Summer updates all around

 I do appreciate the irony of complaining about money and buying expensive backpacks. But kids want what they want, and things cost what they cost, and if I want to splurge on gear and be cheap about how much I put on their lunch accounts, then **shrug** I AM WHO I AM.

My household panning skills have really deteriorated, and I cannot even seem to make sensible grocery orders these days. I HAVE GONE TO THE STORE 3 TIMES THIS WEEK and plan to head there again today for salad veggies for dinner. AND I ALSO GOT 2 DELIVERIES. I blame changing schedules and this weird August lull we are falling into. Hopefully back to school mom will make an appearance soon because we all need her baking and planning skills.

Harry is off on another college tour today, and he is working on his essays for the common app. He asked teachers for rec letters at the end of last school year when he was asking for National Honor Society recs, so even though they haven't written the letters yet, they know he will be asking again soon. As a letter writer myself, I really appreciate a lot of runway on requests, so I am glad he took my advice. He also did a good job in the ask of reminding them about his activities and accomplishments, something else I like to see. I feel pretty ok about where he is in terms of deadlines-- a surprise to be sure.

Coop found out one of his favorite friends is in his middle school homeroom, so even though he didn't get into the sweet little magnet school where Harry and Jack went for junior high, he is starting to get really excited for school. He is also at loose ends waiting for hockey to start up at the end of the month and diving to resume in the fall. He has hung out with club diving friends at the movies (Barbie— he loved it but probably not as much as I did) and pools— living the dream for sure.

Dorothy wraps up dance team tryouts next week (they are a summer-long thing), and I have no idea what teams she will make or even how to respond to the parent survey asking for placement parameters.  How many dances can we afford versus how many will she be placed on? No idea how to answer this. I DO know that we have a low dance limit compared to other people, and this can make her feel like she is less talented than friends whose parents can write a blank dance check (Also, she probably does have less natural ability, if I am any indicator because I am a terrible dancer and also HOW are these people writing such big dance checks? I am the wrong kind of doctor for sure). I wish it were more like hockey-- A team, B team, C team all ONLY decided on skill and not price, you know? (But also, skill really is the biggest factor, and the studio does an EXCELLENT job of placing kids, etc, and they also do a really good job of teaching kids in class all summer so everyone can do all of the things-- a very hard job to populate these teams on the admin side and consider all of the things that go into placement, etc. It is just a weird system, and I want to make sure my kid only feels good feelings when she thinks of her dance team experience.)

Speaking of dance!! Here are her nationals dances from last year!!

Here's her big production number (watch for her when the teeny dancers come on. She is very teeny and has bangs.)

And here's the sweetest little musical theater number:

Jack is picking up tons of extra life guarding shifts and getting excited about his sophomore year, getting in the groove of hanging out with his school friends versus his summer friends, etc. He has been treating himself to items on his wish list-- new release LEGO sets, coffee accessories-- and it's really fun to see what he buys. He is a very careful shopper, and once he decides on something, he is undeterred and stops exploring other options, even if he seemed wishy-washy only seconds before.

Minnie is super stoked about her first day of preschool next month (3 hours a day, 3 days a week!!), and she has to go to a bigger kid swim class because she ages out of baby classes at 36 months. She also gets to level up at The Little Gym and go to class without me in the gym (**sob**). I am anxiously awaiting the fall dance schedule because I really want to enroll her in a ballet/hip hop combo class at Dorothy's same studio and cannot even wait to see her in a big old fancy recital.

Poor Ben is in the real world living without a summer break, and that has to be rough. Long live the life of the mind, that's for sure.