Kiddos - more specifically boys...three boys, three boys that are ALL boy. Play in the mud, building dams, jumping, yelling, running around like fools, rock collecting and brother teasing boys. I never thought of myself as being an all boy mom, but I have to say that I'm not trading any of the three in for a girl anytime soon if I keep getting kisses (another K) like these.
Kindergarten - The older two boys are starting kindy the first week of September. Wow, how did that happen? Upon dropping them off, I am not sure if I will cry or jump for joy...or possibly just be quiet for several moments absorbing all of the emotions that fall in between extreme happiness (that I will again have a little time to myself), and sadness that my little 5 lb babes have gotten this big this quickly.

Lemonade - Preferrably served on the porch in a mason jar, a jelly jar or in a cobalt rimmed glass similar to this pitcher.
Laundry - Before moving, I put a lot of thought into our energy usage and the resulting energy bill. Our real estate agent in Wisconsin thought that since our house there was so small we should leave our washer/dryer as it would be a selling point for new families or anyone just beginning to set up a household. So we did. This put us in the position of choosing a washer and dryer for the VA house. After much, much (S would argue WAY too much) thought, we decided on getting a new energy efficient washer and a used, on-its-last leg dryer in addition to a clothesline. So far my plan is working out perfectly. Currently, I have been using a temporary clothesline - a "borrowed" climbing rope that usually lives in Zane's exploring bag. I don't dry everything on the line. But just drying the blankets, sheets, jeans, towels and other linens has reduced the amount of energy we use to dry clothes by about half. It makes me happy watching our whites flap in the breeze and they smell so good coming off the line when they are dry. I would bet money that scented dryer sheets were invented about the same time women stopped drying their clothes on the line. I have ordered this more permanent line and it should be here this week.
One thing that has been interesting about doing laundry after purchasing one of the new efficiency washers is that you are not supposed to use regular detergent in them. They do not require as much soap and supposedly if you use regular detergent, you will end up with suds on your floor and a ruined machine. I don't know if that is true or if it is just a marketing ploy to get you to buy the new EE detergent which, of course, is more expensive. But I do know that using my Mugwart Maggie's detergent works just fine. The boys love that their clothes smell like fresh cut grass, rain or even dragon's blood (such a boy thing). If you pop over to her etsy shop, she has samples for under $2 that would be worth checking out. Doing laundry has been very different in this house and I like the change. I really do.
List making - I know I have written about this before, but I am a huge list maker. Yellow, legal-sized note pads please and thank you. Making lists is how I get myself out of mental funks like this. Writing everything down is the only way I can keep it all straight in my brain. I guess that is the visual learner in me. And one list just doesn't cut it for all of the crap I need to do. I have multiple lists. One list for S of things for him to do next time he comes home, one for things to buy while out in town, a list of house projects, a list of things regarding the boys like school supplies and making doctor's appointments and I know there are a few other lists, but I think at this point I need a list to keep track of all of my lists. Either way, it is a good feeling to cross the last thing off a list and throw that sheet of paper in the recycle bin.
(*Are you tired of reading about me yet...I'm getting a little tired of writing about myself. The next few letters might be grouped like they were in this post. I hope you dont mind.*)