Berry Picking

It's that wonderful time of year again!  It's berry season!  Berry picking is one of my favorite summer pastimes and is quickly becoming a favorite of August's.

A few weeks ago we went and picked strawberries and August had so much fun!  We went with Whitney and Lynnae.  August instantly had strawberry juice on his white shirt-good choice, mom, and on his red and white sock.  He did pick and put many strawberries in the basket, some of them were a little green, but he knew what to do!  And then he tried to step on the strawberries...

And now it's time for black raspberries!   I picked one and gave him a bite and he was hooked!  August then started picking anything, even if it wasn't ready!  If he put one in the bucket, he took three out to put in his mouth!  He was reaching for the bucket the whole time.  We went the other day and I brought the carrier along just in case.  I snapped a branch and that was the end of him walking around.  He got so scared and a toddler throwing a fit in the berry patch is slightly terrifying!  He's at the stage where he sometimes throws himself down.  This was one of those time-and there are thorns EVERYWHERE!  It was hot packing him around on my back, but definitely safer!  I was worn out by the end!  Dustin went with us last night and got to pack August around.  He now understands a little bit more why I'm so tired at the end of the day!

Truth be told, we did not make it back to the house with very many berries at any given time, but we have been having so much fun!

Little Messmaker

'The world is mud-luscious and puddle wonderful.'  -E.E. Cummings

This quote completely sums up my little boy.

He LOVES being outside and is always gathering his shoes and requesting to go out.  We have spend loads of time in the garden and he loves it!  He wants to help me, a little too much.  He carries around his little rake and sticks digging at the dirt and pushing the cat down.  A man loves to bring you the smallest speck of dirt and will continue to give you more small specks, just because.

August is so attracted to puddles.  He loves his mud boots and has spent quite a bit of time belly-flopping after the rain.  And he gets in there quick as a whistle!  He then shoots that little grin filled with so much joy that it erases the fact that I just washed his white Nike shoes the day before and they are full of mud again.

And then there are meal times.  Spaghetti is the funniest to watch.  He INHALES that meal and very quickly requests for more.  That is definitely a no shirt required, followed by a bath type of night.

When we get up in the morning he gets changed right away and then I head into the kitchen to get breakfast ready.  Sometimes he joins me and other times I go to get him when its time to eat.  He very likely has almost every toy in his toy box out all over the floor.  It's oftentimes like a minefield in our living room.

This little boy has brought me so much joy and added so much purpose to my life, messes and all.

May Mishaps and Summer Struggles

So.  I have suddenly lapsed and fallen back into an ungraceful period that was basically all of my high school years.

It all started with a horseback ride.  I haven't ridden since last fall and this ride was wonderful!  Jenny rode like she typically would on the first ride of the spring.  She seemed a little lost at times since it was just me and her and she doesn't ever lead.  Over the next couple of days I was saddle sore.  This obviously wasn't my first rodeo, so I know what it's like to be saddle sore, and as I went back to work I knew something wasn't quite right.  My legs hurt.  All the way down.  On Tuesday I thought I was going to have to leave work early.  I was having a hard time walking and I felt like I was 9 months pregnant getting out of my chair.  And after plenty of ibuprofen, it finally eased away.

And then I fell.  August and I were walking back from the garden one day and I tripped on the gutter.  Did I mention I was holding him?  I managed to turn so he was up and he didn't hit the pavement at all, but I sure did.  I smacked my hand, elbow and hip.  Everything hurt, and just like before after a few days, everything got better...I thought.

And then I walked into my desk slide out...twice.  2 huge bruises on my thigh practically touching within a week of each other.  Smooth, I know.

And then I went on another horseback ride.  This one was a little different.  Jenny galloped and then bucked a time or two.  And I slammed back in the saddle.  HARD.  As soon as I gout out of the saddle, I was hurting.  My lower back was in bad shape and the pain came and went all weekend.  I thought I would be fine until I went to pick up August on Sunday night and my back spasmed and couldn't get him up on my hip.  Monday wasn't any better.  I went to the chiropractor and it turns out, my hips were all wonky.  I didn't know my body could pop so many times and I walked out feeling much better!

And then Chase pushed Dustin off the back of the boat to be funny and he cut his leg on the prop and had to get stitches.  Here's hoping that he quits milking that injury for all its worth real soon and we are done getting hurt this summer!