Where has the summer gone?

Well, it's back to school tomorrow, which brings an end to my Mr. Mom duties this summer. Back in early June, I would be lying to say that I didn't have a little anxiety about watching an infant all summer long...not to mention a five year old and a "pre-teen"...but, it really was a great summer. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, a baby will really "anchor" you down to the homestead, but little Sarah has brought more joy to Cindy and I in her young life that I wouldn't have traded the time I spent with her the past 10 weeks for anything in the world. With Josh, and Marie and times, as the leader of the pack, we've enjoyed the zoo, the metro parks, neighborhood walks, swimming/ slip-n' sliding, McDonald lunches , and trips to the ice-cream stand... and a lot of backyard "chillin" in the swing.

Cindy and I just returned late this afternoon from an awesome tubing trip up in Standish, Michigan. The weather was super, and it was nice to get away one last time before school begins. Our trip began with a Friday night dinner at Cooperstown/ baseball game up at the Jake (they actually won!), then a late night visit/ sleep at Becky and Troy's home in Ypsilanti (sp?)...and then an early morning trek up north towards Standish (near Saginaw). This was the first time that we have been away from Sarah, and Cindy was definitely ready to see her little girl today as we arrived back in Barberton. We are going to have to do some serious babysitting juggling for the next couple of weeks since Josh does not start back to school until after Labor Day. (Which I personally think should be a federal law for all school systems....beginning with mine!) Cody and Adam are planning on hanging out with the little guy through Wed. of this week, and then his big sister Marie will watch him on Thur. and Fri. Then, the following week, he's off to Marietta to spend a few days with Cindy's folks.

I probably should get to bed at a decent hour tonight (no more late-night TV with Jay Leno and Conan O-Brien)...we have three days of in-service planned for the Hoban gang...wow, the excitement about this is simply too overwhelming....I'll have to create my Christmas Break countdown calendar sometime at work tomorrow!