7.

Man, I just love him so much it hurts sometimes. He is such a source of light and joy and all things good, and he is 7. 

Here's what turning 7 looks like for Owen Howard: 

a pinata party at gram's a few days before his birthday. 

The actual day was crepes for breakfast, wearing his favorite purple t shirt, doughnuts with his classmates, lunch and the bookstore with gram, pizza for dinner and building legos til bed time. 

Owen, You are a strong soul and a sweet spirit and its been nothing but a pleasure, a joy, and a miraculous wonder being your mommy for 7 years. 

A little more Summer

Isn't time a funny thing? here it is, almost Halloween. The air is crisp, the leaves have changed. School is in full swing, with bed times enforced and schedules to keep. I look at these photos of Summer and I just feel happy. I don't even remember the crankiness that the itchy heat brought and the sweat in unmentionable places. I don't think of those big days, with tired kids and long lines in crowded places. I don't think of those dragging dog days that didn't seem to end. I don't remember sticky popsicle messes or the loads of sandbox sand on the kitchen floor. My heart is just grateful for the beautiful, imaginative, full summer of 2015. I thank my lucky stars for my sweet kids who explored and played hard, for my husband who mowed the lawn on our steep, steep hill over and over for the magic of Summer and the magic of time that makes the bad stuff disappear.