Aidan turned 12 on Friday, and we had his party yesterday, complete with a trip to the local water slides. Let’s hear it for summer birthdays! Then we came back home for pizza and a 5-kid sleepover. Needless to say, we’re all a little tired today!

Every year Aidan’s birthday is our kick-off for getting ready to go back to school. After his party, we have two weeks to buy school supplies and clothes, get in one last camping trip, and get our collective brains in gear. And that last part applies just as much to me as it does to the kids because I’ve got to plan Nigel’s homeschooling for the year and get back into academic mode.

So we’re enjoying this birthday weekend as much as we can, because we all know what it ultimately means: Back to the grind!

I can hear the groans already . . .