Another Labor Day has come to pass, which signifies ( unofficially ) another summer's end and another school year's beginning, and now, Autumn has arrived. We've had a full summer season crammed packed with activities and Kenna is still loving her new bedroom. 
Back in June, before school was out, when Kenna's whole 5th grade went on their (CCE) annual end of the year camping trip to Lake Seneca, and yes, I was just as, if not more, nervous sending her as I was when her older brother went 14 years ago, I redecorated her bedroom. Taking it from the young child-like fairy theme to a more grown-up one, a conversation her and I had discussed many times during the past year. When she arrived home and opened her bedroom door she was extremely surprised to find her fairies had all flown south. And I even did it on a fixed budget I gave myself which made hubby very happy. Of course I only had three days to try and get it done which involved not only stripping the appliqué fairies from the walls, removing the wall length shelving from two of those walls then painting over the stenciled picket fence adorned with stenciled rose offshoots her sister,had helped paint with me, along with the calligraphic lyrics of "Eeyore's Lullaby" I painstakingly wrote out that wrapped around the whole room and the hand-painted glow-in-the-dark dragonflies. Those were the easy tasks, it was the shopping I dreaded the most.
Thank goodness, with the help of her father, it was almost completed by the time I had to pick her up. Of course I did have to cut a few corners and settle (at least for that moment) on the furniture. As much as I looked, staying on that strict budget I gave myself, I could not find a canopy bed nor tall dresser I was happy with or could afford, so I compromised with the canopy look and painted the ugly dresser she had and attached new drawer knobs. When I removed the shelving that I had put up better than eleven-years earlier I found the "secret" message I had scribbled on the wall to her while she still rested safely in my belly. The lead marks from the pencil still easily visible and as clear as it was the day I wrote it. Time really does fly by.
We made an appearance in Supreme Court this past July and I am happy to say we won our case. The lawyers were somewhat taken aback with our notes and interaction during the proceedings as the trial was conducted, us catching discrepancies from the prosecuting side and making our findings known to the attorneys. It ended up not mattering because the jury, thank GOD, saw right through the plaintiff's testimony, revealing cracks she tried to cover up and downright lied about. We have always taught our children to tell the truth, no matter what, even if that truth is detrimental in its effect and causes a less than pleasant outcome. Believe me, I certainly know something about that. And I couldn't have been prouder than I was the day my son took the stand and told the truth admitting to his part in an unfortunate happening that another (whom we'll call "a Lilith") tried cashing in on. Good does, most of the time, overcome evil and when it doesn't, you wait patiently for the karma to kick in, and eventually, it will and does.
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| Happy Tree |
Kenna and I accompanied her father on his business trip to Delaware. We couldn't have picked a more beautiful week in August to travel with him. We embarked on our roadtrip the weekend before his scheduled appointments giving us enough time to stop for the day in Gettysburg, Pa. I would love to go back to this historic place and spend more time there.
The first half of our Delaware trip landed us south of Dover, it's capital.
Kenna and I spent most of our days on the beaches of Rehoboth, Dewey and Ocean City and although I am not a water person, it was fun to watch her make sand castles and frolic in the ocean. Our evenings were spent sightseeing with her father after he'd finish his full day of appointments.
We drove down to Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore and sat on the beach and watched the surfers ride the waves while wild horses roam freely amongst the visitors. What an awe inspiring sight. 
Later in the week we took the Cape May Ferry in Lewes, Delaware and traveled over to New Jersey. Kenna launched her "message in a bottle" before we arrived on the shores of Jersey.
After spending a good part of the day at the Cape May Lighthouse we headed to Salem, New Jersey taking in all of its history. Our last stop before heading home was back in Delaware in Wilmington for one last appointment. There, Kenna and I visited Bellevue State Park in search of a letterbox (with no luck I may add) after a visit to Brandywine Park and zoo. 
