BY: RACHEL WUMKES
I’m a bit conflicted today. My emotions at war. Happy and sad. Excited and apprehensive. It’s all a big, jumbled mix of feelings.
Last night was the final Thursday on Main of the season. One last hurrah as we close the door on a fantastic event. I watched as smiling faces greeted one another in the street. As parents pushed their children by in strollers, ice cream treats melting down their hands as they frantically tried to eat it before it melted.
People came out in droves to support the Back to School fundraiser. The dunk tank is always a hit – for both teachers and the students! And the generosity of school supply donations is greatly appreciated.
This is where my feelings are conflicted. While I’m so happy it was a successful evening, I’m super bummed its over until next year. It’s seriously one of my favorite events during the summer and, I’m not going to lie, I’ve come accustomed to enjoying the loaded nachos every week!
No wonder my pants are tight!
And yet, even with that lingering feeling of sadness, I can’t help but be excited for the upcoming school year. People… it starts NEXT WEEK!
I’m always very much on the ball when it comes to the countdown before school, but I seemed to have gotten off by a week this year, and it threw me for a loop. In my mind, there was one more week in there before we had to get back to bedtimes and schedules and dealing with all the dress-up days and homework.
Imagine my surprise when I pulled out my handy-dandy planner and realized I was wrong – school is NEXT week, not the following week. Yikes! Time to kick things into high gear and get things organized.
We kicked off the start of school for our teachers this week at the annual Educator’s Appreciation Breakfast. Catered by Hy-Vee, the teachers and staff enjoyed a delicious meal accompanied with incredible gifts from our amazing sponsors! It’s a highlight of my year, watching their faces light up when they choose their seat and dig through their basket of goodies!
In true Mom fashion, I typically take one day of the new school year to be a bum. A 100% lazy pile of nothingness. Binge-watching shows on television and eating chips and Twinkies.
Sounds delightful, right?
Alas, while my emotions battle amongst one another as the end of summer sits just on the horizon, I suppose I shouldn’t let myself be sad for too long. I mean, after summer comes fall and that means HARVEST FESTIVAL!!! Which is pretty much the greatest day in the history of all the days.
So there’s that to look forward to!
Incidentally, if you haven’t purchased your tasting pass and souvenir bag, do it here à CLICK ME
Go ahead and make your weekend the greatest one yet, my friends. Bask in all the awesomeness of Clear Lake. Stop at the Farmer’s Market, visit Central Gardens, take a cruise on the Lady of the Lake. Pack in all those last-minute outings and soak up the remaining summer sunshine.
Fill your tank. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did when that North Iowa winter wind is whipping through town and the temperatures are at the point where the air hurts your face. You’ll be able to close your eyes and pull from that special place deep down inside where you stored all the special bits of summer fun at the Lake. And it will get you through.