As August is now upon us, our family is preparing for a monumental event this coming week.

Both of our kids will be off to college, leaving my wife and I as “empty nesters”.  The missus and I haven’t had a lot of downtime from family life since waaaaaay back in early 2001, so I’m sure it will be an adjustment for everyone.

For one thing, our grocery bill will be considerably less than current standards.  We’re planning on getting back into our vegetarian/vegan regime, so it’s “goodbye” to a lot of junk food and “welcome back” to a lot more healthy options.  Just the sheer amount we’ll have to purchase at the grocery store moving forward will be scaled back quite a bit.  For example, when the kids are at home?  We’ll go through a gallon of milk every three or four days.  With the girls out of the house?  If previous overnighters and trips are any indication, we’ll barely get through a quart every two weeks.

Cooking for two will also be a new experience, as most of my previous endeavors have been lunches and dinner for four or more, so I’m sure it will take me a while to “dial it back”.  “Jim, why are you buying all of those chicken thighs?”  Ooops – force of habit.

Other things around the house will also see some adjustments.  Laundry?  A whole lot less.  Electric bill?  Well maybe for once, half the lights upstairs won’t be blazing away 24 x 7 – even with no one around.  That would be a welcome change.  Also, I’m assuming that the bedrooms won’t look like a small, localized tornado destroyed a chest of drawers or that the current occupants have been using the “method acting” approach to their upcoming audition for “homeless girl #2” on ‘CSI’ – judging by the abundance of empty cups, plates, plastic bags, open mail, and piles of clothes strewn about their current living quarters.  Boys may be dirty, but girls?  Girls are pigs.  Honestly. 

So what will we do with all of this “free time”? 

There’s been talks of more walking, dining out, and visiting friends, but we’ll see how that pans out.  Truthfully, on most nights, I’m reading in my office and my significant other is reading on her computer, so I assume Casa de Snyder will take on a much quieter atmosphere as the leaves turn red, yellow, and orange this fall.

It will definitely take some getting used to. 

Which will make Christmas break (and a house filled with noise, clutter, and family) that much sweeter.