I wasn’t sure where to take this personal notes post today. As you know, I recently traveled halfway around the world to visit Europe, and Toiny (and family) (Manda). I can’t wait to share some of our adventures with you, it was an incredible first trip to Europe, and so many amazing things happened. But, Toiny’s post about Tess’s Last First Day pushed to to post about my last first day this year as well. Europe will have to wait.

School started this week for my kids. This year I have a 7th grader, a 2nd grader and a kindergartener. My last kindergartener. He was so ready for school to start, both emotionally and educationally. Me, on the other hand, I’m not so sure. For 13 years now, I have always had a kid at home with me during the day. A buddy, a snuggle bug, a helper….but now, I’m alone. As happy as I was for him, I was feeling a little sad for myself. As he stepped onto the big yellow bus without looking back my eyes welled with tears. All day I wondered how he was doing, what he was doing, if he was making friends and having fun or if he was sad and missing mom.

Turns out, it was all of the above. He was ALL smiles when he got home. He LOVED kindergarten. He couldn’t wait to go back. But, the moment that pushed me over the edge, pushed me to understand that both he and I were ready, had to be ready was the hug. He climbed down from that big yellow bus with a huge, proud smile on his face and ran straight into my arms. “I missed you mom, but kindergarten is so fun”! That moment. I was ready.

At least once a year, we hop in the car and make the 30 minute trek south to Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store! This place is insane! The building is HUGE and every inch is covered in candy. This isn’t the kind of candy store where you grab an empty bag and choose your bulk candy – this store has EVERYTHING! From the nostalgic candies of our childhoods to the crazy, unique stuff from all around the world! The kids absolutely LOVE it!

In addition to the tables and tables of candy, they have a lot of really neat decor – super heroes, oversized candy machines, amazing art….most of which I didn’t think to photograph when we went earlier this week – but it’s overwhelming and so fun!

The kids ran off to find just the treat they wanted. No one was more excited than my youngest, who has been dying to try gummy sushi after seeing it in a You Tube video months ago. He found it, and wouldn’t let go of it. Turns out, it wasn’t very good – but he didn’t care, he was in candy heaven!

We only stay as long as it takes the kids to pick out their perfect treat, but it’s always a blast to wander. I love seeing treats that you don’t find on shelves regularly anymore (candy cigarettes, ‘Tato Skins and cry babies to name a few). It was a wonderful family day – and I am already looking forward to our next visit!

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We haven’t gone for a family walk in years, it used to be something we did all the time – but not so much anymore. A few weeks ago, we decided to go for one. We headed out, on foot and sans technology to a local park, about a mile from home. The kids were having a blast, running ahead and back, laughing, not fighting with each other! My husband and I were taking our time, it really was a beautiful night!

The kids get to the park a minute before us, and run straight to the monkey bars (the favorite). As Mike and I are walking down the path, we see Alex jump up to grab the first bar, miss and falls. When he stands up, he has tears in his eyes and he comes walking towards us. Before the words were out of his mouth, I already knew what he was going to say. “Mom, I broke my arm again,” he cried as he collapsed into my lap. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, at first, we were over a mile from home with no phones. “RUN,” I turned to my husband and yelled, and he did!

It was a bit of an adventure getting Alex from the playground to the street, and to keep him awake. Promises of new video games and special treats were made. His brothers were fantastically well behaved while we waited for daddy to get back with the car. He made great time, about 20 minutes later, he pulled up, dropped the brothers and mom off at home and headed to the ER with Alex. It was a slightly different break than last time (My Broken Boy) and required IV’s and his oxygen level was a little low, I think from the hyperventilating he was doing. But, 6 hours later the bone was set and home he came.

Later that next week we met with the Orthopedic doctor and got a cast, but because he broke it before (and, not that long ago), a full cast wasn’t an option for the whole time this time. So, about 2 weeks later we went in and Alex got a special brace made just for him. The cool part about the brace is that he can swim in it! Which makes it easier better to have a broken arm in the summer time!

He’s about half way through the healing process now, and he is a champ! If he keeps following the rules until early September, he will be able to only wear his brace part time after school starts (he will have to wear it during any sort of rough play or activity, but not around the classroom)! He’s pretty excited about that!

The fact that he broke his same arm, in the same place 1 1/2 years apart doing the same thing is a total fluke. His arm isn’t weaker or more susceptible because it broke before, it’s all about the way he fell. We’re hoping this is the last one…but he keeps talking about getting back on the monkey bars….