Sneezy, Itchy, Wonderful Fall

Fall is here and, in Arizona, that means good weather. I am relieved, excited, even ECSTATIC to have the hot weather behind me for a while. Here's how it works: Every May, it starts to get hot. By the end of June I am wondering why in the WORLD I live in Arizona. I spend July, August, and September going from my air-conditioned house to my air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned store and so on, avoiding the outdoors at all costs (you get the picture). Then October rolls around and the unbearably hot days are interspersed with not-so-hot days and, finally, beautiful, clear, cool days. Somehow, the perfect weather wipes out the memory of summer and Arizona is beautiful again. Beautiful, that is, except for the allergies that curse me every fall. As I type, I am fighting allergy itchiness and sniffles. I guess I don't mind the allergies so much, as long as I can enjoy some cool temperatures and blue skies.
Speaking of the weather, we have been studying "The Joy of the Earth" in our Joyschool/preschool. We've been out nature hikes, planted seeds, made bird-feeders, and much more. The kids discovered ground-squirrel holes at our local park and gathered mesquite beans from the ground to keep as souvenirs. What a great topic for October in Arizona! As a result of their study, my girls have taken to collecting worms and keeping them in jars in their bedroom.
In other "Fall" news, our 11-month old, Tater, started walking today! He needs no coaxing...he just decides he's gonna go, and he's off! He'll do about 12 steps at a time now before he stumbles. My baby's not a baby anymore :-(
Oh! AND....I finally got new countertops in my kitchen. I was so excited, because the tile on my old countertop was chipped, and the grout was sandy, gritty, and falling apart (and BROWN). I took one "before" picture and a few "after" pictures for your entertainment. Next task: refinish the cabinets. I've got my work cut out for me!
*Whew*...That was a long post. Don't forget to check the September/October 2006 album for new pics.