Summer Was . . . . School is.

As of 8:15 this morning school is officially back in session at our house. Which means a whole lot of things. Mom's quiet and clean, for at least part of the day, house is back. I have time to write during the week without anyone asking for a snack, needing help with a game, or fighting with someone else (the voices in my head are excused from these behaviors). It also means that summer is officially over. No more weekly adventures with the kids. Homework is back and sleeping in is over -- Insert my shaking hands raised to the ceiling as I scream, "Noooooooo. Whyyyyyyyyyy?"

This summer was one of our most productive and exciting we've ever had. 

We jumped and played with cousins. 

We hiked and played in a stream

We met birds and reptiles

and much more. 

We also fought with each other, got super bored, had too much interaction with electronic devices and much more.

In addition to all that stuff the kids got to do, I was working two part time jobs and trying to write a book. Somehow I managed to get all that work stuff done AND write half of my first draft. That's 35,040 words or around 76 pages. I don't write this so that you know that I'm amazing, but so that I remember everything that got done while everybody was grouchy. I could not have done it on my own and as summer comes to a close I want to send a big shout out all those who saved my life for each of those 78 days of summer I thought would never end!

• The Eagle Mountain Public Library & Miss LeAnn for putting together a fun filled summer reading program. We participated every week. We got new books to read and listen too each week. I was horribly mean and made the kids read those books for a half hour every day while I wrote. You made productivity possible.
• Many people who had my kids over to play, or sent there kids to my house to occupy mine. I was able to work at my home based job while my kids were having fun.
• Grandma & Grandpa Hall for taking us on a fun hike, carrying my kids across the river, and letting us soak in the hot tub when it was all over. 
• Grandma & Grandpa Stone for taking the kids on individual sleep overs and spoiling them rotten at the same time.
• T for tagging along on our adventures, giving us another adult, and letting us swim in your pool. For keeping Mom sane with book suggestions and conversation. AND for helping me find the rockinest coat for myself at a huge discount. Then for making me go back and get it after I'd put it back on the rack.
• Scott for putting up with all my crazy plans to keep us occupied. For being willing to pick up dinner, a random child, or anything else at very last minute.
• Neighborhood friends for putting together a yard sale so that I could be motivated to get rid of all that stuff I've accumulated and don't really need. For having the whole family over for spontaneous activity and parties. And for not judging the state of my house during summer vacation. 
• The repair guys for fixing my fridge and helping me find the leak so that I could learn to love my house again. 
• Lastly thank you to everyone who took the pictures I used in this post and actually documented that we left our house this year. 

It really does take a village, and I'm so very grateful to have found mine. Happy Back to School to You!!!!!