A few last things...

School starts tomorrow.  Which means I will now disappear off the face of the plant for 4-6 weeks.  Haha.  The last week was busy squeezing in a few final fun things in while still trying to get my room ready for a new year.  I cannot believe I am about to start my 8th year of teaching.  How did that happen?  How did I get here?  I've officially come to the point where my first set of students (junior high kids) are now out of high school, and my first set of 4th graders are now in high school.  Scary.  

Last weekend we headed up the canyon to the Kern River.  We spent a lazy four hours drifting down the river in our wicked awesome raft, enjoying some homemade PB&Js, and drinking ice-cold drinks.  It was heaven.  I cried a little I was so happy... I'm not even joking.  I've become a bit emotional in recent times.  I cry when I'm sad.  I cry when I'm happy.  I'm a cryin' fool all the time, I'm telling you.  A cryin' fool!

Oh, excuse me while I grab a drink from my cool little ice chest in the middle, thankyouverymuch.

I'm slightly (but just slightly) embarrassed to say I've become super engrossed in Teen Mom.  Except I only watch it on Netflix so I'm like 85 seasons behind the rest of the world.  I purposely picked the longest line at WinCo so I could read through this magazine without actually paying for it.  #1.  I don't think OK! Magazine is the truthiest (is that a word?!) gossip mag in the stacks.  #2.  They lead you in with a SHOCKING secret and then it ends up being something super lame that is neither surprising nor shocking.  Darn magazine covers.  Suck me in every time.  

What is this pattern/style of table cloth called??? I love it!  I have been looking everywhere for tablecloths like these and my awesome mother-in-law found one and gave it to me.  Any ideas??  I want a million more of them.

I've becoming home to this mess every day for almost a week.  I love it.  I love the little imagination Swee'Pea has.  I love that he will play with this for hours and hours and hours.  I love seeing him interact with Popeye and makeup stories and characters and scenarios.  But it is now officially driving me crazy and I am ready for the boxes to be packed back up for a month or so.  Sometimes seeing messes makes me hot and itchy and clausterphobic.  Is that weird?!

Remember my post last week about the less than glamorous time I was having with Swee'Pea?  Well guess what.  This week has been GREAT.  Only a few tears and fights (some over food, several over clothing).  And not only does he now eat carrots, he ASKS for carrots.  Sometimes a few times a day.  And what is more, he asked me to make him a smoothie.  And when he sipped his cup of spinach and romaine and bananas and berries and exclaimed, "Mmmm mom!  This salad smoothie is GOOD!"  (until the next day.  when he refused to drink it.  but whatevs.  little victories, people.  little victories!).

School supplies are out.  I contained myself and did not fill my cart with Hunger Games pencils and water cups and notebooks covered with pictures of Katniss and Peeta.  I did however buy my own supply of markers and pens and notebooks and index cards.  I keep these separate from Swee'Peas.  I am kind of a stickler when it comes to keeping my supplies pretty and looking fresh and new. 

You guys.  Look at this sweet boom box.  You can plug your iPod in.  And just roll down the streets bumping your tunes.  I really need this for when I walk down to katygirl's house.  All the kids will be jealous.  Jealous, I say!

Swee'Pea is about to start his second season of soccer, and his first with AYSO.  We picked up his uniform this week and he is so, so excited.  Having a kid is so fun!!!  I love watching him out there on the field playing and interacting with other kids.  I'm so excited for soccer season to start!

My class room is all set-up and ready to go.  My job-share partner and I are all organized and ready to go.  I'm praying to Jesus that my little ones will be well-rested and excited tomorrow and all ready to go as well.  

Speaking of back to school I'm back to drinking copious amounts of coffee again to get through my days at work.  I also got my traditional back-to-school pedicure this week.  I get them twice a year, in March and in August.  Every time I go, my pedicure lady yells at me for not coming in more.  I think she was sweating filing my feet.  She might have whispered a few choice words in Spanish under breath as well, but I can't be sure.  I was too engrossed reading the free stack of gossip magazines and catching up on the lives of Caitlynn, Maci, and Farrah.  I am super obsessed with them.  If you do not know who I am talking about, please refer to picture #3 above.

Good-bye summer.  It's been grand.  See ya in ten months!