End of Summer

It is getting down to the wire around here.

My least favorite time of the year.

The end of summer.

The end of lazy days. Of sleeping in (a little). The end of trying to make large decisions such as, should we go to the beach today or just hang by the pool?

The end of hitting Starbucks with my girls on a daily basis. Watching funny movies together. Endless supplies of library books. Coloring and puzzles all over the floor for days. Bike rides on summer nights to get yogurt. Playing cards. Eating outside with the twinkle lights.

The end of a long day at the beach and no one wanting to leave yet.

Sandcastles, sand crabs and iced tea.

The smell of freshly dried beach towels.

Staying in a bathing suit all day.

The beach chairs off of their hooks and always at the ready.

Crickets and shooting stars. Splashing into cool water on a hot, hot day.

The smell of suntan lotion.

The end of not wearing a watch. Or make up. Or doing my hair.

The end of the four of us being together as a family, day in and day out.

Now it's time for packing up the eldest and sending her back to school on Saturday.

Wondering how she is adjusting, missing her laughter, her presence.

Brenna will begin High School on Monday. I had to throw out her old back pack. It was purple.

I don't clean stuff out really well the last day of school. I tend to chuck it in the closet and then panic two days before school begins that I haven't cleaned stuff out for the following year.

This year I found a peeled orange in a baggie and an old cereal bar. 

And some unidentified stain on the front.

Thank goodness she got a new, cool bag for school from her Auntie Carol. Brenna likes it alot.

Wish me luck through all these transitions. I don't tend to take them well and usually I'm pretty sad for a while. 

I think I'll keep my watch off for just a couple more days....