First Day of School 2014 // End of Summer

I made it! I survived!  Some days it wasn't pretty but we are all still alive and kicking after a crazy, busy summer!

Today is the boys' first day of school!

Brennan was very excited, as most Kindergarteners are!  He had a lot of questions but said he wasn't nervous.  I told him I was going to miss him every day, he said he was going to miss me, too. 

Aiden was happy to be back around his friends again.  He's a pretty easy going guy, no worries from him and he definitely isn't going to be missing me, ha ha!

Looking back over our summer, it was a busy one.  We did a lot of running around.  We failed miserably in getting things checked off our Summer bucket list.  Can you believe we only made it to the pool 2 times?  I didn't want to take Tate much at the beginning of the summer, then when I felt he could handle being in the sun for a bit it was too cool to go to the pool. 

Our park visits were way down this year.  We have averaged at least 1 park visit per week over the past summers.  This summer, though, I can count on one hand how many times we went.  Sad. 

Andy didn't get the boys out fishing, but they did golf a couple of times.

There weren't nearly enough bike rides and walks.

No camping in the backyard this summer.

Those were our fails.  But our wins were pretty great.

Chicago, the county fair, the state fair, playing ball in the yard, playing with cousins, catching lightning bugs, having friends over, picking berries and veggies... we had a fun summer after all, even if it wasn't as full of activities as I'd hoped back in May.

Now a new school year begins, so full of excitement and promise!  I love a new school year, even if I don't like that it means my boys are getting older at a lightning fast speed.  Who doesn't love a backpack full of new supplies?  All that clean, fresh, white paper?  Those unmarred folders?  The pointy new pencils?  Yummy smelling crayons all lined up pretty in their box?  Exciting!!!

And what follows the first day of school?  Fall!  The colors, the smells, the leaves and pumpkins!  Perfect time for our Fall Swag Swap!  Sign ups start tomorrow through mid-next week!  Just shoot me an email if you want to sign up, are a blogger and live in the US. 

Here's to a GREAT 3rd grade and Kindergarten year!