You guys. I can’t believe this day is here – it’s the first day of school! Peanut is off to third grade, and Nugget starts first. And get this: they’re going in person, five days a week. I can barely believe it’s happening. Obviously I’m all tied into knots about this school year. All the usual worries are present – will we be able to manage the schedule? Will the kids make friends, and will their teachers “get” them? And then there’s the COVID worries on top of the normal worries. But I’m trying to stay positive and visualize getting off to a great start, the school year going really well, and everyone staying healthy. Cross your fingers for us.

In addition to this past weekend being the last weekend of the kids’ summer vacation, it was also Peanut’s birthday weekend! Can you believe it? She’s nine. I really don’t know where the time goes. Unlike her brother – who always wants to be out doing things – Peanut really enjoys chilling at home, so when we asked her how she wanted to spend her day, she wanted to open her presents early and then have a quiet day communing with her new stuff. So that’s what we did! We all loafed around the house most of the day (Nugget and I did slip out to run some errands and give Peanut a break from the little brother circus) – until it was time for the only outing Peanut wanted: a trip to the American Girl Store for dinner and shopping. One of her birthday gifts was to have a few of her dolls admitted to the doll hospital (she’s quite rough on her toys, and multiple Wellie Wishers needed new heads). Steve and I had a talk with her to the effect of: we’re happy to get these dolls fixed as a gift to you, but this is the only time we do this; any more “dolly makeovers” we’re not fixing. She also got to choose a new American Girl, and she picked Kira, the 2021 Girl of the Year. Dinner at the American Girl Bistro rounded out what was pretty much her perfect day. Sunday was quiet; I picked up groceries, did some prep for the first week of school lunches since March 2020, washed the kids’ new school clothes, and tried to get organized for the week ahead (here’s hoping). Nugget and I did slip away in the morning to test out his new kayak at the local reservoir. He was stoked to be paddling his own ‘yak, and – as I knew he would – he did a great job following my directions and staying safe around the water. His kayak is stable enough to double as a stand-up paddleboard (that’s one of the selling points) and he wanted to try standing up; I reluctantly allowed it, but only in the shallow water around the launch area. He had so much fun – he was a little grumpy and sassy when I said it was time to leave, which is uncharacteristic for him – and I’m excited to have another paddling buddy and to watch his skills develop.

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Reading. Okay, same gallery as last week, but I have actual progress to report this time! I finished the James Michener. Praise the reading gods! Seriously, I had started to doubt that this day would ever come. It was engaging and a good read, but just way too long – at least, way too long for me to read in the summer; talk to me when winter darkness sets in and I might be more inclined to pick up another Michener. I’m thinking of writing a blog post about this epic reading journey. Anyway – after I turned off my kindle (with a certain amount of relief), I happily switched back to The Swiss Summer. At press time, I’m a little less than halfway through and enjoying the change of pace immensely, rather like Lucy Cottrell in her Alpine travels.

Watching. Because it was Peanut’s birthday weekend, she got the privilege of dictating what we all watched – MaryEllen’s Extraordinary Christmas on Friday, and Alice in Wonderland on Saturday. (I will admit that I mostly scrolled through my phone during Alice.) We’ve also discovered a new NatGeo series (or new-to-us, anyway) called Growing Up Animal – fun.

Listening. Podcasts are back! And a good variety. I finished up a half-listened episode of Tea or Books, then plowed through the August episode of As the Seasons Turn and a few summer episodes of The Mom Hour. Good stuff all.

Making. Plans, plans and more plans – not especially fun plans, but plans. I’m back on the meal-planning train and have plotted out a week’s worth of dinners (and mostly stuck to the menu!) two weeks running now; well done, me. And there’s so much thought that has to go into back-to-school season; it’s overwhelming. I’ve got quite a few lists running and I’m working my way through them.

Moving. Bit of a light week of movement – I think I’m tired from travels, but I’m ready to get back on the horse soon. I squeezed in two runs, which felt good (my shin is still sore, but improving and definitely runnable now – it only bothers me when someone presses on it, which Nugget does a few times a day; I’d probably be totally healed by now, were it not for that). This coming week, with the kids in school, I’m determined to get back on the daily exercise train.

Blogging. Themed Reads for back-to-school coming atcha on Wednesday (it’s not what you’d think!) and the first of my summer travel posts on Friday. This will be a long series, so buckle up.

Loving. I’m so stoked that Nugget finally has his kayak (he’s been asking for a YEAR) and that we can paddle together! I tend to be an anxious mom, especially where he is concerned. (Peanut generally doesn’t go in for daredevil type activities, so I don’t worry as much about tumbles and bumped noggins with her.) But he’s great about following my directions, especially when I make it clear that it’s about safety, and he’s got pretty decent water skills for a little duffer. I’m looking forward to more mornings on the water with him, as we transition into our long, warm fall days. I’ve loved paddlesports since I was a kid, and it warms my heart that he wants to share that with me.

Asking. What are you reading this week?