Official end of Summer

Well, Summer is officially over. For some people Summer ends with Labor Day, pool closings and book bags. Personally the summer doesn’t end until that last trip on Mellow Yellow. Labor Day was a month ago, we had our last pool day with Nana, Caroline started her first day at preschool and football is in full swing. But it wasn’t until last week that we officially said goodbye to summer,  spending one sunny day (and a couple rainy, cool days) on the old yellow boat in the Tennessee Valley.  

Pre-school

Caroline’s first day of preschool was more eventful for me than it was for her.  It was just one of those mom milestones that signals your baby is growing up. Her eagerness to experience what’s next is just the kind of enthusiasm I want her to have. On the contrary, I know it is the first milestone step away from me and towards her own future. Excitement for her, sadness for me.

In true Marci fashion, those thoughts took me down the slippery slope of what’s next. Before I could blink away the tears that were gathering as I drove to work, she was already eagerly on her way to college, with Maggie Moo Moo right on her heels. And here I am crying about how empty my nest will be.  

I park my car in the giant lot and shake it off by reminding myself that The Moo is STILL IN DIAPERS, and to GET A GRIP CRAZY LADY, because there is a lot more living to be had.

After my brief bout of empty-nest depression - it was time to go on vacation! The best way to detail our trip is to illustrate the best parts from both my and Caroline's perspective:

Below is Caroline’s list of the best things about vacation:

5. Throwing rocks in the lake

4. Driving the boat

3. Swimming

2. Finding a frog (it was actually a toad) and watching it hop away really fast. “That was really cool mom”

1. Bubby’s super bubble bath

My favorite things about vacation:

• Seeing my girls sleep in that same cubby on the old boat where my sister and I often found comfort: shade on those days when there were no clouds in the sky and our skin was crispy from too much sun; warmth on a chilly day as we wrapped ourselves in a over sized beach towel, the comfort of the only dry spot during a rainstorm, respite from my family in the event of a spat or temper tantrum, isolation to focus on a good book, and always a place to relax with a full belly as the hum of the engine and the bounce of the boat lulls tired muscles and minds to a deep sleep. 

 

• Spending time with my parents and watching them spend time with my girls

• Doing nothing but going on long walks

 

• Being so deep in the Tennessee hills that there is no cell reception 
• Falling asleep with the windows open to the white noise of crickets, rain, birds and wind in the trees

The worst thing about vacation

• My sisters weren’t there

 Maggie's favorite thing about vacation

•  Whatever Caroline is doing

• Eating