The Final Week of Summer

I can't believe it's over...the final week of summer. I'll share with you the highlights of our week.

First, some well deserved alone time for Mom. I spent a night on Ono with old friends, Barcley and Elizabeth. It was a wonderful night...less than 24 hours...but still well worth it. We talked, ate, laughed, and enjoyed the salt air. I haven't been away from the boys for a night in two years, and it felt good. I have to say that it appeared that they did not miss me at all. Everyone was hyped for "boy weekend" and thus happy to see me go! I also had Tuesday away for a few hours. I had my first day babysitter of the summer and was able to enjoy a CGS work day with friends and lunch with former students and teacher..lots of fun!!

Other than that, we spent the week playing with friends and getting organized. Check out what we did with the massive amount of Legos we have accumulated.

We also did a little much needed organizing on the sunporch...aka play room!

And a place to hang all the paper that comes home from school!

Over the week, we furthered our love for Star Wars. Over the past couple of weeks, Chris and Philip (and Daniel if he is awake) have been watching a Star Wars movie on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Philip is becoming a little obsessed. I took them to the bookstore to spend some birthday money and then another day ot the library. You can see what we picked out!

Philip also created his list of things to do one day. Can you read it?

Saturday brought my birthday and Chris and my eleventh wedding anniversary. We celebrated Friday night with Catherine and Zack at Ruth's Chris and Saturday with the family here. GranGran and PopPop came over and enjoyed a simple supper with cake and ice cream.

I had lots of help blowing out my candle!

So, summer is coming to an end. Preschool and MDO start for Daniel and William in the morning. Philip and I have one more week together before he starts five days a week. Such an adjustment...Daniel and I will really miss him!

As I look back on our summer, I am so very thankful for the time the boys and I had. There was time to stay in our pajamas, time to swim in our backyard pool, time for bike rides around the block, time to visit with friends and family. There were milestones...birthdays, William dropping a morning nap, Daniel dropping his afternoon one. Overall, I am struck by two things.

First, the close bond that has further developed between Philip and Daniel. Our uninterrupted time together this summer has deepened that relationship and I am so thankful. I hope that they will always be such good buddies and the relationship is one they can count on as they grow up. I also hope they'll let little William in as he grows up too!

Second, I am struck by a change in my own day to day life. This summer brought the first time in five and a half years that I haven't been pregnant or nursing. With that came a freedom...freedom to slip away for an evening with friends...freedom to exercise consistently in the morning. But I am also struck by an increased lack of time to get anything done. I barely sewed a thing this summer. With afternoon naps a thing of the past, time alone is scarce and honestly I long for more of it. In due time, I know.

It was a great summer...one I know that I will remember for all of the ordinary days. I hope the boys will remember them too!