Checking In

Over the course of the past month, I've mentally reminded myself that I needed to get here and check in a bunch of times, but somehow, it didn't happen. Eh, what can I say? Life has been busy.

We are really going full throttle with the whole school-year routine at this point, and summer vacation is really just a distant memory. So...what's been going on? Well, for the kids it has been school, soccer, brownies, swimming (Eden), new friends, birthday parties and playdates. Along the way, Sadie has lost a few teeth (she is currently sporting that delicious, quintessentially seven year old toothless grin), and gained her first trophy (for participating in soccer). We decorated, carved, costumed and trick-or-treated for Halloween. We took a mini-road trip to Maryland to help Kayleigh ring in her birthday (and to practice for our BIG trip in February).

For me, it has been a lot of volunteering at both kids' schools. I made a promise to myself that I would get more involved this year, and man, I wasn't kidding! A typical week now has me at one or both of their classes, attending parent committee meetings, working book fairs and bake sales, and just generally running like mad trying to fit all of this in with work. It is definitely hard to be as involved as you want when you've got that pesky job in the way, but not impossible. It is really rewarding, though...to know that you are doing something that so directly and positively impacts the kids. I love getting to see them during the day, I really like getting to know so many of the kids in the school ("Sadie's mom is here! Hi Sadie's mom!"), and it has been a great way to connect with more of the parents. So, it is all good. Just...busy.

I guess I can forgive myself for not updating here as often as I had planned and hoped. I'll be back soon to upload some pictures.

It's Starting Already

As this very busy summer comes to an end, I am, on the one hand, somewhat looking forward to some quieter weekends. I feel as though just about every spare second of every day this summer was filled with activity. Don't get me wrong, I love to have lots to do, especially in the summer when you just want to be outside constantly. But, I did go to bed almost every night completely wiped out from all of the activity.

So, the thought of some more low-key weekends is appealing, to an extent. Or at least, the misconception that we were going to tone things down, that is. Apparently, I've been making one-off plans here and there without really paying attention to the aggregate result, and the end product is a completely booked up September already. So, what's in the hopper? All good things:

• A neighborhood block party, including an evening out with Evan, utilizing a non-family member babysitter for the first time. ever.
• A pool party/BBQ hosted by the family of one of Sadie's previous classmates, in honor of two of their kids' birthdays.
• Ringing in the Jewish New Year with my parents and aunts and uncles and cousins (mmmm...did somebody say brisket?)
• A girls night out in NYC in honor of my friend Kristin, who is getting married at the end of the month.
• Grossly overeating again breaking the fast on Yom Kippur with Evan's family.
• Sadie's Birthday Party!
• A weekend away to exciting Syracuse with Evan for Kristin's wedding, here. No kids. Kristin is the very last of my group of friends from college to get married, so it is bound to be a great time. All of the rest of us are married and in the throes of raising small kids, so everyone is a litle too excited to have a night out and away. Did I mention no kids?

Phew! The month isn't even here yet, and I'm tired ;) And, what am I doing already but starting to plan out October. I'm organizing one of these parties since I had so much fun at my friend Jenn's. And, I've just booked us for a weekend away here with a trip to here and here, as well. Then, at the end of the month, I'm off to a conference here.

So, next time I complain about being tired or being overextended or running around too much, just tell me to shut up. Cause, we all know, I've brought it on myself.