End of the Month Report: September

Time has been passing so quickly that if I don't get around to this month end report, not only is going to to be the middle of October but it's going to be time for another month end report. September is always a busy month with back to school activities. Jake found his groove going back to preschool now 3 days a week as well as playing soccer and Jadyn and I have enjoyed finding numerous activities to replace the YMCA including Kindermusik, playgroup and storytime at the library. As a family, we made trips to the river, Vegas and the county fair, but I think the biggest news for September is always the gradual good-bye to summer.

With the public pool, its easy. You have a clear cut date to which the pool will close for the summer and although 9 times out of 10 it is still hot enough to go swimming way past Labor Day, you plan around it. If you have a permanent pool at home, chances are you keep it maintained most of the year and can go swimming when the mood strikes you. For us, sometimes you just never know when that last swim of the season will take place and then before you even realize it, the water is icy (and sometimes a little green, oops!) and it becomes obvious that the days in the pool are over for another year. I always find myself a little sad. So this year I took premptative measures and the kids had one last horruh in the pool the week prior to the ceremonious takedown and of course I was there, camera in hand to capture the moment:

Notice Jadyn is saying, "Brrrr...It's cold!"

So with the pool and its variety of summer water toys neatly put away in the rafters of the garage, we can once again take full possession of our patio and although we are still reaching the 90's on a regular basis, the somewhat cooler weather has released us from the imprisonment of being indoors or in the water from the hours of 8am to 8pm. All this really means is that old toys that have been gathering dust all summer can now be brought out and enjoyed anew included the mini golf set and bounce house.

It's amazing how much more polished the yard and patio now look with all the summer stuff put away. I must admit to everything feeling much more clean and organized and while I do love the carefree ambiance of summer, I was ready to return to the structure that Fall brings. Now for us, even though October will continue to be short-sleeve weather, we can look forward to more fall-like activities like the pumpkin patch and apple picking. The kids have been doing and saying so much lately, that I am going to write separate blog posts about what is new with them. But if you think this is the last you have heard of the bounce house. Well let's just say, I only wish I did not have a story to tell about that, but I do.