It's Official, Summer is Over!

It's Labor Day and we all know what that means, right?

Summer is over and tomorrow I am staring another new school year.

For me, this is over my 40th first day of school not including the 17 years that I myself was a student.

That's a lot of first days and let me tell you, I feel the same first day anxiety today as I felt every other first day.

The only thing that changes is my age.

There are so many unknowns for that first day.

Will there be criers?

Will I remember all the songs and fingerplays I want to use?

Will the kids be able to sit and listen?

Will they clean up the centers the way that I want them to?

Will the kids be kind to one another?

Will my new aid be as helpful as my old one?

And, those are just a few things off the top of my head.

The one thing I know is that the kids will have fun!

So, bring on that 57th or so first day.

I am ready.

John and I headed up to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls for our little Labor Day get away this year.

We had not been to that area of the state for a long time.  It is a beautiful part of our state with lots of fun things to do.

We actually went to that area because someone asked me to do one of my photo collages for them and they asked if I could get photos from that area.

John and I arrived on Saturday and took a bike ride on one of Eau Claire's many bike trails.

We found lots of photos.

We went to Chippewa Falls after our bike ride and stopped in a place called Bye the Willow, a wine and beer place that  is owned by the girl who will get the collage as a shower gift.  I wanted to see if I could find anything to photo in the bar.  I took a step out of my comfort zone and actually asked the bartender if she was Amy.  She was not, so then I proceeded to tell her what we needed and I took many photos at the bar.

Not sure what I would have done if that had been Amy, I guess I just would have said we had a mutual friend or some other baloney!

After our stop there where John had a beer and I had a yummy wine, we went over to Leienkugals Brewery. 

We opted out of the tour and just did the taste testing.  What yummy beers.

I liked all the fruity ones.

After our fun tasting party for two we went back to Eau Claire to have dinner.

We ate at a place called the Green Mill Restaurant, what an excellent place.

I had a shrimp Italian dish and John had lasagna.  With two dishes we were able to get a free bottle of wine.  Such a deal.

The servers and the food were wonderful, oh, and so was the wine.

Back to the Motel 6 for the night.

Only $50.00 and it was a great room.

On Sunday we walked around Eau Claire to get a few more photos and then we went back to Chippewa Falls to get a few more.

We had success with the photos so the trip was a success for more than one reason.

Headed home later on Sunday.

Today we took a walk, John washed cars and I baked apple crisp and one of Ohma's apple cakes.

With the start of school, I guess the thought of apples is near and dear to me.

Stay tuned to see how that first day was.