The Library

Captain's Log: Day 12 (oops, I wrote this weeks ago and forgot to "officially" post it...)

I have always loved the library.  When I was a kid, I vaguely remember my mom taking us to Columbine High School (yes, THAT Columbine) and being able to check out books from the school library during the summer.  Apparently, they had a kid section, which is wild for a high school.  Then, when we moved to the Springs, I remember when they built the East Library, and there was this amazing patio that overlooked the front range where you could go and read or study.  I don’t really remember going to the library much during college or high school – at that point I preferred either a coffee shop or just my room.  When the kids were younger, we would do the little story time at the local library where they would listen to a couple of stories and sing little baby songs before having a little bit of time to play with some of the puzzles and toys that they would bring out just for them.  Then, as they got older, we would go to the larger newer library in town, which was right by a cool park.  We’d do a picnic, play at the park and then go into the airconditioned library where the kids would pick out a ridiculous amount of books.  We would sit in the little nooks in the windows in the kid room and read some of them before the kids would have fun checking them out themselves. It was great.   As they got older, they would do the Summer Reading program and would cash in on prizes and things – which actually worked in their favor because we would use the books to check off the school summer reading goals, the library program AND the one at Barnes & Nobel.   We totally did the circuit and the kids loved being able to get free books and prizes. 

In the last month or so, I’ve found myself working from the library a few times between afternoon appointments and meeting friends after work, and I’ve forgotten how much I like it.  Today, this place is absolutely ALIVE with kiddos.  They apparently had a puppet show upstairs and they are also doing a scavenger hunt of some sort.  People are talking in different languages, kids of all ages are roaming around looking for pictures stuck on the wall, and others are being tutored or are looking at books.  The whole “quiet” aspect of a library has definitely gone out the window.  It's very refreshing to see, and I love how diverse it is in here today, yet all these families who obviously came from different cultures and places are doing similar things with their kids. I am feeling incredibly nostalgic for my little munchkins and the awesomeness of summer back when they were all in elementary school.  Those were some of the best days ever!

Weather: Ridiculously HOT.