The summer that will be remembered...

What a SUMMER!  It started hours after school ended on June 25 as I boarded a plane to ALA in San Francisco to Barcelona, France, mountains of North Carolina, two Broadway shows, a 15k, Jersey Shore, Virginia and more...This pictures are so *random* but capture a little taste of my unforgettable summer. 

FIRST day of SUMMER VACATION!  On my way to ALA!

Bill Konigsburg (no relation to E.L.) I picked up this book for my daughter and then she read it for her summer reading homework!

I forgot!  The music teacher, Mrs. Gibney, and I saw Trombone Shorty live.  He was AMAZING!

If you ever have a chance to see him, GO! And pick up his book today!  It's illustrated by our friend, Bryan Collier.

Getting as many cousins and more to jump with me on the Jersey shore.

La Familia Sagrada in Barcelona--pretty incredible.

A leap with my cousin in Barcelona

I took that Crossover book everywhere with me.  This gentleman must have thought I was crazy when I asked him to pose with it!

Relaxing at my aunt's house in Lagleygeolle, France.

Leaping during our night bike tour of Paris.

It didn't matter how heavy my backpack was, that book was coming with me for the day!

A final leap in Paris. We WILL be back!

And I read a little, too.  I always wish I could read more.  In no particular order, I read Crenshaw (comes out in a couple of weeks), George, Sunny Side Up, Roller Girl, Book Scavenger, Circus Mirandus, Lost in the Sun, Unusual Chickens, The War that Saved My Life, Enchanted Air, Stella by Starlight, Hilo and just today I started listening to Echo in the car. Ah, man.  I really wish I had read more.  Everything I read I enjoyed and I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED having my FIVE book groups over the summer.  I will definitely be doing that again next year.

Tomorrow is our first day of school.  I'm super excited.  We are going to have a Sarah Weeks year with a sprinkling of Chris Grabenstein and who else?  Last year Kwame Alexander was our big surprise.  Right now I'm humming all songs I can think of with the words "honey" and/or "pie" in it for my introduction to Sarah tomorrow.  I want to get those kids crazed for her and I know I will!

Today I got up early and drove to Albany to shop at Trader Joes.  I stuck the first CD of Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan in the CD player and was instantly mesmerized.  I'm hooked.  Only that I walk to school and don't have much time in the car alone to listen.  Winter time is my book listening time because I can just throw my ear phones on and shovel to my little heart's content. Fortunately, there is no snow yet but unfortunately, I'm looking for a long road trip to come my way.

I have never felt so excited about a first day in a long time (of course, I have no plan for what to wear, but do have my lunch made).  I'm excited about Sarah and Chris and the collaborations that will take place over the course of the year.  October and November are going to be super busy with my daughter's Bat Mitzvah, NYLA and AASL but it's all good.  By Thanksgiving I will need to stay under my covers for a while and not come out for a few days.  Great time to catch up on my reading that I never had a chance to do while I was "summering" all summer.

May you all have a wonderful start of school and splindiferous year ahead of you!