Back to School 2013

Well the kids are now finishing up their second full week of school and we have, for the most part, gotten into a routine. I always try to make the kids a "special" first day of school breakfast. This year they wanted strawberry crepes and although I was hoping to do some creative food art I ultimately just ran out of time. I made the crepes the night before so that I would just have to fill them and cook the hash browns and sausage, but I also had to make lunches and help Anika straighten her hair plus what felt like 50 other random little tasks so grade numbers were as creative as I could get! Turns out my camera was dead, so all these pictures were taken on my cell phone..thank goodness for cell phones or I would have been SO mad at myself for not getting first day of school pictures.  Don't pay any attention to the fact that Celtin's plate looks like he is going into grade 15...I didn't even notice until I was looking at pictures later on that the hash browns make it look like a 15. Turns out Adam noticed that morning but didn't say anything because I seemed overwhelmed...Oh well!

Anika is enjoying 7th grade! The middle school includes grades 6-8 so she was a little worried that everyone else would already be comfortable with the layout of the school and using lockers. We went to the school a couple times to walk her schedule and practice opening her locker and since school started she hasn't had any problems finding and getting to each class on time or getting into her locker. Yay! I drove her the first day, but since then she has started taking the bus. She has to be ready a little earlier and gets home a little later (she catches the bus at 7:35 and gets home at 3:45), but she seems to prefer the bus so she can visit with friends (which of course she has already made plenty of). :) She really likes most of her teachers and so far her favorite classes are girls choir and Bon Appetit. She gets to start cooking today and is super excited!:)

Celtin and Lochlan start school at 9:15 and get out at 4:05. Although there is a bus I have been driving them to since it is only 5 minutes away. Lochlan usually wakes up shortly before Anika leaves and Celtin wakes up around 8:00. It is a little strange...I was used to the kids starting school at 8 so it feels like we have sooo much time in the morning!  It has been nice because I can actually get ready before taking them to school...pretty sure our old neighbors thought I was a complete hobo since I was always in my pj's and rarely brushed my hair before dropping them off at school in Utah. :)

This will be Celtin's last year in elementary and he has 4 teachers plus one specials class each day (music, art, PE and Library). He loves it because it makes the day feel like it goes by much faster. He has made a bunch of friends and has started bringing home phone numbers. :) Makes me so happy! He really likes his Science class and has enjoyed all the experiments she has already had them doing. His home room teacher is male...and he seems to really like him too. It is a little crazy that he has had a male teacher every year since 2nd grade!

I WAS NOT prepared for Lochlan to go to full day kindergarten!! :( I was ready for him to go off to school, but I will be honest I was very worried about how he was doing that first, very long day and both Declan and I were so sad that he was gone ALL day. At 5 he still seems too little to spend 7 hours away from home!! They have rest time in the afternoon where they have to lay down and not talk or get up for 20 minutes. When his teacher told us about this at Kindergarten curriculum night both Adam and I laughed out loud. Lochlan definitely struggles with this and most days he has to sit at his desk with his head down because he is moving to much or talking. He was so proud of himself this week because he was able to lay quietly the whole time and got a star punch at the end of the day. I hope he is able to keep it up until November when they no longer have to lay down and can do quiet activities. He says he loves school, especially lunch and recess! :) So proud of him and I can't believe how big he is!