin, which she did, delightedly. So, Ruby bunked with Grace, her 11-year old cousin, in an upper bunk (she slept on the inside). I considered it a first "sleepover" even though D and I were in the next room.
The next "first" happened on our way back from Michigan. We all shared one hotel room!!! OK, I know this is really not all that exciting to most, so feel free to skip this paragraph if you want. Ruby's always been a particular sort of sleeper, and we have acquiesed to this particularity in the interest of getting a good night's sleep, which has become a matter of great importance since Ruby was born, especially for me, a light sleeper, prone to insomnia, and all that. In travels past, we have booked a suite when staying in a hotel, so that the lil' one could get to bed at her decent hour and we could stay up later, as needed. But, our desire to bargain-hunt gained the forefront this time 'round and we tried out a regular ole' hotel room. Ruby went to bed a little later than usual, I went to bed a little earlier than usual, Daran had only the glow of the computer screen to light his way and I won't say sleep aids weren't used (by me). And we survived!
Finally, today Ruby attended her first "drop-off" birthday party. I have off-and-on wondered when this phenomenon would occur. (I didn't think it would be so soon!) But, one of Ruby's good friends from school (turning 3) invited her to a party where parents were not required. I researched some thrift shops in Durham (where the party was to be held), delivered her to the party and headed, somewhat nervously, off. I thrift-shopped and returned 2 hours later to find Ruby with a new princess dress, tiara, jewelry, stickers and magic wand and full of pizza and ice cream and cake.
And now for a few more pictures:
Ruby and Henry
Ruby and Belly (and popsicle)
