The Finish Line is Near

School begins tomorrow! There are not enough exclamation points to fully express how I feel. I imagine it's like running the last half mile of a marathon: sure, my nipples are bleeding and I've crapped myself, but I can see the finish line.

For the last day, I planned a day trip to Stinson Beach, but Clover wanted to work on Lego all day, and Rocket decided he hates getting wet at the beach (the sand stays glued to him forever, like he's a small, walking craft project). I compromised with Half Moon Bay, but the weather is supposed to be cold and cloudy all day, so I gave up, which was when both kids changed their minds about the beach. Clover suggested instead we go see the final Happy Potter movie before it leaves the theater. Rocket is too young for such a dark movie, and she casually said, "That's fine, he can stay out." I don't know if she meant at home, in the car, or outside of the theater door, regardless, I don't think the girl has a career as a social worker ahead of her.

As a final compromise, I'm taking the kids to Johnny Rockets for lunch, after a morning of Lego play. I do not like Johnny Rockets, but my kids do. I hope they see this as proof of how deeply I love them, especially as I feign joyful surprise as the server makes each of us a ketchup happy face even though both of my kids are engrossed in their coloring paper. I only act interested to make the server feel better, which is messed up, because I think all of us - me, the kids, and the server - would love to skip the ketchup happy face part of the meal.

Oh well, one more day.