Summer is speeding by, and tomorrow we'll have a FIVE YEAR-OLD

Summer is fleeting, especially in the dark midwest, and I need to remember that next June when it is stretching out before me and I feel rushed and a little claustrophobic thinking about 5 kids home all day. But! THEY ARE NOT home all day. The boys work. Cooper dives. Dorothy dances, and most days are just Minnie, Annabel, and me.

Just like that, the pool is only open from 12-8 for the next few weeks before it closes. Dorothy and Minnie enjoyed their last 8:45 pool close (we are nuts letting Minnie stay up so late when her school starts at SEVEN THIRTY FIVE AM, but what are you going to do? SUMMER IS CALLING)

Things have been lovely and lazy this week as we get ready to celebrate the BIG MIN on her 5th birthday. Her presents are all wrapped under my bed. She decided she didn't want me to bake a cake but wanted a Chocolate Shoppe ice cream cake instead (YESSSSS-- another easy job to check off a list). We are going to the Wilderness in the Dells in lieu of a friend party (another big win because as much as I hate water parks, I hate dealing with birthday parties EVEN MORE YOU GUYS I AM SUCH A SCROOGE).

Dorothy has a busy week at dance with auditions in every class, but it is SO NICE to be winding down for a few weeks. (No fall schedule yet, but classes usually resume mid-September). She and I have been taking Annabel for long, lovely walks. Annabel is scared of parks, BTW

CAN YOU BLAME HER??

I am really going to miss these long, slow summer days-- it always goes by so much faster than I want it to, even if it seems like an intimidating slog at the beginning of June.

Coop would really like this chair for his birthday, and I am loving the new early hours at Costco for exec memberships (but really everyone has one of these-- it's still VERY CROWDED).

Harry and Jack are getting plenty of golf time -- phew! (that was a sarcastic phew-- their constant tee times are driving me bonkers. They get up before the rest of the house to make it out the door, and they often miss dinner and come home juuuuuuuust as we are drying the last dish)

Minnie and Dorothy got their back-to-school haircuts, and the whole experience was darling-- especially hearing them chat with their (adorable) stylist.

I am in bed before evryone else wakes up, drinking coffee and listening to a giant loud thunderstorm and hoping we can squeeze in another pool trip this afternoon. But that's up to Minnie-- it's the last day of 4!!