1.  It’s 10pm on Sunday night and I’m just now starting this post so it is for real gonna be short and sweet this week. Friday was the kids’ last day of school – I’ll pause there as cherub angels flutter about singing the hallelujah chorus. This school year, y’all. This school year has aged me like a sun devotee in an amped up tanning bed. Lawd.

2.  We peeled outta here at 1:00 Friday afternoon, two extra kids in tow, headed to the lake for rest and relaxation. Bwahahahaha! No, really, there was rest and relaxation to be had…but when you bring other people’s kids you’ve gotta do that thing where you make sure they eat and such…

3.  On the plus side each of mine had a friend along and that makes for a much easier time. I’ll take kids-entertaining-themselves-all-day-long for four hundred, Alex.

4.  We discovered the squirrels chowing down on birdseed. Three times. Hanging from the feeder off the deck makes sense, but how on earth did that dang squirrel end up planted in the middle of the feeder beyond jumping distance from the trees?! It was the magic flying squirrel, I tell you what.

5.  My cardinals came to visit me while I was there, too. Maybe that’s why I dreamed about my mom on Friday night. It was one of those totally nondescript, living my everyday life dreams where nothing terribly strange happens but you end up unsettled all morning, you know? I guess I was unsettled all night, too, since BrightSide said I was talking and moving around.

6.  The last time we were at the lake we dealt with rain every afternoon, but this time we lucked out with gorgeous weather. Blue skies, warm sun, and fun in the water all day long. It was a perfect celebration – I mentioned the end of school, right?

7.  Saturday’s breakfast was my nod to hell-yeah-school’s-out with pancakes (hello, gluten, I remember you well – now let me pass you off to the kiddos), strawberries, and whipped cream. BrightSide was shocked that only one kid opted for syrup – he’s a traditionalist, that one – but come on. Whipped cream was an option. That would have been a no brainer for me.

8.  As I write the dogs are passed out at my feet, apparently exhausted from whatever shenanigans went down at the kennel over the weekend. They love to go, but then they’re always overjoyed to come home so it makes for some pretty whipped pups. I know how they feel, though, it’s always nice to be back in my own bed.

9. I should be heading to bed. BrightSide and I are meeting with the assistant principals tomorrow – we offered to meet anytime Monday or Tuesday that would be convenient for the administration, including the principal. She chose not to attend. I’m trying not to read too much into that. Except too late.

10.  Those of you who know us in real life already know our kids are changing schools. I’ll write more about that decision later, but as soon as we made the choice I knew I wanted to meet with the school when students finished up. I look at it as an exit interview of sorts…a chance to talk about what we’ve seen while our kids were there, to explore things that did or did not work for them in a learning environment. Who knows, maybe only having the assistant principals in the room will lead to a more open and honest conversation. Maybe the principal will decide to meet with us later in the summer. Maybe we can affect change for other students of color in the building. I have to believe in Maybe.