Sunday, July 24, 2011

The long, hot days of an Oklahoma Summer.



This Summer has been abnormally hot, even for our scorching Oklahoma Summers. When June came around, our temperatures reached the 100's and have stayed that way. There seems to be no end in sight, and every week we watch the weather, disappointed by another 7 days of triple digit temperatures and no rain in sight. We are in the middle of a severe drought, and the days seem to drag on with no relief.
At any given time, the weather here seems to be an indicator that the world is ending, when in reality, it is just a typical Oklahoma weather pattern.



Even our watering holes prove no relief, only feeling like a disappointing tepid bath. One that makes your skin almost feel worse than it did before.



We are all suffering from severe cabin fever, and feeling the need to spread our wings and be part of the outside world again. Days are spent trapped inside our house with the air conditioner on constantly, barely clothed, and sweating. Sweet Elodie seems to be taking it the worst. She loves nothing more than being outside - I adore that first moment when I take her out and she sighs, blinks her eyes, and takes in all the smells, sounds, and happy bits of nature. But these days she is stuck inside with the rest of us, and also teething. She cries, cries, cries...chews on frozen pacifiers and her little fingers. I want desperately to let her feel the wind on her skin and through her hair....I miss it, too.



We keep her busy the best we can, but there is only so much you can do with a (almost) 4 month old that just wants to sit in the hammock and swing, listening to the birds.



I try to rattle toys at her, but everything seems to make her cry. I make her promises of Fall, and how we will hike, go for walks, and lay in the hammock until she falls asleep and drifts off to another place.



The time inside has been a nice break to spend with family, and rest. But as the days go by and I see more and more of her personality come through, I realize how much of the two of us is inside her tiny body.



She is a whole mess of bored & sensitive, and a combination of her screams and this heat have been making my head very heavy.

We still have 2 more full months of hot weather, and for now I have to focus on the day to day. Looking ahead, it seems like a lifetime away before I can open the windows and let the stale out of this home that feels like a prison.





When she is in bed and my world is quiet again, I grab the monitor and sneak outside to unwind. The evening is the only time of day that is somewhat bearable, although the upper 90's are not much of a relief from this overbearing weight of Summer.
I take photos, pull weeds, and sadly look over a garden that stood no chance against the kind of Summer we had this year.



In late July, a Summer Breeze in Oklahoma is nothing like the ones that cool us to our bones in Spring. Now they feel heavy, thick, like a brick across your face. It feels like opening an oven, and being met with a wall of heat.

My herbs have long ago dried up, and what I didn't save to dry myself for the cooler months, I let go to seed. I have been outside in these hot evenings, picking them to prepare for gardening season, next Spring.






The way you feel after spending a couple hours outside in this weather can only be truly understood if you have spent a Summer here, in the middle of arid Oklahoma.
After a period of time, it almost feels like death. Your body is only brought back to reality by the beads of sweat that slowly trickle down your back, reminding you that you are still alive. Everything slows down, and even your senses are completely numb. Things seem to move slower, the world is drowsier, your heart beats quieter.



Across the state, people are losing their lives, and our wildlife is completely threatened by this drought.



In a literal sense, everything is just cooking.



Every couple weeks, clouds will fill the sky and everyone is praying to their God that it will finally rain. But we are met with no response from anyone or thing upstairs, and the tiny drops that barely cover the tallest leaves quickly evaporate.



The only things thriving are the sunflowers. My wildflower garden has dried up, but the sunflowers seem to be loving this heat.



Their faces are an absolute joy, a mirror image of the hot sun that is causing all of this trouble. But still they make me happy, to know that something is still able to live through this.





I've been clipping them and bringing them inside, my tiny bits of the outdoors inside of this air-conditioned-prison.
I've also been bringing inside handfuls of tomatoes from the garden...they are the only other remaining things that have survived.



But as of last week, this spider has made it's home in the middle of my three tomato plants, and I doubt that I will be in the middle of her web, picking my fruit any longer.




How challenging it really is... to stay optimistic and alive when everything around you is dying.
In these moments - the end of our icy Winters and the long, hot days of an Oklahoma Summer - it is a daily struggle and fight to put on a smile and face a world that is doing everything it can to break you down.



In these weak moments I think of sweet Elodie. Tiny, teething, sensitive, and innocent. Her first Summer has been a challenging one....and I wish that I could make it all better for her. For myself. But in real life, things don't work that way.

So today, and tomorrow, and for as long as that 7 day forecast spells 106 + no precipitation, I will smile and teach Elodie that sometimes we cannot control what goes on around us. The hand we are dealt may not be the best, but it's the only one we have.
In our home we are dreaming of the brisk days of Fall, open windows, and new life. Long walks, bike rides, and patio nights. Throwing more wood on the chiminea fire, swinging in the hammock, and a barren weight of Summer '11 to be lifted from our weary shoulders.

We will take it one day at a time, and one day we will wake up and these dreams will be today. Until then, all we can do is wait.

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't know if this will help but maybe buy a small wading pool, fill it with water (and ice if necessary :)) and sit in it in the evenings to cool down. So sorry to hear that things are rough. Hope the skies open and the winds blow for you and Elodie :)

Laura said...

I love this post because it represents exactly how I feel in Austin TX. I wake up thinking, "it will get better, it will get better." I have hope...

Anonymous said...

amazing how connected our moods, well-being, & spirit are connected to the earth her tides. more amazing that we could forget that.

praying for rain for ya'll!!

that wading pool idea sounds pretty sweet! xo's

Anonymous said...

When my little one was teething he loved gnawing on a cold raw carrot or I would put his teething ring in the freezer. Like the wadding pool idea or if you already have a small tub Elodie might like sitting in that and playing with the water.

Take care,
Shamima

Vintage Hippo said...

For a girl who's lived through 19 hot, muggy, and stale Bakersfield california summers, I completely understand what you're going through. Poor baby, I'll be praying for rain and some cool breezes for all of you!

Allison said...

this was so wonderful to read. i spent the last 14 years in phoenix, and you have captured exactly the eerie quiet, the pressing feeling of the heat, and the silent prayers of everyone when the storm clouds start to build - only to pass by again. thank you, thank you, thank you.

ps. elodie is absolutly beautiful, and so blessed to have you to teach her about this beautiful world.

xx

Jess said...

We had a brief downpour in Tulsa today!! We saw the clouds and my 3 year old and I started singing a rain, rain, come today song...and it worked! My 4 month old girl has been pretty fussy being stuck inside too...poor little lumps.

Melanie said...

WHOA that sounds BRUTAL! That heat paired with the crazy tornados you guys get.. living in the southern states sounds like a nightmare!

Living up here in Canada isn't nearly that bad. Ontario has it's bouts of heat waves.. but Alberta (especially the rocky mountains) is always so cool. This summer has been exceptionally cool and I've slept at night with 3 blankets at one point! I can't imagine how difficult that heat would be. I had to do a conversion (we measure temperature in celsius up here in Canada) and when I read that 100'F is 37'C celsius.. my heart immediately went out to you and your family. That is just GROSS weather!

I'm glad you still manage to take your photos. :)

Jessie said...

Oh the summer can be so hard! The heat has such power over us, it's amazing. My little guy looks just as miserable as your sweet girl.

Anonymous said...

This too shall pass. Hang in there! :)

Christine Chitnis said...

Oh Aura...reading your post brought tears to my eyes. These were my exact feeling this past winter- trapped inside for days on end due to the inclement weather.

There were days that I would plaster on a smile and pretend it was okay...and the minute Vijay napped, I would dissolve into tears.

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I second the wading pool idea- nothing makes Vijay happier than splashing in cool water. Put an umbrella over it for shade, and it might bring some relief.

I will be hoping and praying for a nice cooling rain.

Meemo said...

I feel your pain sister. Living in Mesa, AZ is not so easy these days. The sweat, oh the sweat.

This too shall pass.

Anonymous said...

i love your photos and i am sorry i cannot make the weather a little kinder for you right now. your blog space is absolutely beautiful as is your sweet little girl. so lovely!

Nancy Cavillones said...

I had a summer baby so I know the feeling all too well! Your thoughts on the sunflowers reminded me of a poem by Allen Ginsberg. I think it's called Sunflower Sutra but I'm not sure. It expresses a similar sentiment...the resilient sunflower.

Marisa said...

Elodie is just beautiful! I completely understand your feelings of the indoor prison. I've tried to take the girls out every morning, if even just for a walk before the triple digits set in. It's awful!

For teething, I can't say enough good thing about Sophie the Giraffe. Lily loved it. Wishing you the best mommy! :)

whoorl said...

Although I live in California now, I was born and raised in Oklahoma and know exactly what you (so eloquently) speak of. I'm praying for some relief for you, my family, and everyone who is trying to make it through this brutal summer in the plains.

Nikki J said...

Oh man, I'm with you girl!... over in Tulsa. This weather is just plain gross. I was so excited to spend the entire summer off on maternity leave (baby girl is 1 month old), but we're trapped in our own 71 degree prison until nightfall. Baby gets stripped down to just her diaper or just those sweet baby buns and we sit on the patio under the fan and stars. She loves it! I can't help but feel like during daylight hours the precious sights and sounds of the world I've been itching to share with her are out of reach. Oklahoma- one extreme to the next. But hang in there... Fall will be even better than you remembered, especially after this hot box of a summer!

PS. I just adore your blog... I have no idea how I stumbled upon it, but you're tucked in with my favorites now on my blog bookmark :) And your sweet baby E is just a doll! Take care neighbor!

~Nikki J

Becky said...

Have you tried amber teething necklaces? I didn't use them for my little guy, but many of my friends swear by them. Also, try Hyland's teething gel--it's homeopathic and works wonders!

I SO hope you get water and lower temperatures soon. Makes our Ohio heat seam like nothing, even though it's hot for what we're used to!

Anonymous said...

I was just daydreaming today about being able to open the house up, curtains blowing in the cool breeze and snuggling up my baby boy in warn, cozy blankets! Guess we'll just appreciate it THAT much more in a few months. Sorry baby girl is having a time with those teeth, so pitiful to watch! We put frozen fruit in the mesh baggies for Milo to gum on, he loved frozen mango the best :) My garden looks sad compared to last year too. Happy thought, Next year you'll have a little garden helper! Milo loves rooting around our garden, bliss! Hang in there sister

Darrin Jenkins said...

Beautiful photos. I would love to know what software you use to do the animated gifs. KY has been pretty darn hot too. I hope we get some relief soon.

::The Beetle Shack:: said...

Oh Lady, i'm feeling that with you!

We are in the middle of winter here but I had my baby girl in the middle of Australia's hottest summer- no air con 45 degree C days (thats about 112) and breast feeding a newborn. Not pretty.

We used to wet a muzlin wrap an lay in (safely) over her cot under the fan, providing her with a tiny but of cool air.

Hope you survive it. There is always an icy cold beer to look forward to at the end of the day right? Or is taht just me?

xo em

AJD ∞ said...

I briefly lived in the middle of the desert in CA and I completely understand what you're going through this summer. It looks absolutely beautiful outside when you're INSIDE, but as soon as you step out, into that baking sun, you feel faint and choked and desperate for green and life and water [not sweat]. I hope her teething goes by quickly!

Anonymous said...

You have an uncanny way of telling my own story through your words, time and again. The past two summers have been crueler than any other I can remember: 90-100+ every day, with near as high humidity. I live in the northeast, but lately might as well be in the deep heart of the south.

In the last few days the air has been thick enough that you could see it, still enough that you could hold it in your hands. Herbs and flowers have dried to dust in the sun; I open my door for a few brave seconds, and my lungs are filled with the sick-making stench of burnt mint.

I have no baby, but an old dog watches the conflagration of the world through the window beside me. It may be her last summer, and I am sad to count the days that have passed without our walks.

Your calm words bring such cooling reassurance.

Cindy said...

I was just going to say almost the same thing as Laura, Also from Austin here. Me and my girls spend a fair amount of time under the shade of our pecan tree or on our screened porche with fans blowing, playing with buckets of ice water, squirt bottles, or the mist setting on our garden hose. It's hot.. but beats the cabin fever.

Us+House=Home said...

Even in the midst of difficult times, you still know how to capture beautiful moments. Thanks for sharing, Aura.

BTW, for what it's worth - here in Melbourne, Australia, we're in the midst of Winter. For the past few weeks, it has just rained and rained and rained - and it is freezing cold! What I wouldn't give for just a moment of sunshine and some heat. If only we could swap places for a moment! :-)

Take care. xx

Unknown said...

great photos, your daughter is unbelievably cute!

Ashley said...

Edmond, OK missed out on all the rain chances tonight. It was so disappointing. :( My little man is 1 in 2 weeks loves being outside too. I find getting out first thing in the morning is good (and good for great naps!) and he's LOVED swimming! We started with a plastic pool and when he loved it so much we upgraded to a bigger one we could all fit in. He's had 6 teeth come in this year. The top 4 came in at one time and it lasted a month - so awful, but the bottom 2 came in in about 2 weeks. When those teeth came in his favorite thing was sucking on wash cloths that had soaked in ice water. At 10 months when the top teeth came in he was obsessed with the wash cloths again, but also loved drinking icy cold water. Good luck!

Gaby said...

Oh man, I feel you! It's winter right now, but I can't stand summer in Sydney! I would take a sydney winter over a sydney summer any day; it's unbearable in the middle of summer. It's so hard and so draining; i can't imagine what it must be like with a little one. Hang in there Aura! xx

Nichole said...

Feeling the same here. Heat and Humidity in Iowa, it's been so unbearably humid and just plain miserable. Wishing I too could get out of the a/c for a bit, and find that only at night is there little, if any relief. Hoping for some much needed rain for your part of the country. Thanks for the beautiful pictures and the reminder of sunflowers still growing. Lovely indeed.

Anonymous said...

just google the drought that is currently occurring in east africa... i'm sure you'll realize just how little you have to complain about. just trying to put things in perspective for you!

Wenonah said...

Your photographs are amazing. Loved reading about your slice of life. Living in Tucson, az, I know exactly this kind of oppressive heat. Luckily for us we are getting the monsoon storms we so despirately need right now. Even when the rains don't come the clouds are enough to make it better.
Soon. Soon the cooler weather will come. All the best to you and your sweet little family.

Anonymous said...

1. the heat is here too, in michigan! it's awful, trying to keep a 4 year old inside when she just wants to go out out out!
2. hylands teething tablets are homeopathic little circles that will disolve in elodie's mouth - you can get them at a natural foods store (whole foods, a co-op) and target/meijer might even have them too. you can always order via amazon i'm sure, as well.
3. amber teething necklaces. yes. i second that.
4. and i second (third?) the little wading pool! she'll love it!

Amy Cappelli said...

We haven't had it nearly as bad as you have here in Buffalo, NY. But last week it was in the 90's with the heat index in the upper 90's and humidity so high that it seizes your lungs and makes it difficult to breathe. We do not have air conditioning (except in our bedroom where all 6 of us camped out on the three worst nights)- so we have become lazy, sitting in front of oscillating fans all day. Like your Elodie, my 18 month old has been so bored stuck inside with me- not able to go on our long walks. She has also had a crash course in the words 'hot' and 'cold' and what they mean. She knows now when she gets a taste of a juice pop, it is 'Cold.' But the funniest was when I returned her to her bedroom at night after hanging out in the air conditioning of our room and she exclaimed upon crossing the threshold, "Hot!Hot!"

Wishing you rain and a cool breeze. And hoping that Elodie finds some comfort during teething. Teething is brutal (we are still going through it over here).

patricia said...

Oh My!! We in the North East had that heat just for a few days and it was bad. All summer with a wee one, I might loose my mind. I pray for some rain for you and cooler temps.
I used to keep frozen wash clothes in the freezer for teething. Cools baby down and helps the gums.
I'd also get that wading pool for you both with a few inches of water. Lots of tub time too. Also, what about a bay swing With a fan blowing near buy. Buy a nature CD and pretend to be outside. Put her close to a window. I know it's not the real thing, but it might bring her some comfort and peace. Maybe one of those ceiling hammock swings you hang? You might all enjoy that with the fan close buy. We do what we have to survive. And there will always be next summer to use these items. No waste:) Stay cool Aura. LOve your blog and your sweet E!!!

ashley noelle said...

I was so sorry to hear my mom (in tulsa) tell me that there were no tomatoes to be found anywhere in town because of the heat. It's been a tough summer that's for sure!

I just moved to Charleston, SC and whenever I hear people complain about the heat here, I think they must not know oklahoma in july and august :) Hang in there!

Follow Your Own Way said...

change is coming...cooler days will bring the relief you seek. i am visiting family in texas right now...and we finally got a much needed rainstorm last night. maybe it will come your way.

p.s. the photos capture so much beauty.

Anonymous said...

you so beautifully captured everything i've been feeling about this bizarre, tortured okie summer. it is taking a toll on me. when it's this hot outside, it's difficult to even get anything done indoors! if you would like some real inspiration to remind you of all the other okies who dealt with this sort of thing and MUCH worse- you should read "the grapes of wrath" by steinbeck. i read it for the first time last year and it made my heart ache. it is beautiful and all of the characters will seem like people you know now, in 2011, because steinbeck captured the okie persona so well. it's a great story and beautifully written, and, given your love for the okie landscape, i think you would LOVE it. :)

Taylor said...

this heat is truly incredible. you've captured it well. i'm trying to soak it all in, and store it in a memory for my body when it's freezing in 6 months.

Nolita said...

woo hoo! It was so nice to get a little rain last night unexpectedly and more this morning. We punted the concert last night because of the heat. Praying for more relief. Baby E is so cute...

jennifer said...

it's been said already but, try an amber necklace for Elodie. they worked amazingly for my babies.
when it's very very cold, you can always get warm but it's not always possible to cool down in the heat. terrible!
we do the sprinkler & fan method :)

Connie said...

Hasn't this just been a brutal summer? I'm up near Chicago, and we've had a hotter, drier summer than we've had in many years: Humid and mid-nineties. We finally had some rain this weekend, and it surprised the ground so badly we had some flash-flooding. We all stay inside and wonder when we'll get some relief.
As for my little container garden I keep, Somehow by the grace of God I've managed to grow some hot peppers, some basil, and our baby eggplants are hanging in there. Each morning, I tuck them in the shadiest spot and beg them to hold on. I can't imagine the worry that farmers are feeling this summer. I say a little prayer for them everyday.

Oh-and I just have to mention: Girl, those spiders you have by you mean some serious business. I'd be crouched on the roof if something that intimidating ever popped its spidey-head in my view! Yikes!

kate said...

what a sweet photo of your baby girl, the last one. i hope you get some rain soon.

Born of the Sea said...

The way you write is truly incredible. I live in Ohio and although our temps are not in the 100's they are in the upper 90's with heat indexes in the 110's. The humidity here is so dense that it makes it hard to breath. I cannot remember a summer this intense in a long time. It may seem hard to get through this while everything is dying but just know you have a daily reminder of how beautiful life can be with the beautiful smiling face of little Elodie. Hang in there! We can all sweat it out together. And fall with be that much more of a reward once we get through this!

XXXX
-Morgan ( Born of the Sea ) <---my little blog.

The Vaught's said...

I know your pain. We're in Tulsa and we're all dying over here. I've been mourning a summer lost. A summer I too had bigs plans for. It's disappointing, especially for sweet Elodie, I know. My babies are climbing the walls. I love Fall in Oklahoma, but never want to wish away the summer until this year. My garden is dried up, and the grass is yellow and crunchy. Fortunately we leave next week for California to camp in Yosemite and enjoy 60 degree weather in San Francisco. All us Okies can get through this though. It will be a beautiful fall! Hang in there :) PS...Did you notice how windy it was in May? The weather is just getting bizarro!

joan blondina said...

Indeed, hot days are so much longer with a teething babe to entertain! I am right there with you. My babe is working on his third tooth as we speak and the best distraction is a big old tree. There's something to primal about a baby's love of the outdoors! Does Elodie like water? A trip to the kitchen sink is also a nice distraction. And have you heard of the Baltic amber necklace for teething babies? It's a nice natural way to help with pain.

Anyways, beautiful post Aura. So honest and poetic despite the rough go.

Sara

Jessica said...

Bless your heart. Layla was born in the scorching summer of early August so girl, I FEEL YOU. It's miserably hot here as well right now. High 90's and in the 100's everyday and HUMID. The humidity is what kills me. It feels like you are suffocating. We finally broke down and bought Layla a blow up pool (that is big enough to fit several adults :), and SHE LOVES IT! And it helps me get her outside when that cabin fever is going. We have it on our covered deck and with that and the fan blowing on us, it's bearable for a while.

I encourage the wading pool idea! It definitely couldn't hurt. And as far as teething, I second the teething tablets, those worked wonders for Layla and they are all natural.

I wish you cool breezes, big fat summer rain drops, and that fall comes quickly.
Keep your chin up darlin.

Learning said...

I'm so glad something is alive in your garden! We're having a hard time just keeping the grass alive. Even that seems like a waste though. Grass really doesn't nourish anyone.

I also CANNOT wait for sweet and cool chiminea nights ;).

- Angela

Kathleen said...

perfect time for a first family mini vacation to a cooler climate :)

Anonymous said...

I know how terrible that must be, to have everything around you dying... but Northern Alberta hasn't seen a day over 23 degrees celcius this summer and flooding everywhere. I would love 2 days of extreme heat! Hope you and the family can find ways to keep kool :)

Luma Borges said...

Hi Aura (fisrt comment), I understand you, I live in Brazil (Bahia) and here is very very hot all year long. But in July and August is more calm and comfortable.

Good luck wiht the summer.
=)

Natasha Ayers said...

Totally understand. I live in a very hot place too, and even though my children are a bit older, it can be burdensome just to step outside. And they are the type to spend 8 hours easy, outdoors. Have you heard of amber teething necklaces? They are miracles, and I adore them. My 22 month old just had 4 teeth come in at once, and the necklace helped SOOOOO much. In fact, all of his teeth have come four at a time. Not fun.
As always, you paint the world so beautifully with your words and photos. Your detail of struggle and hardship is done so eloquently, and pictured so gorgeously, it is such an incredible contrast! Much love!

Cherry Blossoms said...

Greetings from Phx and from a new mommy of a 7 month old daughter, Elle. I love the name Elodie. She is just precious and I LOVE your blog. I discovered it on piterest. Too bad I did not know about it when I was expecting. I also, hardly wore any maternity clothing. Ick.
Newest follower!!
Heidi

Jessie Lathroum said...

Aura,... I so wish I could write like you! Beautiful. (its blazing hot in Texas too!! Bleh!)

stacy said...

feeling your pain in Austin.....you have to have experienced a southern summer to know how rough it can be. Thsi weather will make us appreciate our next season even more! BTW, Elodie is just as presh as can be....xx

Unknown said...

Such beautiful photos! Elodie is just gorgeous! I hope that you have a reprieve from the heat soon!

Betsy said...

Are you tired of hearing how gorgeous Elodie is yet?

Because Elodie is so flippin' gorgeous.

Under Her Charm said...

After growing up in Houston Texas, and moving to Berkeley California, I have finally discovered the "out of doors" after 30 years. A year round 55-65 degrees, our doors and windows are always open, we live outside. Gardens are productive year round. Hiking in every direction. I hope my little ones remember this time before we move back to Houston and have four outdoor months a year. Thanks for sharing your beautiful words!

Tessa said...

Love love LOVE the tie dye onsie! Must find one for baby Drew!

ourbeachbaby.com

onesilentwinter said...

beautiful summer light.

Marie said...

Oh, how I hear and feel your pain. We had a 100-degree summer last year, when my son was Elodie's age. It was so incredibly hard to be trapped inside with the little one.

Sending you lots of patience and cooling thoughts.... and hope for some long, gentle rains and a relent from the heat.

Hang in there.

Anonymous said...

That spider... scary girl, scary!!! But Lovely all in the same word... btw its desertvintage... Cheryl... I changed my blog, got a new one, the other took a plunge, basically, all my pics, no good. :( So I started a whole new one. Thanks for sharing your lovely posts as always!! xo

Kelly @ turned UP to ELEVEN! said...

I know how much you love summer so it must pain you just a wee bit to be wishing for Autumn so soon. I'm right there with you. My fiance and I have been wishing for fall since the moment we arrived back to Alabama from the amazing shores and temps in North Carolina.

Stay cool my dear and I pray that soon the heat breaks for all of us here in the South! oxox

patricia said...

http://tweetbabydesigns.bigcartel.com/product/clear-lemon-amber-teething-anklet

I just saw these on a link from another blog and had to share it with you. I know Elodie has been having trouble with teething. I've seen another baby wearing this teether on another blog I read and was wondering if the necklace had some sort of significance. Now I know it does. patricia

Eliza said...

Nice pictures!
Eliza

www.afieldofsunflowers95.blogspot.com

8Track Honey said...

I truly enjoy reading your blog!
Your posts are so thoughtful and your photography is breathtaking!

I was just about to stop reading blogs due to all of the annoying marketing tactics and lifestyle pressure but I think you blog is one that I'll look forward to continue reading.

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Praying relief and some cool breezes comes your way. The summer has been unbearably hot where I am in Northern Ontario. We've regularly had temps in the 100's. It's brutal. And, no air conditioning.

My daughter just cut her first two teeth last month. I wet and froze some of her baby washcloths for her to chew on. She loved them. In fact, I still keep some in the freezer to give to her during this summer heat because they are just so cool. And, this is going to sound so weirdo - but the other night I took out a random bottle of water that had been put into the freezer. Of course it was frozen through and I just sat there putting that cold body on my skin. It felt AMAZING. :) Just a fun little thing to try that will definatly cool you down.

Anonymous said...

Love your blog, as a new mum to a 16 week old I enjoy reading about your sweet little Girl!She is absolutely adorable!
Just the idea, have you heard about teething amber necklaces for babies? Amber has healing properties and lots of people swear by it. Unfortunately cant tell you anything from my own experience, just received mine today:)

loveatfirstbite said...

Aura,
Is there a way that I can contact you by email? I love your name. My name is Roya (Farsi for "dream")...I would love to connect somehow and see if our families have anything in common. I love Persian food and traditions, and I absolutely LOVE your photos! We actually have some Iranian friends in Oklahoma as well. If you don't mind, you can email me anytime. oustalet@gmail.com Hope to hear from you! ~Roya