The End of Summer

It is the end of summer. While some may argue that August still holds a few days without responsibility, I believe that it is also the time that my mind begins to prepare for a new school year and all that comes with it: I start waking up earlier, going to bed earlier, thinking about school supplies and lesson plans, tension and nerves begin to build in my subconscious, etc. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching and I am actually quite excited to embark on another year. It is just a different routine and set of conditions to live by, as well as a drastic reduction in afternoon naps!

These past few weeks have been busy in their own sense. Our little family has been seizing the remaining summer days and been in constant motion. Last weekend we were set for a trip to Michigan to visit a friend's lake house and enjoy some time outside of our usual stomping grounds. With my Honda Civic packed to the gills with coolers and sleeping gear, our family headed out onto the highway on the hottest day of the year, with a heat index of about 110 degrees! In the middle of the trip, just outside of Gary, Indiana, my little Civic just died! We feared that the transmission gave out again. Ultimately, we were rescued by friends and family and re-routed to South Bend as my car was towed to Gary for the night. The auto shop couldn't find any problem with the car, so we were left with an unreliable mode of transportation. We stayed the weekend in south Bend and scrapped the trip to Michigan. With over 185,000 miles on my car, I decided it was time to trade it in and we drove back to Illinois in a 2009 Hundai Santa Fe! It was difficult to say goodbye to my first car, with so many adventures and good memories. However, I believe that this new vehicle is best for the family and will provide many wonderful experiences, as well!

We have also continued to walk and run every day, which has also encouraged the family to pursue healthier eating habits all around. Not that we survive on carrots and wheat toast or anything, but we are trying to be more consciensious of what goes into our bodies and what we need to do to drop some pounds!


Today we visited the Brookfiend Zoo. Despite the humidity, it was actually quite enjoyable. Audrey enjoyed the lemurs and got to see a zoo handler display a fruit bat for close viewing! Audrey talks and repeats pretty much everything she hears, and is quite good at holding basic conversations. One of her new favorite activities is spotting VW Bugs as we drive out and about, and yelling the colors of trucks as they pass on the highway. We stack blocks, color, put items away and take them out again in the food pantry, brush the cats, walk the dog, get the mail, watch airplanes, count, watch bunnies, and chase toads at night in the driveway!


Soon we will depart for the West Coast to visit some of my family and also take a trip to Oregon for a friend's wedding. While we're not particularly looking forward to the long flight, it will be joyous to see my mother and sister and spend some time by the ocean on the Oregon coast. There is something rejuvenating about water and nature, and I believe this trip will be a fitting end to my summer and a nice way to rev my enthusiasm for a return to the classroom and nine more months of being addressed as "Mr. Orelove".

-a