Soggy Bread & Buttered Toast: Another one down, only 18 left...

Say it isn't so. I finally forced myself to look at the calendar last week thinking two or so weeks would be plenty of time to find a pair of shoes or two and some simple school supplies. The fact that school starts tomorrow is still blowing my mind. Back-to-school time is exciting for a lot of reasons, but I cling to the summers knowing that I really only have a handful left of these laid-back months in my mothering career. Plus, if summer is almost over that means my baby is almost half a year old. Now that is impossible! I let the boys in on the news and after the intial excitement wore off, Milo slunk on to the couch and said, "We hardly did anything fun this summer." Trying not to take it personally, I encouraged him to remember just a few of the things we did these past two months that we've never done before and the smile finally crept back on his face. But, I don't want him or any of the rest of us to forget some really great memories we had. So let's get this in writing and start with a brief recap of June:

We still haven't gotten around to replacing our oven that quit working in early march. I figure these kind of dinners would be perfectly ok with me...forever.

We've enjoyed several of Provo's rooftop concerts. Some with, some without the rascals. This time we brought homemade kettle corn. After about 3 minutes of listening to the music they pretty much ruined it for any dating couple that was within 20 feet range of us. But I think any concert outside at night is romantic--obnoxious kids or not.

How many popsicles can a small child consume in the summer? Math isn't my bag, but I'm going to assume it's in the hundreds.

Taking advantage of the $10 Pass of All Passes we snagged in April, Rod dragged us out to a Motocross race. Besides the permeating scent of alcohol, young tweens with pornographic images on their T-shirts, and not one seat or place to stand without getting a gust of dust blown in your face, I'd say it was pretty fun. But really, we are never going back...much to Elliot's dismay (he rides motorcycles in his dreams).

Mom's Summer Camp officially fell off the wagon by the close of June, but I do believe this was one of our Take-a-trip Tuesdays to Highland Glen Park. No fish were caught, but some new friends were made, thanks to Milo the oh-so-socialite.

The down times were like a breath of fresh air. What is better than finding your once-thought-outdated encylopedia set open to the page on North Pole...to see if Santa could hide from even World Books. Who needs the internet anyway!?

There is always something cool going on at the Browns. This is where most of our wildest dreams and craziest ideas come to life. Case in point:

Oh and also? Lots of people to entertain my children and adore my baby.

Speaking of babies, two really really great people are getting an early Christmas present this year. The likelihood of this baby of theirs being illegally adorable is obviously 100%.

Did I say illegally adorable? This also pertains to Bean trying very very hard to resist his urge to squeeze Juni in half because of his adoration for her.

Oh geez. And Missy and Jason are in a league of there own in coolness.

A s'more roast in the backyard always does a body good.

Add a boy's obsession over anything electronic to the comfiest bed alive and you get this scene.

So what is heaven going to be like? A summer's day in bed with a book and a million of these.

Babies do this to him. Every. Time.

Fair warning to any Pass-of-All-Passes holders: DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT go to Seven Peaks on during the first week that school is out. But, if you do, you might meet your cousins there (along with every other person you have met or remotely remember during your lifetime)!

I would not have survived two minutes without B's help. She is the queen. This trip alone burned me out of SP for the month of June.

And then there's Trafalga. My hell involves spending inordinate amounts of time at both of these public places. But, the kids love it and that is THE ONLY reason I suck it up and go. We started up a tradition of weekly date nights with the kids, alone with either mom or dad. And you know what? It's the best tradition ever. We've made it all summer, but I wonder if we can work it in during the school year... time will tell.

Rod and I finally made it to the Lehi Round-Up Rodeo after 8 summers here. It started off with a bang when the BYU team won the chuck-wagon race against the U, even after it lost the back set of wheels! But it went downhill from there when the clown started telling his stupid jokes and never stopped. Been there, done that, once was enough.