Mommy's Blog: Festival-errific

September. Jam packed with festivals and full of warmth and sunshine, it's the new summer vacation. Except we have to fit all of that fun into just two days a week, which is just not fair.
The result: We've been extremely busy with all sorts of goodness, and I am existing in a state somewhere between happy and completely overwhelmed.

There is just this little, tiny part of me that is looking forward to dark evening and cold,dreary weather, just so we can stay home and do nothing for like, 5 minutes.

But just a tiny part.

Here are some pictures of our busy week of festival fun..

A week ago Sunday:

Woofstock!! Now that Canine Fun Days appears to be on semi-permanent hiatus, this festival moves into the top 5 for sure. SO many dogs! All so awesome! Affirmation everywhere! This year's trip was brief as we were toting a sick boy along. But he was a trouper and we stayed long enough for Corydon to get a stencil and a lot of love, and not long enough to see if she can still do the agility course...

A rest at home then-- Chalk Festival!

We really love the chalk festival.

Even if our art was pretty random and strange this year...

We ran into friends...

And enjoyed a magnificent day with a lot of other people in a pretty place with live music.

Can't get much better than that!

Monday-- an exciting and interesting evening for me as I participated in the ESSA Stakeholder's forum for our region, as a member of the Heights Coalition for Public Education. What a great opportunity. I sat at a table with the leaders of the Hershey and Jennings Foundations--both cool and intimidating! But I think I held my own in the discussions, and presented cogent arguments that others agreed with. I was a puddle of nervous sweat by the end of the evening but what's a little sweat among random strangers and really impressive people?
Who knows if anything will actually come of all of our input, but it was empowering to at least be a part of the process as our state grapples with the implementation of this new law...

Wednesday: Ballet for Ivy! An independent big girl at ballet means time for mommy to sneak out for a walk in the woods...

... and back in time for a sneak peek at all the cuteness...

Someone is very happy to be back to her favorite sport!

Thursday: Nat had class so the kids and I took on Legacy Village. It has been so long since we've been there! We were completely surprised to find a new parking garage and hotel in the back! Most of the place was about the same...just with bigger kids making everything seem smaller...
So many memories of bringing little tiny ones here, with our friends. Our little troupe racing down the sidewalks, playing tag on the green, climbing the railings...

The more things change...

Spent a good part of the evening lost in nostalgia for those days of chasing tiny ones... even as I enjoyed conversation with my oh-so-independent big kids...

Time marches on.... I let our evening stretch late so I could linger a bit longer in the memories infused in this place.... Paid the price for nostalgia, of course, in the form of overtired children, homework battles, and a terrible bedtime routine. But it was worth it.

Friday: We spent the evening with friends Fiona and Jim, treating ourselves to our favorite take-out before taking in the sights at the MOCA Fall season opening party.

Out on the town, baby.

Why yes we DID take our kids out at 8pm to a party at a museum.

It was great.

Who needs bedtime when you have straw crafting?

And weaving!

And lots of strange carpets and a really really weird installation made up of lots of rooms painted black with these textured, heated cone things all over ....

Modern art! I hate it so much I love it.

Saturday-- Soccer!

This one LOVES playing goalie. She's only a little terrible at it. But unfazed!

A perfect day for it. Our weather got the memo that the season has changed and while we were certainly not COLD, at least Jack did not get heat exhaustion.

A 2-1 day for Jack, who played hard and was a strong member of his team. I love watching him play. So deliberate. Full of concentration. And coordination! Amazing!

Saturday night: We got to be a part of a genuine "Surprise party" complete with hiding and jumping out and yelling surprise! Kids were super psyched about that. And about spending the evening with some good friends, too.

Sunday: The day could not have been nicer out, and we enjoyed it thoroughly at Yankee Peddler. A trip down memory lane for me, after so many fun trips there with my mom...

The kids were entranced by the demonstrations and, of course, the booths of colonial merchandise. Jack is already planning on saving money all summer next year, so he can spend it all at the fur-trader booth...