Reprogram Time

My kids start school next week, but
we are already in the back to school mode around here. The meet and greet of teachers for the boys is today, and the High Schooler has been for two weeks already at her school everyday for Volleyball practice. The resident Jr. Higher this year doesn't get a meet and greet apparently, but we are just gonna go roam the halls for fun. Let's hope we don't get kicked out before she even gets started. 
So with all of this I have to reprogram the internal clocks from island time to "REALITY" time. So in the evenings we have been preparing for bed around 8 and then reading for about 20 minutes, and then lights out around 8:45 ish.
Let it go on record,
That's been a pretty big (Ish) folks.

Last night was rough, that's all I'm gonna say. 

When I cracked the whip at 8pm to go brush teeth and get ready for bed, you should have heard the out cry. 

But then around 11:30 the house was quiet, and I was still awake.

Go figure, that the biggest whip to crack is gonna have to be on my ass.
Because here it is past midnight and yep, you guessed it I'm the only one awake. 

There is a part of me that feels SO not ready for the lazy days of summer to end. In the summer I throw that whip out the window and let the Fab 4 stay up til all hours making memories.
I personally feel, that's what the summer is all about.
In fact,

I always think of the Billy Holiday(she's my fav) song Summertime when summer rolls around.
But, as the school supply lists are being handed out, and I am at the bank taking out a loan to pay for it 

I think about the fact that the nights will get longer, and the days will get shorter.

I try to soak in the Vitamin D while I can and sit outside as much as possible.
Because come October, The "living will no longer be easy" and "the fish won't be jumping".
Sigh..
Which makes my mind jump immediately to... HURRY QUICK...
 I have to buy one last watermelon and have one last EPIC BBQ to mark the occasion. 

Speaking of the word EPIC...

Apparently,

I didn't make the summer as EPIC as I could have in my children's eyes.
And I quote Isaiah, aka Zed, aka my baby, aka my 8 year old boy, "Mom I can't believe the summer is already over. It was SO not Epic"
First of all where did this kid come from?
Second...
Can I get a witness that if you didn't take your kids to Disneyland or some kind of amusement park, or just some where other than your local beach it was NOT EPIC to them?!?!

He must have forgotten that we bought a ba-zillion fireworks on the Fourth, went to a couple Mariners games, had Summer Little League baseball games 4 nights out of the week, Swim Lessons, visits from all kinds of beloved friends and family,camped, made smores right outside our doorstep...But still... NOT EPIC.

So I say, "What will you tell your teachers when they ask what was your favorite thing about your summer?" And I shutter to hear the very honest answer. From the mouths of babes people, comes... well... their truth. 

Can I also get a witness that sometimes it's hard to hear our children's truth, and sometimes it's just downright funny ?

On this particular occasion it was funny because well The Fab 4 all chimed in, and they all have a very varied view(ha ha say that 5 times fast) of what an Epic summer should look like.

In Other News...

I have begun to really long for the schedule, the routine that is the END of summer.

I have already started bringing out all my apple decor in the spirit of back to school days. 

I start stocking up on pumpkin spice everything. I literally almost fell over with complete and utter joy from the smell of a pumpkin spice candle at the grocery store the other day.

I start to get giddy with excitement about the fact that my favorite season is right around the corner.

And I bid this summer a do which despite my children's description was, "SO NOT EPIC!"
Who needs Epic anyways?
Was your summer Epic?
Please do tell what did you get to do this summer that my children would be jealous of.

*Oh and let it go on record, I don't really have a whip, maybe some COOL whip ;)