And here we are once again at the end of summer, staring another school year in the face. 25 little people excited and ready (hopefully) to learn all sorts of new things. 25 different learning needs. 25 hearts to encourage, heads to challenge, and motivations to inspire.

As exciting as the fresh start always feels, it can also sometimes be a bit daunting.

And so, in order to lighten the load for a brief moment through laughter, I turn to my own kids. Here are just a few summer quotes from them…

HIM (totally dramatic, heard from the other room): Dis is da WORST day of my LIFE! I dist CAN NOT get my undies on!

HER (totally serious and surprised): Mommy, I just don’t understand why you’re so tired. I mean, Daddy is the one who works all the time!

HIM (with the most dramatically frustrated look on his face): Mommy, I got da coughs-iz, da sneeze-inz, and da… da… da BURPS!

HER (sweetly): Mommy, even if there was a mommy store, I would still pick you! (long pause, clearly re-thinking that statement.) I would maybe pick Grandma instead, but… probably not.

HIM (After running into friends at the park, where he gave each of them a hug, I commented on how nice it was of him to do so. He replied matter-of-factly): Yep! I sure made their day! (By the way, when we go on walks, he waves at every car that passes by for the same reason. “I dist make their day when I wave at them, Mom.”)

HER (while walking past a jewelry display, grabs the pinkest, most sparkly, horrific looking piece there was): MOM! Look! This is SOOO me!
HIM (while walking past the same jewelry counter, grabs a green necklace, his favorite color): MOM! Look! Dis is SOOO me!

HIM (to a friend): Yes, it’s true! Cars do go to da bafroom. (Thanks, Disney & Pixar for teaching our kids so well.)

HIM (I found a stool next to my dresser. He admitted to putting it there in efforts to reach a ring I told him he couldn’t play with. When I said, “So you moved the stool there to get it anyway? That was disobeying, Jacob!”) He responded: But GOOD NEWS, Mom! I couldn’t reach it anyway! So I didn’t even disobey at all!