Hey! Where have you BEEN for the past month???

Weeeeellllllllll......

This has been an AWESOME AUGUST filled with lots of traveling.

We began this month with Sides Family Vacation - a yearly event that is always much anticipated and appreciated.

This time, to the ROCKIES for some serious camping.

Of course, we stayed with the Balls in Boulder on the way for serious rest and snuggling:

Thanks Ken and Paula (who saved our life by loaning us a stander toy for Elizabeth for the campsite):

Did I mention rest?

Then on the way home, we breezed through Kansas City to celebrate the wedding of our awesome friends Cat and Sean:

(Thanks to cousin Dave for letting us bunk in his home and drool over his electric car and thanks to Granny and Grandpa who put off arriving home a day late to babysit during the wedding.)

Then while there we met the gang for breakfast before we all separated again with the promise of meeting for a picnic this fall:

Poor Miss Elizabeth had to do a lot of THIS this month because after a few days at home it was off to......

Madison Wisconsin to visit Sophie's "Auntie Billis" where we learning to climb trees...

(Aidan showing us the big boy way)

And how to drive cars:

And we also learned why a suburb of Madison was nationally ranked as the "Best Place to Live" two years in a row:

(Street corners, hotel rooms, etc. - recycling is a big DUH! here.)

At the grocery store:


Too many hours in the car = two out-of-it toddlers:

And finally our last trip was to the Ozarks to relax in a free condo with Maria's ER crew. We watched the final ER episode as a group after waiting all these years (we all thought it was a dud). But vowed to get together every year as it was just so much fun!

The girls and I mastered Ha Ha Tanka State Park and posed in front of the ruins of Ariel's Castle and explored Rapunzel's Tower next door.

As you can see, its been quite the month. I am very much looking forward to a routine and sanity. Therefore, against my nature I purchased THIS:

Certainly not to waste money or to send more money to China but because once Anna discovers this after returning from her first morning back at preschool, she will be busy for the. rest. of. the. day..............

And I can make THIS:

Go. Away.