The Last Week

This is it.  One more week before work and school and "real life" rears it's hopefully not-so-ugly head once again.  We took Rebekah back to school yesterday.  So many mixed feelings there.  Mostly, I'm feeling thankful to have the mixed feelings.  Thankful for the closeness of relationships that makes it so difficult for her to be gone, thankful that she's doing so wonderfully in school and that she's got a place to be where she's happy and successful.

Jacob and Julianna and I will be spending this week wringing every last bit we can out of summer fun.  Today, Jacob had his first band session.  Yup, we have our third saxophonist in the family.  Today he learned how to put together his mouthpiece and reed and how to make a sound.  Baby steps.  Music is definitely a series of baby steps that come together into something beautiful someday.

After band we headed downtown to our huge, fancy library.  We spent almost two hours searching for books, exploring, losing our ticket to the parking garage (thankfully that one ended happily when they let me just leave--I had paid the toll, it got lost somewhere between the pay machine and the exit.)  Then, we headed out to one of our favorite restaurants.  They have all locally sourced wonderful ingredients.  It's all salads and wraps and it still surprises me that my children enjoy eating there.  You choose a salad green, choose up to 4 vegetable or fruit add-ins, a cheese, a protein and a dressing.  Today I got a club salad, Jacob got an orzo, arugula, apple, corn and bacon wrap, Julianna was happy with chicken, cantaloupe, and lettuce wrap.  I love taking them there.  It's a little pricey, but so healthy and so much better than McD's.

When we got home they both practiced piano, I can feel them itching to begin lessons again after a short summer break, they're both eager to begin making progress again which is really neat to see.  Jacob practiced his sax and we're off to clean out rodents, J&J are pet sitting so there's a lot of rodents.  :)  Then, well go do some swimming, have leftovers for dinner and book club tonight.  It's a Mother-Daughter book club but Jacob's coming tonight too, as he's read the book and loved it.  The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  I highly recommend it.  Who knew?  We'll follow book club off (or start it off) with ice cream because, well, it's a tradition and why not?

Hope you're summer's winding down in a beautiful way too. 
xoxo