We are Ready!

Back to school, here we come!  We had a nice relaxing week before school started which gave us plenty of time to organize and label our supplies, go through our clothes, finish up the school shopping and wait for Monday to come.  I was probably the most apprehensive because my baby is going to Kindergarten.  It is so different to be in this new phase of life without another toddler at home.  Luckily, Carlee is only going half-day so I will try to survive the morning without her.   Who am I kidding?  Give me a week and I will be complaining that I still can't get everything accomplished in the 2.5 hours that she is gone!  (Plus, I am volunteering in her class at least twice a week!  Her class is very large and sweet Mrs. Cifelli can use all the help she can get.) 

When Monday morning arrived, there were smiles all around.  The morning started off with everybody getting right up, putting on their new duds, curling and combing their hair perfectly, eating their favorite breakfast of French Toast, pictures, sending Clark off on the bus (no pics at the bus stop this year), watching a few minutes go by and loading into the car.

 7th Grade

 

 5th Grade

 3rd Grade

Kindergarten

 

 Carlee is so excited about her gray ballet flats.  She wanted a picture in the car.  

And she is sporting a new haircut!  We love it!

We all walked onto the school grounds and got everybody situated on their "dot".  Jake was off with barely a hug goodbye but I did manage to snap a quick picture before he was off to find friends.  I headed to the Kinder lot to drop off Carlee.  I took some pictures of her and when I started to walk away, she immediately started crying because she was afraid of where to go and couldn't remember where her classroom was.  I explained that Mrs. Cifelli would lead her class and that she would be just fine if she followed her and listened to directions.  She was crying pretty hard so I gave her a hug and kiss and stood with her until the bell rang.  I handed her off to Mrs. Cifelli who gave her a sticker and then hurried out the gate.  Katelyn had been begging me to come take pictures of her with her friends as they stood at their dot.  She got upset that I was comforting Carlee so she shuffled off to the big playground holding back tears too.  It is so hard to please an older one and comfort a younger one at the same time.   And the morning had started off so well . . .

 Carlee is in the same class with Julia and Evan (both in our ward) and Heather, our neighbor.

Evan and Heather were playing on the playground so we didn't get a picture of them. 

 Summer, Mia, and Katelyn

Katelyn's class stayed the same (with a couple of exceptions (Aspen :( ) 

as they all moved up to 5th grade with Mrs. Montgomery

However, everything ended up working out just fine.   I ran to the playground to try to catch Katelyn.  They were just walking into the school but I was able to take her desired picture.  The smiles had all returned to my children's faces as I left the school.  And I even had one on my own face as I headed to the buffet to celebrate "The Happiest Day of the Year" breakfast with my girlfriends.  Then it was back to pick up Carlee, hear about her day, take her to lunch, and wait for the kids to get home and the chaos of after school schedules to begin.  And I had my pile of homework to fill out and return.