Back to School 2017

Last week the kids enjoyed their last few days of freedom before school started on Thursday. Monday morning we went to the Middle School so Jackson could pick up his schedule and then we found his locker, he tried out his combination and we found where his classes were. He ended up being on the same team as Zach, so this will be the first time they have ever had classes together. After we finished up at his school, we went to Memorial Park again since they enjoyed it so much the last time and it wasn’t too hot yet.

Then after lunch, we had to get Jackson to the high school to pick up his football equipment since he missed that while we were on vacation. Then he ended up just staying there until his first practice started at 2:45. Andrew picked him up at 5:15 and he said it went pretty well. And he is actually number 8 again, which was his number last year. Tuesday we celebrated the end of summer with some friends at my parents’ pool. I ordered pizza and others brought snacks for the kids and we had a fun afternoon. We didn’t get to enjoy it as long as usual as the busyness was already beginning for some of us. Jackson had to be at practice at 2:45 again and my mom offered to run him there. And we finished up just in time as it started pouring soon after everyone had left and I finished cleaning up.

Wednesday was the day to meet the kids’ teachers and drop off their supplies. The twins were up first and Lincoln joined us to help show them around. Thankfully, Andrew came too so that I didn’t have to fill out twice the paperwork. The twins were pretty excited with a tiny bit of nervousness. They loved getting their supplies all put away (which Lincoln helped them do) and got to meet, Mrs. Feeney, their teacher for the year. They will be sitting at different tables, which is probably best. Lincoln also showed them how they would get to the playground for recess-the most important part of the day.

We had a few hours break before it was time for Lincoln and Ellie to go. We went back to the Primary first to meet Lincoln’s teacher, Mrs. Meintz. After filling out more paperwork, we headed back to the classroom. Lincoln was excited to see Mrs. Banner and gave her a big hug. Then he became really shy around Mrs. Meintz. He shook her hand but wouldn’t say his name. He will warm up eventually. He got his supplies put away while I signed up for stuff and filled out even more paperwork. He had a form to fill out too about himself and then we were on our way to Ray Miller. Ellie was smiling and saying hi to everyone as we walked in and we found her classroom back in the depths of the building. Mrs. Jones seemed really nice and we got everything squared away for Ellie. I filled out some paperwork and took the rest home to finish up.

Back home, the kids played and I started working on our back-to-school dinner. Jackson helped me get a leaf in the table and I made a dessert before getting the rest of the food ready. We had Dobson Cottage lemon chicken, lemon broccoli, baked potatoes, macaroni and cheese, rolls and Oreo fudge bars. Our theme for this year is again the theme from Kanakuk. So, it is I’m Third, which is the same theme I used several years ago, so I was able to use the same centerpiece that I had saved. And I got the kids a few fun surprises from the Dollar Tree to set at the spot at the table. My parents and Molly joined us for dinner and we enjoyed some time together before things start getting even busier.

Later that evening the kids played outside until dark one last time. Andrew and Mike were shooting foam arrows up in the air for the kids to chase and they had a little basketball game. Then it was time for baths, bed and hopefully some good sleep before the first day of school.

Our first morning went pretty well. The twins were anxious to help me pack their lunches. We got our traditional pictures done and got out the door around 7:30. We ended up dropping Jackson off a little ways back in the drop-off line instead of waiting through all of it and he was perfectly okay with that. Ellie was up next and she wouldn’t even look back at us. She didn’t want us to embarrass her. And, I'll just throw it in here that Ellie has become quite skilled at learning different braids.

Then we parked at the Primary to take the younger three in. We found where Lincoln was supposed to sit with his class in the gym and he was all good. Then we took the twins to their spot in the commons. You could tell they were getting a little nervous at this point-large room with lots of people, lots of noise and they didn’t know many of them. We said our goodbyes and left, my heart dropping a little.

  

I do have to admit that I started to cry a little on our way home. I felt a little empty, lonely and then when I got home, I felt really tired. Those 13 years of always having at least one kid home with me are done and it did go by quickly. I think the impact of having two at the end and then both being gone for the day was a little more than if I had ended with just one. The house felt a little emptier. They did sent out a message asking for help with kindergarten lunch, and even though I wanted to go, I knew it may be best to stay away just in case it made things worse for the twins by being there. I did get a couple of pictures from friends though and they said they looked like they were doing well.

I didn’t pack my day full of activity, but just kind of took my time getting stuff done. Then Andrew and I met for lunch, something we haven’t been able to do without kids for quite some time. I did some grocery shopping after that and got a few random things done after that including making some cookies for the kids before picking up all but Jackson from school, anxious to hear how their day went. And it all went pretty well. The twins did have a student who they said screamed a lot and was hitting, so I think that concerned them a little bit. But, their teacher did comment on a few photos on Facebook and said that they were awesome. She also shared a story of Bennett laying on Miles for story time 😊.

Jackson had practice after school and then Andrew picked him up, we ate pizza for a quick dinner and then dropped the kids off at my parents while Andrew and I went to a K-Life meeting. The next morning, the kids were a little slower get out of bed, but we were all good getting to school. Andrew actually ended up taking Jackson and Ellie and I took the three youngest to the Primary. I offered to walk them in since it was just the second day and Lincoln said he was good. He walked ahead of us and went into the gym. The twins and I had our goodbye hugs and then I went for a run around the loop. The day was spent doing a bunch of little random things that I kept putting off. Then when I picked up the kids, we went into the office at the Primary and picked up some plates to help cut for the kids to use with their glasses for the eclipse on Monday. But our trip proved a little difficult for Miles. He fell in the office and hit his mouth on a chair and his tooth started bleeding a bit. Then he tripped over the curb walking to the car and scratched his leg. He was done. When we got home, Andrew as there and he took Ellie with him out to the ranch to put out mineral and do a little fence work. They came back later that evening saying them and Buddy were covered in little seed ticks-yay.

Saturday morning, Andrew and I went out for a bike ride. My legs were unusually sore from the run and workout video I did the day before and I really felt it. Then, I just felt off the rest of the day. Andrew went to the office for part of the day and took Lincoln with him. When they got home we all went to check out Harbor Freight, then went by Home Depot and finished up by getting ½ price drinks at Sonic before coming home. Before we left, I had decided to move the twins boosters to the back seat and let Ellie and Jackson move up to the bucket seats. Lincoln wasn't pleased at all getting stuck between them. It reminded me of a scene from Dumb and Dumber.

Then we turned on Sandlot and watched that together.  On Friday, I had volunteered to help cut out some plates for the students at the Primary to use to hold the glasses in place for viewing the solar eclipse. Ellie helped me draw the pattern on the plates and then I thought I would come up with some genius way to cut multiple plates at once. I taped some together and tried to use the jig saw with no luck, then tried using a kitchen knife and then the jab saw I got at Home Depot. So, then it was back to the first way-a new blade in the box cutter, one by one. Andrew and Ellie helped me a little bit, but I did eventually get them done Saturday night. Andrew had the kids out back playing basketball and an improvised American Ninja Warrior course on our swing set.

Sunday morning brought something we hadn’t seen in a while-rain. It was kind of nice hearing the rain and thunder. It pretty much quit by the time we headed to church and the sun was starting to come out when we were done. I did some grocery shopping and Andrew and the boys were washing their bikes when I came home. That afternoon, Ellie and Lincoln both had birthday parties. We dropped Ellie off at hers first and it was over by my parents’ house, so the plan was to have her just walk to their house when the party was over since Lincoln’s was over at the same time. Then I took Lincoln to his party out at the Country Club. Sadly, it looked like more rain was on the way, so I helped Amanda move the decorations for her kids’ party inside and then picked up the twins and Jackson from the office and took them to my parents to try to get a quick swim in before the rain. It was sprinkling a little bit, but they swam for about 10 minutes, got an ice cream sandwich and then they were done. We ended up eating pizza at my parents for dinner before heading home to get ready for the first full week of school.