School is out. Not sure if I had mentioned that or not.

I love summer. Love it. It can not be hot enough or light late enough for me. I have just about one hour left of paper work to officially wrap up this school year, but the kids are done.

We finished up this school year really low key. We had our final class store (which three years later we are still doing and I love it as much as I did three years ago), I dished out grades, and the kids threw out their old workbooks (which they get a kick out of).

We celebrated the first day off of school by just hanging out. Sometimes a big celebration seems in order and sometimes doing nothing seems like the big celebration. We had a yummy pizza and salad lunch at Whole Foods, we visited grandma and papa at their house, and we went to Great Harvest Bread Company.

I realize that sounds strange to go to a bread store, but what you need to understand is that when you walk in the door they immediately ask you if you would like a piece of FREE bread. They cut the fresh out of the oven bread into huge slices. They have this one kind….white chocolate cinnamon. They slather it with real butter and you just about die and go to heaven when you eat it. It is amazing. It has just the perfect amount of little bits of white chocolate and cinnamon. It’s pretty spectacular and pretty healthy as far as a dessert option would go.

My daughter also had her 12th birthday party this weekend. She had a backyard stargazing slumber party. My house was invaded with 10 little girls to spend the night. It was super fun. My son was banished to his room to play video games because everytime his 13 year old face appeared there was high pitched squeals.  My little son went to bed and my other daughter headed over to a friend’s for a sleepover.

My 12 year old daughter is at that age. A remarkable grown up difference in all of these not so little anymore girls from just last year. I have known some of these girls for about six years. It is just as heartbreaking watching them grow up as it is my own. Seriously, I understand that growing up isn’t an option and I don’t get sometimes why it is so sad and why we all want them to stay little, but I do.

Despite the fact that they are all fantastic young ladies and I enjoy each one of them tremendously in the here and now, I was wishing to rewind the clock to six years ago when the party was themed American Idol. There were costumes and little girls adorned in contestant numbers dreaming of being on a big stage. The gifts were Barbies and Princess crowns, not gift cards and handbags. It’s all lovely, it is and I’ll catch up….just somedays, I really miss my babies. Tear.

~May 2006~

The girls hung out, had homemade ice cream sandwiches, listened to music, and slept under the stars.

My husband and I kept them supplied with food and aimed for that pre teenage needed balance of close enough that you know we are there, but far enough away to pretend that we weren’t. We sat on the porch and talked. I felt old….in a fabulous, content, I’m going to be more than o.k. with this kinda way.

With the disappearance of the play kitchen food, oversized cheap plastic high heels, and dollhouses appears the strangest realization that these little babies you brought into this world are now turning into little adult humans right before your very eyes. They have borderline grown up opinions and interests and ever developing senses of humor. I can catch a glimpse of ten years from now and its a crazy wonderful view.

For now I buckle up to enjoy the new ride of teen land and simoultaneously hang on to every thread of Dr. Seuss shirts and pre cut baby curls because they are slowly but surely being replaced.

And I will forever miss them.