First day of School

The end of those lazy summer days combined with the kids' excitement of a new school year can leave me a little emotional. Driving home from the bus stop I missed them already. And yet, relieved to have a break. I didn't cry, but I did feel some anxiety for the couple days before and the day of. Did we spend enough quality time together this summer? Did the kids have fun? With a new baby, we didn't go out as much as we usually do, but I think we hit all our favorite places once. Rigby Lake, the creek at Freeman Park, Island Park and The Playmill, Twin Lakes, the new splash park in Rexburg. We did 4 wks of swim lessons, and a trip to Boise (that was a first!). We went to the library every week, though we never hit those free kids movies at the Edwards. Evan tried t-ball for the first time. What else did we do? It went so fast. I sometimes also worry that as my oldest child leaves his little kid days behind that life as I've know it as a mother of young children will soon change drastically. Luckily he still enjoys spending time with us all summer, but was this the last one? He'll be 11 next summer. Will he only want to be with his friends or do I have a few more years before that happens? Still, I don't think he'll be content to splash in a creek for much longer...

At the fabulous primary water party this week, the three middle children had a blast playing all the games, but he declined every one of them, participating only in the eating of the root beer floats (who can pass those up?)

Like the first day of school, experiencing your kids growing up is bittersweet.