All that's busy makes you busy

I need to hit the life reset button. I was out in the yard earlier today thinking how much scheduling helps my life. The past few weeks have been such a flurry of busy. Awesome busy. But busy. We had Kirby's mom out to visit, then bought the van, then packed it up to head to Big Sur. We got home from Big Sur last Tuesday, recovered Wednesday and Thursday, had some of our best buds over Friday, went to see The Head and the Heart Friday night, stayed up almost all night, recovered all weekend and now it's now (and maybe, probably I'm still recovering). I just feel kinda overwhelmed with how behind I feel in life. I think things can so so so smooth when we've got absolutely nothing going on, and then we get busy and I'm like a little sand crab getting tossed around in the waves (what a bizarre analogy....) I finally went through my desk drawer yesterday and found my drivers license renewal and a medical bill all ready to be mailed but I'm out of stamps. And although both were probably due about two weeks ago, the thought of hauling up everyone for stamps feels like the stupidest thing ever. My laundry pile is smh and everything just feels 10 steps ahead of me. You feel me, right?

I took the time to go clip some roses this morning just to check one baby thing off my list and it hit me how nice planning things out is, even planning time to recover. I realized that if I had told myself "Hey, you have two weeks to catch up from all this" I would probably feel less anxious about getting caught up. I'm not sure why that is but I feel like it's a solid note to self. I have similar feelings about chill time. If I make a plan to chill, it always way more enjoyable than haphazard chill.

Anyways, these be my thoughts.

On a different but the same note, all the business has been so, so fun. Big Sur was the best and none of us wanted to leave. I think we've garnered some experience a few essential camp items that made our lives way easier (and thought I would note them bc a small many of you were like camping. with kids. and babies. what is wrong with you? etc.) A new staple was the travel bassinet which turned out to be such a nice, compact little nook for baby. Another were these little metal pop-up lanterns . We left one in each tent and had two available for easy use in the evening time (I mention each tent because the bigger kids all slept in their own this year... so nice). One thing we fail at every year is camp coffee accessories. The cold weather makes coffee get chilly in like ten seconds flat so I scooped up these babies from the REI end of season sale for next year. The very, very best kids sleeping bags are these flannel lined bags from L.L. Bean. The big three have had theirs for years and Clem graduated to one this year. If you can find them on sale, they are super well priced and worth it. The bags are sturdy and stay really warm. Our tall 9 year old will still be in hers for a few years, I bet, so the functionality for multiple ages is awesome. Also, and maybe most best, they are easy to stuff in their handled bags so all my kids can pack and carry their own. Bless. Our tent had two pack n' plays in it for Pete and Joe and along with the travel bassinet it looked like a freaking day care center. Bless.

We had also invested in a prep table this year which was so necessary for storing pots and pans and our stove instead of taking up picnic table space. Oh! and a clip on baby chair (we have this one). Every year we've had a baby spend 45% of their time in this thing while we throw snacks at them and I could not do without.

The trip is always so dreamy and such a perfect welcome for the fall season. Even though we come home to 96 degree weather and blasting Santa Ana winds we still feel ready for it.

The show on Friday was so, so, SO fun. They haven't toured in two years or so and as soon at they started their first song, it all came rushing back to me how much I love seeing them live. I was on my feet, singing and screaming like a psycho the entire time (much to Kirby's chagrin) and over-snapping like crazzzzzy. Afterwards we hung back stage and I happily accepted other people's offers of gin + tonic until late into the night. I left the baby for the first time and it was so. nice. (I also equally loved clocking major snuggle time the next day to make up for it). The cherry on top was, and always is, seeing my little brother crush it on stage, doing what he loves the best and doing it so well. I'm always overwhelmed with pride for him. He's the best. (If you get a chance to see them live, you've gotta. They are soooo good!! Tour schedule here.) The other cherry on top was that we accidentally wore matching outfits. Heyyyyy losers!

Love.

Okey doke, back to all that catchin' up and stuff. More Big Sur photo dumpin' soon!