More camping

Grandma Linda and Papa cooking hot dogs for dinner.

Camping at Papa's

Grandma Linda watching the girls enjoy the outdoors. This was after
some fishing and the campfire was set.

First Day!!!

Emmy has a pink bow on her head. She is doing well listening on her
first day!

Another Begining

Awwwww, Journiers! I see you've come by to check in with me... well, I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking. Of course, tomorrow is a big day, as you know! There's just about 10 useful minutes left in today before I crawl into bed and begin the rapid descent into tomorrow... Anxious? Well, yes, I must admit I am. There are a lot of things happening, after all, what with Emma going to Kindergarten and me starting up another year teaching all in the same day. Emma, by the way, has her clothes all laid out (even her shoes!), and her backpack all filled with first day things, sitting patiently by her bedroom door so that she can apparently dive right into her outfit and grab her bag in one sweeping movement on her way out the door. Mary is a little sad, wanting to be a part of the excitement somehow, and go with Emma. This will be the first time Emma is not in the classroom with her and she has some trepidation about that, too. We have tried everything we know how to make her Tuesday a special day, but it cannot compare. As for me, Internet, I have my copies made (for all week!), my lesson plans laid, and all things that need to be set up ready for tomorrow - as far as I can tell. See, this is the first year I will not have 3 or even 4 different classes to plan for. Think of that for a minute - my first year of teaching I had 4 different classes every day. That would be (EVERY DAY); 4 separate syllabi, 4 separate sets of notes, 4 separate group activities, 4 separate tests, 4... well, you get the idea. This first trimester of this year I have ONE class. That's it, Journiers, just one, all day long! I can't help but feel I've forgotten to do SOMETHING. Lunch? Did I not pack my lunch? Oh, yes, I've got sandwiches for the next 3 weeks made and frozen, waiting for me to pluck them out of the freezer every morning. Oh, maybe I haven't read the text... no, it's Biology. I've got that down just fine. Um, well, I can't seem to put my finger on it..... my first day outfit? Yeah, that's settled. Gas in the car? Of course Hubby already saw to that. Something to drink at school? Oh, yeah, I took a flat of water bottles in last week and filled my little fridge. I guess that only leaves a good night's sleep, which I am sure will be elusive. Maybe that is what I've forgotten- a little relaxation. It's hard to get that right now, returning back to work after 2 1/2 months, to new faces and names and a daughter in school. It seems, Journiers, that the one thing I need to be well prepared for tomorrow is the one thing I won't have. Now I understand why I feel like I've forgotten something!

Well, I should be off to chase that good night's sleep. Here ends my morning tea in the dining room, admiring the rose garden just outside the window, watching runners and dog walkers and mothers out and about much earlier than me. Here ends the snuggle naps with Emma, the rocking chair love with Mary, the fabulous long phone conversations with Lochmoor Mom, the trips to the Zoo and the pajama days that Emma always asks for. Here ends, my friends, time to think about things like laundry, seasonal decorations, and scrapbooking. Here ends my summer, Internet, and with it begins another 10 months of running and working and driving and teaching and tutoring and correcting and sports games and mothering and cooking and planning and doing everything except relaxing. Hats off to those who do this year round, as I can barely manage September through June. So, here we go again! Let the adventure begin!

At the movies

Fly to the Moon in 3D; everyone is waiting patiently for the movie to
start.

At kindergarten

Meet the teacher night.

Getting Ready

Emma, sitting at my front demo table where I teach. She and Mary came with me to "help" put up posters at my school. Their favorite thing to do was argue over who got to sit in the high stool Emma is in....

At the annual Corn Roast

Yummy cotton candy!

A Spinning Wheel Experience

With a scowling Emma

The Logical Pairing of a Snake and Cin

Some Marys have Little Lambs. Ours has a snake. Well, it's not a real snake, Internet, that would be another post entirely. She has a blanket and a vivid imagination. At the moment, this blanket has morphed into her 'pet snake', where she holds the corner a few inches down, making a fairly recognizable 'head'. I have humored this, mostly because it gives me a good excuse to sing, "Rattlesnake Bit the Baby" and "I'm Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor" on a daily basis. I mean really, who could resist that??? And the question begs asking, why do I know so many snake songs? Anyhow, I digress: Mary has a snake. And an imagination.

Today, Mary decided to dress up to play. She put on her Cinderella dress and became a veternarian (which explains her fabulous pets). She also informed me that she could not have a full name until she had two jobs (I have no idea what this means, I am merely the messenger here), so until then I had to call her Cin (pronounced "sin"). And, she prodded, this is my snake. Well, I had to ask, you know, what the snake's name was. "Snake" she told me. "I'm Cin and this is Snake." Cin and Snake were as tight as old buddies all afternoon, wandering around the house arm in arm, even eating together (although there were no apples at dinner).

All in all, I just thought that it was odd that a 4 year old (who doesn't see the inside of a Church, I'm afraid to admit) can come up with such a pairing. It gives sudden creadance to unlikely probabilities like the Infinite Monkey Theorem. There's just no telling what else could surface here along the Journey!

Visiting School

Emma, in full first day of school regalia, visiting her school. The
excitement can be tasted.

School Shopping

Little Helper

Mary helping in the garden.

10 Things to Do While in Minneapolis

A list of things one could (hypothetically) enjoy:

1. See a movie
2. Eat at Enjoy!
3. See Chihuly glass chandeliers at Palomino's restaurant
4. Shop for new running shoes
5. Shop for a fancy dress
6. Run a half marathon
7. Take a 3 hour segway tour
8. Go to a wine tasting/barbecue
9. Eat at Hell's Kitchen (except the wait was prohibitive in our case)
10. Visit Yoda and friends at the science museum

Oh, and spend time with your BFF from grade school while wonderful husbands take care of all of the household and children paraphernalia. Hurray for husbands!

PS- YES I RAN A HALF MARATHON!!!!!

Science and Star Wars Exhibit

Minneapolis Science Museum

Women on a "stick"

On a tour!

Learning to ride a Segway

Headed out for a tour of Minneapolis on a Segway.

Well Heeled

Emma handling Charlie like a pro as Mary runs ahead (see, always
running) on a family walk.

At the Farmer's Market

Fresh corn!

Caught her!

At Target, dressed to match