The Inevitable Changes

Written: 8/24/25

It seems so fitting to me that when the girls’ began school for this year (E in 3k and A in Kindergarten) that the weather decided to shift cooler. Almost like the anticipation of fall was too much for Mother Nature, too, and she needed to shift with the changes as well. The tree in front of my neighbors house is already having leaves turn red early as they always do but I am missing my big tree in the front yard. Boy, I am missing that something fierce but at least the road is finally paved after nearly two months of it being down to the rebar concrete.

The shift in routines this week has been a hard one. Going from one to two that I have to worry about in the morning has been a bit rough. The girls have been having a bit of a transition period as well; A is going from half-day school to full day and E is going from no school or childcare to half-day preschool. So, lots of big changes ALL around.

With this change in schedules it has thankfully allowed my husband to do more around the house since he isn’t caring for the kids while I am away at work. It’s almost like having mental bandwidth brought back to life that you forgot about.

Overall though, I keep reminding myself that the days are long and days are short and to embrace more of these days. Enjoy my kids where they are in this world and quite a few times lately I’ve found myself finding joy in otherwise mundane moments and being thankful that I’m still alive to witness them (of course crying over these moments, because when you’ve been in the depths of depression you realize that there’s so many important little moments you’d miss). Truly, what a joy it is to experience life with kids. Reminding you constantly about what is not important and what truly is.

Taking time always to reflect on things. Trying to capture every moment that we possibly can before they’re out of the “nest”. Just before we went up to the cottage again we had my best friend from high school stay with us for a few days. My oldest only met her once when she was a year old roughly and E never has. How quickly these two took to her and did “beauty shop” and willingly interrupted her WFH routine. Life is never boring with these two and I’m thankful to experience it.

With the shifting of the seasons we also saw off one of my husbands cousins to college. He is all moved into Marquette now in Milwaukee, already landed not one but two jobs; one in food service and another in helping with the broadcasts at Marquette (which is his chosen field; sports journalism). How time flies. He was only roughly five years old when I first was introduced to my husbands family so it’s mind blowing to me how quickly the years have gone. To now experience it through the lens of parenthood with my own kids is a whole other thing.

Overall, this summer has been busy but I am very ready for the slow down that is coming will fall. Although it seems like September and especially October’s calendar are already filling up with things. Thankfully they’re fun things. A lot of Halloween activities, a trip to the northeast, and the 10 year wedding anniversary (how has this come up so quickly).

How have you been celebrating the end of summer? Do you have any fun traditions that you do for yourself?

• Time is scarce and I love this YouTube channel for many quick, easy and healthy dinner ideas.

• If I had it my way, I’d listen to lo-if all day. Is this the millennial version of the background music from the weather channel when they did local on the 8’s? - I think I just aged myself here.

• This book, because holy crap I was not expecting the ending and it was so heart- achingly sad.

• Somehow I got my oldest interested in this YouTube creator and it has thankfully resulted in her wanting to try different foods (thank god). This video has become a recent favorite of hers.