First day of school 2009

And just like that summer vacation is gone!!!  Amazing!! 

The past week was filled with hair cuts, school supply shopping and of course clothes and shoe shopping. And a little "fair well to summer" lunch for the kids.

This morning was the first day of school and it went very well...  

• everyone up on time - √
• first day of school pancakes made - √ 
• everyone out the door on time - √
  
• fruit platter to PTO breakfast - √
• first day of school pictures  - √
• first day of school after school chocolate chip cookies made- √
• unwanted school clothes and supplies returned - √
• long, wonderful conversations with my kids after school - √

Brooke started fourth grade and after trying on many outfits this is what she settled on.....she's so cute! And her hair is still quite long despite getting a lot trimmed off due to the mass amounts of chlorine in the pool.

Zach started seventh grade which means he moved up to the Junior High School which also meant he got to sleep in an hour later than last year...bonus!!!!

And to round out our trio we have Miles who is starting 10th grade....in high school...a sophomore...in high school.  It pains me to think he could be moving away for college in 3 years....it's equally as frightening to think I need to be paying for college in 3 years.  

  
Today was a day of firsts here....after NEVER EVER EVER EVER having ridden the bus in their lives...all 3 of my kids rode the bus to school this morning.  I just don't think I can easily get three kids to three different schools every morning without losing my mind so we cut a deal. They ride in the morning and I pick each of them up in the afternoon. Baby steps people....baby steps.  And truth be told I felt tremendous guilt after they each left on the buses. Crazy I know, but for so long it's been my gig.

The end of the day reports were great.  Brooke was, as expected, the most excited about school. Her teacher was FANTASTIC, her new friends were GREAT, 4th grade is AWESOME.  I needed a nap after the retelling of the tale. Zach is loving the freedom of junior high and changing up the classes.  He's super psyched about Art Class.  He's also going to be trying his hand, or feet as it were, running cross country.  Zach is a long legged gazelle so it should work out well. Miles was super psyched this morning...NOT!! He's got a full load with Digital Photography, AP Chemistry, AP English, AP History, Algebra II, a Multimedia computer class and of course gym. He will also start a French class mid semester through a local college but other than that it's all easy breezy....fun in the sun!!! Yeah...the truth is, he just wanted to stay home, watch ESPN and wait for me to make some snacks....that's pretty much how it goes around here.  Poor kid was not looking forward to the end of summer...but he's taking it well and said it was "pretty good." I guess you can't ask for more than that in high school.  

As for Charlie and I, we ran errands and then listened to the deafening silence in the house. By 1:30 this afternoon I admitted, out loud, that I missed the kids...and I did...I mean not enough to home school or anything, but I was thinking of them lovingly.  I'm hoping this wonderful positive vibe holds. I'm also hoping I remember enough chemistry and algebra II to be the on the spot answer girl this year (I LOVE math but Geometry nearly killed me last year!)

If your kids haven't started school yet then cherish your last few days of summer.... and if your kids have started school, well call me anytime after 5:45 AM...I'll be up!