I know everyone is in back-to-school mode. We don’t go back until the day after Labor Day, so we’re fighting that a little bit. We did get all our school supply shopping done (except for earbuds, I didn’t find earbuds on sale anywhere) and I’m starting to stock up on lunch supplies and snacks for the first few weeks. But otherwise, we are not going into full-school-prep yet.

To underline that, our kiddos have been packing up and heading out on “adventures” every day with the dogs. No explanation of where they’re going, what they’re doing, or when they’ll be back. Just, “see ya!” and out they head.

And to think, at one time it was hard for me to let them go out of the fenced in backyard!

Of course, their packs are full of extra socks (?!), an extra pair of shoes (?!), water, snacks, a sweatshirt (?!), and various other “important stuff” for their adventure…so they don’t last more than a few hours with all that to tote around. Particularly the less enthusiastic hikers among them (namely, Speedracer).

Last time I sneaked a peek in one of their bags (which was I told is completely off limits!) they were also hauling around binoculars (they have a little set like these), empty plastic peanut butter jars, a magnifying glass (they each have one like this that we found at the Dollar Store–what a steal! I bought a couple extras just in case.), a pencil box full of writing supplies, a sketch pad (they each have one of these sketch books), and some field guides.

That pack weighed more than when we actually go camping!

But they’re having fun.

Minus the chiggers, of course. The whole crew came home screaming and scratching with chiggers the other day. {sigh} All in a day’s adventures. {smile}

The dogs love it, of course. And I insist that they go along–just to scare off any snakes, or skunks, or possums, or pretty much anything else besides frogs. Although, after the turkey incident, sometimes I wonder who’s going to get who in trouble first!

So we’re making the most of our last few weeks of summer. How about you? Are you back to school? Or back to homeschool? Or back to your Fall routine yet? I’m not ready for school, but I am ready for scarves, boots, and pumpkin spice lattes!