Going, Going, Gone...

Where the heck did summer go?????  Ally and Luke start school on Monday!!  MONDAY!!!!  My summer officially ends when they return... I don't care what the weather is outside... things get crazy.... schedules get busier... and our days become a bit more routine.... the routine is good and bad all at the same time!

Ally found out yesterday who here teacher is at Queens. They make a pretty big deal out of posting class lists on a certain day... and that NO ONE finds out until then.  My cousin, who is a teacher there, didn't even tell me... and I didn't "bug" her for the info either.  Ally had a certain teacher in mind she REALLY wanted... and she was lucky enough to have gotten that teacher!  So... a very happy little girl will be in Mrs. Phelan's third grade class come Monday, Aug. 29!!!! 

It also helps that one of her best friends is in her class... the girl she spends the most time with... either at gymnastics, at her house, having her over, taking her to the pool... you name it....  her BFF for life, Kennedy.  :-)  Ally is over the moon with all this new-found information... and is really looking forward to starting the school year!!!!!!

I think we are ready to go. We have gotten some more uniform items... she still had quite a few short sleeve tops... so we grabbed a few more... some shorts, and a new skirt.... a couple pairs of shoes... and some socks... and we are set!  We have everything on her supply list... plus a new backback that she agonized over, and is super pleased with her choice. 

Then, there is Luke.......  who THINKS he's excited and ready to go, but anyone who really knows him, knows he will pretty much be a big crying mess that first day.... and maybe for many, many days after... if he ever gets used to it at all. This is why it IS so important for him to go to school......

Luke will be attending St. Mary's preschool three days a week.... for the hours that I work - which are Ally's school hours... 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.  So... he will have traditional "pre-school" until lunch... then, have lunch, nap/rest time, and then I will be there to get him! 

I was astounded at the amazing field trip schedule that St. Mary's has!!!!  Each and every month, they go on two field trips!!!! And to really cool places too....... so I am so happy he is going to have this experience.

Luke has a little pre-school backpack... it's small, but I guess he doesn't have to carry much, if anything at all... so it will do just fine.  It has a truck and his name embroidered on it.... and he loves it to pieces. He has taken it to Nana's every day since he got it. 

I am looking forward to his starting up..... and I guess we will all just have to see how things go.  I have heard great things about his teacher... and we will learn more at the Open House we are attending tomorrow evening........ Ally is excited to see his room..... and he is excited to show her the toys.  Yes, the toys.  ;-)

We have been living it up these last weeks of freedom....... last week, I was in South Haven and Saugatuck a few days for a work retreat and that was awesome.  I am constantly reminded how lucky I am to work with such amazing people and great friends!  It was more a vacation than work and for that, I am blessed....... we enjoyed a dune buggy ride, many amazing meals, and a lot of drinks.... some late night volleyball games, a BBQ on the beach of lake Michigan, fires on the beach, and lots of laughter...... 

Scott, Ally and I went to Put-In Bay with some friends over the weekend.  We have become good friends with some parents of one of Ally's good friends at school... and they invited us down to their place. We left Luke behind with my in-laws as they had gotten a babysitter for the weekend and intended a lot of adult time and I knew Luke wouldn't be down with that arrangement. 

We hardly saw Ally... there was a whole gaggle of kids running around at all times... and they just had a blast... and we had a blast too!  What a fun weekend with a perfect blend of kid and adult time... okay, okay... more adult time ... but who's counting?  It was a great weekend away... and what a fun place Put-In Bay is!!! Holy party central!!!!  :-)))))))

This weekend, I am headed to Chicago alone for a final hurrah.... a girls' weekend in the Windy City..... some shopping... and eating amazing food.... and celebrating a wonderful friend's birthday and attending her book signing!  Going to be a great time........

And then, the summer's over....... time to buck up and work, work, work.  ;-)

Nah.... not totally... there is still so much fun to look forward to!  While I am certainly sad to say goodbye to sunny days... I am looking forward to what fall will bring!  We just got tickets to an MSU football game.... we have taken Ally plenty, but Luke has never been and I think he is getting to the age where he will be fun. Some tailgating... show them what college is all about! :-) There are Lumen games... and I love that Ally already wants to go to those.  She already has a friend's "Survivor" themed birthday party on the books for September... and we have a family wedding.... and the Fall Family Festival...... and that wraps up September... we've already filled the weekends up!!!!!!!!!

So much to look forward to!  So much going on with our lives and the kids... a really, really exciting time.  I am loving the age of my kids right now... I feel like they are so much fun... things with Ally are going so well...... she ends therapy this week!  I feel so, so good about all that we have done for her and with her on that front......

I hope you are all enjoying the last of summer.......... how are you spending it?????

PS - New pics from August posted to Mobile Me (South Haven, Put-In Bay and others)