The unofficial end of summer is the starting of school at the beginning of August. But... it technically ended on the 22nd of this month.
Mercer is officially a Senior. This was Mercer's "last" first day of school!
Isabella is a 7th grader.Neither of these photos is technically from the 1st day of school! (They're both from the 2nd day). Isabella was sick on day 1 and Mercer has late arrival (he goes to school after 1st period). He had to go in early on the 2nd day because there was a series of beginning-of-school meetings.... so Todd was able to snag a photo of him on the 2nd day... and Isabella went to school then too. Whew.
Overall, Mercer has a pretty sweet schedule. He goes in late - takes weight-lifting & art one day, then comes back home to take one of his online college courses. The next day, he goes in late - takes weight-lifting & economics, then comes back home to take another one of his online college courses. He's pretty happy about his schedule!Leading up to the 1st day of school, there are special events for seniors -- rite of passage.
1 - he gets to paint his parking spot. I made, printed and cut out templates that he could use to trace for a number and his name. Todd helped him set up pin-stripes and start some painting. Mercer had to work to finish... and we think he was happy in the end:
It's supposed to look like a pin-striped baseball jersey. The #26 - instead of his baseball number - his year of graduation (2026).
2 - the other rite of passage is the rolling of the school the evening before the 1st day of school. This is for seniors only. I don't have a photo of him, but I'm sure he's in there somewhere! (I took this photo as I was leaving from setting up my room the day before school starts.)
(this one is not my photo... this was from the school's website.)It is sanctioned. There are principals on-site in order to keep things cool... provide water... and to open up the school for restrooms.
Every year, this makes local news coverage the next morning.
He also had senior photos made for the yearbook the 1st week of school. There's supposed to be a cap-and-gown photo too (according to the order form) but they weren't set up for that at the school. I do want that photo -- so we've got to figure that out.)
It's all happening.... senior year is moving along!
Leading up to the start of school is pre-planning. Included is the annual photo of my classroom (it doesn't change much, but someone said "wow - this is clean!" Yep... that's all I had the brain-width to do in July: clean. It is really hard to jump into lesson planning!! It's the cleanest it will be all year, as we make messes.... lots and lots of messes in my room!) Notice in the one photo - the windows at the atrium are now "frosted"... this is our "safety measure" ?! (they also stationed one MPD officer in our building part-time, so that was an addition to the glass. His hours are sporadic so no one knows when he'll be there or when he'll be out walking around the campus)
And - out the other window.... the start of the rolling of the toilet paper even crosses the bridge that connects our building to the main building. My lights are out. I was wrapping up stuff in the dark, so the photos are dark. oops. (I work in the dark a lot when there are no students -- don't need 20+ lights on just for me. I scored a lamp off for free that I put on the shelf near my desk, so I do work in more light when needed.
I also snagged this sturdy rack for sample storage for free. this makes me really happy, actually, as the samples were randomly stored in boxes and I would have to search to find what I needed. but - now they're easy to grab - yay!) Those are my 2 new additions to the room this year.
During planning, Mercer was still working out his last week and a half at the summer camp as a camp counselor. Isabella got to sleep in each day, as she has "aged out" of teacher-camp. (Here's a photo from the last field trip that his camp took... to Truist park - where the Braves play.) They got to go up into the box, down on the field and into the locker room. What a cool experience for Mercer as a camp counselor... he gets to do most of the fun stuff too. (He also got a bag of Marietta swag earlier that week too as a part of Parks & Rec appreciation day.) I hope he can do this job again next summer!
The Major League All-Stars was held in Atlanta this year in July at Truist Park... and so were all of the "extra" events that go along with it.
I was able to take Mercer to an MLB All-Star HBCU game with a friend.Todd took him to the All-Star "Futures" game the next day. (The Future's game features people who are to be watched - who have potential to make it to the MLB) Tickets for the actual All-Star game were really out of reach, honestly, so we didn't even attempt that.... but glad that we did some of the other activities while the event was in town.
A parent of twins that Mercer used to play Little League with -- that we've known for a dozen or more years -- their dad works for the Braves and was doing statistics for the event. He was able to get his twin boys to be outfielders at the MLB Home Run Derby. One of their sons made an unexpected catch which he wasn't supposed to do! (they still counted the run thankfully for the player who was in the competition). The boy was on ESPN and on the news! He realized as soon as he caught it he shouldn't have done so. The camera caught him fretting! Mercer and Todd were watching... wait... isn't that.... ?! :) what a fun memory for them.
And - there was a fun app that you could download to make drawings come to life like what happened in the movie -- both using AI. She and I had a good night too.
We also scored additional tickets to a Mets / Braves game a couple weeks later.
These were the "good seats" in the Xfinity club level with a lounge and money loaded onto the tickets (they come from an engineer that Todd's firm uses.) There was a lot of pro baseball / stadium attendance for us in July & August!
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Other things going on at the end of the summer / into August:
I started baking sourdough. It is SO MUCH WORK. I don't think it's worth it (yet). The 1st loaf turned out well, but I now really appreciate the 5 or 6 $ for a good loaf at Publix! Some people "name" their loaves. So I named mine Leonar-dough Davinci. (like the artist / architect / inventor)
I like the sourdough "discard" recipes more, though.
Home-made "cheese-its" are our family's favorite... foccaccia... and cinnamon rolls.
I've made each of these several times now. I've only made 1 other loaf of bread. Todd named that one "Frisbee." haha! (I over proofed it and it flattened out.) Sorry there's no picture of Frisbee.
This is the first year that we're not a member of the community garden.
Earlier this year, I built raised bed gardens in our back yard. Our tomatoes were prolific! They're everywhere. We put them in everything....
...and put them everywhere (some here are ripening on the window sill)
I started teaching at KSU again. This semester I am teaching Environmental Technology 2 -- the prerequisite for the ETech 3 course I taught in the spring. I am in a different building. I'm father from the architecture building. I'm teaching in an old 1970s (?) math building - but it's cool.
I have windows and daylight this time. (mine is the 2nd from the right on the top floor)
The schedule: students take ETech2 in the fall / ETech3 in the spring. As far as I know I am on deck for teaching ETech 3 again in the spring.... which will be great -- as I have the majority of my lectures done.
I want to re-do some things that I did last spring / tweak. But it will be easier & nice to recoup much of my "investment" of time!
I like the energy of this part of the campus (it's next door to the Student Center). These photos are taken on "move-in day" so the students are in a different part of the campus on the day I was walking around / getting familiar with the building & my classroom. When I am walking to and from class, there is always a lot of students milling about, hanging out, studying, riding skateboards, etc.
We've been on a LOT of college campuses lately... and I am partial to the small Marietta KSU one. (There's a main campus in Kennesaw, but they bought the smaller Marietta engineering school and merged it. It's now HUGE between the two campuses.... one of the largest in the state)
The reason we've been on so many college campuses lately: Mercer... looking at schools for after graduation. He and Todd flew to New York mid September. He and a coach in Corning, NY had been messaging back-and-forth.... sharing "tape" (videos of Mercer pitching / hitting / fielding). The guy invited him to their showcase. Mercer did pretty well apparently (Todd said his hitting wasn't as consistent, but he had some great plays and fielding.) He did some pitching too. Mercer told us that the coach pulled him + one other senior aside and said he'd like for them to join him in 2026.
They sent some photos from the nearby town.... which looks pretty cool. I guess it will be a new place to visit. ?!?
But, we had a bunch of (local) college visits planned for Fall Break (late September) before this even took place.... so... we visited a bunch of campuses in one week. Small-ish colleges that had graphic design and baseball.
He at least waited after the week of college visits before he committed... but he did text the coach and say YES he would like to play with them in the 26-27 school year. (he texted and received a message back. Is this official? gulp!)
(that night at Youth at church, he wore the Red Baron's tee that he & Todd picked up in the gift shop AND he told EVERYONEFall Break Day 1 - Milledgeville (Georgia College & State University). Historic + a newer part of the campus.
Modern fitness center - next to the baseball field. It was really nice on the inside (and it was a LEED green building.) :)
We visited each baseball field on the visits. Here is the one in Milledgeville. This college was "too big" and located in a downtown area - so - he said he'd get lost.
Fall Break Day 2 - Todd took Mercer to Middle Georgia college south of Macon. (I was teaching that night at KSU, so I would not have made it back in time to teach.) This is the college with the most intriguing Graphic Design program in my opinion. And - the coach reached back out before the visit so he and Todd were able to talk to the guy for awhile.
They have a solid program and it looks very well-rounded. The SUNY College is only 2 years -- so if he wanted to pursue something beyond an associate's degree, he could possibly transfer here?
They also stopped by Mercer University. It's a very large college (the highest sports division). They just stopped there for fun.... for the name. Sadly, the college folks did NOT make a big deal about his name. First of all - it's a very uncommon name. Secondly... how many people do they really have coming through there with their name? No photos from that visit. Todd said he liked the Mercer Village, though - a little development that the college has with a coffee shop and other stores.
Fall Break Day 3 - Isabella, Mercer and I went to Columbus Georgia to visit the college there. I was trying to take photos of things along the way. The most interesting thing to see on this campus (in my opinion).... this board-formed concrete stair "centerpiece" in their library. OK - I may have gotten behind the tour and took too many photos, but didn't get lost! :)
Isabella liked this college. The tour guide had her at "foster animals" / and "you can have service animals in your room.... you just need to have documentation and register them."
Mic dropped. She made up HER mind right there!
They have 2 campuses (connected by bus) - but we didn't see the riverside campus (where the arts programming is) because we had to leave before boarding the bus to make it to the 2nd campus tour that day: Lagrange. Mercer didn't like this campus. Too big.
I didn't get a great feeling here either, but we didn't get a chance to see the whole college. The downtown campus may have been interesting? (although it sounds like it was random buildings scattered around a down-town area... not a true campus.) As we left, we did drive through the downtown to check it out / crossed a river and the GPS said "Welcome to Alabama!" haha that was a shock!
We saw the baseball field in Columbus (and on our tour was another baseball player. He and Mercer talked about some players they both know / talking about the same experience of reaching out to the coaches at these colleges / not hearing back from them.) Oh well.
We got a little mixed up on where to go for the LaGrange tour. The entire campus has ONE street address, although there are multiple buildings and streets? We were a little late, but it was a one-on-one tour, so they waited for us! I think Mercer liked this campus the best out of all that we visited. It is TINY though. One major area up on a hill with historic buildings and a new modern science building (with Callaway endowment) across the street. There was an "arts" campus about a 10 minute walk away as well -- the college bought an old public school to convert. It was across from the baseball complex. He may consider this as a transfer location after SUNY? It is walkable and not too far away ~ an hour +.
We saw the assistant coach when we went to the field. Mercer asked about any showcases. They have one coming up.
He is now planning on attending baseball showcases at both Middle Ga and Lagrange, but it is extremely hard to get into college baseball in the southeast. (even though he's "committed" to SUNY. Todd thinks just to get the attention of the coaches? -- then he should keep up with them from these two colleges so when he's transferring back after SUNY maybe he'll have contacts made? The long-plan.
Apparently, Georgia and Florida are a mecca for baseball. When you look up the rosters on the college teams, a lot of them have students who transfer in from JuCo (Junior Colleges)... it's a path that is often taken. Who knows - if Mercer keeps developing in the next couple of years he'll get to come back closer to home to play? There are so many "what ifs!?!"
The next day, only Mercer and I popped up to Dahlonega (we could get up there and back before I needed to teach that evening at KSU). I was thinking - it's in the mountains. It's beautiful. nope. It's militant. (former military college, but there is still a portion of the campus that's dedicated to it.) Agreed... after walking around - it wasn't really a great option for him.
Baseball field visit. Check.
And - last but not least: Reinhardt which is literally only 35 - 40 minutes away. Eh. (here's a picturesque "nature area" on their campus -- you pretty much walk from the dorms on one side to the academic side of the campus.
The size was right. D-III baseball. Check, but the college is "too close."
As mentioned, had his mind made up on all of it already, so he had something about each of the places we visited that he did not like... even though tuition could be close to free! hello?!
He has a couple of options for after SUNY. And, Isabella found (another) college she wants to go to so maybe all was not lost?!Whew - what a week! And... there was almost 1000 miles driven to check it out. There are some nice campuses across our state. There were probably another 7 that we could have visited that fit the bill of graphic design + baseball.
We also celebrated Mercer's 17th "adoption day" last month. As usual, we celebrate with a gift and an outing. (Mercer chose a movie and dinner at a burger bar.) So far, this has mostly been about Mercer.... what about Isabella??!
Nothing too major is happening with her as she's starting middle school, but she did take up a new instrument: the saxophone! She really wanted to change from the euphonium when she went to middle school band. They wouldn't let her, however, because she's in "advanced band."
Apparently this is for folks to continue their music journey on their original instrument. She would have to go back to beginning band if she wanted to swap instruments. But... she's definitely too advanced for beginner -- especially since she's been playing instruments longer than most of her classmates.
So - off to the rental store we go + sign up for weekly lessons!
It gets a little less "squeaky" each week.
She has - of course - taken off with it. And - after only meeting the music instructor (the guy we signed up with at the store has a master's degree in playing the sax!)... he is already impressed with how she's picked it up and how she can sound out songs.
One day last month, Isabella, Todd and I went to a park one day with the dogs for a short hike and to play in some water. We had no idea, but learned that Saffy LOVES to swim!
There was another bully mix that was at the stream while we were there. He rescued his dog from the same shelter the same month (last October) too! His is super sweet as well as ours.
They do get a bad rap - I guess it's how you treat the dogs as to how they'll act!
Saffy went into deep waters over and over and over again for a floating toy that we took. We were excited to learn that she loved to swim so much! It was fun!
Isabella and Todd took Saffy the next weekend too. (Leaving Hip-Hop behind. He did not love the park or the other dogs... or really the water.)
She's had a couple of ER visits since school has started, unfortunately. One for erratic heartrate (was fine after an IV?)... maybe dehydrated? (I spy grading in my lap in the photo) :/And... another visit after a meal at a restaurant up on the square: a Baja shrimp wrap maybe didn't sit too well with her - racing heart, sweaty palms, she said she was having trouble breathing. She loves shrimp, but this may be one we have to watch. Benadryl seemed to do the trick. whew.
Isabella and I went to try out a German bakery (she's obsessed with German stuff since it's a part of her DNA). She was IN HEAVEN for how rich the pastry was!
We only had a couple of butterflies this late summer, but our little one enjoyed releasing them. yay!
The kids will always come together for sweets... and - we FINALLY used something we got at Christmas: a little personal stove. We don't seem to make bonfires as much as we used to, but that doesn't mean you can no longer have s'mores!
The weather is cooling off. Maybe we'll make s'mores on a proper bon-fire again soon?
We have survived the first couple of months of school. It will be interesting to see what the coming months have in store !
Fall Break Day 2 - Todd took Mercer to Middle Georgia college south of Macon. (I was teaching that night at KSU, so I would not have made it back in time to teach.) This is the college with the most intriguing Graphic Design program in my opinion. And - the coach reached back out before the visit so he and Todd were able to talk to the guy for awhile.
