Hurry up! It's time for School!

The daily announcement each morning...

We have a little different schedule this year with Seth at a different middle school and FIVE kids to get totally ready to go each morning. It's not as bad since we get an extra 20 minutes in the morning from last year's schedule. (That helps when I have a kindergartner to get ready. How did I get 2 kindergartners ready three years ago??)

And the afternoon is a little different too.
Although I had two schools to go to last year, the car rider line schedule was no more than one and a quarter hour long...this year it's 2 hours. (I could go a little later, about 30 minutes or so, but then I'd be stop go stop go stop go the entire time I'm in both lines and I'd still be there an hour and a half. I'd rather go 30 minutes early and sit and read my scriptures before the chaos and pandemonium happens each afternoon!)

Seth already has all of his books, so he went with a full book bag on day one. He has a locker now and took a load each day the first few days. He has a trapper keeper (that's what I call them from the 80's...I'm sure it has a different name now!) that he carries in addition to the bookbag with books, composition books, soon-to-have chromebook from school, etc. Last year it was on the verge of busting at the seams; hoping the "trapper keeper" will help that and because it zips, he should be able to keep up with things. I wish I could just organize his little world and have everything stay that way.

He was a little nervous about this year, but mostly just disappointed that it was time to start school again. He likes learning, but he also is not really a structured learner (or structured anything!), so school expectations are a challenge - but it's a challenge he needs to help him prepare for expectations of a job one day. 

So far, he and I both like this middle school better than last year's. There was only room for improvement in science class and so far he likes that class and teacher. And his homeroom teacher is a male (he thrives best in male-teacher classrooms; he connects better). His homeroom (and social studies) teacher was the first teacher to communicate to parents, so he's my favorite so far too. :)
It seems like every time he makes a new friend, they move or change schools. Seth is probably the most genuine friend...I hope some boys at school see that this year (and then don't move!)

I had sad/excited feelings sending her to school this year knowing it's her last elementary school year. (Why can't elementary years just last forever?) She's ultra prepared for 5th grade...sometimes I think she might already be prepared for 6th grade...my little always-been-a-teenager daughter. Carolyn starts strings this year (and is so excited about that and a little sad that it means no more art classes). I'm excited to have both a violin and a cello in the family.

I wish we lived close enough still that she could walk home (while I go pick up Seth) and have some alone time after school; the middle school line is really just an hour long fight between her and whichever sister is sitting closest to her. Routine is her friend, so I know it will get better. Fortunately, the morning routine is not a struggle for her and she kind of keeps Natalie moving along. Responsibility and organization are her strongest qualities right now.

If I could describe Kaitlyn with one phrase it would be "everything is awesome!" She is my little sunshine and picks out the good in every little thing. She and Natalie are in separate classes this year (it's more work for me to keep up with, but we knew they needed that opportunity again before middle school when it's inevitable).  So far, she likes it. I'm going to start going up to read with her class once a week, which she doesn't know about yet. I think she'll be excited. (We did take the tags off her new bookbag, by the way.)

Natalie just started coming out of her shell last year near the end of 2nd grade, so I hope that she continues to open up and be brave and ready to speak and present and make friends and give opinions and thoughts and discussion. She was disappointed that bangs weren't going to work for her curly hair (without daily blowdrying and styling that she can't do on her own), so she's asked for a streak of color to give her a new look. I'll have to post that change next week.

And Alee was so very excited to go to school (despite what she kept telling everyone) that she RAN down the kindergarten hall to be dropped off first. (and was corrected by a teacher for running in the hall...took her all of 2 minutes to get in trouble at school). She also got laps to walk on her 2nd day at school for picking someone up on the playground. But still her excitement was undaunted as she happily told me about her laps. She keeps telling everyone she doesn't like it, but she has been happy to go everyday and she smiles when she's trying to tell someone she doesn't really like school. Little faker. :) The stethoscope she's been wearing daily all summer is going to be left in the van/at home next week...I hope.

Some classroom pictures of the girls:

And I thought this would be a fun tradition this year 

(I'd like to continue to watch how their goals change):

(If you don't get this, it's basically like a good magical person from "Harry Potter" who protects the rest of the world from bad magical people.)

It was a good first week. Hoping for a good year too!