Back 2 School

brand new shoes, walking blues

                 climb the fence, books and pens    

                  ...yes I can tell that we are going to be friends.

                   Nothing ushers in the FALL like the start of school.

  About the only way we have found to come to grips with the big change is to embrace it. 

 

So our traditional night-before-school celebration always includes
 a big fashion show.

    The kids show off their new school clothes, strut down the cat walk and dance
                                                            while I play DJ / announcer...
                                                 and Dean plays fashion critic / financier. 

 

Then the kids receive their School "Schultuete." (Google it)

On the first day of school in Germany children receive pencils, markers, treats etc.

in a big paper cone.

So we have embraced this tradition as our own.

At the dollar store I found these gift bags, cut them in half and shaped them into a cone shape, then filled them with silly putty (why do I torture myself?) some school supplies, hand sanitizer, stickers, gum and treats.

Lauren has been given the green light to wear make-up this year.

She is thrilled. The seventh grade -old enough I guess.

When I was Lauren's age,

I was still giving money to my sister Brooke

for letting me wear her training bra. 

Then it was off to bed (before midnight! the first time in three months)

One other tradition we embrace is the

morning of...

 tree line-up...

picture

This year the Junior high bus leaves around 7:00 am -

the night before I had ambitions of getting everyone up

and ready for pictures by seven.

Then my anti-delusional pills kicked in and I decided against it.  

So our line-up picture had to be staged.

This line-up picture was taken tonight just before the sun set.

nerdy, huh.

However, in twenty years will it matter?

Lauren started her first day of Junior High

I was the only mom to show up to help her with her locker.

Lauren is so lucky to have me. kidding...

Brett is a big Freshman this year - in every sense of the word.

River had all her dreams realized the day she ate school lunch for the first time

Wade is really, I mean really looking forward to this year.

His teacher is hot. 

And they were off...

Four kids down - three at home.

And now I have one bored little four year old on my hands.

I told him a while back that he gets to start mommy school this year.

(mommy school is usually sorting laundry and

field trips to Walmart -)

He is so excited.