I feel like this whole summer, from the very first weekend in July, has been a marathon of packing, unpacking, planning for the next outing, preparing food to bring with us, and repeating over and over again.
As a school teacher, I am blessed to be off all summer with my children. Still, with swimming lessons, camping trips, visits with relatives and friends, a library reading program, and our performance schedule, it hasn't really felt like time "off". Every day has been spent preparing for the next event, trying to get my children to independently entertain themselves so that I could get the next load of laundry done (in order to pack another bag) or wash a load of dishes (after preparing yet more food).
I find myself looking forward to next summer already, when I'll have a 7 month old baby as an excuse to stick around home and slow down our lives (because being 6 months pregnant with three smallish children isn't enough of an excuse, right?)...
It's been hitting me lately that I have only two more weeks to spend with my little ones before I begin working full time for the first time in three years. I haven't really thought much about it yet, as it pains me to think of Margot only seeing me in the evenings and on weekends. And I admit, I have some regrets about the rushing and hustling I've done over the summer to get the kids to their next "fun" event.
Last week, I was trying (yet again) to prepare a gluten-free cake for Jude to take to a birthday party he'd been invited to. The girls, as usual, were scrappy and hassling me to play with them. I crossly gave them a bowl of our CSA veggies and told them to make a farmers' market.
Please tell the market owners that I would like to know if they can ship their goods! I would gladly pay 8$ for those beautiful carrots from their little market. :)
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh because I'm having the exact opposite response that you are! I'm 8 months pregnant and the extreme summer heat has already caused me to slow down (not enough, I'm afraid), and my garden, regular summer activities with my two-year-old and other hobbies have fallen by the wayside. I'm already looking forward to next year when I'll have a 9-month old by the end of June and hopefully the energy (and time?) to do the things we couldn't do this summer. :)
ReplyDeleteHang in there?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say...
but I like the farm stand, and those
sweet vendors.
Summer is never long enough for me, and
I always have felt better after slowing down to play!
That is so sweet.
ReplyDeleteThat last picture, oh my. Those lovely faces. What a great game. We'll definitely be playing Farmer's Market around here.
ReplyDeleteI forgot you were going back to work full-time! How exciting! Good luck with the transition. Is Violet is SK this year? Alyce starts on Tuesday and we're just registering her this morning. She's awfully excited and nervous. New friends to be made.
Good luck! And you will have delightful moments in bed with your littlest one very soon. Your world will most certainly slow down (even if just for a moment).