End of Summer Traditions

It really is my last day of summer vacation now... Tomorrow starts 3 days of meetings - I'll be learning about Common Core, planning with my team, having training on the new online grade book, and watching the mandatory yearly videos on sexual harassment and blood born pathogens. Fun! (Yeah right). Then Friday afternoon comes and I get 3 1/2 hours to work in my classroom.

I woke up thinking of all the things I normally do at the end of summer, all the traditions- some fun, some practical - and started wondering if it's just my family... I doubt it. 

Okay - here's a  relatively short list of things I do every year around this time: 

John's Incredible Pizza

We always take the boys for one last hurrah of summer. We are more Chuck E Cheese people, but going to John's Incredible Pizza - with the bigger kid games - is always fun. We went this past weekend. :)

Massage Envy

The past years I usually only get a couple of massages a year - and those are usually because I am given a gift certificate... and then I wait until I start getting eye twitches or I can't move my neck. One near my birthday and one for the beginning of school. After moving desks and classroom furniture, my back is usually begging me to relax. I went in yesterday afternoon and it was wonderful. There is a chance I dozed off... maybe not, but my to do list did disappear from my thoughts for a while. 

Haircuts 

Every end of summer means getting one last haircut for the boys (and sometimes for myself). I'm still trying to grow mine out this year after cutting it for Locks of Love, I want it longer. I am considering trying to get rid of my grays myself today. I haven't dyed my hair since college - and back then I had help... we'll see...

Cleaning the house 

It's the same thing as right before we leave on vacation... When heading back to school I want to have everything looking extra nice at home. Of course that's almost impossible since the boys are still not back in school and love to play...

Making Crockpot bags/prepping meals

Going back to school makes me so completely drained that dinner is usually the last thing I want to think about - so I like to make up some things for the freezer that I can whip out for dinner. Casseroles, cooking chicken, and getting the ingredients for crockpot bags ready helps keep food on the table during the first couple of weeks of school. 

Last Movie and Frozen Yogurt

Today my sister is coming out to visit and while auntie is here we are going to forget the work and go to the movies. Of course tonight we will also head for one last Frozen Yogurt stop. 

New Clothes

The end of summer - at least for me - means I have to find a couple new shirts and capris for the start of school. Its going to be capri weather until November, so I don't start worrying about long pants for awhile. Just need to pick up some things that aren't as "comfy" and more professional looking to move back into school mode.  The boys pick out a few new things, but for the most part we wait until they actually need something before we go out to purchase.  

Laundry

On the final day of summer I like to run the machine non stop - getting all the laundry done. It's weird...

How do you finish out summer?