So this is it.  Summer Break 2014 has officially begun.

Poor school-loving Carson just had to get all feverish and pukey on us today, his last day of kindergarten, thus forcing him to miss out on the last day merriment.  He was devastated but made such a rapid recovery that we had time to drop by his classroom to say his final goodbyes.  I tried to conceal my tearing-up eyes as I watched my baby boy bid farewell to kindergarten because WHO EVEN DOES THAT?  Ultra sentimental and sappy moms take part in those kind of shenanigans, not me.  Except yes, it was totally me today.

See?  Even this picture gets me all verklempt.  Before I know it, he’ll be packing his bags for college and will never hug me, care about me, or come home again.  Someone hand me an ativan.

To drown away my emotional basketcase-ness, we headed to Sweet Frog.  WITH the recently feverish/pukey child.  Risky Decision #1 of the day.  I never claimed to be the wisest person in the world.  Sometimes I think with my emotions and my stomach and my intense craving for all things sugary and good.  Thankfully Risky Decision #1 of the day didn’t backfire.  All were fed.  All were happy.  All was good.

Until Risky Decision #2 of the day.  For some (stupid. really ridiculously stupid.) reason, I thought it would be no big deal to take the three kids with me to Lucy’s vet appointment.  Y’all, Lucy is big and strong and gets super excited around other animals.  My kids are fast and loud and get super excited around other animals.  Read: it was just one big disaster.

Okay, so I want you to gaze into this picture and then close your eyes.  Close your eyes AND turn the volume in your inner mind up about 700 decibels.  And then imagine that volume ECHOING throughout the entire office.  And imagine a lot of little feet running around so fast that you can only see blurs.  Lots of blurs.  Disaster, I’m telling you.  So bad that Mary Grace (MARY GRACE!) suggested that they play the “Quiet Game” on the drive home.  As a side, few moments are more magical in parenting littles than hearing your child suggest the Quiet Game.  I’m not a big game lover, but this is one game I can get behind.

Within minutes of getting home, this happened:

As they snoozed and the big two disappeared upstairs, I sat for a minute and had to laugh.  You see, I’ve been ready for this summer break.  Ready for a respite from constantly being on the run.  Craving a break from the schedules and the rush and the general crazy.  I need to just be sometimes.  And so, with starry eyes, I created this perfect image of the Best Summer Ever in my mind.  The perfect mix of doing and being.  Of going and staying.  We’d cheerfully do chore charts and summer homework, and the words “I’m bored” would never ever be uttered.  Attitudes would be joyful and sleep plentiful.  Summer 2014 would be one to remember for all the right reasons.

And maybe it will be.  But sometimes puke happens.  And fevers and rotten attitudes and hard days that lead to sleepless nights- and that’s just one day one.  But it’s all good.  It’s life, and if I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that this life is passing by at supersonic speed.  So, I’m making a conscious decision to temper my expectations and, rather, have one goal: be present.  I’m so guilty of wishing away my present lot while pining away for the next great big thing, and I fear I’m missing out on so much by having this mindset.  So, we shall see what this summer has for us, and I’m going to do my best to be all there for it.  It’s gonna be a good one.  I can feel it.  Bring it, summer break ’14.  Show us what you’ve got.  (Just no more puking.  K, thanks.)