This afternoon C and I made our way to the library. She spent some time browsing and picking out books while I worked on tracking down some recommended books for our first week of school. We took a few minutes to pick out some book for the boys too and as we got ready to leave she plopped a pile of ten books for herself down next to me with a large smile on her face. This girl loves to read. Ten minutes after getting home she was finished with her first book. Excited to see his own pile, Big E chose one out and read it aloud to me.

This evening as the kids laid in bed, I started reading a new book to them. I’m excited to be getting back into the rhythm we had last school year, when I would read to them each night. I’m looking forward to our year of literary adventures!!

The kids have, surprisingly, been begging me to start school this week and were disappointed when I told them we would be starting on Monday

To be honest I had wanted to start weeks ago, but the shop got busy and I had videos to edit so it got put on hold. Public school kids went back today.

Our day was jam packed. I edited this morning. After lunch the kids and I went school supply shopping and stocked up on all the essentials for the year. After that we picked up pizza, swung by for a quick stop at the splash pad (because I felt bad about dragging them to the shop), got bubble tea, and headed to the shop. We got home after bedtime.

I’m exhausted, but happy that we are one step closer to starting school and I know they are too!

This evening I asked the kids to run down the driveway to get the trash cans and bring them back to the house. Before they got outside, it started to pour. One look out the window and the kids begged to be able to go anyways. Since there was no thunder, I sent them out.

After dragging the cans back to the house, the kids asked to stay outside to play, so I stood in the garage and watched them run and dance through the rain. They were drenched!

It reminded me of me and my sister as children. Our old farmhouse always developed a horrendously large puddle off the back patio, which no doubt contributed to the puddles in the creepy basement, but to us it was our own private pond. We’d run and splash and make ourselves a terrible mess.

We’d come inside covered in mud and grass and we’d wipe ourselves down in the laundry room before we were allowed to venture upstairs.

This evening I had the kids do the same.

Clinging to the last days of Summer vacation!

It was 10 pm when I was finally ready to leave the shop this evening. The kids had spent a good part of the day in the office and I knew they were ready to go home too. As I gathered my things to go, I looked outside and noticed that it was raining. Well, not just raining… down pouring. You could barely see across the parking lot.

I had no desire to try to load three tired children into the van with that much rain, let alone drive in it, so I decided we could wait it out. For about 5 minutes we let the boys play outside as the rain poured down. When we started seeing lightning and hearing thunder, I called them in and they were drenched. In a matter of moments, the storm really hit and the temperature dropped dramatically.

With no air conditioning at the shop, the swift cool breeze made a world of difference. The dripping children started to shiver as they stood in the wind caused by the propped open door. They squealed and ran around the office, wired from a long day of sitting followed by the refreshing shower.

It took nearly an hour for the storm to subside enough that I was comfortable loading them and driving them home. When we got home, three groggy little kids dragged themselves upstairs and straight to sleep.

I’ve washed the dust of the day off me and I am ready for sleep as well.

Today was a family day, which meant a trip to the local splash pad, dessert before dinner, and a whole lot of smiles. Summer flew at breakneck speed this year so I’m thankful for a slow evening with my favorites! ❤️❤️

I didn’t get to make it to archery today, but Tim took the kids. When we finally met up a few hours later, Baby E was excited to inform me that he hit the target. He was so incredibly proud. He says he can’t wait to have his own bow and arrow.

What he doesn’t know is that he already does. Tim and I are just waiting for the chance to give it to him.

I had a rough evening tonight but instead of focusing on that I’m going to think about the lovely time I had with my children on the front porch playing with Legos.

I know it was only one night, but I missed my little ones tremendously. When they came in the door this evening they ran to my arms and smothered me with hugs.

I ran on about four hours of sleep today, which was pretty rough. Thankfully tomorrow should be a pretty calm day!