The Rest of the Summer

How does a summer start and end so suddenly? I had no idea that this would be the fastest summer of our life. Cub camp, YW camp, scout camp, family visits, music festivals, J's trip to Washington (which I still need to post about), D's trip to Washington, my trip to NYC, and one final visit from my sister and her family. Before we knew it, summer break came to an end. 

With just a couple weeks until school started I wrote out a short list. We got back into a work routine at home, practicing the piano and keeping track of our duties at home. I started making sure to pack the camera on our outings and invite friends on short half-day adventures.

To the bowling alley to watch my kids handle bowling balls in surprisingly graceful ways.

To Monticello's Discovery Room, where the kids can interact with elements of Mr. Jefferson's home without restraint.

The touch screen display in the big people museum is pretty amazing.

On the Saunders-Monticello Trail, which starts at a large tree stump that looks strangely like a heart.

(This is Amelia mid-tune. Walking and hiking with her means you will have music with you the whole way up and down the trail.)

On the Blackberry Path, which becomes the Art-Path-to-Baker-Butler-Elementary, with its bean circle and rebar sculptures.

It's also my favorite place to find turtles

 All of our adventures ended on that first day of school last week. We donned our new Cougar gear and headed to school. 

We love and need our summer break, but going back to school is a bit of a return to routine that we all look forward to. The kids are already in love with their teachers. Our new assistant principal is pretty cool. (Wink, wink. You reading this, Staci?) I'm back in the same first grade classroom with the same amazing teacher.