Last night we went to a 50th birthday party for a new friend of ours. It was on a private lake and although we didn’t really know what to expect, the kids had an awesome time. The sunset, the docks, the lily pads…all made for some great pictures.

Girl talk on the dock.

We got to go out on the pontoon boat which Tweedle Ian was all nervous about a first. After a pep talk and a $1 bribe he got on the boat and within two minutes he was over the nerves and up on his knees looking over the edge watching Captain Kidd fish.

Pep talk prior to the boat ride.

Hoping for a bite.

And then two minutes after that he was our captain. The lady who owned the boat let him drive it around (with a little help from her boyfriend). Ian was so proud and having the time of his life. He drove the boat for at least 45 minutes around the entire perimeter of the lake.

So proud and so in his own world.

When we got back to the dock we let the boys fish for a few more minutes before I started prepping them for the idea of a departure (a 5 minute warning is always best). Ian says right away in a grumpy voice, “Are we ever going to get to come back here?”

One last cast before we call it a night.

Like me, he dreads good times coming to an end. I get a panicky feeling when an evening or weekend is closing and I will have to part ways. I feel this need to hang on to the moment as long as I can and never let it end. It’s hard to be having the time of your life and all of a sudden the clocks strikes midnight and your fairy godmother (or your pesky mom) is telling you the party is over.

What I often forget and what a 9-year-old doesn’t yet understand is that all good things must come to an end….a great school year, beach vacations, birthday parties, play dates and date nights, weekend get-aways, even a regular old summer night when you’ve played hard all day and are still running around catching lightning bugs in the dark.

Every day ends at some point. Bedtime always comes – like it or not. But don’t be sad. The memories (and pictures) will remain. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

My sidewalk chalk artwork from the other day. Do you know what song it is from?