August, already? Where does the time go? I hope all of you are enjoying this beautiful summer, because it seems as if it finally arrived, and now it’s almost over.

It’s time to gear up for children going back to school. When my children were school aged, I remember anticipating the last day of school for months. We all looked forward to making summer plans with our kids. Plans for how to keep our kids busy during the summer months, and of course, vacation plans that we would all enjoy. By August, I was ready to send them back! It seems that no matter how much thought and planning went into it, by the end of summer our children were bored!

Taking the kids school clothes shopping was something I totally enjoyed. Oh, not the expense, but the fun of spending time with my kids and picking out just the right new clothes. When dealing with school clothes for both our daughter and our son, I found it best to take them separately that way the focus was on just one child at a time. Everything had to be tried on, and it never seized to amaze me at how much taller they had gotten over the summer. Both my son and daughter are very tall, so trust me when I say that growing six inches over the summer is not an exaggeration.

Buying school supplies was always next on the list. I always thought it comical that the one thing that both my kids got excited over the most was a new backpack. However, it had to be the right one—not only just the right size and color, it had to be cool!

After we received the dreaded school supply list, I always let my husband go with the kids to get that chore done. I always enjoyed picking out the school clothes with them, and he truly enjoyed taking them to get school supplies. The thing that tickled me most about that shopping excursion, was the items they would bring home that they just had to have that weren’t on the list. It seems that my husband was just as easily talked into things as I always was.

Our children are grown now, and we no longer have to take them to buy new school clothes or pick up the school supplies, but I kind of miss it. If my kids knew this, they would tell me to feel free to take them school clothes shopping anytime, so it will remain my little secret!

One of our granddaughters will be preschool age next fall, and I really hope that my son and his wife will enjoy the experience of “back to school” half as much as I did in the years to come.

My husband always looks forward to August for a much different reason that I do, and of course that reason is football season. He has always been and will always be a Bronco fanatic, and his fanaticism has infected our whole family. Even our two-and-a-half year old granddaughter gets excited over the Broncos. A new season always means new hope for our beloved team.

Until next month, I hope all of you have a fantastic August!

SPECIAL NOTES

August can be one of the hottest months here in Colorado. You may want to consider installing central air conditioning in your home. Contact Nationwide Heating and Air Conditioning for all your heating and air conditioning needs. See their ad on page 1. — It’s not too soon to be thinking about holiday entertaining. Check out the Boettcher Mansion for a unique holiday party venue. See their ad on page 1. — Too busy this summer to give your home the ol’ once over? Call Colorado Housekeeping Services for an estimate on cleaning your home. See their ad on page 3. — Take time for yourself. Refresh your mind, body, and spirit at Golden Pilates. Whether you’re a Pilates expert or just learning, Golden Pilates has just the level of class for you. See their ad on page 11. — If you suffer from chronic back pain or illness, Dr. Penny Wells of Acu-Health Medical may offer just what you’re looking for. Dr. Wells has over 22 years of experience in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. See her ad on page 13.

POSITIVE THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

“Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.” —James A. Garfield