Summer is going by so quickly

It is already the first of August. I cannot believe this! In just a few weeks, I will be heading back to teaching. As much as I hate to leave my kids each day, I am looking forward to getting back to work. I went on maternity leave in April, and never went back after the birth of my son. So, it's been five months since I've had to be at work. I'm excited to be getting back into the classroom.

My children have grown so much this summer. Dominic is almost four months, and he is just a joy to have around. My Nina is preparing for kindergarten, which is nearly impossible for my husband and me to believe. She has entered the "I love Hanna Montana" phase of life that many five year-old girls have entered. Angela is two and a half, and she is a very energetic and active child who speaks her mind at all times. I'm told that I will really appreciate these qualities when she is older and doesn't allow other people to push her around.

We're in the process of making a few home improvements. We're getting new windows, which are much needed. The current windows are original to the house, and they are in terrible shape. We're also attempting to de-clutter the basement and upstairs office. My goal is to have this done by the start of fall, but that is certainly not set in stone. I'd like my husband to have his office space again. As it is now, the room is being used for storage.

My container garden is still lovely. I hope to do another one next year. However, I think I will do more re-potting next year than I did this year. I plan to do a little more research for next year's garden and really put more thought into the project. This year, is was really a whim, and there wasn't much time for planning. It was already July and many of the good plants were picked over. I bought most of them at Lowe's and Wal-Mart. Next year, I want to visit some local farmers' markets and greenhouses for plants. I have many containers and pots, so I don't think I will need to purchase many more of those. My daughters painted a couple of the terra cotta pots, and I certainly want to hold on to those. It was a fun project for me, and I'm still very pleased with the results. I want to keep a journal about which plants worked well and which ones didn't.

I have been working hard on my current knitting projects. I'm knitting away on a poncho that I started over a year ago. It's from Knitted Gifts, and it is a simple pattern that knits up quickly. The pattern calls for Blue Sky Alpaca yarn, and it literally feels like melted butter to touch! I can't wait to finish it and (hopefully) wear it this fall, once the weather cools off a bit. Other projects include a beautiful slate-grey wrap (also Blue Sky) and a Debbie Bliss cardigan. (Not to mention the zillion pairs of socks that I've started and stopped or finished one sock and never got to complete its mate). Knitting became a great hobby for me once I accepted the fact that it's not possible for me to actually complete any project in a timely manner, and that it will get done when it gets done.

I've actually been able to do a little reading this summer as well. I completed Friday Night Knitters' Club about a week ago. Depressing ending. Now, I have two novels by Jane Green (who I love) and I'm also working on Lord of the Flies, The Awakening and Animal Farm.

It is nearly bedtime for the little ones, which means nearly knitting time for me! I hope to post again before another month passes, but you can never tell.