Where did it go?!?!

Is summer really coming to a close:?  Really?  How can that be?  Didn't they just get out of school yesterday?  We haven't finished our summer To-Do list!  I need more time!!!!!!

But fall must be coming because we have been back to school shopping like crazy here.  All of the supplies are purchased. As of yesterday Miss Audrey has her new Messenger Bag --- because - Mo-o-o-mmmm, 4th Graders don't have backpacks! They carry messenger bags you know!(insert sigh/eyeroll/laugh sequence), and we spent a good hour trying on shoes at JC Penney yesterday. (we didn't buy any of course, that would have been far too simple)

And just now, I ordered HALLOWEEN JAMMIES for Audrey (Amy and Allison have hand me downs) HALLOWEEN?!?!?!  How is that possible?

I guess there's no more denying it - the first few snowballs in the avalanche that is FALL have come down the mountain.  I can hear the big huge slide rumbling and before I know it I will be buried in Schoolwork/PTA stuff/American Heritage Girls/Dance and all the craziness that is otherwise known as "the school year".  Some days - I actually do envy those homeschooling mamas ....

Let's take a look at what's ahead shall we:
Next week - I really should schedule a doctor appt for myself (just a check up) and an eye doctor appt for both me and Audrey. And I really do need to get them signed up for dance classes since those start up in a few weeks
But time is so limited because
* Thursday we leave for Granville.  Granville is where David goes every summer for his Thompson Show and Shoot.  We went up to Granville once with him in the fall and fell in love.  This town looks like and feels like a Norman Rockwell painting.  So this year we are tagging along and while he is off talking about/looking at/shooting Thompsons (zzzzzzzzz!) , the girls and I will be putzing around Granville and the surrounding areas.

After we get back I need to gear up for the kick off of AHG.  Taking on this troop coordinator position has been WAY more than I thought it would be.  Everyone wants copies of everything - all sorts of stuff needs "approval from the board" .. and then there's the scheduling and the planning ... OY!  If it weren't for such an amazingly worthy cause - I don't think I'd make it through it all.
* Wednesday, August 18 Robyn and I will host an information meeting at our church for parents who might be interested in joining AHG.  We just mailed out over 200 letters inviting parents who have daughters in 3rd grade and below that attend our church which is where the troop meets.
* Sunday, August 22 is "Family Fun Day" at the neighborhood pool - this is usually a blast and it looks like this year it will actually be WARM - last year we were wearing jackets (SERIOUSLY!!!) and the poor kids who did get in the pool were freezing. 
* Wednesday, August 25, SCHOOL STARTS!!! Praise the Lord Audrey and Amy are finally at the same school (stupid Ohio) so only one bus this year. (and honestly I plan on driving them alot now that it will be easier) Please pray for me that we can find new shoes and first-day-of-school outfits that make everybody happy before this day arrives.  As for the shoes, I think this year I might just bite the bullet and pay full price at the Stride Right store - just so I can have someone else do all the measuring and hunting for sizes.  I'm also considering hiking it out to Nordstroms- I have heard nothing but wonderful things about their shoe department - grown ups AND kids..... Oh how I hate the shoe shopping.  Audrey and her skinny heels - Amy and her shyness (which = refusal  to voice an opinion)
* Saturday, August 28 we have our Fall Kick Off  for AHG where we are inviting parents and daughters to come meet their squad leaders and reconnect with each other as well as pick up the HUGE stack of forms we have to fill out every year.
* Sunday, August 29 is the big party in the parking lot at church.  Food, games, water slides ...
Then we get a little bit of a break before
Labor Day Weekend - we'll be waking up before the sun Saturday morning and piling everyone in the car so we can head to a family reunion in Chicago.  It's with my mom's side of the family and I am so very excited.  My kids don't ever hear much about my mom, except from me.  So this will be a great opportunity for them to meet more people and hear more stories.  We should get to my mom's cousin's house by lunch and spend the day with family. We'll stay with my mom's cousin Saturday night and then Sunday we plan on hitting downtown Chicago.  The girls are already plotting ways to sweet talk Daddy into another American Girl Doll.

After we get back I will spend the rest of September steeling my nerves for our crazy October which will include a trip to TX and a day at the State Fair to celebrate my 40th birthday followed by another trip to Chicago for my dad's wedding followed by a postponed birthday party for Amy (since my dad is getting married ON her birthday), followed by Halloween ....... 

..... and yes, I will be "that mom" on Halloween, the one with an alcoholic beverage of some sort in her plastic cup that she holds as she walks around the neighborhood with her kids .....
..... and yes, I will more than likely gain roughly 100 pounds from all the stress relief baking that will take place ......

thanks for asking :)