i guess summer's over

i didn't realize it would happen this past week, but summer is over. i didn't know sports would start a full week before school started. or that back to school night was before school started (used to be mid-september). so this week was insane. like, crazy-insane. like, can't catch your breath-insane. i NEED some minutes of quiet in the afternoon...and again at night...to regroup. and i didn't get it at ALL this week - afternoon OR night. but i made it. i dug deep...i clung to Him in so many moments - and He got me through. sometimes it wasn't pretty, but we made it.

one night early last week was "rice night." everyone has a dollar in their bowl when they sit down. after we pray, they put their dollar in the jar and bring me their bowl to fill with rice. we use the money to buy food for the food pantry at our church (or some other opportunity we might have to give food to someone that needs it!)

i have a new challenge - getting across the monkey bars. i can make it across twice. have you tried it lately? it's HARD!

i bought this big calendar and color-coded it and put it on the fridge. it's the ONLY way we are going to get to at least MOST of the things we're supposed to be at the next couple months!

we were going to go to the pool on wednesday, but it was raining...so we all played yahtzee together - it was so fun!

thursday we went to dc to see hannah and john. ate lunch at their house...

and then went to john's school and saw his classroom!! it was so fun!

that afternoon we went to the pool. it was a short trip (before football practice and back to school night)...but it was our last chance for the summer!

rebekah seated and "served" us dinner one night :-)

friday morning was kindergarten orientation. sawyer and i got to go - just the 2 of us. (TOTAL forced smile on my part...)

he is so excited to go...it makes it easier on my heart!!

finding his monkey...

then we went grocery shopping for the next week...then back to school for the other 3 to meet their teachers. these 4 will all be at the same school this year!

we ended our crazy week by going to a high school football game (and starting a rainbow cake!) whew! and it keeps going...a busy weekend ahead!!!