When you receive an email from Netflix saying, “contain your excitement….the first day of school is so close you can taste it”, I don’t know how to feel.
I guess it would depend on the day I read it.
Or tell each other to get out of their respective rooms for the 23rd time.
I think the best one was arguing over who was better at Wii Bowling.
And the seven-year-old crying because her sister’s character was too close to her in her lane.
At the virtual bowling alley.
IAMTOUCHINGYOUIAMTOUCHINGYOUIAMTOUCHINGYOUIAMTOUCHINGYOU.
Then maybe I would have definitely had strong feelings about them going back to school.
Side note- it makes me laugh when people say, “there is such an age gap, do they really argue??”.
Yes, they are sisters, they argue.
Especially this time of the year.
And yes, there are moments during these times that I do whisper to myself and maybe even say aloud, “I need school to start”.
But there is never a time where I need to “contain my excitement”.
I never, ever get excited this time of year.
In fact, this time of year has always rung a little depressing to me.
The end.
Of summer, of freedom, of never-ending days.
Call it being “lucky” enough to be a stay at home mom but I enjoy having my noisy, messy kids home.
I love that I have the privilege of being able to be home for them all year round but summer is the best because it is when we have, for the most part, less of a schedule and more of a time to enjoy each other.
But this isn’t my first rodeo, I know these days are fleeting and as each school year starts, I realize that I need to treasure these summers.
I cling to them like a drowning woman clings to a life preserver.
Holding on for dear life.
This summer was the summer that my oldest learned to drive which brought many an emotion, the biggest being that this might be the last summer that we have this much time together.
Next summer she will be driving and have friends who have cars and might possibly even have a part-time job.
So this summer when she asked to drive anywhere, I gladly obliged.
When her driving instructor said she had had lots of practice, I laughed.
Yes, yes she has because she has a mother who is holding on tight under the guise of “getting lots of good driving practice in”.
Maybe too damn tight, but I feel that life preserver getting slipperier by the minute.
This summer was full of lots of family time, lots of practice homework sheets, reading, reading, and more reading.
Most of it not done by me, sadly but proudly to say.
This summer was full of daily cheer practices and soccer camp, pool parties with friends and the first sleepover for a certain seven-year-old.
This summer was full of family time with grandparents who we got to spend a full two weeks with.
It was in those two weeks that we realized how much we dearly miss out without them and how much we so desperately want to be near each other.
We cherished that time with them and it was at that time that we realized that we would all do better with a dog in the house, especially for the seven-year-old.
This summer was full of Netflix shows and movies.
Lots of documentaries and Ella introduced her Mamie to Barbie’s Life in the Dreamhouse.
She loves it in case you were wondering.
Really, if you haven’t watched it, you need to.
It is hilarious even for adults.
A few favorites this summer:
Our favorites
Paul Williams Still Alive
Remote Area Medical
Tig
20 Feet From Stardom
I Hate Christian Laettner
Anna’s Favorites
Grey’s Anatomy
Secret Life of an American Teenager
Pretty Little Liars
Ella’s Favorites
Gilmore Girls
Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse
Pioneer Woman
Powerpuff Girls
So as this summer winds down, there is no “excitement” as they head back to school, at least not on my part.
Maybe for them as they get to see their old friends, get back into routines, make new friends, learn new subjects, meet new teachers and experience new things but there will be no clicking of heels, drinking toasts and saying THANK YOU’S to the sky as they head back these next few days.
But I am happy that we had a great summer and I can’t wait to do it all again next year.
I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team. Meaning, for the next year, once a month I will be writing posts about how my family is using our Netflix. They provided me with a Roku and a voucher for my Netflix account.
