There’s no denying it now. Summer is gone, and cooler temperatures have come back, with subtle hints, followed by a more dramatic drop in temperature over the last couple of days.
The sure sign that summer has decided to pack up and hide are the facts that not only is school get back into session this week, but I’ve also had to cover a huge portion of my garden for a night.
Although it’s hard to say if the temperature did in fact dip below freezing Sunday night, it was no doubt close enough to warrant a bit of caution. My five-year-old and I have been working at growing our pumpkins (well over a dozen at this point) all season, so a bit more care and attention will likely be required to keep them growing for at least a couple more weeks.
And now that fall (likely, my favourite season for a number of reasons) is around the corner, I find myself looking back on the past few months.
The warmer temperatures will be missed, but not as much as some other things. I love having my kids at home, despite the fact that I have to continue to work through the summer months for the most part.
Not having to deal with homework, or early mornings, are some of our favourite things about summer break.
But, this summer felt a little different than the last few. I took on a little less work, and we went on a few more holidays and spent a number of weekends away. And I can say I enjoyed each and every extra minute spent together as a family – even the ones that involved the boys asking hundreds of times where we were going, when we would get there, and even the few dramatic meltdowns thrown in for good measure.
We have travelled clear across the country this summer (a highlight for sure), but we also took time to stick close to home and visit with family we don’t see as often as we probably should.
Our oldest son loves the fact that he seems to have cousins scattered everywhere, and he fully took advantage of the family reunion, anniversary, and birthday celebrations we attended.
When I asked him the other day if he was excited for school, he admitted that he was both sad and happy that summer was nearly over. We’ve had a busy few months, and I honestly can’t remember when our last free weekend was.
Flipping through my agenda – I’ve realized that in reality, there hasn’t been a free weekend all summer. We’ve successfully managed to pump the last few months full with camping, visiting, travelling, and even attending a handful of parades along the way.
Since I was a kid, rodeo weekend in St. Paul was always a memorable and ideal way to wrap up the summer. Although it signified the end of a fun season, it also meant that fall had arrived, and as an adult, I now fully appreciate a return to routine, despite the homework and early mornings.
Fall is not doubt just as busy, with nearly a full week’s worth of after school activities ahead of us, each week until Christmas, but earlier bed times and quiet evenings will likely be welcome.
