Summer's Out, School's In

Confession: I have been counting down the days until school started like a kid counts down to Christmas. Or maybe more like a pregnant woman counts down to her due date. I was just not up to summer this year. I had neither the energy nor the enthusiasm nor appreciation for the long, hot, unstructured days. I like the school year. My kids like the school year. It was time.

I'm looking forward to the quiet afternoons until the baby is born. It will be nice not to have to yell "shut the door!" 48 times a day at my kids and their friends. I won't miss the popsicle sticks and wrappers on my garage floor and my kids complaining that they're bored or pestering each other to cure their boredom.

So to wrap up the summer and officially say goodbye, here's a few things we did.

Earlier this month we went to the county fair. 

After sitting in the sun for awhile watching a slow monkey show, we found some air conditioned displays. Legos are always a hit.

 Henry loved the trains.

 Actually they all did.

 Then we went outside to look at the animals. I'm always impressed at the variety of chickens and rabbits. Sarah liked this one.

 Henry is turning into quite the photo-bomber.

 Isn't this the quintessential rooster? Belongs in a folk art painting.

 Erica liked these ones.

 She also liked the pigs and commented often on the smell.

 Then we went to the taxidermy demonstration but then we were all hungry and hot so we went home.

I made this list with the kids during the first week of summer. It wasn't so much a bucket-list (because kids make their own summer magic) but a place for me to go to for ideas when I just didn't know what to do with them. Last week I checked off the things that we got around to doing and I think we did pretty well considering my aversion to heat and being in the car with all of them for extended periods of time. If things like "watch Full House" and "jump on Violet and Dexter's trampoline" and "ride the dump truck down the driveway" and "play in the neighbor's kiddie pool" and "write notes" and "ride bikes up and down driveways" were on the list, they'd have 81 check marks each.

 The day before school started for Sarah, I asked her which of the things on our idea list she would like to do. Of course she picked the activity that required me to make 3 dozen cookies and a batch of frosting. They frosted them and set up their stand while I put Erica down for a nap so they did pretty well unsupervised.

In two hours they had sold (or eaten) all 36 cookies. We have some very generous neighbors.  I made them split their $7 equally even though Henry bailed after 30 minutes and I did all the labor.

Sarah's first day of 2nd grade! She had a minor meltdown over her outfit that morning (she was torn between wearing new pink pants she had picked out and risk being too hot or wearing old shorts but being more comfortable). But by the time we left, she was all smiles and jitters.

Erica didn't want to be left out and I love her hair. Sarah didn't want to be walked in so I said good-bye from the car. I didn't cry but my heart goes out to Erica every day when she says she misses Sarah. I do too.

When I asked her how her first day went, she starts, "Well, after I got inside, I hung up my backpack and then I saw Macie so we walked out to to the playground together. Then the bell rang so we went to our class and I saw Katie......" and on and on, play by play. I love her.

Saturday was a "Six Job Saturday" where I give each kid 6 smallish chores all within the same room and reward them handsomely. (Sometimes it's "5 Job Friday") Henry got the living room which is a good fit for him because he loooves the vacuum. He is very thorough.

 Although I think he may just like it for the comedy.

Today was his first day of school. I've been a wreck the past few days. I kind of feel like this kind of snuck up on me. It took nearly 6 years of parenting before Sarah went to kindergarten; I want 6 more before sending the next one. And why is it that finally when Henry is mostly tolerable and reasonable, I have to send him to school? Just when he's fun to be around again? I would have gladly shipped him off when he was 3.  I whined to Justin about how I'm not ready to let him go. "But he's going to get on a bus! With a backpack on!"

It didn't help that he came down dressed including shoes at 7:30. I could hardly look at him without losing it.

It was the longest morning of his life (He was asking how much longer as soon as Sarah left). After he ate lunch, he asked me to set the timer which at that time was 30 more minutes. Then he took it outside and sat on the porch chair staring at it. Then he moved it to the steps so he could keep me updated through the front door. (This is the same kid I had to bribe for months to go into preschool)

Here's the cutout he colored to look like him. When Sarah did hers, we added yarn hair and cut clothes out of fabric. Henry colored his all red in like 2 minutes. When I asked him if he wanted to cut out clothes to glue on he said, "No, I think I did a good job." Can't argue with that.

Ack! He's so big!

The bus is here! It's finally here! I was hoping he'd back out at the last second and let me take him.

But nope, he didn't even look back.

So I hustled inside and grabbed Erica's shoes and we raced to the school. We got there just in time to see him get off the bus. Yes, I guess I am that mom. But in my defense, Luke's and Myer's mom did the exact same thing.

This is his best friend Myer Morse. The Morse's moved into the new development south of us several months ago and these two little freckled redheads have been best buds since.

I can't wait to hear how his day went but I'm sure all I'll get out of him is "good."