Bye Summer... (*sniff)

The tradition in my family while I was growing up was that we could pick whatever we wanted to eat on the first day of school. With seven kids in the family, I recall choosing more uncommon luxuries like pop-tarts, steak and vanilla yogurt (my order for several years in a row). In fact, I think most of us would set off for the first morning of school with a big steak meal in our bellies. I was excited to start that tradition with Junior last year. Anything goes on the first day of school (not just breakfast choices) but for all that, Junior still picked waffles with berry syrup, bacon and strawberry milk. He did shake things up a little with dippin' dots ice cream (pretty much his same choices as last year). He clearly doesn't realize what a golden ticket he has here. By the time he does, I may be regretting starting this tradition up. If I recall, my dad was always up well before us grilling steaks and assembling multiple random breakfasts that first day.

This is the 'secret passageway' to his school. He is excited when we take it (come on!! A secret passageway??!! :-) and I am excited it makes a 15 minute walk into a 5 minute one. It is faster to walk him to school than it would be to put the kids in the car and drive him.


Junior has been begging since last year to ride his bike to school himself, and although I have relaxed quite a bit on his hanging out outside on his own since moving, I haven't gone that far yet. We compromised by him riding his bike, followed by me and the little ones and then meeting him at the front doors after school to walk him home.



I remember first grade very well. It was the scene of my first crush, losing my first tooth, my first playground friend drama, my first feeling of independence and the first time I remember learning something new and the euphoria of knowing I could read and do math. I hope it's a good year for Junior. I know it will feel like no time at all before my bright eyed little guy, who is dying to ride his bike to school alone, will be graduating and heading off into the world.


Sis really wanted to join all the kids on the playground.

We tried to make the most of the last few weeks of summer and probably did more in the time since we moved here than we did at the old place where I was able to be much lazier and much more of a hermit. Being here has been good for getting me "out." In the old house, I couldn't get the kids to set foot outside for more than ten minutes at a time unless we went to the park. In this house, the hard part is getting them to come back inside. Junior is setting records for being on wheels more than his own two feet (yes Junior, 6:30 a.m. IS too early for you to go ride your bike. Go back to bed) and Bubba just follows him and the neighborhood gang around alternately on his scooter and his bike. Sis very badly wants to be one of the big kids and follows anyone who will let her. She adores the neighbor girls who come over and want to tend and play with her.

What else have we been up to?


First pony rides with Grandpa's help


Feeding the goats (Sis did NOT want to give up her corn.)



Helping me unpack and "rearrange"


Washing the car (kind of)




Re-designating my anniversary as "kid day." All day long, the kids called the shots on what we did and what we ate (yes becky, I stole the idea from you guys :-) Mostly they chose to play at Jungle Jim's (a cooler, less crowded version of Chuck E. Cheese). The Bradshaws joined us. We have missed them!! Afterward, we went to Target and shopped in the dollar section and picked out a backpack for Junior (a very close race between Mario Bros. and Space Monkeys. Mario won.) For dinner, we had chicken nuggets, pudding and pop rocks.



Second pony ride :-)


Falling out of bed pretty much every night and being tired enough to not even notice. If I heard him fall, I put him back. If not, he came to climb in with me eventually.

Also on the list; crawdad fishing with grandpa and cousins at Strawberry Reservoir (no pix, I didn't go on this one!) Dave Matthews Band outdoor concert with friends (for me, not the kids! Thanks again Phread.) Hours of playing on the front porch and avoiding unpacking the rest of the house. Teaching Sis to dance and to give kisses and say our names. Trying to figure out what to make with all the vegetables my generous neighbor's bountiful garden keeps producing for us (almost salsa season!) School shopping date with Junior and a bi-annual all-nighter with the old roomies. These cooler mornings are getting me very excited for my favorite season. I expect to enjoy it a lot more this year. However, at the moment, I might also be too tired to notice if I have fallen out of bed either.

Happy first week of school to everyone!