There was a Hot Air Balloon Festival in a near by town. They celebrated with multiple “launches” and one night “glow”. It was very cool, clear, and calm the evening of the “glow”. So Lil’Dude and I took a drive, hoping we hadn’t missed it. We missed a landing show, but had perfect timing for the “glow”.
Here are some of the pictures for the evening.
It was really enjoyable. Go if you ever have the chance.
Hugs, in the dark, from The Farm
As September drew near, we started making preparations for Lil’Dude to start his first year of school. Kindergarten. Oh My!
How did this happen? WHEN did this happen? My little baby boy was going to kindergarten. Can’t be.
New school. New teachers. Riding the bus. Going to a babysitter’s. New routine. New experiences. Oh My!
Momma decided to take the first week of school off from work. Why, you might ask. Well, let me tell ya. It was a miserable first week. Under estimated chaos. I am so glad I did. Here’s the story.
Tuesday: 6:30 am “Oh LORD. Please give me the strength to be a coherent and pleasant person this early in the morning!” Rise and shine. Get dressed. Have a special breakfast. Wait for the bus. Wait for the bus. Still waiting. At 7:20 am we watch the bus turn the corner and miss his stop. So, unprepared to be among the living, I throw myself together, and off to town we go. Momma takes Lil’Dude to school for the first day. (Now, to clarify, I HAD planned to meet him AT the school to walk him into his class for the first day. Not just let him fend for himself.) At 8:00 am we arrive at school and walk to his classroom. 8:05 brings a FULL MELT DOWN! Oh, and I do sincerely mean a MELT DOWN. Crocodile tears, sobbing, runny nose, clinging to the legs, wailing for me not to leave. (Please Lord, give me the strength not to scoop him up and run for home!) Teacher swoops in and saves the day. My hero! (Teachers teaching kindergarten are worth their weight in GOLD!) 8:15 after the sobbing , him not me, I head to the office to inquire as to why he was missed by the bus. The lovely office secretary calls to the bus garage, “good to go” for tomorrow. Yeah, right. Momma spends the rest of her day…..LOST. At 1:30, I pick him up from the babysitter (1/2 day of school) looking like a H-E-R-O!! Day One Done! Thank God!
Wednesday: 6:30 am, up and at it, again. Urgh. Mornings SUCK! Same routine, breakfast, brush teeth, jacket, book bag. Let’s watch for the bus. 7:20 bus rounds the corner, again, and missed Lil’Dudes pick up. AGAIN. REALLY? People lets get it together, please. So once again, I throw my self together, head to town, drop him off at school. For a bonus, the drop off went really well. YAY. 8:15 I arrive at the bus garage to discuss the lack of pick up. Interesting conversation. Have ya noticed that I’m a redhead? And a pissy redhead at that? It’s early, I’m crabby because your forgetting my kid. So the discussion is civil but stern with the director. I am assured that he will be picked up on Thursday. (Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it.) So for the rest of the day I had schedule a number of errands to complete while I had some time to myself. While I was gone, Mom and Granny were up to our house working on the garden, getting things ready to can. So at 3:00ish I decided to head home, visit with Granny for a minute before heading to get Lil’Dude from the babysitter. At 3:15, as I am rounding the corner (a 1/4 mile from home I might add), I receive a call from the bus garage. They proceed to tell me that someone put Lil’Dude on the wrong bus. THE WRONG BUS. THE W-R-O-N-G BUS. Seriously. He was on the bus to come HOME instead of the bus to the babysitters. Oh, and was someone home to get him. OH MY GAUD! After a serious meltdown on my part, stern conversation with the bus garage, I greet him getting off the bus with a big smile and hugs. He thought it was awesome to ride the bus home. Whhheeeewwww! I was ready to make heads roll in the school district. Did you notice that I’m a redhead? We have a slight temper. Slight.
Thursday: 6:30am Wake up praying for a “normal” school day. Breakfast, dressed, teeth brushed, backpack & jacket on waiting for the bus. 7:20am Bus comes. YAY! We walk out to get on and…. MELTDOWN. Full on meltdown. Tears. Clinging to my legs. Sobbing. 
CRAP! So I wave the bus on. Throw myself together, AGAIN (I am becoming a pro at this by now), and head to town. 8:00 Drop off at school, goes smoothly. Thank God! The rest of the day goes as planned. Off the bus at the babysitter like planned. Picked up by momma like planned. Life is good!
Friday: Same routine. Only the whole day goes off without a hitch. He gets on the bus. SUPER YAY! Maybe this whole school thing won’t be so bad.
I am very happy to report that he LOVES school. Adores his teacher. Has lots of friends. Enjoys riding the bus. Has fun at the babysitters, with a buddy from preschool. Life is good.
Oh and Momma has made an agreement with morning. We have agreed to live together peacefully, gently, calmly. We will never be friends, by we are coexisting.
Love from The Farm
