Happy birthday, Issa!

We had a fabulous weekend celebrating my very favorite nine year old. Aunt Shannon, Nana, and Papa Rich all flew in for the occasion. Aunt Shannon won special bonus points for arriving in time to have lunch and celebratory apples and juice at school.

Saturday morning, we girls all took Issa shopping for some new clothes from Nana and Papa. It has become a tradition, and we had a ball. Issa definitely has her own style as you'll see soon.

When we got home, Issa and Nana decorated her ballerina cake:

And Aunt Shannon and Evan played:

We had Nana Mac and Cheese and Caesar salad for dinner--the birthday girl's request--and then she did a fashion show of all of the treasures from Aunt Shannon and Nana and Papa. A few favorites:

She wore that vest to school today!

This one is from the Descendant's collection. She thinks she's pretty cool:

And mid-fashion show little brother lost his second tooth:

After the show was finished, We enjoyed cake:

That smile...

Sunday, we went to brunch before we declared a science day. We did the whole Diet Coke and Mentos thing:

You can count on the Bowers to draw a crowd with some explosions. We also made elephant toothpaste with all the kiddos.

Once we were out of things to explode, we headed inside to work on a crystal kit:

In between there was so much laughter and just being.

We reluctantly took Aunt Shannon to the airport and then took Issa to use a Claire's gift card from Aunt Carol and Uncle Todd. We managed to hit an all jewelry on sale for $5 sale. Issa was beside herself. We went straight from the mall to take Nana and Papa to the airport, which was followed by much pouting.

It was a great weekend. Issa had a fabulous birthday, and we all enjoyed the weekend together. I'm still trying to figure out how my baby can be nine already, though...

Long Weekend Happenings

We had a lovely long weekend!

We started on Friday by celebrating Issa's birthday! Unfortunately, I took zero pictures. I think Daddy got some, but I'm not sure. As soon as the kids got off the bus, we gave Issa her gifts. Evan got her a Scooby Doo Lego set, which was a huge hit! He spent forever looking for one with Daphne in it because she is Issa's favorite character. Daddy and I gave her a new knitting basket and lessons at the local yarn shop. She was so excited about both, and she promptly sat down to start building. We ended our evening with a great dinner at P.F. Chang's and then pumpkin pie at home. I did score some surprise points with sparkler candles.

Saturday, Issa and I headed up town for our first knitting class! Issa knew the basic knit stitch, and I used to knit. That made us the class experts! I was shocked by how quickly it came back to me, and our teacher, Miss Marsha, is incredibly kind. Issa learned how to fix some small glitches she had been having, and she ended the class by asking me to get a matching basket for my knitting. We can't wait to go back in two weeks to learn how to pearl!

Sunday, Issa was invited to the ivivva store in Raleigh to try some of their new clothes:

She had a blast trying some of their new things, giving feedback, and modeling for them. When we got home, we also decided to kick off fall with a fire in our fire bowl and roasted hot dogs and s'mores. I love nothing more than a good camp fire, and Daddy built a fabulous one!

Monday, Evan had a play date with a friend and the rest of us did some yard work. Daddy mowed, Issa and I moved her glads to a much sunnier spot, and I did the fall pruning in the front yard.

It really was a great three day weekend filled with celebrating, relaxing, and just enough work to make it feel like we really accomplished something!

Birthday Celebrations!

The birthday celebrations began in earnest this morning:

The annual decorating of the door.

I usually do it on the actual birthday morning, but we are doing our little family celebration this weekend since my family is coming in next weekend! Issa realized if I did her door on her actual birthday I would actually be doing Evan's door, and that just wouldn't do.

After school, she will open her gift from us and her gift from Evan, and we can all barely contain ourselves! We did well this year! Then we will head to P.F. Chang's before returning home for pumpkin pie. It's an odd combo, but what the birthday girl wants the birthday girl gets!

Finally Finished!

Sometimes late truly is better than never:

My youngest niece just turned six months, and I finally put this baby blanket in the mail today. I'm telling myself that it's just now turning chilly enough to need a quilt. And if nothing else she can use it to play with her baby dolls.

I hate that this one is coming to her so late; the others had theirs before they were born. However: I also did not have a husband, a full-time job, or children of my own when they were born. I'm trying to give myself grace on this one.

That being said, Sweet Hadley, please know that you are so loved. Every single stitch is filled with love and prayers for you and your sweet smile and heart. Aunt Heather may be slow, but I'll always show up--promise.

Issa's Birth Month

Well...it's September, which means it's Issa's birth month! We thought we were starting the celebrating this weekend, but it actually started yesterday! Daddy had to travel, I had to teach, so the kids got to hang out with Miss Hannah. And because Miss Hannah spoils them rotten, she got cupcakes for Issa's birthday since it's the last time she will see them before the big day. Issa was so excited...and so the celebrations begin.

I have always been so fortunate to have babysitters that truly love my kiddos. I love that when I'm teaching I don't have to worry. I know they are in great hands. And I love that the kids don't mind one bit! I never get asked not to go. They are more than happy to be with people they consider extended family. It's a gift worth celebrating.

Read-a-Thon

Our school's Read-a-Thon starts next week! I got fluffy last year when it got overly competitive among some parents and some kids stopped reading. Um...not on my watch. Since I have a rule about only complaining if I am prepared to be a part of the solution, I am now the Read-a-Thon chair.

Holy Cow. Read-a-Thon is no joke, and I now remember why I am not an event planner! I'm having fun with it, though, and I'm excited to bring some focus back to the joy of reading. I've been printing labels and drafting documents and begging people for prizes and I finally decided how to make the minutes read boards. There is a light at the end of the tunnel...and a lot more copying to do...and 650 red folders in my coat closet. Here we go!

We Survived Celebrations!

We had a great first week of school! Aside from some bus hiccups, it was flawless. This is especially miraculous considering I took Daddy to the airport right after drop off on Monday and didn't pick him up again until Sunday morning! This all required celebrating.

Right after school on Friday, some friends invited us down for a pool party. The kids had a blast with a little taste of summer and lots of splashing.

When we got home, Issa and I turned to pie baking. I had ordered 10 pounds of bruised peaches through The Produce Box. It helps farmers buy giving them the opportunity to sell their less than perfect fruit, and we love peach pie. However, 10 pounds is a lot: especially considering Grandma Bower's recipe calls for two and a half pounds per pie. It might have been helpful to look at the recipe card before I ordered. However, Issa and I were undaunted. She did all the crusts (measuring, mixing, rolling, and shaping), and I did all the fillings. We started about 7:10, and I pulled the last one out at 10:45! Here are two of the four beauties:

 Saturday, we started our morning at the farm. It was so good to be back after what felt like a month of thunderstorms. We showered before I dropped Evan at a friend's house and Issa and I headed to the Miss North Carolina wardrobe reveal. Miss North Carolina is one of my students, and she is one of the kindest, humble, most centered people I have ever known. She is also an incredibly talented tapper, so Issa was very excited to see that! She was also very excited to have her picture taken with Kate:

 Part of Kate's platform is pediatric eye health, which is a big love in our family. Her theme is "See the Dream," and we are all proudly sporting our bracelets:

We will also be watching her compete for Miss America in a couple of weeks!

Sunday, we enjoyed having Daddy home. We went out to lunch and did a little shopping. It was lovely!

And now we start a new week...and start making big plans for the long weekend!

Well Begun

I had my big opening event last night. It's the first time I see all of my students in one room every year, and I'm always amazed how much some of them have matured over the summer. My freshmen are wide-eyed, and my seniors are teary eyed. 

Last night, one of the best teachers I know came and did a pop up chorus with them. She rewrote "Dear Future Husband" to "Dear Future Teacher" to talk about the levels of professionalism required in our profession. The girls laughed and also had a lovely reality check. It's no small business they are entering, and I push them to do so with eyes wide open.

We ate tacos and chatted afterwards. I laughed and lectured and pushed and laughed some more. These are the moments I love in my job. I always called my students my kids, and these bigger versions are still my kids. These seniors will be the first group I have seen all the way through since freshman year, and I won't lie--it tugs at the heart strings a bit. I just know these young woman are off to touch so many lives, and I'm so grateful to be a part of the journey.

I Love Local

I love shopping local. Everyone knows my addiction to local food and produce--I'm probably The Produce Boxes biggest ambassador. And we really try to shop local as much as possible. This week, I've been reminded twice how very important that is.

Tuesday, I stopped into Purple Crow Books. They generously donated a gift certificate for the school's Read-a-Thon prize, and I was able to find a new children's book that I've been waiting for! The kids will be so excited when I give it to them Friday as a first week of school is complete treat. As she filled out the certificate, though, she lamented that it was hard to stay in business. She's a tiny shop, and it's hard to compete with an online click. I'll be going more often.

This morning, my tire light came on. I checked the pressure, and it looked good but one of the little caps was missing. I drove up to our mechanic, who was very irritated I had checked the tires when I was dressed for work. He topped off all the air, gave me a new cap, and sent me on my way. He wouldn't accept a dime, and I felt much more confident driving in.

It's the little things that make me love local, and I'm so grateful to live in a town where local is a great option!

Hints of Fall

This morning, we left the back door open while we ate breakfast. We let the 68 degree breeze sweep through the kitchen and left the music off so we could hear the leaves rustle in the wind. The trees are just starting to see little peeks of yellow amid the green. Issa broke out a pair of leggings. I'm planning pork roast for Sunday dinner. The first inklings of fall are here.

While most people see January or spring as the time for new beginnings, for me it's always fall. Maybe it's because of my line of work, but fall marks clean slates. We snuggle back into routines. The early darkness calls for blankets for stories. The aromas of hot teas and roasting everything fills the house. Soon, we will find the one day it's just chilly enough for a fire. It won't really be chilly enough, but Brad will humor me because he knows me. And he knows that this fall is both fuel and solace for me. It's the cozy that calls for a more intentional life. My very favorite time of year.

So Grateful

We had fabulous first days of school! The only glitch was a very late bus due to new routes, and that is a glitch I can handle.

The kids came home full of stories and excitement, and my mama heart was so happy that I had to have a really good cry last night...

Evan's teacher read the class The Kissing Hand and sent the kids home with Hershey's kisses. She told the kiddos as much as their families miss them during the day she misses them at night. Be still my heart. Evan said they read a lot and played a lot, and that is about the best day for my sweet boy.

Issa came home so excited that her teacher has the same favorite books as she does-- the Narnia series and Charlotte's Web. Her name had accidentally been left off the class word search, so her teacher was creating a whole search about her for today. The fact that she got to have that conversation with her teacher meant the world to her. And then, that dear sweet woman sent a letter home to the families asking them to write her a letter about our kiddos. She wanted to know their strengths and challenges, our dreams for them, and anything we wanted to know. I fought tears the entire time I wrote. Having a teacher that takes the time to read those--to want to know--that's a powerful thing.

Maybe it's because I am a teacher. Maybe it's because I teach teachers. Maybe it's just because I love my kids so fiercely. But kind, big-hearted teachers mean the world to me. Teachers who do those little things to build community and trust even before they worry about algorithms or syntax are gifts. If I am sending two pieces of my heart out into the world every morning, I need to know that there is someone waiting to protect their precious little hearts. God certainly answered that prayer again this year.

Happy First Day!

 Happy first day of school! I had two very excited children this morning:

 The backpacks have been packed and ready, and Buddy brought their favorite snack for good luck:

 They could hardly wait to go to school:

 Issa is ready to be a fourth grade lion:

 Evan can't wait to be a first grade penguin:

I can't wait for the stories tonight.

And for my teacher friends, please know that all the little things you do today and always matter. Last night, the kids were so excited to read the sealed book Evan's teacher had sent home for the night before the first day:

As they happily sprinkled glitter under pillows because the best little brother shared, I wiped away tears. Teachers, please know that we parents are sending our hearts into your rooms today--confident that you will love them almost as much as we do, praying for all of you and your year together. Thank you. Thank you for the million little ways you will show that love in between reading and math and science. Thank you for what I know will be another fabulous year.

Stick a Fork In It...

...summer is done. D.O.N.E.

We have open house tonight and back to school parties tomorrow. The kids are having an end of summer sleep over at Ryan an Felicia's, and Brad and I are going out on a we-survived-summer date.

I have loved so much about this summer. I have loved days at the museums, trips to parks, and long weekends out of town. I have loved listening to the kids read in the hammock or laugh in the tent. We have cooked and crafted and played without feeling rushed. We made so many memories, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

But...it's time. All good things must end, and summer is at the top of the list. I'm craving structure. We all are.

I will not miss the summer homework show downs--because I am the meanest mom in the world and no one else has to read/write/do math in the summer. I will not miss mosquito bites that require magic bee stuff every five minutes. I will not miss the 16,122 water glasses my children use every day, or the 6,723 t-shirts Evan goes through because he's hot/sweaty/spilled. I will not miss cleaning glitter out of the carpet or the flour cloud off the cabinets. I'm done...

...at least until next June when I'm craving summer and ready to do it all over again.

Happy Dippers

The kids are hanging out with me in the office this week. Brad is home, but he finds it hard to work when they're around. So...off they come with me.

I love my kiddos, and they are great in the office. But I also am a bit touched and talked out. I feel like a ping pong ball between Mom and Dr. Bower. Thankfully, Brad could tell I was at the end of my rope. He took the kids for a daddy date, and I headed out with Felicia!

We went to Ladies' Night at a fondue place, where I ate way too much cheese and chocolate and am not at all sorry about it. We ate dinner at a real grown-up time, and I didn't have one person ask me to spell anything. It was lovely.

School starts in three days. I can do this...

Another Stripe!

Look who earned another stripe last night:

I am so proud of the ninja he is becoming, and I love that he is still loving life at the dojo!

Prankster

My son is a bit evil. After a long but good day yesterday, Brad and I were exhausted and ready to crash hard. Thankfully, he was the one to turn the comforter back because my evil little son had put a huge fake tarantula in my bed. On my side.

So...I did the only thing that could be done. I took it out of my bed and put it on his pillow. Clearly.

This morning, he woke up filled with righteous indignation that a spider was in his bed. I'm afraid a war has begun...

They're Here!

They are here! My freshmen moved in Saturday! My other students have been moving in at various points, and the campus is beginning to buzz again. It's energizing. Life gets infinitely busier in the best way once they arrive. I've missed them dropping in to say hello. Working without interruption is very overrated.

This is also kind of a big year. The students who were freshman when I became director graduate this year. It's going to be a great year!

She Did It!

Issa hit a dancer milestone yesterday:

She did that bun all on her own! The ballet teacher did a bun workshop for the girls yesterday, and then they were all challenged to do their own buns. Ta-da! Issa is so proud, and I can't believe I get to be part of this dance adventure with her again. It really feels like I can watch her grow in warp speed this year.

Good Omen

Issa is in Company Boot Camp this week. It's her first year of going nine to five, and she is having a blast. She's a bit sore, but she loves it.

Last night, we had our first Company meeting, and as I walked out I turned around to find this:

A perfect rainbow over the studio. I'd say that's the best omen for the year to come.

We're Back!

Work is back in full swing! This is our planning week; students arrive this weekend. It's crazy!

I really don't know where the summer went. I do know that I somehow managed to get a lot crossed off the project list, but there are still items floating. I also know I have one syllabus finished and two to go.

It could be a long week...

Lake Adventure

Last Friday, a very generous colleague invited us up to her lake house for the night. Daddy had to work, but the kids and I loaded up the car and headed up.

It was a much cooler day at the lake, but the water was warm and we didn't mind a little less glaring sun. Issa did a great job on her first solo kayak run:

 While Evan was still content to let me do the work:

 We looked for shells, splashed in the water, floated about, and generally enjoyed all things lake. The highlight, though, was tubing:

 The bigger the bumps the bigger the smiles:

Issa started to learn how to drive a boat, and Evan had permanent wind hair.

It was truly lovely, and I will be forever grateful for these memories.

Success!

The kids and I actually had a fabulous day shopping! We did, indeed, find new school shoes:

 Evan's are some sort of Star Wars battle ship, and the toes light up so it looks like it's exploding. Perfection to my boy. Issa...well...Issa graduated from StrideRite. She is now proudly sporting a size 4.5 on those feet. Even the clerk at Finish Line was astonished: "She just doesn't look like her feet are that big." Indeed. Thankfully, Issa sees big feet as a badge of honor. She is also in loved with these hot pink babies.

We also had a great time clothes shopping. Evan really didn't need anything, but we got one first day outfit for fun. Issa really did need some new warm weather school clothes since she grew roughly two feet this summer.

I have finally embraced the art of clothes shopping with these two: they are not my clothes. I don't have to wear them. If it makes them happy and meets dress code they can just rock on with their bad selves. That and let Evan play on my phone while Issa tries on the clothes.

The first day of school outfits are still classified, but Issa gave Daddy the fashion show when we got home.

My girl doesn't really do subtle animal prints:

 Please notice the matching print on the shoes.

A star perhaps?

This lovely ribbon skirt ensemble:

 Not quite enough animal print:

 And how about the same print in hot pink?

I can honestly say not a single one of these would have been my choice, but she loves each and every one. This trip, I didn't even pick up anything up. I just followed. I will say her first day outfit was my very favorite in the store and it took every ounce of me to play it cool when she picked it up. I want massive mom points for that--just saying,

Watermelon Day!

Monday, the kids and I headed to the museum for Watermelon Day! Evan was not in the mood for pictures, but Issa was so excited that we were finally going to be there:

Every year we miss Watermelon Day for whatever reason. It's basically a day when all the critters get watermelon, and they love watermelon. The first feeding was at the pigs, and I was so proud of the way Issa and Evan helped littler kiddos make it to the front. Issa was also the photographer for the day:

When the pigs had demolished their melon, we made the obligatory stop at the fossil pit:

And then we were off to the bears! Again, Issa and Evan were so kind to little ones, and I actually ended up holding some itty bitties for some mamas that had more than one itty bitty trying to see. And the bears put on a good show:

We had some watermelon ourselves, built some towers, did some experiments, and came home very, very happy.

Today we go school shopping. We have all the supplies, but now we are off to find first day of school outfits and new shoes. Prayers appreciated.

Walking in the Footsteps of Pirates

This past weekend, we took off for the beach. I was in dire need of the ocean; there is a sense of my smallness and the infinite greatness there that I have come to need every so often. I need to hear the waves crash and watch the horizon.

Brad had a stash of hotel points, so we decided to stay two nights instead of doing our usual day trip. We had a suite, so we packed in lunches and snacks and settled in for the weekend. Brad made fun of me settling all the way in Friday night--right down to a bowl of apples on the kitchenette counter. We just enjoyed the hotel for the night after a lovely dinner.

Saturday morning, we got up, ate at the hotel, and headed straight to the beach. The kids gathered shells and played in the waves. Evan was initially very hesitant, but he finally really enjoyed the waves crashing. We spent the afternoon at the aquarium, and then had an early dinner at a fun seafood place right on the water. We watched the pelicans swoop and dive, which was a huge highlight of the trip.

Sunday morning, we got up and headed to a different beach with bigger waves. We all sat at the edge of the ocean and let the waves crash into us. It really is so lovely, and I loved listening to the kids laugh. They also were able to tell us exactly which pirates had been there and what battles ensued. I love that they can see the places they've been reading about all year. Thankfully, we arranged for a late check out because we were all in dire need of a shower before we headed out to see the river walk in Wilmington. We also went to the Cape Fear Museum, which was really fun! The kids loved climbing on board the model pirate ship to see how simple machines were used on ships. They also loved learning about the animals of the Piedmont, and Brad and I laughed ourselves silly as we showed them how pictures came in envelopes in the "old days." We ended our trip at an incredible Indian place that we will absolutely revisit.

We have a few pictures to remember, but the laughter and the memories are fabulous.

Captured!

I finally captured it:

My little matching campers! They're off to their last day of camp, and I think these smiles say it all!

He's Home!

Brad is home! He had been gone for 10 days, which hasn't happened in a very long time. 10 days is a very, very long stretch--even though we talk multiple times a day.

He got home in time for dinner yesterday, and he barely had the car in parked before he was mobbed by small children. As we were all snuggled up on the couch last night watching Food Network, I heard everyone take little sighs--little breaths of peace because we were all back together. When we went to bed last night, a certain puppy wedged herself in between us and let out the most contented puppy sigh I have ever heard.

It was in those little moments that I was just overcome with gratitude. Our family isn't always blissfully happy. We have moments when we get under each other's skin. But...there is a sense of peace and love in our home. It's all of our safe place, and that is an answered prayer. I hope this will always be everyone's safe place--somewhere they can land and take refuge when the rest of the world is a bit much. Even when our family is a bit much.

Weirdos

I have very weird children. This week at camp, they have decide to wear matching t-shirts every day. As of yet, they will not allow me to take a picture, but I wanted to record it here for posterity. Monday, they wore UNC shirts, yesterday they wore Quest shirts, and today they wore their camp shirts from this week. Sometimes they drive each other crazy, but I really hope they always stay this tight.

Puppy Love

Yesterday, I dropped the kids of at camp and then did very mundane adult things like getting an oil change. I am working from home most of this week wading through data and creating all the end of year reports, and I can do that from an oil place just as well as my desk.

When I got back home, the cleaning lady was still finishing downstairs, so I slipped up to my room where I could spread sheets of data across the bed to try to start making sense of numbers that don't add up. I was sitting at the head of the bed surveying the chaos when I heard Neela come back inside. I heard her thudding paws come up the stairs and down the hall, and then I saw her head snap up when she saw me--she didn't know I was home. She vaulted over the foot of the bed, knocked me into the pillows, and starting smothering me in kisses. Paper was flying everywhere, and I just didn't care.

There truly is something so magical about a dog's love. It's very difficult to stay grumpy about a project when you are literally knocked over my 65 pounds of pure love. I think I'll keep her.

So Tired

I am in need of a weekend to recover from the weekend. Daddy had to be at a conference, and I have learned it's critical for us all to keep busy during those weekend, and boy were we busy!

Friday afternoon, I attended the camp closing ceremony. It was so fun to watch the kids do some of the songs and games they had been playing all week, and I brought two exhausted kids home with me. We ordered pizza and called it an early night to get ready for the very big weekend!

Saturday, we had our last ADF performance. Since Daddy couldn't go, Issa asked Abby to go along and then spend the night. The occasion required a selfie:

 We saw the Doug Varone company, and they were a more traditional contemporary company. The girls loved seeing dance that they felt like they knew; Evan was not entirely sold on the idea, but he said they were pretty good. The second piece was a new piece for them--we were only the second audience to see it--and it was based on the art of Joan Mitchell. They used the scrim as a canvas and the dancers as the pastels. Again, the girls and I were enthralled; Evan thought 45 minutes was a bit much of anything.

We headed home and the girls went straight to crafting while Evan waited outside for Henry to come. He came back in five minutes later with this:

 That would be a lizard tail. I was not happy. He was quite proud of himself.

As soon as Henry got there, the boys headed upstairs. I got exactly one picture of the boys:

 We had finger foods for dinner, which was a huge hit. We also baked cookies. I think my kitchen has recovered. They were so funny measuring and scooping. It's a miracle they came out well!

I was also so thrilled by how well all four kiddos played together. They put together a whole puppet show, complete with scenery and refreshments. It was too funny, and I loved listening to all of the laughter coming from upstairs.

Poor Henry did not make it all night. As we started to get ready for bed he got homesick. Poor Evan was so scared he would catch it! It took a lot of explaining. The girls were so sweet, though:

 After they were ready for bed, they invited Evan to be part of their party. Those children were up reading and giggling for-e-ver. I was so tired when they finally fell asleep.

They were up by 7:30 Sunday morning, and we had pancakes. The girls played dolls until Abby got picked up, and Evan contented himself with me.

Once we had the house put back to rights, the kids and I went back to school shopping! I am a huge fan of getting that out of the way at the end of July. The year round kids are already back, and most people aren't thinking about it yet. The stores start to panic about inventory overhead and we get great sales. Yesterday, everything was at least half off--and now we're finished! Poor Evan was less than enthused about his lack of options compared to Issa.. It is tough to see Issa pick out all kind of colors when his list is very, very specific. But I was feeling generous and let each kid choose a treat--which never happens--so he was pretty excited Issa chose an American Girl movie, and Evan chose a small Lego set, which he promptly built all by himself:

He was so proud! We also made peach roll-ups and gave Neela a much needed bath.

And that was the weekend. The kids are at the Museum for camp this week, and I'm back to working on all kinds of data. Here we go...

A Lifetime Ago

In what feels like a lifetime ago and what was several jobs ago, I was a high school English teacher. I truly believed that was where I would be until I retired--in a classroom with high school students writing and reading and growing together. I loved it. And while I don't regret moving in to other realms--still writing, reading, and growing--there are days I really miss the classroom and my freshmen. I miss their quirkiness and seeing the light bulbs when they discover a book they love. I miss seeing them get connected to characters and each other. Part of my heart will always be there.

I have found myself really missing it this week. I've been reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, and I find myself wishing I could go back and teach my To Kill a Mockingbird unit again and add this novel. (Spoilers coming) While I will never understand why she killed off Jem so subtly, I am finding myself believing these characters' stories. Yes, they are messier, but Scout is older. The world is real, and I would love to enter into that world with a bunch of 15 year olds who are just discovering the bigger world themselves. I guess some parts of us stay deeply nestled inside no matter how far we roam...

Summer Camp

The kids have been having a blast at Camp Chestnut Ridge this week! They chose the day camp option, and they have been coming home filthy, stinky, a little scratched up, and blissfully happy.

Issa is in art and crafts camp, and she is loving making all kinds of traditional camp crafts: dream catchers, painted pots, lanyards--oh, the lanyards. She is also swimming and hiking and gardening and having a great time.

Evan is in the general camp, and he has been rafting, swimming, hiking, cooking, scavenger hunting, and climbing trees. 

I love that they are getting to just be kids outside. I love listening to them chatter when I pick them up, and I love the way they crash hard at night. Good tired.

They are both saying the want to do residential camp next year, so we'll see!

I'm a Mechanic!

I'm a mechanic! Okay. That might be a bit of an overstatement, but I'm absurdly proud of myself.

I was mowing the grass yesterday, and the mower just shut down. Now...this is a 10 year old mower, so it's a bit temperamental. I tried the usual: emptied the bag, checked the gas, checked the oil. All fine. Not good. Then I realized not only had it shut down but the cord also wouldn't pull at all. This was new.

Brad wasn't home, and calling him to try to diagnose over the phone seemed ridiculous. I also didn't want to wait for him because I can't stand a job half finished. So...I turned to the trusty Google!

Thankfully, Toro has a great site! As it turns out, the diagnosis was likely something jamming up the blade. All I had to do was unplug the spark plug, tip the mower, and then clear the jam. (I did learn that if you don't unplug the spark plug and then try to move the blade you can actually start the mower. So glad that was in big, bold print! Not a lesson to learn the hard way.)

Sure enough, the mower started right up and I finished the job. Sometimes it's the little victories.

Issa's Selfies

I posted about our trip to Asheville yesterday, but one little aspect deserves its own post:

The Issa Selfie. In fact, Brad created a whole album; Issa's Selfie Album


She took some great pictures, but she also too a few million of these:

I love that cute face, and we did love watching her take all these pictures:

Oh how I love this crazy kid.

Asheville Magic

I had a conference in Asheville at the end of last week, and the whole family decided to tag along! Brad was the lead photographer, and compiled another photo album of the trip! We also have a much larger album that includes all of Issa and Evan's pictures, too.

We drove up Wednesday afternoon, and our first stop was the Asheville Outdoor Center, where I conned the family into a picture:

The kids had been begging to go panning for gems, and the AOC did not disappoint. The kids found all kids of gems, and they each found an arrow head, which was pretty exciting!

Brad had done some restaurant research before we left, and we knew we needed to make an afternoon snack shop at French Broad Chocolate. However, I punched in the wrong info into the GPS, and in a fortuitous oops, we ended up at their factory. We were able to tour to learn how they go from nibs to chocolate bar, and then we sampled way more types of chocolate than we really should have before bringing home some lovely truffles. From there, we checked into the hotel, ate dinner at a local burger place, and then went for the obligatory hotel swim.

Thursday, I was in the conference all day, but the kids and Brad explored downtown Asheville and spent the morning at the Earth Museum. They learned more about gems and minerals and came home with their very own geode! They were able to have it split on site and loved being the very first people to see inside. They spent the afternoon seeing the Minion Movie, and we all met up for an Italian dinner before the obligatory hotel swim.

Friday was the highlight, though. We ate breakfast at a phenomenal biscuit place before spending the day at the Biltmore. We opted for the audio tours, which was brilliant! The kids' version was told by the family dog, and they learned different things than we did about each room. It made for great conversation and we all thoroughly enjoyed the house tour. The home is truly remarkable, and it was beautiful to see everything green and in bloom! We ate lunch at the Stable Cafe, and then toured the gardens. I think the Italian garden with its statues and lily ponds was the highlight for the kiddos, but I fell in love with the conservatory. I really felt like I was in a Wilde novel.

We ended the trip in the Village, where we all enjoyed the winery tour and tasting. The kids declared it the best grape juice ever, and Brad and I found a few bottles of wine we really loved. We visited the farmyard and sampled the famous ice cream before heading for home.

It really was a perfect few days, and it was nice to come home to a weekend to unpack and recover before jumping in to another busy week!

Phone Calls

Brad and I got a bad case of the giggles yesterday. One of Issa's friends moved away this summer, and yesterday afternoon we heard her little voice on the answering machine lamenting her new home. To say she hasn't fallen in love is an understatement. Issa immediately called her back, and Brad and I witnessed a rite of passage as she spent the next forty minutes wandering around the house talking on the phone. Thank goodness for digital phone. I have a feeling this will become a much more frequent occurrence. It really was so cute.

As if that wasn't enough, poor Evan had to deal with being relegated to little brother status. The kiddos have been inseparable this summer, and the fact that Issa was on the phone and really didn't want him in on the conversation was more than he could bear. We then had the audacity to suggest that this might be happening more frequently. Pitiful.

We are definitely growing up around here, and I think I'm ready for this next stage of life.

Thrown Under the Bus

My children are slightly evil. I took them to the dentist yesterday, and thankfully all is very well. No cavities and they are apparently great brushers and flossers. I have turned this completely over to them, and I have been hounding them about not spending enough time in this arena.

So...at the end of the appointment yesterday, the dentist was very quick to explain that they were doing a great job. And also explained they had shared that I didn't believe they were doing a great job. Apparently I have very trustworthy, perfect children according to the dentist--and I really should believe them. Thanks children.

Gin

We had a lovely weekend. We helped friends move, had friends over, and spent a good portion of yesterday in pajamas just having some much needed quiet family time.

My favorite moments, though, all involved playing gin rummy with Brad. We started to try to teach the kiddos, but they quickly lost interest. Brad and I, however, had a blast. We even played more after they went to bed last night.

It's in those very mundane moments when he and I are just hanging out that I look forward to empty nest a bit. That might be an overstatement, but I at least mind it less. I have a feeling he and I will just have a different set of adventures and a new normal, and I also know that will be pretty amazing, too.

Calming

I think we are now in the calm after the storm. I declared our usual summer routine out the window yesterday and gave the kids the day off as long as they were quiet when I was on the phone and understood Mom might be a lot stressed. They agreed, and they were awesome. Thankfully, I was able to handle all of the damage control from the comfort of my desk at home. I also talked with security many, many times and they have almost caught the thief, which I honestly didn't think would happen.

As I was making phone calls and confirming transactions and such, the kids were very content to do their thing. Evan spent most of the day building things, and Issa spent most of the day knitting:

 Miss Hannah taught her how, and she's been happily working on a scarf:

I had to help a bit at one point because she had picked up stitches, but she wasn't at all flustered. She is really enjoying the clicking of the needles, and I have to admit it was a nice calming soundtrack in the chaos.

Well...That Sucked

No other way to say it. The past 14 hours have been a bit sucky. While I was teaching down the hall last night, someone stole my wallet from my office.

Aside from the obvious feeling of invasion and annoyance, I have to say it could have been so much worse. While I was in class, my phone kept getting calls from unknown numbers. It turns out they were my credit cards alerting me to odd activity. I had emails at the end of class, too. Every company had already shut everything down. I had a dollar and change in the wallet.

Campus police came immediately to take a report and were beyond kind. I came home and started the rounds of calls, and every person I talked to was kind and gracious. New cards are on the way. Charges are already cleared. Expedited fees and replacement fees were all waived. I had extra checks at home. Driver's license is on it's way. I have a passport until it gets here.

Honestly, I am most upset about the loss of my kids' school pictures and the brand new wallet! But...I have copies of all the pictures and can replace the wallet. It was from 31, and my generous friend is selling it to me at her cost.

The best part if the Chief of Police at Meredith is on it. This kind of thing just doesn't happen on our campus. I have left my office open while I teach for five years without incident. The chief is taking this a bit personally. Thankfully, whoever stole my wallet was a special kind of stupid. He bought $100 Walmart gift cards one at a time at the same Walmart. I have the address and the transaction numbers, and as I type campus police are on their way to the store to review security footage.

In the grand scheme of life, this isn't tragic. It's just stuff. They left everything else, including my briefcase and car keys. No one was hurt. I wasn't in the office. I told the kids what was going on since I have to make a million phone calls and don't have my new wallet, and I mean what I told them. It's just stuff. Stuff can be replaced. Our life will go on. I am more concerned about the thief. If they really needed financial help, I hope they get it. If we fed a family last night, that's not a bad thing. If they just went on a spree, I hope they get a very different kind of help. Either way, it's not really about us. We weren't hurt aside from a little lost time. And this is also why I never carry cash.