maybe I can't see, maybe its just me

Its almost September! I can't seem to find August -- don't know where it went or why. September means too many things that I don't want to face: guess I have to finally start school, my baby is soon going to be a year old, and I once again didn't follow through on my plan to start Christmas shopping in the summer and so now really have to start thinking about it. ugh. BUT!!! September also means "Posse 07" weekend, the annual gathering with my 3 best friends from college! We're meeting out here this year since Janelle and I both live in the DC area and Amy will be in SC, meaning only Jackie has to fly. Three weeks til the party starts!

CJ came to visit a couple weeks ago...and had the nerve to leave again. I can't figure out why she doesn't like us enough to just stay forever, but I'll do some self-improvement and see if that makes a difference next time. I also had a birthday and tried to ignore it, but did get some SAH-WEET! presents from my splendiferous sisters and Mom -- great gift cards to go shopping and buy new clothes! I haven't done this outside the maternity section in a loooooong time, realizing that most of my wardrobe is from either the first few years of marriage or even college (still wearing some of your hand-me-downs, Jackie). My sisters had evidently had enough of the embarrassment and convinced Mom to go in with them to force me to shop. I got some cute stuff (according to Annie, who I consider the family authority on all things trendy), and still have some shopping to go. Woo-hoo! One very happy August happening was that Carrie potty-trained herself in just a couple days. I have NO idea how this happened, just that God must have figured I deserved one easy go-round after some of my doozies. I'm still scratching my head, but very grateful. Carrie says to me, "Mom, tell me I'm the best trainy-potter in the whole-wide world you ever seen!". So I did.

I am almost ready to start school. Most of our books are here, and I just need to do a bit more planning out the first couple weeks. As usual, most of my energy goes into what to do with the non-schoolers, not the lesson plans themselves. Putting Henry in charge of Carrie and Liam just doesn't sound like a wise thing (if I want to keep them) so I'm trying to be creative. We'll start soccer again next week, with the older 3 playing, and in 2 weeks we start our first co-op. I'm hoping this will be a good thing without making us too busy. Despite the fact that I'm an "out-of-the-house" type person, I don't want to be in the car all the time, and am striving for a good balance of time at home with structured school days with social/academic outings for the Super Social Slaughters.

I'll try to have some new pics up in Sept -- haven't taken many lately. Sooooo, that's it from the Slaughterhouse for now!

playing with those memories again

Another fun jaunt to the Poconos, over and done. And it was crazy fun! Friday morning we headed out in the boat to do some tubing, and I think everyone who was interested got a turn...just before the boat died. **sigh** So, we putzed back to the dock and headed to the house for the evening. Dave and Rob had to putz the boat back across the lake to a spot where they could hitch the boat to the van, and tow it to the repair marina. As luck would have it, a big storm came out of nowhere during their trek, so that made it extra fun. Saturday we took the kids to swim in the lake and they had a blast just splashing and jumping off the dock. Great news after lunch -- boat fixed (and thankfully for the Finks, not an expensive repair)! We headed back out for more tubing in the evening, but since a lot of people were out on the lake, the water was super-choppy, making for bumpy riding. When Molly, Robbie, and Warren were riding, one bump was too much, and Warren went flying out, cartwheeling a few times and then skipping like a stone across Lake Henry. He quit screaming once he saw the boat was swinging back around for him, and Daddy had jumped out and was swimming toward him. I was shocked that he was as calm as he was (told him he showed up his sister who only fell in a grody river), and even more shocked when he informed Uncle Rob that he was a great driver for "bumping him out of the tube" and could he please do that again? You go, Warren!! Sunday morning, Dave did some wake boarding and I must add that he looks pretty darn cute out there trying to impress me :-) I let Rob and Steph talk me into getting on the water skis. After a number of attempts, I was waterlogged, sore, and embarrassed, but glad I tried and hoping my next showing will be an improvement (can't be much else). Molly water skied too, and did great for her first time. We also had a combined birthday party for all 8 kids, which is now a new family tradition for us. All in all, great time, more wonderful memories. We are so blessed with such great families! A few pics of the drama:

Robbie, me, Carrie and Warren getting ready for a tube ride

My handsome husband having the time of his life
Carrie and Victoria having their own little sleepover
Robbie loving on Liam
The shot that Grandpa requested -- all 8 treasures