First Day of School

And...I can't believe it's the first day of school again!  It's a whirlwind of mixed emotions--excitement for the kiddos as they are off on a new adventure for them, sadness that they're another year older and that time isn't going as slowly as it once seemed to, and both happiness and sadness that the house will be a whole lot quieter with out them around all day!

 Of course, Miss Ju Ju had to get in on these group pictures.  (Britta was still snoozing at this point.)

Emily, 5th grade

Christian (3rd grade)

Kari (Kindergarten)

And...Juliana, who will start preschool in a couple of weeks!

Cubby walks the kids up to school on the first day every year. 

 (And I always take a few last looks and then go inside with leaky eyes!)

 A few pictures that Cubby took up at school of the kids and their friends.

There she goes!

 Back at home...

When the big kids are away, Mommy and Ju Ju get to play!  While she misses her siblings, I think she enjoys the extra one-on-one time with Mommy.

First Day of School 2014

And...it came all too soon!  (Well, some days I felt like the first day of school would never come, but, when it finally arrived, I admit it felt like summer went by waaayyy too fast!)

Emily is now in fourth grade (Ack!), and Christian is in second grade.  Both were anxious to start (nervous, excited, all that goes along with starting something new!).  However, by the end of the day (well, lunch time, as the first day is only a half day), both came home with happy reviews!  

Ju-Ju also wanted her picture taken--jammies and graham crackers too!

 Silly kiddos!

On the walk up--Daddy always walks them up on the first day :-).

Ella and Emily

Christian and Brooklynn

Emily and Madison

Henry, Ben, and Christian

Emily and a couple of other little friends

While it's hard to acknowledge that the kiddos are growing up (and quickly!), it's exciting to watch my big kids grow and develop each year.  'Can't wait to see what this next year brings for them!

First Day of School 2013

Emily--3rd grader!

Christian--1st grader!

Best friends...(Emily, who's not touchy-feely, puts up with Christian, who is touchy-feely, and his request to hold hands on the way up to school.)  Awwww...

Here's to a great start to another great year!

The reports are in--both kids had a great first day!  Emily said, "Third grade is awesome!"  and Christian, who only yesterday was lamenting the fact that he had to go back to school, said, "I love first grade.  I had a really great day!"  Hurray!  The report from the home front--boy-oh-boy was it a lot quieter!  And, while we missed our big kids, Kari enjoyed the one-on-one Mommy time while Juliana was asleep and both girls screeched a LOT less without the older sibs teasing...:-)

First Day of School 2012!

School is back in session!  (And just in the nick of time...mom was completely worn out from the summer!)  Emily is now a second grader and Christian started Kindergarten!!!

 Both were pretty excited and picked out their very own clothes for the big day.  Of course, we had to do the customary "first day" pictures...

 Looking so grown up--and with a "messenger bag"-style back pack that she wanted.

 And check out this big boy!  Two days before school started his old shoes became very small.  Turns out, his feet had grown TWO sizes.  His feet are now bigger than Emily's.

 "Woo-hoo!!!"  Not kidding, this is what Kari was saying during this picture.  (I had asked her what she thought of the big kids going to school--ha!)  Honestly, she misses them and is pretty excited at the end of the day when they get home.  But...on the flip-side, she is LOVING the extra Mommy-time and she screeches a whole lot less through out the day with no older siblings to tease her!

 Here is a half of our little neighborhood gang; all ready to walk up!

 Christian, walking into his first day of kindergarten!  (Sniff, sniff!)  Cubby took the day off and had walked them up.  True to form, as soon as they were out of sight, I burst into tears.  I just can't believe that the first little chapter of his life is over and the next is already beginning.

 The first day was a 1/2 day and so the kids got out before lunchtime.  We went over to our neighbor's home for a picnic and all of the kids got to spend the afternoon playing.

Here is the gang!  (Kinda' reminds me of the Sandlot!) 

Both Emily and Christian reported back that they had a great first day and really like their teachers.  And, now that I'm writing this post at the end of the second week, I can report that both are still bringing back good news!  Christian has randomly said things like, "Today was really good!" and "This day went by really fast!"  Both are completely exhausted by the end of the day/week so I guess they're getting their energy out! 

Also, both are already bringing home the good reports and being recognized for their good behavior.  We're so proud!  Funny enough though, Cubby and I told the kids that we were going to set up a good-behavior system like they have at school.  Exasperated, Christian shouts out, "No!  I'm already good all day long at school!  I don't want to be good at home too!"

Hmmm.....

So happy school is back IN!

Christian Starts Preschool 2011!

Christian started preschool today! He was very excited and went all out--mis-matched socks and he even told me he didn't want me to do his hair; he liked it just the way it was when he woke up!


This year, Mr. Joey is his teacher and he has three friends in his class (Jacob, Sadie and Maren). Since this is his second year of preschool at the Y, Christian knew just what to do and settled right in. It was such a relief that he was comfortable and happy.

When Kari and I picked him up he was all smiles as well and even sang me a song that they had learned that day. We are looking forward to a fun year too--Christian is already anticipating the field trips!

First Day of School 2011

It's here. Again. The first day of school. It's a good thing, right? Emily and Christian were starting to butt heads a bit too much and Emily was missing her friends (and the structure of her day as well). But, it was a fabulous summer and the house is just a bit quieter now that she's gone for the day.



Emily is starting first grade--already! She has a very nice teacher and knows a few friends from last year in her class. She has even made the effort to befriend two "new kids" in class. Such a thoughtful girl. And, although I didn't get the "It's a dream come true!" statement when she came home, she was happy and has enjoyed the first couple of days.

Here are our neighbor friends, Ella, who is in first grade with Emily (although not in her class--boo!), and Brooklyn, who is Christian's age. We now have friends to walk up to school with! Hurray!