The Grind

Fall is here and this weekend we enjoyed much cooler temperatures and a great deal of rain. We are relishing our weekends that come and go so quickly it seems. Our family is now into the sixth week of school. We are very much back to the grind. Being a teacher's child, these familiar rhythms of summer freedom coming to an abrupt - and always shocking - halt are routine for me. I guess they will be for Benjamin too. (Will he be a teacher someday?) No matter the fact that I'm 38, I'm still always surprised when summer break ends and all those lazy/busy days become distant memories so quickly.

Tomorrow will be the first day of October. Then the race will really begin. Just looking at my calendar for the next few months makes me tired and happy and tired again. We have some exciting plans, most of which include seeing friends and family. An engagement party for Lydia, a trip to Boston then on to a Rhode Island marathon and a visit with the Bagley's, McMurry homecoming, basketball season for Val, some home improvement projects, and on and on. I'm excited. I'm tired, too, just thinking about it. Oh, and how could I forget, more Rangers baseball. Since our family has become ultimate fans, you know.

So we're back to the grind. But also we're trying to enjoy these fall days. We're trying not to get bogged down by the stress. We're trying to move along happily celebrating the fun stuff.

 

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All Good Things Must End (Even Road Trips)

It's hard for me to believe that it has been only a little over a week since our vacation ended. It seems like a really long time ago now. How does that happen? Why is it so easy for carefree vacation feelings to fade?

The consolation is we had a really wonderful time this year. I feel like things couldn't have been better, and I'm grateful for the family time and memories we made together.

We enjoyed our week in Alabama at John and Andrea's house. Benjamin got to spend time with all of his cousins which is kind of crazy because there are so many of them - a true house full! John and Andrea added a playroom to their ever expanding house. The room was a hit with the children, but just as popular with the grown ups.

Two days were especially fun for Benjamin because we got to go the beach, so he could resume his summer love affair with the waves. The Alabama beach did not disappoint with its white sand and beautiful water. What a lovely place.

 

One evening, we spent a very sweaty two hours at the putt putt golf course. Benjamin was so happy to wear his new "golf hat" and new blue shoes. He'd been itching to play some golf on this trip. It was quite an experience!

 

Benjamin even got to play one last night of baseball with his cousins before we began the long drive home on Thursday morning.

 

We were all a bit sad to leave Alabama and the Pattillo family, but the promise of a weekend lake trip made saying goodbye and enduring the eleven hour car trip a bit easier. We got home Thursday night and left again on Friday for a much shorter (!!!) drive to Lake Granbury with the Wootan side of the family. We had a such a great weekend that I didn't even have that end of vacation I'm-just-ready-to-be-home feeling.

True to Wootan form there was good food,

 

plenty of sport,

 

and, of course, lots of relaxing.

 

Dad has already made plans for a return trip next summer. I'm ready.

 

 

Road trip 2012 - done!

 

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