Fair Weather

Summer is winding down.  Free moments are dwindling and all of them full.  The rush toward fall begins... this transition never does get easier.  Not that its all bad, this return to school, to structure, to routine.  Our children are in dire need, that's for sure.  There is a lot of whining and general getting-on-of-nerves around our house these days, and I think, despite how hard we are clinging to our unending time together, we will all benefit from time apart in our own spaces.  And there is a certain excitement to the beginning of each new school year, even in the face of all the stress and the too-little-time.

I would just like one more week of summer, that's all.

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On Sunday we embraced the last moments of the season with the quintessential summer pastime: our annual visit to the county fair.

The season made sure to assert itself, with some of the hottest weather we've had.  We baked ourselves into puddles on all that hot asphalt, and spent an inordinate amount of time looking at bunnies, I think in large part because the barns were a good ten degrees cooler than the midway.  But in spite of the heat we persevered, got our money's worth out of ride wristbands, watched a demolition derby, ate junkfood, and soaked up all the Americana we could handle.

This one got her wristband's worth and then some!

Three big girls!

Selfie in the cow barn...

Happy Swing!  The boy sure looks big these days...

Lillian hams it up...

Here is jack, studiously refusing to have fun on rides.  Luckily his attitude improved-- once we promised to not take any more pictures of him...

Grrr.  Time for some car crushing action!

The end of summer is tough.

Elephant ears make it a little easier.

See you on the other side...