The Art of Determination... it comes in all sizes

This summer is shaping up to be a very busy one at work.  It's a rather depressing side-effect of my job that summer and the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas are always our busiest months.  When I'm busy at work, once I get the kids to bed, if I haven't passed out with them, I'm near comatose on the couch with little energy to open my laptop, let alone form a coherent post.

I love my tiny little corner of the blogosphere.  But this is going to be a crazy summer, and I know I won't be able to post several times each week.  The thought of being so haphazard doesn't sit well with me.  I've come to appreciate the relationships I've formed, and I don't want to be disloyal to this new but important part of my life.

So I pondered.  What to do... what to do.... hmmm.

Over the past few weeks, I've been reaching out to some of my favorite bloggers for guest posts, I asked a couple special people to answer some questions about me, and I was able to beg convince a few other friends for special topical posts. 

I think you are really going to love what I am lining up! 

In the meantime, I do have some pictures to share from our weekend.

Dan has been working the past several weekends, so I was excited to have him with us all weekend long.  Paityn has been asking to ride the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit train, for you non-Bay Area-ers) for months now.  It rumbles past one of the playgrounds we frequent, and every time it trundles past, she stops and watches it and wonders when she will get to ride it.

Well, she finally did!

In spite of a very late start (thanks to an almost three hour nap by Miss Livie), by lunchtime, we were heading down into the city to escape the heat.  While it rarely gets super hot where we live close to the Bay, when it does, we head to San Francisco.

There's a saying (incorrectly attributed to Mark Twain), "The coldest winter I ever spent was my summer in San Francisco."

It's usually true. I can count on one hand the number of times I have worn shorts to the city.  And it has never, ever, ever been in July or August.  Saturday, though, was a rare shorts day.  It was super warm, even in the city.

I have too many pictures to overload you with one post (so come back soon!), but I wanted to share this lovely little set illustrating that if you stay your course, remain determined, and don't let obstacles sway you, your determination will be rewarded.

What is that fascinating new toy? I must possess it.

 

I shall wait impatiently for my turn.

 

Seriously, it's my turn now.

What do you mean I can't have it?  This stinks.

Hah, I'll show you.  I'll just get it myself.  Just try and hold me back, Papa.

 

 Sweet success!

(Well, until Mama took it away, saying something silly about a choking hazard.  Spoil sport.)

 

The preceding life lesson is courtesy of four month old Olivia.