Summer is Fading ...

I can see it happening. The little shift from carefree summer to the anticipation of school. From buying pool toys to buying school clothes. From rampant relaxation to organized chaos.

I'm not sure I'm ready for this summer to be over. It's been so fun. So many wonderful activities and memories. Summer camps with the boys (as much as I grump about them I secretly love them). Camping at the bunnies. Hanging out on the beach. Swimming in the neighbors pool. The kids playing outside with friends. Water balloon fights. Hanging outside with the neighbors until daylight fades away. Summer parties at friends houses. Family bike rides.

But now we've hit the point. Just 2 more weeks until school starts. All 3 in school all day long and me left alone. Wow.

I've been agonizing a bit over the whole thing. Not the kids going to school, as I know they'll all do well and are anticipating going back. I'm agonizing more over what I'M going to do. I had worked at the preschool last year and really loved it, but to be perfectly honest it doesn't pay much. It's just 2.5 hours a morning 4 mornings a week. Not as much money coming in as I'd hoped to contribute to our family. Then again, at the same time it means that the kids will never have to come home alone. They won't be alone on weekends or school breaks. I don't have to worry about who will watch them all summer long. And it still allows me to do my volunteer work in the classrooms, with scouts and for the parents organization. There are so many positives to the situation too. I'm trying to remember that. But man, it sure would be nice to make more money. I've been looking to see if I could find something else that would work but have come up pretty empty handed there. It's either evenings or full time or there's some other reason why it wouldn't work. So the best case scenario for me is to forget about the money and work at the preschool for all the other reasons.

Beyond that, I've been enjoying some fun with scrapbooking lately. I had one layout of baby Randal and the kids that was picked up for publication in an upcoming Memory Makers baby idea book. I also have work coming up in Scrapbooks, Etc., a Scrapbook Trends Idea Book, and two other Memory Makers idea books. Last, and certainly not least, I've been having tons of fun with the upcoming September kits from ScrapAddict. Here's a peek at some of those layouts: