Back to School 2018

It was an idyllic summer spent mostly poolside, but we're all happy to be back in the groove of school.  Although we've managed to consolidate our brood to 2 schools, we still had three different start dates!

Spork went back first, and we all got in on the fun with a back to school ice cream social for the families.  While it's bittersweet to be in the new building, we have high hopes that the new and expanded fine arts academy will be amazing despite growing pains.

 Really hamming it up....

Spork had a really frightening bus snafu on the first day - the transportation department didn't get his name on the list that was sent to his teacher, but I had the bus assignment in hand and was eagerly early at his bus stop with the siblings.  As expected, the bus was super late, but then Spork wasn't on it....luckily, he was safe and calm in the school office waiting for his delinquent mother to pick him up - phew!  Now, the bus routine is all fixed, and he's been happily riding to and from school each day.  As his stop is in view of the house, we're giving him permission to walk on his own, and he feels very proud!

 Some sibling antics at the bus stop

On Spork's first day returning home, we passed out the schultuetes!  Although we're not really German at all, I love this tradition.  Hubby always forgets, and has to ask and laugh about how I need to mark every occasion, but come on...Back to School is the best!  I had issues getting the paper cones to stick and resorted to ugly brown duct tape, so then I had to cover them with pretty paper.  I found this old map of Puget Sound we've been hoarding and used that.  The kids all ripped the tissue clean off, so I'm saving the cones for next year; it'll be one less thing to prepare, if only I can find them!

The Nugget was next, a full week and a half after Spork went off to school.  He'd been counting down the days!  This big 5th grader prefers to ride his bike to school now.

Finally, our baby Tater went off to to 1st grade yesterday!  I was a bit more melancholy about it than I'd thought I'd be.  She had a wonderful first day, loves her teacher, and seems to be really happy with the Montessori method, so I'm breathing a sigh of relief that everyone seems to be where they're meant to be.

 From freaky zombie eyes to sweetie pie in 2 seconds...that about sums ups her personality!

And in a surprise twist, after feeling rejuvenated and slightly dreading getting back on the treadmill of:  morning rush-work-housework-pickup kids-chauffeur kids-force big kid to do homework-make dinner-put kids to bed....our preschool under-enrolled, so I am taking the semester and possibly the year off!  While it feels sort of sinful to have this much "free time" with all the children in school, I'm  bound and determined to enjoy it!  I walked to the local Italian grocery for dinner ingredients, made a fancy salad, cleaned and organized one cluttered surface, did the laundry, and am baking some cookies...in perfect meditative silence!  It will still be chaos in the afternoons, with everyone off to explore their passions (choir, tap, cross country, gymnastics, and swimming, oh my!), and now 2/3 kids will be expected to tackle homework (at least I don't expect Don Music antics out of Spork who loves worksheets with all his eager beaver heart), but the golden hours spent in solitude and productivity are going to fortify me for the coming storm.  The cicadas are still buzzing, the afternoon air still feels like thick soup, but this morning was chilly, the crows are cawing, and a whiff of autumn is in the air.  Happy back to school, all!