Summer, We're Not Done With You Yet!

Ahhhh Monday. We got back from visiting family in NYC last night and it was good to be back in the city where our family started. The kids had a blast with their cousins (did you see I used Boomerang for the 1st time?!) and Nia still seems to have her street smarts about her, but Grayson not so much! He gets a bit rattled by city sounds and isn't as wary of city grime and grit (it was a constant battle to keep him from picking up trash at the playground O_o). 

We've lived in Portsmouth for almost 2 years and I finally took an "official" sign pic today!

Today we're back in Portsmouth prepping for 1st grade and a whirlwind of activity planned for the next 2 1/2 weeks. Thankfully we get to squeeze all we can out of summer since Nia doesn't start until after Labor Day this year. I know so many parents rejoice about early August starts for school, but to me, it really doesn't feel like back-to-school until after Labor Day. We'll take it easy here with family for the holiday weekend and probably plan an end of the summer visit to the beach. I'm looking forward to it! 

I was supposed to announce the winner of my Kate & Mim-Mim giveaway today but alas no one entered. Message received loud and clear! I promise I'll have a few more enticing giveaways coming up soon...

Along that vein, I've alluded to the changes in the overall blogosphere (this piece on mid-tier bloggers is eye-opening), as well as how I'm blogging small. I really value the feedback I've received and with some other changes my family is currently undergoing I look forward to recreating this space and appreciate the support of my longtime readers as well as the brands who collaborate with me. 

Speaking of brands, I'm very excited about My Muse Dolls which sent Nia a special surprise just in time for her birthday last week! If you recall my commentary in the news story about Barbie's changes, you know this is a really big deal. I can't wait to share more with you about My Muse Dolls, but in the interim definitely check out their website as well as their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Have a good week and good luck to those of you still squeezing out the last bit of summer!