10th day of 10th grade

Last month- August 30th! How was it last month?! That day I almost missed taking Savanna's photos! I remembered on the drive to school- and had a momentary thought of turning around to go back home and take them. But sanity won out and we just took them after school.

Having Savanna in 10th grade is much more of an adjustment than her starting 9th grade (for me.) I keep repeating that song 100 years to Live  and the line "caught in between 10 and 20."  I am excited for the years ahead of her, but want to hold on to right now.

 

If I asked Savanna how 10th grade is I bet she would say the same thing. That it is more of an adjustment than starting 9th grade. I think that she is excited about her future too, but I don't think she feels that she wants to rush it either. I'll ask her after school and see what she says.

I love my 15 year old girl!

 

seventh day of 7th grade

The middle of the middle. Sandwiched between 6th and 8th grade. Middle school!

It is a perfect place for Jack to be! Not much drama here-If there is a problem he's got a solution, and he is not going to take long to fix it. Homework? Either got it finished or is working on it. Diligent is a great word to describe Jack right now. 
If I were to ask Jack what he thought was great about school he would probably say he loves finally having a locker. If I asked him what was not so great he would probably say he missed his friend that moved away.(I'll check with him later today and see if I am right!)

4th day of 4th grade

Last Wednesday was Luke's fourth day of 4th grade. This boy is just moving on up! He is upstairs at school now and feels like that is an exciting thing.

 I was having an email exchange with all 4 fourth grade teachers- the kids switch for the core subjects, math, science reading and social studies. I had to laugh at their descriptions and feel a little relief: "fairly attentive, He's such a great kid! So sweet and polite & sweet little Luke."

Then this just made me smile-"Bless his heart, he was very understanding when I accidentally called him "Jack." Ugh! I asked him if his mom ever called him the wrong name and he said "yes." I explained that it was a hazard of being a mom."
It's also the hazard of being a younger brother!

So far a great year at school. I am thankful for each of his teachers! They are all very capable and will help Luke so much this year!

1st day of Kindergarten!

 

This big boy is in all day school! A big day for him and for this momma! He was so excited. He had been excited all along, but expressed his concern for me. He didn't want me to be lonely. Whenever I was headed out to the store he would ask if anyone else was going. If I said no, then he jumped to go and would say "I don't want you to be lonely!" I kept reassuring him that everything would be just fine, that I would miss him but I would be fine. I guess it worked because he hasn't looked back!

 

-so much to carry!  a lunchbox and a purple (required) school bag-

The day before school started we went to meet-the-teacher and dropped off all of his school supplies with all the other kids. It was a busy place! Tucker was excited until we got a note that said the first day of school they would be having a "luau" to celebrate. I didn't realize it was worrying him until he told me he wasn't so sure about the "aloha" and he wondered if he would have to dance. I tried to ease his mind that it was going to be fine. He wasn't so sure.

But on the morning of the first day all jitters were gone about the aloha and he was just ready to get the show on the road! Can we just get in the car and go already?!
The whole family was loaded in the car and "I" was doing fine with the idea that all of my children were going to be in school all day long.

Until we started talking about how we were all going to walk in- Tucker didn't want to have anything to do with it. He said "why can't you just drop me off?" (reminded me of last year!) I was starting to explain that it was tradition for mom and dad to walk the kids into school on the first day when Savanna piped up with, "plus this is Mom's last time ever to walk one of her kids into school on the first day of Kindergarten!" Followed by, "It's a big day!" I felt the hot tears and tight throat coming on and tried to laugh it off. Jay said "way to go Savanna, you are making mom cry!' She thought he was kidding so then she started to sing Taylor Swift ... she quickly realized that there was no kidding. I choked it back and got it all under control so I could get these kids to school!

 

We parked around the corner from the school and started the walk in. I felt like I was doing fine, until I saw the marching band in front of the elementary and the Kindergarten building. Something about the music and seeing all the other tiny pre-K and Kindergarten kids and the other moms getting all emotional made me get that tight throat again!

-Love those boots, even though he had new shoes he still chose the old worn out boots-

All of a sudden my big Kindergarten boy didn't seem so big anymore. He's my baby!
I left pretty quick. I didn't want him to see me getting all emotional and then having him get sad.
After I knew that he was where he needed to be, we left to go get Luke dropped off to 4th grade.

I pulled myself together, but let a few more tears go as I passed other tearful mommas.

I couldn't resist stopping back by to see him in his class. When we had dropped him off his room wasn't open yet. I was so excited to see him smile and wave! He was happy and had a lea on no less!
(I guess the aloha was going to be fine after all)

All in all I think it was a great first day. Even if Tucker came home and proclaimed that the teacher wanted to call me because he got mad in the middle of the day. That was the only thing he complained about. Everything else was, in his words "Great!" (or gweat if you speak like Tucker)

Survey says ... back to school edition 2012-2013

I love the survey's we do on the first and last day of school. I just went through all of them- It is so fun to see how each child has changed over such a short period of time. Even their penmanship!
Here are just a highlights from the first day of school 2012 surveys.

Savanna-10th grade

What did you wear today? 

My red pleated dress from the Trunk Hippie road show. My dad really likes it. 

(I do too, it is like it was made for her!)

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

I would like to have had a longer lunch period. I wish I had more classes with certain friends.

My favorite thing about summer was:

I LOVED  getting to go so many places! I stayed really busy!

My least favorite thing from summer was:

I didn't finish my summer reading list or my summer bucket list.

When I grow up I really want to:

Be a music teacher and a photographer.

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

More friendly, outgoing people. More color! Less awkward silences. Less homework.

Jack- 7th grade

What is great about being in 7th grade?

Having a locker.

I think my favorite class will be:

Art.

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

Keaton being here.

(I'm sad for you too.)

My favorite thing from summer was:

Photos.

My least favorite thing was:

Chores.

When I grow up I really want to:

Be some form of artist.

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

Kinds of art          war

(I love how all of Jack's answers are very to-the-point-one-word answers.)

Luke- 4th grade

I think my favorite subject will be:

Science

I am not looking forward to:

Math

One goal I am setting for myself this year is:

More A.R. points.

(that is going to be tough- but I am sure you will succeed!)

My favorite thing from summer was:

Swimming

My least favorite thing from summer was:

Heat

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

More happiness, less unhappiness

Anything else?

I'm upstairs this year!

(I am so glad this is exciting for you- moving up!)

Tucker- Kindergarten

What did you get to do on your first day of school?

Got to have a tiny party and stay in school all day. We had lunch in the cafeteria.

What was great about your new classroom?

Our cubbies were hidden! (where were they?) I can't tell you.

I think this year I will learn:

When we get in our room we start playing.

(hmm- I think there will be some adjustments!)

Something I am looking forward to this year is:

Getting the playground in

If I could change one thing about my first day it would be:

Having the playground in

My favorite thing about summer was:

swimming

My least favorite thing was:

the hotness

What do we need more of in the world and what do we need less of?

I don't want any floods.

Anything else?

My teacher was going to call you. I was sort of mad in the middle of school. The helper was giving me a lot of orderings. My teacher should be the one to do it. 

(Oh boy.)