LOVE AND DONUTS.

Today is the last day of school in our town. That means lots more busy bodies at the parks, a community pool swarming with kids, and my teacher friends get to be stay at home mommies for the summer! (Which means lots more play dates for me and my babies!) Yay!

It has become a little tradition for Nugget and I to go out for a walk on the first day of school and watch all the buses as they take their first loads of kids to school for the year. It kind of happened on accident last year. She oohed and ahhed over all the buses, and thus a tradition was born. Once nine o'clock hits and the kids are finding their way to their new classrooms, we find our way to Patty's Place and enjoy a little treat together. Love.

Oh, look how little she was. Just nine months ago! Breakfast at Patty's Place, September 2010



It only seemed fitting to go to the bakery this morning. In our jammies. Nugget giggled at the thought. More love.

I was surprised when we walked in to find about 20 high schoolers standing around shoving donuts in their mouths, mingling with excitement as they were about to begin their last day of school. I wasn't expecting that. I thought it'd be a nice quiet morning at the bakery. Anyhow, lots of high schoolers meant there we no more sprinkled cake donuts for my Nugget. Uh oh. But I politely asked the baker if he had any more.  And guess what he did? He made us some. Fresh. And special. Only in a small town do you get that. Even more love.

We ordered one chocolate with sprinkles, and one vanilla with sprinkles.

She chose vanilla. Lucky me.

It was on the last day of school 2 years ago that I closed my classroom doors forever, to pursue my other love. Being a mama. I love teaching, but I also really love staying home. As a wise friend (that's you, Shari!) once told me  'A classroom will always be there. Your kids won't.' So very true and how very, very grateful I am that we can make this work.