Goodbye Summer-Hello Fall…

It hit me loud and clear this morning….. the relaxing, sun drenched days of summer are long gone.  It left us FAST, and like a ‘head on collision’….fall came right at us.  It gave us no warning, no early signs of anticipation, no lingering glimmers of days gone by.  WHAM!   It’s the true irony of motherhood:  You can’t wait to get your kids off to school so they can get out of your hair, do something productive and become good members of society.  But in exchange you get:  Sickness, unbearable homework, flooding school emails, and endless “volunteer opportunities”.   The icing on the cake of Fall’s dramatic entrance?  The grey, grungy, gritty air that sucks up all and any good vitamin “sunny D” your body had absorbed through the summer.

How does this happen?  One day, you’re running around in the light summer breeze, (ok…humid stagnant air) enjoying the flowers and the kids’ laughter (ok…crazed savage-like screams). The next you are spending hours on end struggling to help your 8 yr old understand “inverse operations” while you yourself have no clue.  You thought you had it all planned out and you were prepared…you were really feeling good about the start of this wondrous season of excitement and new experiences for both you and your kids.  And just a few short weeks into it, you’re already exhausted, your wearing layers and drinking more coffee, wondering if you will make it through this school year while reflecting on days gone by.

Within minutes after I pick up the kids, the chaotic frenzy that started before school now begins again.  Funny how I always get so excited to see them at the end of the school day.  I truly miss them!  (Even though my kindergartener is gone a whopping 2 and a half hours…..)And yet in a second’s time, the kids drive me absolutely nuts with some screaming fight, forgotten homework or whiny attitude.  You know, the typical 5 minute car ride home.  And then the fun really begins!  I have been up with my daughter past ten o’clock too many nights trying to finish her schoolwork.  It’s CRAZY!  (Yes, I know my time management is an issue here…must stop after school play dates!)

Okay….enough of this negative stuff!  It’s time to turn things around!.  Lets look at the other side of this flippin’ coin!  (get it?  Starting with humor is always a good thing- even if it’s bad humor)  Here’s a top ten list of why Fall is such a great season!!! (man, gotta really think about this one….will do my best)

10.    The leaves all around us here in the Midwest turn beautiful colors! (that’s a no-brainer!)
9.      Our children are learning something at school!
8.      If you stay at home, you will somehow….after the errands, the volunteer projects and classroom assistance, get a few minutes to yourself…?
7.     If you are working mothers….FREE daycare has started for your school children!
6.     Sickness builds antibodies.  Antibodies are good.
5.     Good produce.  Can anyone say “apples”?
4.     HALLOWEEN CANDY is JUST around the corner!  Oh yeah baby!  A full bowl just hollering your name all day!  Eat the good ones, save the bad ones for the trick or treaters!  And of course, your childrens’ stash is officially yours by reason of parental supervision.
3.     Mmmm…. Time for some hot HEAVY meals and you guessed it!  HOT COCOA!
2.     You get to pull out your warm cozy 4 inch thick fleece pjs that your husband finds oh soooooo sexy!  (Ha!)
1.     YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOWS START THEIR NEW SEASONS!!!!!!  (That you can watch if you get all the brutal homework done with child before it’s too late and you have the lunches packed and the kitchen cleaned up and the laundry done and the….oh you get the idea!)

There it is!  GO FALL!  WOOHOO!  Let the leaves come down and the grey cool mist permeate through my goose-pimpled skin!  Calling all doctors!! My daughter says she’s got POP ROCKS going off in her ear! She thinks they are cherry flavored to be exact!  We are on our way!  Say what?  Another 18 pages of homework? You got it babe!  You need a class helper on Fridays for your HUGE kindergarten class?  SURE THING!  I’m there for YOU, teacher!

Just let me make one more pot of coffee, get the roast in the crock-pot, get out of my fleece jammies, and stop at the store to stock up on Halloween candy!