Firsts and Lasts.

First day of school.

Last day of school
(Annie finished yesterday, hence the bed-head.  Lincoln was just cold...and grouchy.  And take note of the hole in Will's jeans.  Yep, the last day of school.)

The month of May swept me away.  Poetic but true.  It was survival mode until school got out.  Today was the day, the blessed end of another school year.  I am relieved.  Summer vacation is one giant cleansing breath for me.  Something I yearn for and crave and anticipate.

I don't know about where you live, but here they save all the craziness until the last few weeks of school.  Field trips, concerts, programs, in addition to all the regularly scheduled activities.  I had a hard time keeping track of it all even with a calendar conspicuously taped on my kitchen cabinets.  I looked at it constantly each day just to make sure I didn't miss anything.

I've felt a bit of a loss not having taken many pictures or written for nearly a month, and at the same time it was a blessing, one less thing on my plate.  Life is sure to settle down now and I can once again find my grove.

We had an easy-peasy sort of day.  Kindergarten ended yesterday but the boys had a half-day.  I went to school to drop off a few things and slipped into the kids' classrooms for a little closure.  Sam is William's class mascot.  Without fail, they attack him the moment we walk in the door.  They were playing Around the World with multiplication facts.  Do you remember that game?  The kids thought it would be fun to "challenge" Mrs. Carter.  Nice.  I made it halfway around and was beaten.  7x6, the fact that will live in infamy.  Luckily the winner was a little girl I go to church with so I couldn't harbor ill will too long.  After all, she was only ten AND she's a doll.  I cast my competitive nature aside and bowed out with grace.

We grabbed our first snow cones of the season, checked out a gazillion books at the library, ate dinner on the fly as we scrambled to Annie's soccer game, and made it home in time to introduce our kids to a favorite that I haven't seen in years: The Man from Snowy River.  They loved it.  Jim Craig was dreamy once again as he subdued the brumbies.

I've commanded my children to sleep in until 8 AM.  We'll see how well obedience reigns in this house.