Blue Jeans Week 31

Let it begin. . . school started this week.  I have very quiet days, but we have crazy busy evenings and weekends.  That is life right now, and I am grateful for it.  I love my life.  Hope the beginning of school goes well for all of you.

Sunday:  afternoon relaxing and listening to Dad read in the front yard. 

Monday:  The girls have been on a God's Eye making kick.  They decorated my kitchen light with their awesome creations. 

Tuesday:  Miss E relaxing and reading--enjoying one of her last days of summer.  I think she was too absorbed in her book Dealing with Dragons to notice the blanket had fallen on her head.  As long as it wasn't over her eyes so she couldnt' read, it didn't bother her :)

Wednesday:  Back to school party #1.  Miss O had her back to school party today. They had a relay race and this was their "school" work station where they had to quickly finish a math worksheet.  The girls had fun. 

Thursday:  First day of school for Miss O, Miss E, and Mr J.  Miss O has her bag of Kleenex ready to go.  Who would have thought that Kleenex was such an essential school supply :)

Friday:  Miss A has her first day of school. 

Saturday:  Our 2nd and final back to school party this week.  This was Miss A's party.  They had fun playing volleyball in the backyard.

Well, I am happy to have back to school parties over and school actually started so we can get back in to a "normal" (whatever that means) routine.  I am a schedule and routine person, and school lends itself to that.  Spelling tests, research papers, and math quizzes here we come!

It's beginning to look a lot like back to school time!

School starts in 10 days here. 10 short days. Where did the summer go? My 8-year-old wisely said, "Summer just seems to go faster and faster." This is true. As a kid, didn't you think summer was never ending? Then the older you got, the faster it went. I think life just goes that way. As a child you think you have forever to live, then the longer you live forever gets shorter and shorter.

So do you have images like these around your house now? New boxes of crayons, rulers, markers, notebooks, folders, and sharpie pens out to label everything??? Kleenex boxes in bags next to backpacks. (do your kids need Kleenex boxes for school supplies too? I had to have 9 boxes of Kleenex for my kids this year. Who would have thought that qualified as a "back to school" item? 9 boxes!!!)
And I have to kick myself for this one. 2 years ago my now 12 year old was going into 5th grade, which is the oldest grade in our elementary. Then middle school is 6th, 7th, and 8th. So, me being the wonderful mom I am (maybe short-sighted would be the better word) thought it would be fun to host a "back to school" party for her and all the future 5th grader girls. I thought it was a one time deal, but it has continued to haunt me every year since. Luckily another mom jumped on the bandwagon with me last year, so I have a cohort in the party planning for my 12 year old, but this year my 10 year old and newest going to be 5th grader played the "you did one for her" card. So, now I have 2 back-to-school parties. Ugh. So wish we luck with back-to school parties this week! I think I am looking forward to school starting.