Not sure how guilty to feel...

I took my first look at fall today. Asher and I were out on a walk with Rhylah when we found a bright, orange leaf on the ground. "Look!" I said pointing. "ORANGE!" He exclaimed proudly (he's very proud of his color recognition lately ... that and his superman underwear ... would that we all had such small things to be proud of!). "Yes! Bright orange!" I replied. Looking up, I saw smatterings of bright (and I mean BRIGHT) leaves mixed here and there on the ground....everywhere. And that's when I realized that summer has gone.
Gone? Where the heck did it go? Was it just my imagination, or wasn't it just spring, yesterday? But no indeed, it was here ... has come and gone again in a way that was both swift and agonizing for our family. Because we finally arrived at our destination together, as a family, after two months of being "in transit."
We're here! In good old Michigan our new/old home. I call it new/old because I was born here. And spent a good deal of time in this very city as a kid, visiting grandparents. So yes, it's new, but no, it's not really.
Today, I'm wondering how guilty I should feel exactly that I went in my office and my computer hooked online immediately even though we don't have internet. Uhhhhmmmm....okay! I'm not going to lose an opportunity to blog, just because I don't know the source of my newfound power -- maybe it's the hand of God! Ha!! Thou shalt have Internet, and it was so! And it was very good!
I've missed all my online friends who I haven't talked to or heard from since I left Sheboygan. It's lonely being new in town. Not many gal pals for me yet, although my best friend, my hubby, has been such a gem.
And what have we been up to? Wow. Where to begin. We got a screamin' deal on a house, and have been busy moving in and unpacking boxes, fixing things up etc. ever since.
I shall now bore you to death with some photos from our summer...quick and slow as it was....


The Harrmann's stand on Silver Beach in St. Joe on the night we arrived in town with 2 U-HAUL's, a bunch of helpful family members, and all our earthly possessions. What a beautiful night! The sunset was fantastic!



Me and Rhylah enjoy the sunset.


The cousins, Abby, Seth, Gabriel and Mason, wade into the water. It had been a LOOONG moving day and the water was like a bathtub...so warm! The kids just jumped in with their clothes on!


As all our stuff sat in storage while we looked for a home, the kids and I made frequent trips back and forth from St. Louis. Here, Rhylah and I are swimming in Grandma and Grandpa's pool. She LOVES the water!


Splashy boys kick up some fun.


Relaxing on the swing after a good swim.


Rhylah enjoys two new things at the Fourth of July parade in St. Charles...beads and Dum Dums.


Nate and the boys take an hour to play swords. How many kids do I have again??? It's hard to keep track? :)


Nate and Ash wade into the water as we go for a swim in mid-August, after we've settled in Michigan.


Asher experiences waves for the first time and LOVES them!


Gabriel bravely faces an oncoming wave.


Two boys are super cute while drying off like buddies.


Miss Rhylah wears the new outfit she got a week ago, including her first hair clippy!!

I'll have more posts to come later!