Home Alone

My children's eyes rolled to the backs of their heads as I sang one of the little songs my mom taught me as a kid (with a few words edited to my benefit)...

Today is a wonderful day!
For you are going away!
Not to the circus, not to the pool...
Can't you guess you are going to school!

Okay, don't get me wrong...I love my kiddos! Very much so! And we've had a wonderful summer:

• Great vacations (Sunriver, trips to Idaho, out to the beach, Terry to Europe, etc)
• Zach's fantastic baseball season
  
• Swimming at some different pools
• Enjoying the new trampoline Doug the pediatrician convinced me to finally put up
  
• Playing in the neighborhood--my water bill has covered enough sprinkler parties to keep all neighborhood kids soaked for the past 2 months and my food bill has provided enough popsicles to keep the same set of kids wired for those same two months

(Trevian, Zach and Trevian posing for the traditional first day of school photo--each holding up the number of fingers for what grade they are in. Yes--Zach really is 3 grades ahead of Trevian!)

But alas, it is time for school to start again. My oldest started middle school today and my youngest started first grade. So today I am HOME ALONE! ALL DAY! Trevian told me last night she knows how sad I will be to eat lunch alone today and how lonely I will be without her home with me. She was so excited though to get to have lunch at school and have TWO recesses instead of just one (like in kindergarten).

Zach is now the "responsible" Leonard family member at Cooper Mountain Elementary. He's our 4th grader this year! It's his job to lead the way to and from school each day (we live next door to the school so walking takes about 90 seconds). But nonetheless, he is to look out for Trevian and get her safely there and back each day. But he's ready to rise to the challenge! :)

And Terry is thrilled to be in Red Hall at Highland Park...at least probably until after school today when he gets home and has homework to do. Oh, and the return of the school-year video game playing time rules will be a rude awakening for all of them.

So summer is officially over...there's actually that fall "nip" in the air on a beautiful day...the kids are all excited about their new experiences at school...and my house has stayed clean for more than 20 minutes...Today IS a wonderful day! :)