it's getting hot in here

As if it weren't already official--without being officially official, according to the summer solstice--it's officially summer in Texas. It's going to feel nice on Thursday if that 93 degrees they're calling for holds true.

not a box

This is what it looks like when you're trying to pack-up your two-bedroom apartment with two of your three kids finding new and interesting things to do with the boxes you need for packing:

 

This is the baby who remained relatively chill--other than wriggling her way off the play mat--during the whole affair:

uncensored

This is how Catcher ended up running around naked in my friend's backyard this afternoon:

- 2:00pm: we were supposed to meet my friend and her boys at a wading pool at a park in a nearby neighborhood. She was running a little late, so we got there first and discovered while the pool had water in it, it wasn't chlorinated yet. So no swimming.

- 2:18pm: hot and sweaty, we went for plan b--a splash pad down the street from their house.

- 2:23pm: arrive at splash pad; splash pad not working today.

- 2:25pm: I'm exhausted and the kids want to know why we keep going places that aren't open. I text my friend to let her know that we'll be at her house in two minutes.

- 3:38pm: After playing with the water hose and in the kiddie pool in the backyard for an hour, the kids are restless and think inside offers more exciting play options. Catcher's swim clothes are muddy, so I warn that he can't go in the house wearing dirty clothes. His solution? Well...a picture's worth a thousand words, right?

pack and go

Let's be honest: I like to move. I even like the things about moving that everyone else hates--like packing and unpacking. For me packing is a chance to get rid of things that you weren't quite ready to part with on your last move, but now you realize it's time to say goodbye (exhibit A [above]: my first bag for Goodwill). On the other side, unpacking is a chance to re-imagine and re-organize my life. What's not to love?

This morning we signed the lease documents on our new place, and this afternoon I was begging Alex to round up some boxes for me before he departed for Arizona. The funny thing is that our last two moves have been major moves--New York to Charlotte, Charlotte to Austin--so a small part of me feels I have to do all these things in South Austin (like eat at Home Slice one more time or stock up on coffee from Ruta Maya) before heading to the Northeast side of town. The distance from here to there is about six miles, and they sell Ruta Maya coffee at the H.E.B.

check three (or is it four?)

I only have about five more weeks of actual summer left time here in Austin--we're heading East for a few weeks--so I realized I should get back to the whole "112 fun things to do" list before it's too late. To tell the truth, I'm kind of bored with the list. Most things on the list that are kid-friendly have already been done by us...several times (like the following):

#45: fresh from the farm

The farmer's market in downtown Austin has been a favorite Saturday morning outing of ours ever since I realized there was a cooler farmer's market in Austin than the one in a mall parking lot. Although we've been there before, I have to admit that we never experienced the foam building block things that were there this weekend. Above is Catcher working it.

Inherently I'm not a fan of messy-faced kid pictures, but this was Scout in the moment: Hulk-like grip on the dripping popsicle. The next time I pick out a flavor for her it won't derive from a red fruit.

This picture is more about the hipster dad in the background than Catcher in the foreground. I saw several "fancy hats" like his prancing around the farmer's market, which led me to believe that I need to invest in a fedora to keep up with this crowd. I also thought his scarf was a nice touch (and wondered how he wasn't roasting to death with his hot coffee on the balmy 80 degree morning).

The juxtaposition of farmer's market tents against city skyscrapers will always be a favorite of mine.

Scout finish popsicle. Scout like blocks. Scout build.

pretty in pink

Yes: these antlers were made to be pink. A trip to Michael's this afternoon left me without the pillow form I was in search of, but I did find the exact shade of pink I had imagined to complete the deer head project. Now it's a little bit Texas; a little bit rock n' roll.

say hello to our little house

One of the best things that New York ever did for me (besides bringing me together with my husband) was teach me to live in small spaces. I de-clutter, I downsize and I do without. I will choose neighborhood over size any day of the week, so let me introduce you to our new house in Hyde Park. I mean, it's not our house technically, but it will be for the next 12 months...if our application is approved.

It's a long--yet short--story on how we landed the place, but early signs say it's the perfect fit. It's tiny (1164 square feet, to be exact); it's old (built in 1927) and a little rough around the edges (vinyl floor in the only bathroom). But there's a backyard and a sidewalk, and it isn't sandwiched between a highway and a strip club. I'm excited for Catcher to have his own bedroom, and I can't wait to explore a new neighborhood in Austin. I'm sure the coffee tastes just as great as it does down here.

And now the fun of moving yet again begins. How many places will this make for Alex and me? Does the hotel we lived in for two months in Charlotte count? I'm eager to get started, but maybe I should wait until our application is officially approved before I find a box to pack.