Monday, September 2, 2013

End of Summer; End of an Era


Hard to believe it is September.
Really hard to believe. I was just getting into the groove of long, warm days and endless hours in the pool, in the yard, in the sun.

I can safely say this is the first year I've never wanted summer to end -
Autumn has long been my favorite season - 
but summer with kids is sooo much easier. They are happy, barefoot, exercised...their naked bottoms bronzed ever so slightly by afternoons in the sunshine.

So how have we arrived here - the last hours of Labor Day weekend - so quickly?
With the alarm clock tomorrow morning, we are slapped back into reality.
School, schedules....darkness! Not to mention the holidays loom closer and closer by the hour.

(Side note: Who's started shopping for Christmas? Crazily enough - I've started; every year I tell myself I am going to be more organized for Christmas and every year I fail.)

Fall hasn't officially even started and I am already exhausted.

Granted I have a little summer cold with a nice mixture of allergies slowing me down but regardless I am tired. Autumn has long been my 'busy season' - if a SAHM can say she has a busy season...this is mine. Between now and January 1, it will be hustle and bustle and endless, endless to-do lists.

In a way, I love it. I love the structure and the checklists but I think what is really weighing on my heart is time. There is just never enough time and when you are measuring time against two growing girls...it stuns you and takes your breath away.

Grace will be five in three months.
Charlotte will be three in a matter of weeks.
Grace will be in school - all day, every day - in one year. 
In a way, I view this as my last year with Grace.
In reality, I know this isn't true.
But this will be the last year without the pressures of school, the outside influence of friends and the beginning of an onslaught of after school/weekend activities. 
It is an old cliche - one I despised as a kid - but nevertheless true. 
It goes by so fast. 
SO, SO, SO fast. 
It really is one of the cruelest realities of life. When you are young, you don't understand how hard it is or how fast it goes...then once you get a little older, a little more perspective, you just can't believe how true it really is.
All those years, all those adults - actually telling you the simple ass truth...and you didn't listen!!

Ok enough of my crazy rage against time...let's recap the weekend and get ready for tomorrow and all that comes with it!

Friday night was one of those summer nights. Ate dinner outside, stayed up a little too late, drank a little too much vino - but all in all, good fun. 


The girls even got their first driving lessons.
It was so cute! They loved it.
My phone crapped out two seconds after this pic! Darn!!


In other news, Stranger and Hiccup are still around! They have completed their entire puppy shot series and go in for the BIG appointment on Thursday. 

Saturday we kicked off Court's manic harvest schedule for the next solid month by having one last hoorah! Dinner in Yakima!
Both girls fell asleep in the car on the way up to dinner and stayed asleep until their meal came.
I'm telling you summer sunshine is magic!!



They wouldn't wake up!
We even tempted them with their first Shirley temples! 
(Charlotte loves maraschino cherries...but nope...on they slept!)


My summer cold - tied in with some problems I'm (still) having with my teeth kept me up ALL night Saturday. I was seriously up from 1 am to 4 am so Sunday we laid low. 

But today, to close summer, we went to the parade in town.
It was your typical parade. Marching bands. Floats. Fire trucks. 
Tractors. 


Oh and this!



Didn't know this was parade material in small town USA.
Just another indication that time is marching on and I am getting old.

But on time must go and so must we.
Farewell sweet Summer. Hate to see you go but it's been a good one. One of my favorites. 
Do me a solid will ya? 
Tell Autumn to be good to us and Winter to be short and sweet.
Thanks!

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