I cannot handle the anxiety of shopping for school supplies while they erect Halloween town right next to it. Can I have a minute? Please. Literally have to take medication now because of retail. Lol but not really 🥴
my cousin did a mashed potato bar at their (outdoor) wedding a few years ago! It was great. And the gravy was VERY good. Which I think is key. ;) They had food stations around the outside of the tent. Including Paella. It was a great idea, and I couldn't even eat everything!
So here at the Iowa State Fair there’s a hot beef sundae and it’s mashed potatoes, gravy, beef, corn, and then a cherry tomato on top. When I tell you that IT IS EVERYTHING...
First time Kinder mama here... it’s been a fun transition. I like the structure and routine for sure (3w2) and work has been a bit crazy. We capped off the week with the first loose tooth - and First Week Friday movie night (thanks Jen Hatmaker)!
Will check out Crown of Thorn series soon - I’ve heard good things!
I am a kindergarten teacher, so the end of summer is always bittersweet. I am already exhausted after our first two days of school, and I know my students are too! If your kinder kid is coming home grumpy and/or exhausted, just know that it is because we are working so hard to learn routines and procedures and how to exist as a human being in a classroom full of other human beings. Kindergarten can be such an amazing year; I hope your kiddo has a great experience.
Happy Friday! It has been a while since I have commented but it has been a crazy past month or so. With vacation for 10 days in July and a week of day camp for my boy, then getting wisdom teeth out for my girl, with going through a dry socket, damaging storm that took out several trees along with cosmetic damage to my house and having to get a new roof, to finally this week where my girl got covid. Oh did I mention that my kids started school last Thursday Aug 3rd, and then she tested positive for Covid this past Monday! SMH!!! I wasn't ok last week as my girl started high school and my baby boy started his last year of elementary school, all the feels going on over here!
I hope all is well Lil Swipes! Hopefully this next week brings some calmness to me...oh wait I am getting a new roof on Wednesday. :)
I love back to school time, but it doesn’t happen around here until early September (as the good Lord intended!) I’m not sure I could wrap my head around buying school supplies in the middle of summer. True story: I once ranted to the stranger beside me in the school supply section about how totally ridiculous these lists were, like my kid needs to take 30 pencils and 400 pages of paper...for Grade 2? No way. I was on a real roll that day. Imagine my surprise then, when I dropped my kiddo off at school a couple of weeks later and that same lady was there. At the front of the classroom. Because she was his teacher. Oof.
I always thought the lists were ridiculous until I understood we were supplying the whole class and making up for families who couldn’t and teachers who shouldn’t have to pay for it themselves. It’s wrong, the legislature should fix it with actual proper funding, and the wrongness makes me furious. 😡
Yeah, there’s definitely not enough education funding in either of our countries. I’ve always been supportive of providing supplies for families who needed the help (in a way that doesn’t single them out) but that’s not how supply lists were presented at this particular school. They weren’t encouraging communal use because another of the requirements was to label each and every pencil, crayon, eraser etc with our kid’s name.
As a person with no kids, school starting means it’s almost vacation time. My husband and I exclusively take vacations in August, September, and October. It’s cheaper and less crowded almost anywhere we go. 🙃
I have very complicated feelings about school starting up again. I'm not one of those that gets sad on the first day of school, so last year I was sooooo pumped to have 2 kids at school the full day for the first time. And then we spent Labor Day to Christmas with somebody sick at least once every freaking calendar week (and we don't talk about November where all five of us had strep plus ear infections plus pink eye all at the same time). So this year my excitement is greatly tempered by dread. Will this fall be the hell on wheels last fall was?? For my mental health I must assume yes. So I'm sort of devastated that school is starting and I'm kind of devastated that I'm devastated because I'm also losing my ever loving mind hanging out with these kids all day every day.
Big yes on that mashed potato bar. I once went to a wedding where they had a mac and cheese bar and that was also DELIGHTFUL. Crab on mac and cheese was a revolutionary combo.
Happy Friday Swipes! I always have mixed emotions at the end of summer - I *love* summertime, it is my favorite season. But I also work at a college, and things are so quiet (especially late July/early August). As an extrovert who is drained by spending so many hours alone at work, I'm also really excited to have my students back on campus. And the start of school is my busiest season (and kind of insane 😂). So probs feeling happy/sad about it, as I do every August. 😆
ALSO...... I picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses a few weeks ago and FLEW through the first 3 books. I think this might be my new fave series ever. Has anyone else read it?
I have been out of school for quite some time, and we don't have any kiddos to send to school, but I still love this time of year. And even though the highs are around 99 where I am, I consider the beginning of school the start of Fall.
Not a parent buuuuuut the upcoming change in seasons is in some ways very welcome for me! I've been *longing* for the cooler weather for the last few weeks but when I got up this morning, I re-realized that if I want that colder weather I have to trade in like half of my daylight hours, and now I'm wishing summer would last a little longer! I'm okay with the early sunsets, but I despise getting up in the morning when it's still dark.
A treasure to share:
I BLASTED through Nathaniel Philbrick's In The Heart of the Sea this week. I very rarely read nonfiction (outside of memoirs) and recommend it even less often, but y'all. Truly the most stranger-than-fiction book I have ever read. So well written and the story is absolutely gripping. It's about an 1820 whaling ship disaster that leaves the crew floating around in the ocean for 3 months until they're finally found. It's got everything from cultural Quaker dynamics to cannibalism to extremely graphic descriptions of what happens when they body goes through near-lethal dehydration. Did I need to know the term "gastronomic incest"? Absolutely not. But I will never forget that story. Made me REAL glad to be a woman in 2023.
GIVE ME A SCHOOL YEAR. I love my children better when we have a little bit of space, a schedule to work on our things, and a clear path toward goals. But I’ve also loved school since I was a kid, so that’s also probably it haha! Also, while we’re on the subject of summer ending and delights from it, there’s this AMAZING deviled egg restaurant called the Deviled Egg Co. in Omaha. They have the cutest food truck too. 💕
Happy Friday, we made it! It's been a long we over here, but by noon tomorrow I will have officially survived summer reading. As much as it's been an adjustment it's also been really fun. I missed being around kids all day since my old library was in a much smaller county. It's really nice being able to do programs and engage with people.
I don't have any good back to school advice as my back to school routine was typically just disappearing for 1-2 months. My friends knew that I'd resurface mid- late September once had fully transitioned back to school and could handle more things again. Probably not the best strategy...
I like to mull over big things for a long time and then get them done so the waiting to actually close on the house is killing me. I'm just itching to start doing things!
I cannot handle the anxiety of shopping for school supplies while they erect Halloween town right next to it. Can I have a minute? Please. Literally have to take medication now because of retail. Lol but not really 🥴
my cousin did a mashed potato bar at their (outdoor) wedding a few years ago! It was great. And the gravy was VERY good. Which I think is key. ;) They had food stations around the outside of the tent. Including Paella. It was a great idea, and I couldn't even eat everything!
So here at the Iowa State Fair there’s a hot beef sundae and it’s mashed potatoes, gravy, beef, corn, and then a cherry tomato on top. When I tell you that IT IS EVERYTHING...
This feels very IOWA, even though I’ve never been there and only have ideas about it from The Music Man. 😂
First time Kinder mama here... it’s been a fun transition. I like the structure and routine for sure (3w2) and work has been a bit crazy. We capped off the week with the first loose tooth - and First Week Friday movie night (thanks Jen Hatmaker)!
Will check out Crown of Thorn series soon - I’ve heard good things!
I am a kindergarten teacher, so the end of summer is always bittersweet. I am already exhausted after our first two days of school, and I know my students are too! If your kinder kid is coming home grumpy and/or exhausted, just know that it is because we are working so hard to learn routines and procedures and how to exist as a human being in a classroom full of other human beings. Kindergarten can be such an amazing year; I hope your kiddo has a great experience.
Happy Friday! It has been a while since I have commented but it has been a crazy past month or so. With vacation for 10 days in July and a week of day camp for my boy, then getting wisdom teeth out for my girl, with going through a dry socket, damaging storm that took out several trees along with cosmetic damage to my house and having to get a new roof, to finally this week where my girl got covid. Oh did I mention that my kids started school last Thursday Aug 3rd, and then she tested positive for Covid this past Monday! SMH!!! I wasn't ok last week as my girl started high school and my baby boy started his last year of elementary school, all the feels going on over here!
I hope all is well Lil Swipes! Hopefully this next week brings some calmness to me...oh wait I am getting a new roof on Wednesday. :)
I love back to school time, but it doesn’t happen around here until early September (as the good Lord intended!) I’m not sure I could wrap my head around buying school supplies in the middle of summer. True story: I once ranted to the stranger beside me in the school supply section about how totally ridiculous these lists were, like my kid needs to take 30 pencils and 400 pages of paper...for Grade 2? No way. I was on a real roll that day. Imagine my surprise then, when I dropped my kiddo off at school a couple of weeks later and that same lady was there. At the front of the classroom. Because she was his teacher. Oof.
😂😂😂 First impressions!
I always thought the lists were ridiculous until I understood we were supplying the whole class and making up for families who couldn’t and teachers who shouldn’t have to pay for it themselves. It’s wrong, the legislature should fix it with actual proper funding, and the wrongness makes me furious. 😡
Yeah, there’s definitely not enough education funding in either of our countries. I’ve always been supportive of providing supplies for families who needed the help (in a way that doesn’t single them out) but that’s not how supply lists were presented at this particular school. They weren’t encouraging communal use because another of the requirements was to label each and every pencil, crayon, eraser etc with our kid’s name.
Okay, that’s just ridiculous. 🤦🏻♀️
As a person with no kids, school starting means it’s almost vacation time. My husband and I exclusively take vacations in August, September, and October. It’s cheaper and less crowded almost anywhere we go. 🙃
I have very complicated feelings about school starting up again. I'm not one of those that gets sad on the first day of school, so last year I was sooooo pumped to have 2 kids at school the full day for the first time. And then we spent Labor Day to Christmas with somebody sick at least once every freaking calendar week (and we don't talk about November where all five of us had strep plus ear infections plus pink eye all at the same time). So this year my excitement is greatly tempered by dread. Will this fall be the hell on wheels last fall was?? For my mental health I must assume yes. So I'm sort of devastated that school is starting and I'm kind of devastated that I'm devastated because I'm also losing my ever loving mind hanging out with these kids all day every day.
Big yes on that mashed potato bar. I once went to a wedding where they had a mac and cheese bar and that was also DELIGHTFUL. Crab on mac and cheese was a revolutionary combo.
Happy Friday Swipes! I always have mixed emotions at the end of summer - I *love* summertime, it is my favorite season. But I also work at a college, and things are so quiet (especially late July/early August). As an extrovert who is drained by spending so many hours alone at work, I'm also really excited to have my students back on campus. And the start of school is my busiest season (and kind of insane 😂). So probs feeling happy/sad about it, as I do every August. 😆
ALSO...... I picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses a few weeks ago and FLEW through the first 3 books. I think this might be my new fave series ever. Has anyone else read it?
I have been out of school for quite some time, and we don't have any kiddos to send to school, but I still love this time of year. And even though the highs are around 99 where I am, I consider the beginning of school the start of Fall.
Not a parent buuuuuut the upcoming change in seasons is in some ways very welcome for me! I've been *longing* for the cooler weather for the last few weeks but when I got up this morning, I re-realized that if I want that colder weather I have to trade in like half of my daylight hours, and now I'm wishing summer would last a little longer! I'm okay with the early sunsets, but I despise getting up in the morning when it's still dark.
A treasure to share:
I BLASTED through Nathaniel Philbrick's In The Heart of the Sea this week. I very rarely read nonfiction (outside of memoirs) and recommend it even less often, but y'all. Truly the most stranger-than-fiction book I have ever read. So well written and the story is absolutely gripping. It's about an 1820 whaling ship disaster that leaves the crew floating around in the ocean for 3 months until they're finally found. It's got everything from cultural Quaker dynamics to cannibalism to extremely graphic descriptions of what happens when they body goes through near-lethal dehydration. Did I need to know the term "gastronomic incest"? Absolutely not. But I will never forget that story. Made me REAL glad to be a woman in 2023.
GIVE ME A SCHOOL YEAR. I love my children better when we have a little bit of space, a schedule to work on our things, and a clear path toward goals. But I’ve also loved school since I was a kid, so that’s also probably it haha! Also, while we’re on the subject of summer ending and delights from it, there’s this AMAZING deviled egg restaurant called the Deviled Egg Co. in Omaha. They have the cutest food truck too. 💕
Happy Friday, we made it! It's been a long we over here, but by noon tomorrow I will have officially survived summer reading. As much as it's been an adjustment it's also been really fun. I missed being around kids all day since my old library was in a much smaller county. It's really nice being able to do programs and engage with people.
I don't have any good back to school advice as my back to school routine was typically just disappearing for 1-2 months. My friends knew that I'd resurface mid- late September once had fully transitioned back to school and could handle more things again. Probably not the best strategy...
I like to mull over big things for a long time and then get them done so the waiting to actually close on the house is killing me. I'm just itching to start doing things!
Have the best weekend friends!