A Little After Hump Day, Nuggets.

Wow!  What a week.  I'm almost at a loss for words.  Probably because I am so mentally and physically exhausted.  This preschool thing is no joke!  And I thought having two so close together was relatively easy?  What was I thinking!

Part of why I'm having a hard time writing these past few weeks is that I'm having a hard time processing it all.  On one hand I am so thankful that Ainsley is so in love with her preschool.  She leaves every morning with a jump in her step and greets me after every class with grins and stories.  And Louise?  Well this morning, six classes in, there were no tears from my little one.  Just a big hug "you come back mama!  luv you mama!  bye bye!" and I was out.  My girls are ready and thriving but I'm not so sure I am.

One of the things I've loved the most about these past 3+ years of staying home, raising my girls, is that we, us three, get to make up our days.  I've had the freedom to be creative with them, lazy when we want to be, active when we want that too.  Now?  We're all on school's schedule, and activities, and it's been a tricky transition.

The days are flying by and I feel like we hardly do anything, yet we're all so exhausted.  On Monday I counted how many times I had to get the girls in and out of the car.  12.  TWELVE!!! That's roughly 60 pounds of kid I'm hauling in and out and corralling all morning long.  That alone is driving me a bit crazy.

And at the top of the con list?  The girls haven't been napping well.  Ainsley is SO tired but fights and fights, then crashes around 5pm wherever she happens to be.  She's woken Louise up the past two days by slamming doors and yelling.  I keep telling myself that it's all an adjustment.  They're getting used to this new cadence of our days just like me.  It's my job to show them how smoothly it can all go, how happy and calm we can remain in the midst of so much change and hustle.

So smooth it shall be.  Among all this scheduled departing and arriving I'm learning to carve out time for us.  Take our precious afternoon hours and make them count.  Because truly my sadness is that I miss them.  I miss our mornings filled with crafting and baking and reading and exploring.  I miss long jammie mornings, late decadent midweek breakfasts and rainy day movies.  Right now I'm very thankful that we have Fridays off, that I made SURE to keep that day free and clear for us all.  I was thinking of a venture out to one of our favorites, but I think now we may just hunker down and do what we do best.  I think we could all use that.

Nuggets::

This last Sunday we celebrated Vikings football with fervor.  What started out as a simple walkin' taco menu turned into an all out dip fest complete with jersey clad girls and good friends over to cheer with us.  while i'm not the biggest sports fan I love the excuse for us all to be together, eating a bit too decadently, celebrating the every day.  I'm happy football season is back.   

Nuggets::

Yesterday after a particularly rough no-nap time we decided to take advantage of (possiby?) the last really hot day of the summer.  I filled up the pool and the girls picked out their favorite suits.  It was a great end to a rough afternoon.

::pumpkins!  our garden produced two and one is already turning color.  The girls are beside themselves and I just hope they last until halloween!::

::after 4 straight years of planting unsuccessful sunflowers from seed I finally got ONE!  haha.  At least it's something, even if it is growing sideways :o)::

::one last reminder of the ease of summer::

::so close to finishing Ainsley's "vintage sari" colored sweater, I'm almost going to miss working with this beautiful yarn::

So here's to the end of the week.  After Ainsley's first dance class this afternoon (and don't worry, pink leotard and matching tights and shoes are all set, waiting for her on the floor of her room per her request) we're finally done with activities for the week.  I know so many parents look forward to school starting and the freedom that it brings everyone.  Right now I already find I'm missing summer and those long slow days with my two best gals.  I'll get there, my girls already are.  I just hope it's soon.

Happy (belated) Hump Day!