A Little of This and That in August

This month has been a whirlwind . . . a combination of endings and beginnings with a couple more transitions awaiting us in September. Nothing about our new schedule feels normal yet because it hasn't settled down enough to turn into a routine. Hoping that happens in the next couple of weeks (or there's a pretty sure chance I'll go crazy).

Right now I'm . . .

Missing . . . Aaron while he's at school. He started second grade a couple of weeks ago, and I was not ready for it.

Anticipating . . . Maxwell's first day of kindergarten (today!!). He's been ready for this day for years. Me? Not so much.

Planning . . . for Bradley's first day of Joy School (also today!!) with three other friends. I've done many preschool co-ops in the past (click here if you'd like to see some of our lesson plans), but this will be my first year following the official Joy School curriculum.

Looking . . . forward to some one-on-one time with Clark.

Reading . . . see last Friday's post.

Soaking . . . up the last few days at the pool.

Remembering . . . what a great time we had at my family reunion earlier this month. My parents and younger siblings came to Utah for it, which meant we got to go home each night and sleep in our own beds. That's my kind of reunion. We hiked and bowled and toured the new FamilySearch exhibit on Temple Square. We had a family book club about The Boys in the Boat. And of course, we talked and ate and argued (mainly about important things like the merits of the spoon vs. the fork).

Watching . . . my kids play soccer. Also, I'm realizing that with four boys, we might be in this for the long haul. (Or not. They're not the most talented ones on the field so we'll see how long they (and I) can endure.)

Discovering . . . new things to listen to with the boys. Our most recent favorites are the Brains On! podcast and the Classics for Kids episodes.

Squeezing . . . in one last visit to the zoo before our membership expires this month. It's been fun, but we need a break.

Mourning . . . the chip in my phone screen, which it got after I dropped it on a rocky path. That'll do it.

Going . . . on dates. For the past four months, Mike and I have been trying really hard to go on weekly dates. We trade off months for planning. August was my turn. We went to a play (The Little Mermaid), a performance of Polynesian dancers, stake conference, and dinner with friends. I'm looking forward to next month when I just get to enjoy the dates without arranging the babysitting (my least favorite part of the planning).

Meeting . . . new friends. Specifically, at the beginning of the month, I met my blogging friend, Suzanne. I love turning virtual friendships into real ones.

Fulfilling . . . my civic duty. Last week, I served on a jury. Although it's not something I would have chosen (finding babysitters for those two days was a major stress), it was a very interesting experience and one I don't think I'll ever forget. It was fascinating to watch this age-old process unfold exactly as it has with millions of other cases.

Reminiscing . . . about our trip to Lava Hot Springs. We went with most of Mike's family, and even though it was a cool, rainy day, it was still so much fun. If I hadn't thrown out my back in the middle of it, it would have been even better. (Because of that, I missed tubing down the river, which everyone said was their favorite part.)

Feeling . . . amazed that Clark lets me put pants on him. I know this sounds very insignificant, but with this kid, almost nothing is easy. So the fact that he patiently cooperates every single time, whether he's happy or sad, is actually pretty significant.

Trying . . . to get organized. I tend to feel overwhelmed really easily. I wish I didn't, but I do. It's something I'm trying to accept about myself. Consequently, I'm trying to be careful about what I commit to and also more intentional about how I spend my time.

What have you been up to lately?