Labor Day weekend can get a little crazy for us. It’s the end of summer and the start of school. It also holds two very important birthdays in our family: Tim’s, and our oldest daughter, Orlagh’s. Even if we’re not planning anything like a children’s party or a family get together, I tend to have a wild look in my eye until we’re through it.

On Friday, we took our youngest daughter, Iris, to kindergarten for her first day of school. While it was very sweet and kind of a really big deal, Tim and I tried to be casual about the whole thing. Actually, Tim’s pretty laid back, so I guess I was the one trying to hold it together for the most part. The next night we had a big family meal complete with birthday cheer (grandparents included).

Despite the typical fullness, the past four days came and went like a sigh. Sending our youngest child off to full-day school, plus celebrating another year older for Orlagh (who turned nine), gave way to much reminiscing. I updated photo albums and (finally) took down our beautiful egg-shaped crib from the corner of Iris’s room.

We spent the last hours of the long weekend with our friends, Joe and Sarah, and their kids, at their place. A movie played, a fire pit lit up the backyard, and a meal of baked beans, sweet corn, watermelon and turkey burgers filled the table. And then there was this incredibly luscious cake that Sarah made. I’m not trying to be cheesy here, but really, life is good.

I hope your summer is winding down nicely. Here’s to fall and all it brings!