It's been nearly a year since my last blog post.  my last post, where I guaranteed I would write more frequently.  I guess I was wrong!

What's happened in a year?  What hasn't happened in a year.  I measure time now by my children.  I can think of no better way to measure time.  Grant is 4 and a half and all words all the time.  He has got a thought on everything.  He's a scientist, a math geek, creative and funny and playful.  He's a reader.  He loves to swim, to scoot, to do anything outside.  He's an amazing big brother.  And Luke, a year ago Luke was cargo.  He only would be held by mommy and was shy and anxious in new situations.  And now he's this whole new little boy.  The transformation in the last two months has been amazing.  He's walking now and can say some words.  He quacks like a duck, a lot.  He loves his blanket and to carry around books.  He doesn't stop moving-not ever.  Even if he's sitting and having a drink his feet are constantly moving.  He loves his Grant, even though it is a word he can't yet say.  He'll grab his shirt to slow him down so he can play too.  He tackles him and gives him kisses and hugs, even when they aren't wanted.  He's finally friendly to other people, even letting people other than mom and dad hold him.  He's growing like a weed.  One and four are my two favorite ages so far, so it is great that they're lining up together.

Life is good for us.  Taylor travels too much for work and I've picked up more events and time at the office and so there is a fair amount of fear in my world about what the fall will look like for us and how we'll balance it.  Right now, we're simply enjoying the long summer days and hoping they go on forever.  We're blessed with our life and our problems are good ones to have.  I'm trying to remember how to swim on the surface instead of letting the day to day pull me below the surface.

Friends and family are all doing well.  We spent a week in Maine with my parents, who despite getting older, are having more fun than ever.  I'm excited to be flying to North Carolina in a few weeks to see my brand new Godson, Benjamin.  Though not on this trip, in another year or so, he and Luke will be fast friends.  We're hoping Princess Elinor will be able to join us for the weekend as well.  Three in 10 months, nothing would make me happier to have them all in one place, especially with all of their mama's!    I could really use some time with my girls.

Luka's got a mullet now.  A reddish mullet at that.  Yes, I'm thinking of letting it grow until our next Disney trip.  He's turing two in April, we'll have to get one more "free" plane ride in between now and then.

Grant starts preschool in the fall.  He's very excited.  It's only two days a week, but I think it will be good for him.  He'll be in the school that he'll be going to for Kindergarten.  I really wish he didn't miss the cut-off for school.  He's more than ready and I'm nervous that he's going to be bored.  He can really benefit from the experience of listening to a new adult though and I'm hoping we see some strengthening of his listening skills, because he's already a fan of addition and subtraction, so learning to count shouldn't be much of a challenge at this point.

and me.  Well, I've had a rough few months.  I'm hoping to use the rest of summer to help me refocus and figure out what I'm looking for and taking the steps necessary to take care of me a little bit.  And for today that simply means cleaning my half of the garage, mopping the floors, finishing unpacking from Maine, and doing some laundry.  And that makes me more than happy!