Twas the Night Before.

School starts tomorrow.

And my camera phone wanted to remember all those great last days of summer.

Like what happens when a lady eats chocolate and plays pinball.

Or eats chocolate and plays soccer.

Or when kids watch a Rolling Stones documentary and hopefully didn't notice all the drugs in it, but wanted to play the guitar after it was done.

Or a fella buys some nice shades.

And takes a trip to our close-out-summer fave place. Remlinger Farms.

Or stinks get new kicks for school.

Or a girl hangs in the back seat.

Or has a nice pony ride at the farm.

Or takes Louis Nacho Libre Seward for a walk.

Or, you know, just hang.

Or act older than they've acted before.

I asked Henry to put his face in the frame, and below is how he responded.  No more super heroes, no more "cute" pajamas, no more faces in cardboard cutouts?  What's going on, man?

Oh, that's right. 3rd grade.

Goodbye sweet summer!

Goodbye Sweet Sea Dragons.

This time of year is enough to make a girl want to have (another) beer. 

The whole series of endings and beginnings is fabulous to watch.  And can also just about break your heart in two.

Stella has been with the same group of wild and amazing kids since she was two and a half. 

The Sea Dragons. 

And last night we said goodbye at their graduation ceremony.  In the old gym in the ancient Seattle school building she's called home three days a week for these last years.

Now we have a week to hang out together as a family, and then they're both off to school on September 9th. 

Big kid school. 

I'm not quite sure how that happened so quickly.  But my hope is that her next years are as good and full of love as these last few. 

Her favorite, favorite teacher.  Mary.

They are both lovers of Dr. Who.  And what says "Thank you, Mary" better than Dr. Who salt and pepper shakers?

Her best girlfriends.  Olivia and Kate.

Aforementioned old gym.  Site of the ceremony.

Sweet Olivia.

Fabulous Kate.

And our girl. Coming in from screen left.

And Stella's very best friend ever.  Davis.

Goodbye sweet Sea Dragons.  We will miss you.  Like crazy.

Even More Aloha.

As Summer gets closer to its great demise, we received a little disk in the mail with the entirety of our family pictures from Hawaii. 

Were we ever really there?  It's only been two months and change, but I'm having a hard time remembering.  What with the buying of school clothes and signing up for soccer and swimming and gymnastics.  It's beginning. All over again.

Good thing we have some snaps to remind us of one fabulous time.