First Day of School

Monday was the first day of school here in Merced. Emily was very excited. Her favorite class this week was EP where she practiced hoola hooping. Karin figured out that EP is actually PE, I can't wait to hear her talk about EP all year long. Today on the way to school, which is Purple Friday - which means that if you wear purple you get an extra 10 minutes to recess in the afternoon - she pulled out a loose tooth. She was so excited! I think to be in first grade is very nice.

Thomas started middle school this year. He was nervous Sunday night and Monday morning but came home very happy and loves his teachers and is making new friends. Love the hair?

Doug is way too cool to show much enthusiasm for school. However, he just got his driver's learning permit and you should see him get excited about driving.

First Day of School and Goodbye to Summer

I can't believe how quickly this summer has passed. I think the kids were ready and excited to return to school; but I enjoy being with them so much, that I really miss them today. My home is much too quiet. Yesterday, we measured everyone as we do at the beginning of each school year. Emily has grown 3 inches since last August. She is wearing a new backpack and didn't even want me to walk her to the door. I have felt sad the last couple of weeks, knowing that my little companion would go off to school without me. It's a stage of motherhood I don't get to repeat and that makes me cry. I stood in line Saturday evening at a wedding reception and visited with a lady in front of me. Even though I don't know this lady well, when I told her my youngest was beginning school, she immediately knew how I was feeling and the tears welled up in my eyes as she verbalized the tenderness in my heart. I was grateful to know I'm not the only woman who enjoys being a mother and being with her children. I look for the promise of eternal increase in the future.

Thomas grew 3 inches as well since last August. We mark all of these measurements on a wall in our garage. I had to laugh when I saw that my sister had added her height and name to the wall when she was here in June for Karin's wedding. Every time Kelly is with me or in my home or in my car, she leave little traces of herself. I love these little surprises. My favorite thing is when my kids say, "You sound just like Aunt Kelly". Kelly did not grow at all last year.

Doug grew 4 inches in a year and started high school this morning. Scott grew 1/2 inch and wished he had grown more. If only he would eat his vegetables. I know my heart is also tender because Scott will not be here next year. I will miss talking to him. We have a lot fun discussing books, history, music and philosophy. The boys were very helpful in preparing me for the RUSH concert (I'm not a follower of RUSH), they made play lists and printed lyrics for me. They are good boys.

For our end-of-summer party, the kids had friends over and we did a BBQ and built a campfire and roasted marshmallows. Here is Thomas and his friend watching for falling starts (Perseid shower). They are too funny.

I love this view from the back patio, across the fountain to the yard.
What can I say? Except that at 2 am I rolled up in a blanket in the backyard to watch the Perseid shower and couldn't go to sleep until the teenagers were home from tping somewhere. It was much later than 2 am when they finally returned.

Emily with cousin Davis.

This summer I have loved watching the boys and their friends play ping pong on the patio outside my kitchen window. This is Matt's good friend, Tristan and some of his family. We love them.

I loved sleeping in the tent.

Tom loved Cub Scout Day Camp.

Almost everyday I think about Ben & Karin's wedding. It was such a perfect event. I'm just so glad that everything was so peaceful and happy. We love the Myer's family and think the world of Ben. It is so fun to read their weekly blog. So Much Joy.

I was so glad my parents could come to the Temple to be with us. It was a long journey for them, but we will always remember it. My father and father-in-law always have so much to talk about. I loved watching them. I was grateful to receive a father's blessing while we had some time together.

The end of the story:

At the end of the 1st day of school I picked up Emily. She seemed perfectly fine until she spotted me among the other parents - then she burst into sobs and cried and cried her little heart out. She gave me a big hug and said, "I love you". It made me cry but it also made my day.

What I'm Really Dreading About School

Yes, of course I'll be crying next Monday when all my little children march out the door to school. But today, what I'm really not looking forward to, is making school lunches. I am so tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and I don't even have to eat them.

Any good ideas out there?

Here are my two dilemmas:

For Thomas and Emily - I don't want to fill their lunches with fishy crackers and fruit snacks - I need some new ideas for truly nutritional foods - something beyond carrots and apple slices.

For Scott and Doug - some ideas for things that don't need to be refrigerated. They will not carry a lunch box, only a paper bag. They leave the house at 6:00 am and lunch is at 12:30. It makes me nervous to put lunch meat in their sandwiches. They will not carry an icepack. Yes, I can freeze their drinks - but does anyone have any new ideas?

Help!

Getting Ready for School

With only one week until the beginning of school, all necessary appointments took place this week.

• Doctor check-up



• Dental exam and cleaning



• Backpack shopping



• Shoes, socks and underwear reviewed and replaced

And of course haircuts. Emily LOVES to go to the salon for a haircut, something she's only done a couple of times in her life. So before we went we talked about how short to cut her hair and she was so excited. We took this picture before going so we could compare how cute her new haircut would look afterwards. Then I took her and Tom to the shop. Later in the day Scott and Doug went for their haircuts, which usually means you can't even tell that they got a haircut. So imagine my surprise when they walked in the house. This is the shortest that Scott's hair has been since 6th grade. I can actually see his eyes AND eyebrows. I wish I had taken a "before" picture of them.