kris mcneil photography

What is it about the end of August that makes it feel like everything is in fast forward? Years of getting ready for back to school? Christmas trees and wreaths out at the stores? Knowing that Pumpkin Spice Madness will be here soon? For runners, is it the Groundhog Day like excitement of knowing there are only six more weeks of nearly unbearable summer training until the heat finally breaks? Well, in Texas anyway. (Heat training = hidden speed! Bonus! Woohoo!)

This year, it was that I only had my college aged youngest son home for a very short time because he opted to do a summer course. So he was home for a little bit in May, and a little bit in August. Being an empty nester now, I’m soaking up every second I can when he’s home or when I visit him at school. I always appreciated all the time I had when my boys lived at home. (Well, let’s be honest, most of it. There were a few episodes I could have lived without.) Still, appreciating every day, week, month, year with your kids doesn’t slow time down. Shocker, right?! It does however make the scarce days I do have with him all that much more special.

So we soaked up as much fun as we could in the few weeks we had. He humors me.

On a midnight train to Georgia. Well, actually a 6:30am flight to Georgia. We made a 36 hour journey to see one of his favorite bands, Twenty One Pilots. He missed the show here in Texas because he was at school. Yay for airline miles and hotel points for getting to do this on the cheap!

Don’t trust a perfect person and don’t trust a song that’s flawless. Twenty One Pilots.

Love is all you need. When we went back to Indiana to move him from his summer apartment to his sophomore year apartment, we went with some family to see a Beatles tribute band. This was a blast. We got to imagine and twist and shout and shake it up, baby.

I lava you. Mad ukulele skills.

I see the Moon and the Moon sees me,
And the moon sees the one that I can’t see.
God Bless the Moon and God Bless me,
And God Bless the one that I can’t see.

From my plane trip home. I’m such a sucker for the window seat, especially at sunrise and sunset. As my son says, “We’re all four years old about something.” I’m also a bit sappy about the fact that we all share the moon. A bit more sappy that I share it with my kids. And that’s your Hallmark moment of the day.

Happy Autumn!

Keep following the 5 on 5 circle with a visit to Maureen Nichols of Cottage 960!