Summer Is Winding Down

I always say I know when it's time to head back to school.  I say it every year.  It's time to get back to a routine and to get the kids around someone besides their mom.  Don't get me wrong, we've had a great summer, and I've so enjoyed being home with my kids.  But, I can always tell when it's time.  

We've done lots of running and had many weekends away from home this summer, either vacationing or camping.  Two weekends ago, we finished camping for the year.  I cleaned everything out, and the trailer is ready to be winterized and put away for the year.  Since then, I've spent my days and weekends at home tying up loose ends.  I've done a little shopping, made some plans for the baby (that will be here sooner than we all realize!), finished some projects, and done some school work.  Just today I did some good sweeping, dusting and wiping down around the house.  

Vera and Vince need to be around someone besides their mom.  (And I think their mom needs a little adult interaction, too!)  Preschool is going to do Vera a lot of good.  She needs to learn to listen to other adults, follow directions, and also to realize that everything is not always on her terms.  Vince needs to get back to Patty's to interact with someone else.  He's going through a needy phase right now, and he sure knows how to get what he wants.  There's no doubt in my mind that Patty will whip him right into shape! :)

But, we're savoring the last days of sleeping in, routine-free evenings, and fun around home.  It is going to be a big adjustment for everyone to get to bed early and get up early in the mornings!  Here's some pictures as we end our summer...

This is how Vinners feels about summer ending.  Actually, if you look closely, he's pretty beat up.  He went to Patty's for one day, and came home knowing how to crawl up the stairs.  We didn't realize he could do this, and that evening he took at least two spills down the stairs.  Notice the skinned nose, bruise above his eye, and red eye.  In an unrelated event, he also has ruptured a blood vessel in his eye.  We have no idea how that happened.  Probably one of the fits that he threw...  But we felt kind of bad because he looked pretty rough as we got him ready for bed that night.  We now have a gate at the top and the bottom of our stairs.

Vera hadn't played with her Jeep much over the summer.  Last weekend, she wanted it out.  We put Vince in with her, and they had a blast.  He loved riding along.  He managed to undo his seat belt, and I caught him standing up a time or two while Vera was driving.  Vera managed to crash into a few things while driving along.  Never a dull moment...

Here Vin is "talking on the phone."

Vera's ridiculous faces

An attempt to get them both looking with reasonable faces.  It is impossible.

We had a couple of really beautiful evenings last week.  The weather was cool and comfortable with a gentle breeze.  It was so nice to be outside.

Vin had enough for one day, but Vera really wanted to play in the sandbox--something else she hasn't done a lot this summer.  It's always been too wet, too hot, or we weren't home.  So, dad and Vince went in the house for a bath.  I sat on the patio and watched Vera play and play.  She chattered to herself the whole time, and I had fun watching her.

For our last Friday of summer, we joined Karen, Cohen, Mandy, Blake, Nora and Grandma for a park day.  We ate Subway in the shelter house, and then the kids played for a while.  It was another really pretty day, and the kids were all tired when we left.  

Everyone is growing so fast!