7 Quick Takes Friday, #20

1. You know it's summer when the A/C doesn't kick off until 3 AM, and then comes back on at 8 AM, coughing and dragging it's heels from all the hard work it's been doing. I almost feel sorry for the poor unit, but then I step outside and sink chest deep into a thick soup of HOT before scurrying back into the blessedly cool house, preparing a pep talk so that the air conditioner will never doubt it's important place in our lives. I love you, A/C.

2. Having seen several recommendations lately for The Mitford Series, I checked out the first book at the library this week. I don't even know what it's about or if its style will suit my own, but it's on a lot of folks' favorite books list so I thought I'd give it a shot. Here's hoping I enjoy it as much as some others have. Have you read it?

3. On a related note: What's your favorite book?

4. When I was growing up, I always wondered why my mom never really bought herself many new outfits. Occasionally, she'd get something small for herself, but it seemed she had clothes in her closet that were older than I was. As a teenager, I shopped weekly, spending my paycheck on worthless items and wearing something only a few times before it got boring. This went on throughout college, and into my first years as a wife.

Then I had babies. Any free time or money was spent on my daughters. I was never good at leaving my baby with a sitter for even a small amount of time to go do something for myself. (I'm still not - I know all the parenting experts tell you how important it is to make time to get away, but it's just not the way I work. Maybe a few babies down the line I'll relax a bit...) Shopping just fell by the wayside. My clothes are getting to be old and well-worn. So? I went to the mall this week with Lauren in tow - specifically to get something for myself. Every time I do this, I feel some small bit of guilt over purchasing something mostly unnecessary. Why is that? Am I not worthwhile enough to get a pair of decent shorts to wear in this oppressive heat? Is a cute sundress too extravagant for a stay at home mom with nowhere more important to go than the grocery store?

This time though, the guilt stayed at bay. Maybe I'm gaining confidence in my worth as a non-earner. Maybe the sale was good enough. Whatever. I got some shorts and a dress, and I'm happy about it.

5. Mia's been going to VBS every night this week, and it's worn me out. No, I'm not helping with it or anything; I'm staying home to put the baby -ach, I mean toddler- to bed which includes a nursing session (a highly mom-oriented task). But it's worn me out with BEDTIME WORRY. I am so not comfortable with a week of bedtimes that are 90 minutes later than usual. As expected, Mia's exhausted, but I think it's been worth it. She's having a ball. She even has a line in a skit for the program tonight. I'll take Lauren with me and make her exhausted too because there's no way I'm missing my 3 year old's first performance. (Hmm...I see a casual dress-wearing occasion after all...)

6. So if you feel a slight tremor in the earth at around 7:09 PM central time tonight, don't worry. It's just my heart breaking from witnessing my beautiful baby girl grow up so fast.

Also, the aftershocks you will feel at about 8:12 PM will be from me nervously thumping my leg, worrying that Lauren will have a horrible night's sleep and a terribly early morning wake up due to her phenomenally late bed time. (Horrible, terrible, phenomenal. Yikesal.)

I apologize in advance.

7. This attached itself to my home earlier this week.

I almost fainted because I was sure it was a tiny bat. It was, after all, hanging upside down. Or do bats only do that in scary cartoons? (I was always terrified of Scooby-Doo growing up. So, yes - cartoons are scary.) Then I got to looking at it's camo wings. Pretty neat. From a comfortable, camera-zoomable distance.

I started feeling imaginary things crawling on me while I took this picture, so we're just lucky the camera isn't in pieces from being smashed on our driveway by a bug underappreciater named Moi.

Have a wonderful weekend! Stay cool by sweet talking your air conditioner and checking out more Quick Takes.