This evening when I was giving the two smallest tornadoes a bath it was hard to tell what was dirt and what was bruises. The dirt; evidence of a hard day of play, the bruises; evidence of a very active summer.
The older boys started at their new schools this week and are looking forward to the new adventure. Kenrick is going to try the clarinet in the 5th grade band this year, and both are signed up for fall soccer. Paxton was sure that he would get to go to school this year, but alas! Two more years to go! Anya spent all day Friday wondering where her big brothers were. She's grown up a lot this summer, from just a little wobbly tyke to a hopping, jabber-mouth whirlwind with pig-tails in three short months.
As an end-of-summer treat, we met Aaron and Jenimae at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield last night and ate too much fried food, checked out the prize livestock, gawked at the parade of humanity, and rode on a few rides. Anthony immediately picked out the tallest, most upside down ride in the park - the Ring of Fire! - and since no one else wanted to try it, I got assigned to accompany him. I felt a bit upside down for the rest of the night. He didn't seem too affected, but the rest of the rides were little tamer fare. Paxton wanted to go on the roller coaster, so Kenrick went with him. They had a good time, although Paxton spent part of the ride with his face buried in his big brother's side. We went home tired and happy, a day well filled, a summer well spent.
