Readin', wRitin' & Routine

Well, back to school has hit our family. This year, I have 6 of my babies in school! All but one of them were excited to get back, either for social reasons, routine reasons, or maybe, just maybe, educational reasons?!? Probably not.

This year is rather a milestone year for us.
1. The most kids ever for us to have in school.
2. Our oldest is DRIVING them all to school!
3. We have 2 in high school.
4. We have 2 in Pre-K.
5. We have the largest tuition bill we've ever had!!!
6. I only have 2 @ home for the first time in uhhhh.....10 years!!!

I have had mixed emotions about it all...well, a little bit, anyway. I really thrive on routine. I try not to be OCD about it, but I tend to get, let's say, testy, when things are chaotic. I truly did enjoy the summer with the kids right up until the last 3 weeks. Then, they were soooo bored & they drove me soooo crazy! It has been unbelievably hot here. So hot that they didn't even want to swim! Oh yeah, that's HOT!

My 2 littlest guys were just button-busting proud to be finally heading off to school! They both looked so stinkin' cute with their ginormous back packs filled to the brim with new crayons, glue, pencils & such. They have come home each day this week telling me about how much fun they're having. I am so glad for them.

Miss priss in the 1st grade is learning how to read & gobbling it up like really good candy! She sat down & read 53 pages to me tonight! Ok, so it was out of the Dick & Jane book, but, still, she was beaming with pride :) She is probably the one who was looking forward to school for the learning.

The ten year old, pain-in-the-patooty-but-ya-gotta-love-him 5th grader tried to act all casual about going back, but he did slip up a time or two & mention that he was "sorta" looking forward to going back. There have been zero complaints since starting back.
:) I got his number!

We have a FISH in the house this year!!! She has hit the ground running, too! On the second day of school, she came to me and asked if she could work really hard & graduate a year early. My advice...let's talk at Christmas
break. Let's see how Algebra treats you.

Last, but certainly not least, is our resident Junior. Ohhhhh....it almost pains me to say that! She's driving, she's looking to the future, she's growing up! I am so very proud of her, though. She truly does not enjoy her schoolwork, but, she still makes great grades. She really puts forth the effort to study & pass. Her mindset is to just make it through, and, well, I don't blame her. LOL She will make it & do it with flying colors...I know. I am looking forward to next year when we get to go on the Senior trip together. That will be my reward for dragging her through the last 12 years of her life. :)

I have all sorts of plans for this fall. I am planning to help @ the school as much as possible. I already have responsibility for a rotating bulletin board with current events, trivia & useless info that seems to be a hit. I volunteered to get the library on track (why?). I also coordinate the field trips for the teachers...something I truly enjoy. Oh, I also will be teaching an arts & crafts class for the 5th graders. I am already coming up with ideas for that. It should be fun.

This fall will also hold lots of sewing, including a retreat where I'll learn more about designing & creating children's clothing. This is something I am very excited about! I also want to really hit the scrapbooks & get them caught up...lol...no, really, I'm serious! :)

This is my favorite time of year. Changes in schedule, changes in the day, changes in the foliage, changes in the temperature. Dependable changes. I like dependable changes. Hmmm...I also like oxymorons, and I think this phrase fits that description.