Summer 2018 (Week 10) – Rain, Kindness, & Back-to-School Prep

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through or make a purchase.

Well, it’s official.  Summer break is over and the kids are back at school today.  As you’re reading this I’m probably doing one of two things: a) bawling my eyeballs out and marveling over how fast my little sidekicks are growing up, or b) doing a happy dance because my little sidekicks are out of my hair after ten straight weeks.  Haha.  I’m sure I’ll be alternating between the two extremes all day, but I do have to say that I’m excited over all.  I’m really looking forward to having some structure in our days again and I’m even more excited about getting back to the gym! 

Aaaand let’s be real here.  I’m obviously the most excited because – ONLY 25 MORE DAYS UNTIL IT’S SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE TO DECORATE OUR HOUSE FOR FALL!!!!  Hehe.

Anyway, here’s how we spent our last week of summer break!

Monday, July 30

Monday was a day to get stuff done.  We had to run to Publix for our grocery shopping trip, and I spent the rest of the day doing laundry.  The kids had turkey and cheese sliders, Cheez-Its, raspberries, and blackberries for lunch, and we did manage to squeeze in a game of Sorry.  While I did laundry and put up groceries, Jacob and Olivia played with this Snap Circuits toy that my parents got Jacob for his birthday.  They played with it for hours!

That evening we got caught up on America’s Got Talent since we had missed it from the previous week and then we let the kids have one last slumber party together before school starts.  They slept in Olivia’s room that night and they giggled for a good hour before they finally settled down and went to sleep.  B went up to check on them before we went to bed and he called me in there because they were so sweet!  I just love how close they are.  They have really become best friends this summer.  <3

Tuesday, July 31

We knew that a bunch of rain was supposed to be settling in for most of the week, so I took the kids to one of our favorite playgrounds behind the library on Tuesday morning before it arrived.  It was nice and cool and they played for a good hour before I scooped them up to head home for lunch.  They had some leftover sausage, grapes, blueberries, Goldfish, peanut butter and chocolate chip granola bars, and Greek yogurt for lunch.  Sounds like a lot, but we do teeny portions of everything.  Eating tiny bits of lots of things has always been their favorite way to eat lunch.

Sure enough, the rain rolled in just after lunch and proceeded to stay for three days, so get ready for some serious laziness on Wednesday and Thursday.  Haha.

Wednesday, August 1

My SIL had some errands to run on Wednesday so she dropped Tucker off at our house for a bit.  It was my first time getting to keep him and I was so excited!  He and the kids played nonstop with the Hotwheels Garage and everything went smoothly until she got back a couple of hours later.

We had put on our summer bucket list to have a rainy day double feature, and we hadn’t had any opportunities present themselves until Wednesday.  After the kids’ lunch of chicken nuggets, sweet potatoes, and bananas, we played a quick game of Sorry, and then we had our double feature – Frozen and Cinderella back-to-back, complete with popcorn!

The rain had made it so cool outside (we maxed out at 75 that day!) so we had a cozy evening in.  I made pasta for dinner and B and I opened a bottle of wine.  We don’t eat much pasta here during the summer because it’s just too darn hot, so this was a lovely taste of fall right during the hottest month of the year for us!

Thursday, August 2

Thursday was another rainy day and we were soooo lazy.  Temps maxed out around 75 again and it literally rained all day long, so I made some coffee and spent almost the entire morning curled up in a blanket reading.  That never happens.

The kids played well together all morning, and then it was requested that I make cheese quesadillas for lunch.  I obliged and then served them with loads of fruit – fresh strawberries, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.  And then the kids were still so hungry that they requested granola bars as well.  #AllTheSnacks

Thursday evening was the Pre-K4 orientation at the school, so B and I dropped the kids with my parents (kids are not allowed at orientation) and then we headed over there to learn all about Olivia’s upcoming year. 

Friday, August 3

By Friday the rain had finally moved out which was a blessing because we had a LOT to do.  We were up bright and early for breakfast, and then the kids spent some time putting little notes in all of their library books before we returned them.  We had nine books checked out and they put a sticky note with an encouraging message/cute little picture in each one.

Once we were all ready for the day we headed to the kids’ school for the Teacher Meet and Greet.  Olivia got to have her first look at her new classroom, meet her teacher, and meet some of her new friends.  Then we headed to Jacob’s classroom so he could find his new desk and learn all about his upcoming year.  They were both so excited, and I have a feeling this is going to be the best school year yet!

After the Teacher Meet and Greet we met Brian and my father-in-law downtown at one of our favorite southern cooking restaurants for lunch – black eyed peas, green beans, mac n cheese, and corn bread for the win!  Whoo whee, it was good!

Since we were close to the kids’ favorite playground in town, we headed over there to let them burn all of the energy off that they had been holding in for the last two days from all of the rain.  It was yet another cool day – just 83 degrees, partly cloudy, and low humidity – so we stayed there for an hour.  It felt like the beginning of fall, y’all! 

After that we had several errands to run.  The first stop was Target to return something, and man oh man was that a mistake.  It.  Was.  Nuts.   The back-to-school shoppers were out in full force, plus they are doing a major remodel on our store (THEY’RE PUTTING A STARBUCKS IN THERE!!!!  Just call me #basic.) so it was mayhem.  I think it might have been the shortest trip to Target that I’ve ever taken.

Afterward, we went and dropped our books back off at the library and then we went to one of our favorite playgrounds to donate a book to the sharing library.  The kids were both thrilled to know that somebody will soon be seeing their notes!

We had one last stop at Kohl’s to grab a birthday gift for my dad, and then I swung through the Starbucks drive-through to get the kids a little treat (cake pops) for behaving so well during all of our errands.  I have been wanting to try one of the Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers, but every time I’ve gone, they haven’t had the ingredients to make them.  They finally had the sign up this time, so I ordered one and they gave me this:

Uhhhh, no.  That’s not what it’s supposed to look like at all. 

I told the barista that it was supposed to be bright pink and he swore up and down that he had given me the correct thing.  I tasted it and it was good, so I just kept what he had given me so as to not hold up the drive through line.  But now I’m still wondering what the heck he gave me and what the heck a Mango Dragonfruit Refresher really tastes like.  Ah well.

When we got home I told the kids they could watch something on Netflix and they chose… Room on the Broom!!  Two kids after my own heart!  #FallForever

Brian came home shortly thereafter with pizza in tow.  We cracked open our favorite craft beers – Southern Juice – and enjoyed the rest of the evening with the kiddos followed by watching three more episodes of Breaking Bad.  I cannot believe how much I love this show, y’all!

Saturday, August 4

Saturday morning we had to drop my car off for new tires, so we grabbed some of our favorite local donuts on the way home.  The rest of the day was spent doing final preparations for school.  I worked on my command center to get it updated for the year ahead and HOLY MOLY I had so many questions about it when I posted about it on Instagram Stories.  I’m working on finishing it up and when I do, I’ll be doing a blog post!  Until then, if you missed it, you can see it in the Simplify 4 highlight in my Instagram bio.

Saturday afternoon we went to church where our new pastor gave yet another wonderful homily (I think I’m going to really love this guy!) and then we went out for Mexican with lots of extended family – my parents, my grandmother, and two sets of my aunts and uncles.  For some reason, Olivia was so exhausted that she fell asleep in my grandmother's lap while half standing.  Lol.  We were able to rouse here with the promise of DQ on the way home, and then B and I settled in for two more episodes of BB after the babies were in the bed.

Sunday, August 5

Sunday was the usual lunch at my MIL and step-FIL’s and dinner with my parents.  My Daddy’s birthday is Wednesday so we spent the evening celebrating him.  We had roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, biscuits, and vino, and then we followed it with gifts and a big ol’ piece of chocolate cake!

We left their house a little earlier than usual because…

READY OR NOT, SCHOOL IS HERE!!!!

Happy Monday, y’all!  I’m FREEEE!!!!  ;o)

Don't forget to link up with Heather, Johannah, and myself... just grab our new graphic and link up below!

*Linking up with B Loved Boston for Weekending and HoHo Runs for Weekly Wrap.

An InLinkz Link-up