R.I.P. Summertime '09

It's official, summertime '09 is over for me. Today it was a seven hour inservice with a one hour and fifteen minute lunch. (All in a winter-like atmosphere. Only at CISD August inservice can you wear your Crandall Pirate hooded sweatshirt and be completely comfortable.) As good as the message of building champions was, it was a long day of listening. I tried to stay away from facebook- only updating my status twice. I didn't text too much - but enough to schedule a weekend photo shoot. I didn't throw anything at anyone - not even my brother. (I didn't figure that tootsie rolls flying through the air would go as unnoticed as maybe the grapes did last year.) Instead, I listened intently until now - the last hour - and started writing this blog.

There's no easing back into the b-t-s (back-to-school) routine, it is on from now on. Trying to get the kids to bed early and up earlier will prove to be challenging - I have no doubt. Clayson will be okay, he is an early riser. Trey cannot function until he has eaten breakfast and Ashlyn gets up in time for lunch. And I've got six days to get into a solid b-t-s schedule with everyone in a good mood and the house running smoothly. Wish me luck...

Tomorrow, Martin's "magical kingdom of learning" is taking a road trip to Laser Quest for our campus meetings, lunch and laser tag. Thursday we have breakfast, district meetings and time in our classroom with brief campus meetings in the afternoon. Thursday night is meet the teacher night and Friday is a work day. Work day meaning names in books (120), names on lockers, seating arrangements made, first week lesson plans and copies to be run. I need some adrenaline to kick in so that I can fight the good fight and finish the course.

Although I hate to see summertime '09 ending, it is time yet for a new beginning. What's not to look forward to with cooler temperatures on the way and my favorite holidays approaching.

Yesterday my family went out to the lake for just a couple of hours between morning must-dos and evening football practice. I must say it was the perfect ending to the perfect summer.

Goodbye summertime '09. We will miss the lake, the swims, the beaches, the sleeping late, the lack of routine, the staying up late, the random meals, noon news, photo shoots and facebook. I now replace you with the classroom, 60 kids instead of three, a playground, an alarm clock, daily schedule, early bedtime, excellent lunches in the cafeteria, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, evening and weekend photo shoots, school uniforms and FB at lunch.