New Year's Day - the Annex

Mel pointed out in a comment last week that the beginning of September is more like the start of a new year, rather than the beginning of January. Whereas on Jan 1 it's already winter, Sept 1 really does mark the beginning of a change in weather... Even though it's gonna be hot as Hades this week, it still smells like autumn in the morning, the night comes early, and we sent the kids to school in hoodies this morning.

And of course, with kids in the house, the lifestyle shift is tremendous at this time of year, and the excitement leading up to it is next only to Christmas Eve. (Although Constance is going into grade five - !! - this year, the back to school thing is relatively new to me. Or maybe it's something that parent never quite gets used to...)

I am so happy to be able to say that we kicked off the new year in style. By which I mean, in a fun-loving yet well-organized, drama-free, and punctual manner.

We spent Labour Day at Upper Canada Village - a trip we'd been meaning to make all summer, which we managed to squeak in at the last possible moment (typical). What a wonderful place! Besides being abolutely picturesque (I would totally live in one of those two-room farmhouses with a woodstove, as long as I got to have that yard and garden and split rail fence too!), it's as interesting for kids on the move -- Ben, who always wanted to move on to the next place -- as kids in the know -- Constance, who was trying to soak up the ambiance and history as much as we were.

We had a boat ride, we bought candy in the general store, and more candy in the candy shop, and we topped it off with the mini-train ride, which was cool and breezy and scenic and calmed everyone down for the drive home. Are these the faces of happy campers, or what?


Despite getting home rather late, and everyone being bushed from the walking and the hot sun, we managed a delicious dinner (tofu burgers - a family fave - and more of the wonderful sweet Bryson corn)... and BOTH kids made their lunches, brushed their teeth, and hopped into bed with nary a word of protest or attempt at negotiation.

This is the first time ever that lunches have been made the night before. This morning, we were ready to leave fully 15 minutes before we had to leave, on a day where we needed to be there 15 minutes before the bell. Mark this, friends, as history in the making. (And it may never happen again.) Ta-da! Ready to go:


Now, everyone has been successfully delivered, McPie has been waved off to work, and I have a loose plan for the day. (Workout, put away laundry, groceries... read!)