September

I hate September.

I think I've officially decided that September is worse than July in Arizona. At least in July you expect the heat. You expect the blow dryer set on high heat that greets you as you step out your door. You expect to burn your hands on your steering wheel. You expect to do all your grocery shopping trips between the hours of 8 pm and 7 am. You expect your kids to go through 47 boxes of Popsicles each and every week. You expect these things.

September is a different story. The idyllic September in my brain conjures stories of cooler weather, leaves changing colors, sweaters, and hot soup.

Not in Arizona. By the time September rolls around and the temperature is still expected to hit 108 degrees (I checked- that is the forecast for today and that is taking into account the scattered thunderstorms) you start to worry that the summer will NEVER end.

I will never again take my kids to the park, despite the fact that Initer points out every single slide we drive past, I will never be able to send my kids out in the yard to play, they will continue to ride their scooters and tricycles through my house because they are stir crazy and I have given up, stepping outside barefoot means I will forever burn my feet, going for walks outside will never again be synonymous with "pleasant" or "enjoyable", my kids will continue to come home red faced and sweaty from school each day, and standing over a hot stove in my kitchen will forever sound like torture.

I know that winter has never failed to show it's lovely head before, but I gotta say, by the time September rolls around, I start to worry that this will be the year of the never ending summer.