Autumn is my favorite season. I love everything about it: the splendid foliage, the cooler temperatures, the bug-free air, the harvest festivals, the Jewish High Holidays, and the birthday celebrations for Ari and Marc!
All of this makes autumn feel busy. But it’s a good busy, even when you add in the four conferences my husband and I each attend each fall. (Plus, we host Thanksgiving, which happens a few days after I return from NCTE!) It feels as though autumn moves by at break-neck speed, leaving us wondering where the it went every time we reach Winter Solstice.
Despite the beauty and busy-ness of autumn, I don’t want this summer to end. I’m clinging onto the final week of Isabelle’s summer vacation with a white-knuckle grip. My heart aches a little when I think about her boarding the school bus next week to start second grade. It means earlier wake ups and earlier bedtimes. It means less time with her and Ari running around the house together. It means less time to play. All of this makes me sad. Dare I say, I am not ready for her to go back to school just yet.
Today, after a medical appointment, Isabelle asked “What are we going to do?” We had no plans, which felt glorious to me. I looked at her and said, “Would you like to go to Cocoa Castle?” She cheered. (I guess that was a yes!) So I drove across town and let my kids play on the playground until it was nearly lunchtime. Once at home, I made the kids lunch and put Ari down for a nap. That’s when Isabelle and I sat down together to work on her miniature library, which was a birthday gift from one of her friends.
Isabelle cut the pages of the tiny books, while I folded and glued them together. As we did this, I realized we’ve been working on this project all summer long. We’re almost two-thirds of the way finished. There’s no way we’ll complete the entire library in the next six days since the final books are ones we need to write (in teeny-tiny handwriting) ourselves. And that made me long for yet another week of summer. (Don’t get me started on how bogus I think it is that schools in Central Pennsylvania start before Labor Day!) However, I know better than to voice my disdain for back-to-school time. Instead, filled with a heavy heart, I admired my daughter cutting carefully along the dotted lines just savoring these quiet moments together.
Raising Literate Humans 
I wanted to do that project. It seems magical.
It is! However, I find I can only work on two at a time before needing to readjust my eyes. They are tiny!
Those books look beautiful, there is so much of patience and love in them. Beautiful photos too 🙂
I feel your desire to hang on to every last second of summer – the “no plan days” and projects and time with family. I too get excited about the fall, but boy summers are special. Enjoy your fall. It does sound exciting. Maybe summer wouldn’t be as magical if we didn’t have the hectic school year to compare it to.
Love those tiny books! Summer flies by all too quickly, I agree. And I think we were cheated a little this year with all the rain in August. Perhaps that will mean an extra special Fall. Enjoy!
Such a sweet post! It resonates with me. Autumn is also my favorite season but I’m finding it hard to say goodbye to summer.
Wow! What a wonderful way to have mother/daughter time. I too will miss my special time with my girl when school starts next week. These last few days are precious!
Mmm… I’m right there with you. We have two more weeks, but they seem so fleeting. No real plans today and I hope to leave it that way. It’s been a good summer. Also, that miniature library is amazing!
Love how this slice unfolded slowly just like your perfect summer day! Savor each one of them.
I understand wanting to hold on to these last days of summer. What a great project. I must of missed something or am out of the loop. Can you tell me about this mini library?
Looks like great fun!
Here’s the link: https://www.laurenceking.com/us/product/my-miniature-library/.
So much love in those books! What a wonderful library! I, too, love fall and all the colors and smells and holidays. It is a busy time of year and something to look forward to when summer ends. Love the photo of Isabelle and Ari having fun together!
I wanted to stretch the summer out, but so I’d have my daughter around a little more. Moving her into college, empty nest, then school starting, it’s a bit much to take all at once! Enjoy those moments, both you Stacey and the rest of your commentors. They are fleeting, and before you know it, your children have grown (which is it’s own set of blogs, let me tell you what!).
Thank you for sharing your last summer experience with us! 🙂
As much as I love the routines that I return to next week, I will sorely miss the time to do as I please. Sounds like you are in the same boat.
Yes – I too want to hear more about this tiny library!
Here’s more information: https://www.laurenceking.com/us/product/my-miniature-library/.
I love your tiny books! Just perfect for little hands.
I feel the same way! I’ve enjoyed the slow pace of summer tremendously! We’ve got 9 more sleeps to go, & we’ll savour each one.
The books look like the perfect OT project!