Last Day of School

Today was a big day in the Bixler household. It was Aaron and Bridgette's last day of school! I picked them up after school - both were full of emotion. Aaron was SO EXCITED to not have to deal with homework and teachers and rules - at least for a few months, and Bridgette had tears in her eyes because she thought it was so sad to have to have to leave the tight relationships she's made with the teachers she had this year.

A similar scene plays out every year...if we Bixlers are anything, we are predictable. I bring kleenex for Bridge when I pick them up on the last day. She's just like I am!

And it is our love for predictability that gives us a flair for meaningful traditions - and the last day of school is no exception! So, Bridgette's tears were soon dried up as we pulled up to Knoke's chocolate shop for some great ice cream cones and a walk by the St. Croix River. This was our fourth year for this tradition. (In Eau Claire it was Dairy Queen and Carson Park.)

Knoke's has probably the best ice cream in town. It's the kind that comes in big tubs and you pick the flavors you want scooped out. Bridgette probably gets the prize for the "most adventurous tastes". She tried "Firecracker" - which was strawberry ice cream with pop-rocks in it. Interesting????

Bee and AJ (my pet names for my kids) and Angel (my pet's name) and I enjoying ice cream. (Angel is enjoying MY ice cream cone - that opportunist!)

The camera accidentally went off, capturing this former 6th grade girl and 7th grade boy snarfing down their cones as fast as they can!

My hope is that when these kids grow up and move out, maybe having families of their own if it be God's will, that the quirky traditions we've crafted together are the fond memories of their childhood...because they've been really fun to come up with...it makes our family uniquely ours.