Bye, bye summer...

Well, summer is almost gone. Sadly, school will be starting next week, which means our neighborhood pool will not be open all afternoon. So, although we won't be starting our school until September (we're old-fashioned like that--why waist a perfectly good August at the table doing phonics??), there is a certain sadness, feeling like the carefree days of summer are just a memory.

Okay, that may have been a little melodramatic, but I'm sure, for many a kid on my block, they are feeling just that sad.

We have hardly made it to the pool this year, and I am sorry that our opportunities are almost gone. However, being inspired by fun we had with a friend last fall after school started, we did pick up a slip-n-slide on clearance at Menard's. We plan to enjoy the hot days that are inevitably coming before autumn officially begins. Chris is even looking forward to trying it out. I promise to get some pictures of that!

Lately we have been devoting most of our time to installing a patio. Once it's done, I will share all the ups and downs of the experience. If it ever gets done...

Just kidding. I'm sure it will get done.

At least I hope it will...

In my spare time, I have been shopping online for our school books and thinking about how I will organize our time to get all our schoolwork done. Kindergarten was a challenge, to say the least. I am going to plan "school" for Anna to do as well though. I have found what I think will be a delightful preschool set of books to use. Although she's not yet 3, she always wants to do school work with us, and I was not adequately prepared with activities that she actually wanted to do in the past. Please be praying for wisdom, guidance, motivation, and organization for us as we prepare to crack down on first grade!

And, one final note, because I couldn't resist sharing...


















Is she the sweetest little thing you ever laid eyes on, or what?!?