It's September, already???!!!

Not only is it September, but it's the END of September. Whew!!!!!  Here's what's been happening since my last post:

July 13th, our gas was turned off due to a leak.  Friday, the 13th!! The following Monday, the gas company turned it on.  Then turned it back off and said our ancient (1950ish) stove was the cause.  We had a plumber out, he capped it.  Turns out it wasn't the stove.  We got used to heating up water in the roaster for the little ones' baths and washing dishes.  K and I got used to cold showers - they hurt and twice a week went to my daughter's house for wonderfully hot showers.

In the meantime, we were scheduled for vacation which was paid by using Castaway Bay's fantastic four month layaway plan.  Genius, right?  So we went and had a most fantastic time.

And then we came home.  Now, we had shut up the downstairs and left windows open on the second and third floors.  It rained most of the week.  It was super hot when it wasn't raining.  We were greeted with green mold growing on our living room furniture, a layer of it on every other surface - even the wood floors.  OMGosh!  We threw out the couch and chair.  Washed up the rest.

We had all the gas lines replaced.  Watching the savings dwindle.

The gas is turned back on.  We now have hot water and a dryer.

K brought home two kittens.  They are adorable, even if underfoot.

Elliot and Tails

We discovered new playgrounds.

Riverfront Park

Labor Day weekend, lol!  We drove out to Crooked Creek on Sunday, September 2nd for a swim and a picnic.  It's over an hour drive.  It was a super hot day.  The creek was closed - know why?  High reading of E Coli.  May be time to find a new swimming hole.

Then came the rain. and it rained and it rained.  It rained in our house.  Along the left side, front rooms, from the third floor to the first.  Turns out the chimney needed some repair.  So we had it repaired.  And the savings account dwindled some more.

We took the kiddies to Kennywood. It rained. BUT, Elliot rode his first major roller-coaster - THE JACKRABBIT! and then he rode it at least four more times.  Amelia's favorite seems to be the Merry Go Round (sadly, she is so tiny, she wasn't able to ride most rides in Kiddieland).

Amelia on the Merry-Go-Round

Today: it's been raining, but not in our house.  The furnace still does not work.  Elliot had oral surgery last week and is still perfect today.  Amelia uses marker for lipstick.  Wonder how long her lips will be blue.

Elliot before oral surgery

Oh, and we are homeschooling Elliot and he is doing terrific!  His field trips have included the museum (of course) for dinosaur week, picking apples at an orchard for apple week, and walking under the Harvest Moon (no moon - it rained) to wrap up space week. Elliot actually thought we were going to walk on the moon and asked our guide where the rocket ship was.

And I think that brings us up to date. How was your summer?

HANGING ON,

TRISH