Where will Sylvia be next?

For the past four days, The Book Fairy has taken over the inside and outside of the Parish Life Center, slinging books to everyone from tiny Pre-K humans who are still learning that money is real to 8th graders who are far too cool to be excited about a book fair…I felt their book fair aura.

Listen, I spend a lot of time around kids. I’ve seen what they know. I’ve heard their questions. I’ve witnessed their ability to remember one very specific thing you promised them six months ago. So when Making Memories Playschool invited me to their “Are You Smarter Than a Preschooler?” fundraiser, I already had my suspicions…

With school officially back in session, I did a little informal polling. Reviews were mixed. Some kids were genuinely PUMPED to be back—friends! Teachers! New year! Others gave me a look that could best be described as, “Please don’t make me talk about it.” Fair.

One of my favorite things about the night was how many students came in looking for books not for themselves, but for their younger siblings. One recent graduate picked out books for her first-grade cousin, which just about did me in. A mama of four stocked up on enough books to keep everybody reading for quite some time.

I had several returning shoppers stop by, along with plenty of new friends discovering me for the first time. One of my favorite conversations was with Tina, the district’s Bus Monitor of the Year. After about thirty seconds of chatting, it became very clear why she earned the honor. She talked about “her babies” with so much pride and affection that I honestly think half the kids on her route have an extra grandma looking out for them every morning. The world could use more Tinas.

It feels like I just finished stocking my shelves with summer reading, and somehow backpacks are already sneaking into store displays. Time has been particularly rude this year.

One of my favorite traditions continues to be watching first-time visitors step inside.

Every single time it’s the same reaction.

“Oh my gosh…this is my dream!”

“This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!”

The weather couldn’t quite make up its mind. It was cool, there was a little rain here and there, and honestly…it was perfect. Great weather for running, biking, tug-of-war, basketball, baseball, dodgeball, volleyball, yoga, cornhole, Zumba, and whatever other event had coworkers suddenly treating Brenda from Accounting like their biggest athletic rival.

Now, I need to address the giant red elephant in the room.
The fire truck.
I was parked right next to it.
At first, I thought we’d be colleagues. Community partners. Two beloved neighborhood icons working side-by-side.
Wrong.
The fire truck was a customer thief.

The sun was shining, the grass was green, and thousands of people spent their Saturday doing exactly what Saturdays were made for—wandering through a beautiful park, supporting local makers and businesses, learning new ways to live a little lighter on the planet, sampling delicious food, listening to live music, swapping clothes instead of buying new ones, and discovering that sustainability somehow still results in carrying home far more treasures than originally planned.