So Long, Summer

Tomorrow is the first day of school. Even though I've been back to work for 2 weeks now, it still feels like today is the real end of summer. It went so quickly that I kind of wonder if it actually happened. Thank heavens for digital cameras and my twitchy shutter finger.

So what did we do all summer?

We swam.

We went to storytime at the library.

We climbed some really weird contraptions.

We went to the beach.

We played at normal playgrounds. (There is nothing more fun than when they make each other laugh.)

We visited with friends who feel like family.

We tried to fly kites. Turns out that you really do need wind for that.

We visited the land of Make Believe.

We visited actual family. (Not the dogs! The dogs belonged to the family member!)

We helped protect Middle Earth and defeated the goblins from Mordor.

And,

We pondered the peace and quiet that surrounds a misty summer morning before the world really wakes up.

I am so thankful for all the time we were able to spend together, and pray that the memories will stick with me for an awfully long time.

So long summer. It's been fun but we will miss you!!

He's Learning Young

In an attempt to take advantage of the last few hours of tax-free shopping, we took a family trip to the local mall. I just wanted to try & find some clothes for work; Husband wanted a universal remote. We each took a kid, and since Bird realllly wanted to go with Daddy, Bug came with me.

I have to say... I want to take him with me a whole lot more now! He'd sit with me in the fitting room, and no matter what I tried on, he'd smile & nod his head. Even if I couldn't zip it, he still thought I looked fantastic.

Either he's got a sense of humor that's far older than he is, or that unconditional love is shining through. I'm sure you know which option I pick! ;)

Huge Belly Laughs

My mind is elsewhere... somewhere in my classroom, if I am honest.

So, in lieu of a post with actual content, I'm sending you elsewhere. Chilihead has a post with real old-fashioned advertisements that has me laughing hysterically. If you need a giggle, go check it out!

Sweet Toddler Hugs

3:30AM.

A little voice comes out of the monitor. "Mommy? Mommy?" It sounds scared, and a little sad.

I reach for my glasses & stumble across the house, fully appreciating the outlet with a nightlight that's in the living room.

I find a Bug sitting up in his bed, clutching his beloved doggy as though it were a life preserver. The moment he sees me, his arms go up & he says "Hug."

After hugging, he immediately lays back down, cuddles his friends, and starts to drift off.

As annoying as it may be to have to leave my cozy bed in the middle of the night, I am thankful that I am still in the times when a hug and a moment of Mommy is all it takes to align the planets again.

Fashion Sense

After I bought Bird some new sandals, we went about purging the old shoes. I have a box where I put outgrown shoes in hopes of either reselling them at a garage sale or passing them on to friends. Before I could stow her old sandals, though, Bug got ahold of them. And wore them all day.

And then we went and ran errands.

Deforestation

Ha! This is so not a political post, so if you were looking for one, it's probably better to move along.

Instead, this is a post about my hair. It has been 2 years since my last haircut. Here is a picture of my hair on a good day:

Here's a shot of it from the front... to give you an idea of scale, I am holding a 12-inch (about 30cm) ruler in my hand.

I finally had a chance to go get it cut this morning - by myself even!! Yippee!! When all was said and done, that 12-inch section is now gone! I did donate the bulk of it to Locks of Love, and then the stylist cleaned it up a bit.

I now feel about 10 pounds lighter. I also need to figure out the correct amount of shampoo to use again....

16 Tons

I go back to work today. Sigh. At least my to-do list for these 2 weeks of preplanning is short:

1. help roommate teacher move to new classroom (okay, this technically doesn't apply to me, but it does have to happen for me to accomplish some of my other list points. besides, it's just nice to help.)
2. reorganize my entire classroom
3. help new roommate teacher move into classroom
4. reorganize my supply closet
5. lesson plans!
6. 6 powerpoint presentations (3 for regular; 3 for honors)
7. an awful lot of stuff for AP, but i'm not entirely sure what i want to accomplish yet!

should be a breeze, right?!