Back to School 2014

And they are off and running. Yesterday was back to school!

Ella was less than thrilled to be woken up at 6 AM. Her first words uttered were "Know what I can't imagine?"

"What's that?" I asked. 

"Doing this every morning!" 

Yep, it's going to be a rough year I think as she transitions to getting up at the crack of dawn!!

Silas got up with her the first morning to walk her to the bus stop. I don't think that'll be happening very often...

You can see he wasn't quite awake. 

The bus stop is about a block away so we walked her to the bus stop yesterday and today. 

I suspect that too will end soon and she'll be on her own. 

Silas was much more chipper when it was time to walk him to school at 8:30am. 

They both had fantastic first days of school!!

And felt a lot like this at the end of the day:

Besides the fact that I'm getting up at 5:50 in the morning, it's nice to have some morning time with Ella alone and then time with Silas alone before school. And there's a lot less fighting going on!!

August: Just the Facts...Trying to Catch up again!

There is no doubt that I've missed a ton of things since the middle/end of summer...so a few catch up items.

1. In August, Mason had knee surgery.  A little cyst on his knee that was rubbing against his IT band.  Not really that noteworthy except that I like him in his little hospital cap and gown :)

 

He was on crutches for a week, the cyst was benign and he milked it as much as he could for that recovery week.

2. In August we also managed to squeeze in one camping trip.  We had hoped to go more this summer but with soccer, surgeries, work, etc...it just didn't happen.  We headed up to Dillon State park for a Saturday night trip.  It was quick but we still had a lot of fun. It was MUCH closer quarters than what we were used to - that wasn't as cool.  Especially when the neighbor spouses started screaming at each other.

We used our new orange tent from Sam's that we got in the spring. Justin hates the tent.  and it's kinda awkward to get in and out of.  But I like orange. 

 Sitting around...

Bored and playing with the metal roasting skewers...probably not a good idea.

Family walk.  Nice way to end the superfast trip before heading home.

3. And then it was Back To School.  Wow, the summer flew by!

5th grade for Ella and 2nd grade for Silas.  

They are getting way too big...and beautiful/handsome.

As many times as I see this throughout the school year, I never tire of seeing them holding their daddy's hands walking to school.  

 

This will be Ella's last year at Darby Creek and that makes me VERY sad.  I love my munchkins being 2 minutes away from me during the day. I think it will be a big adjustment for both next year not being in the same school.

4.  And speaking of SCHOOL - Mason had his orientation at Capital in August (seems like a million years ago now).  Dad and Margie went with him and both loved being on campus with him and seeing all the school stuff with him!

And he officially became a College Student on August 26th - and I warned him that as long as he's living at home, he'll get 1st day of school pictures! (Same grouchy morning face that I've gotten since 6th grade!!).

So that is the short and sweet version of August!

September coming soon! :)

Back to School 2012!

We are off on another school year. This one is another milestone - with Silas starting 1st grade and Mason a SENIOR!  That's a whopper!!

The first week went smoothly and I managed to get 1st day pictures without too much fuss!

Mason Paul as a 1st day Senior.  This just amazes me.  How can he be a Senior already??
He also started his first job this past week too - as a food runner at Mill Run Movie Tavern.  Yesterday, he worked a 10 hour shift and he put in about 20 hours total this week.   He's working hard and excited to have some money of his own!

We've been looking at cars and hope to get one for him very soon. Driving him to and from work is a job in itself!  I hope he has a fantastic Senior year and can keep up with his job, grades and having fun with his friends.

 Ella and Silas we both very excited on the first day...I think Silas more so than Ella.  This year is a big change for Silas. All day school.  He's used to 1/2 day and then fun with his friends at Kelly's and going to mam-ma and pap-pa's on Friday afternoons.  Now it's all work and no play! :)

 He is such a super learner.  He is excited about the things they learn in class, his teacher (who everyone tells us is SO super awesome) has already sent great feedback home.  I think he's going to have a wonderful year!

Ella also got a teacher that we've heard wonderful things about (Ms. Bailey). I'm excited because it's a new looping year and we'll have her for 4th and 5th grades. 

 Ms. Bailey emailed me this picture from  her 1st day of school. I love her hot pink shoes - it's hard to miss her in those!

I take this same picture all the time when Justin walks with us to school and I always love it.  This one in particular, since it's the first day of 1st grade and I love how Silas is looking up at his Daddy. He's at such a great age - still small enough to still hold our hands, snuggle and want tucked in but so excited to test his independence and learn, learn, learn. 

There is a lot of growing up going on around here and on one hand, it can be tough and sad because I love the toddler and preschool ages.  But it's very exciting to see their personalities as they get older, see the qualities (for better or for worse) that they have inherited from Justin and me...

I think we are going to have a really awesome school year!

Back At It

Yesterday was Back to School!  Mason is now an 11th grader, Ella in 3rd and Silas started Kindergarten.  I knew that Silas starting K would be sad but I cried all the way home from school.  I told Justin he'd better get snipped soon, before I start on a baby kick again!

Mason has some interesting classes this year.  He's taking German, a Marine biology class, personal finance, psychology, pre-calc...he started an Engineering course but wants to drop that (can't say that I blame him...).
His friend Kyle is supposed to drive him to school, giving him an extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning.  Kyle picked him up yesterday but at the end of the day, his car wouldn't start, so it was back on the bus today!

Justin and I walked Ella and Si to school - Silas was very excited.  He met his teacher at an ice cream social last week and then also at open house on Monday evening.  It's the same teacher Ella had for K and we LOVE her!!  Justin has been teasing Silas about how mean she is and how she likes to pinch the kids.  Silas came home yesterday and told Justin that she only pinched him once :)

I'm used to having Silas walk home with me after dropping Ella off - now I drop them both off.  But a mere 2.5 hours later, I pick him up and take him to Kelly's so at least I get a mid-day hug and to see his rotten little smile :)

El looks like such a little grown-up here!

Holding Dad's hand on the walk :)

Silas posed with Mrs. Sherwood before getting into line with his class.  Such a big boy!  He was SO excited when I picked him up yesterday and said what an "awesome!" day he had :)

Monday, the last day of summer break, was absolutely beautiful out.  I decided to take Ella and Si to the zoo for a last outing.  It was perfect!!  And not very crowded as some of the schools had already started back.

Silas looks a little concerned about the polar bear coming up behind him!

Hard to believe another summer has flown by already!!

Schoolapalooza 2010

Just like I thought it would...summer has FLOWN by and it's back to school again.  Time is a strange thing!
The kiddos have successfully completed the first week of school and almost a 2nd.  The schedule was a little rough at first - 3 kids, 3 schools at 3 different times but it's starting to flow now...just in time for no school on Monday!

First day pictures - Mason is thrilled as always to smile at 6:40am.

Mas in all his Sophomore glory!

Miss Boo is a big 2nd grader and her teacher will also be her teacher in 3rd grade. I can never remember the teacher's name (it's tough!) so it might take me this year and next to get it memorized!

We've been walking every day so far.  I love walking the kids to and from school. The girls keep asking me if they can walk by themselves and I would, but I'd miss it too much!

McKenna, Ella and Kelly walking to school
*Ella has her Skullcandy backpack.  She absolutely refused to get any other...

Si is doing afternoon preschool this year.  He was REALLY sad that he didn't have his old teacher but is right next door so he sees her all the time!  He gets to ride the bus to school from Kelly's. He looks like such a big boy getting on the bus.

(thanks for the bus pictures Kelly!)

 Hard to believe my baby is just a few months away from turning 5!

School must be really tuckering him out because he had an accident while sleeping the other night - while sleeping beside ME...and he peed all over my arm while I was sleeping. Then, after I put him back into his bed, he had a 2nd accident a few hours later.   It was a rough week with his potty mishaps!!

Ella is starting Girl Scouts next week and I think she will REALLY like it and we'll get to sell the cookies - YUM!! We're all looking forward to a GREAT school year!

Back to School '09

The first day of a school was a hit. Everyone got out of bed without too much fuss, got ready and (to various degrees) were excited to go. Mason did fuss about me taking pictures, wanting to know "why is it so important that you get so many pictures?" And after he left, I cried.

The Freshman@7am

Silas was a little more hesitant about going to school, which is ironic because he is the one that has been asking since last spring "when do I start school?" He was starting to understand that Ella won't be with him, that she'll go to a different school all day, and that upsets him.

The 2 sillies as we head out the door

Si's school starts at 8:45, so we drop him off first. It's a madhouse at the preschool. I have to say, it was very difficult to walk him to his room and then leave. He asked me if Ella was going to stay, if we (Justin and I) were going to stay. Walking out of the room and the building, I cried.
Next stop was Ella's school. She was a little apprehensive and shy. We went to her classroom, her teacher showed her where to put her lunchbox, her seat and then put on her name tag. She was very quiet...how she gets when she gets nervous.

Daddy gave her a big hug and kiss.
and of course...I cried.

Silas will ride the bus to Kelly's after school 3 days a week. He was very excited to get ride on the same bus as Ryan. I went over to watch him get off the bus.

He looks so tiny!

Everyone had a good first day of school. Mason said they didn't do much but fill out papers. He has friends in all his classes, except English.
Ella is VERY excited to have 2 recesses and loved eating lunch at school. She saw many of her neighborhood friends and thinks her teacher is very nice.
Silas told me he ate a snack, played outside, talked to some kids and that his teachers are pretty :-)

Hopefully they will all have a great year and I'll be able to stop crying...

The Big K

Last week, the Big K was the Big Kangaroo - apparently a common carry out in the Outer Banks. THIS week, the Big K is KINDERGARTEN! Today was Ella's first day - and she woke up at the crack of dawn, ready to get ready to go! We had her clothes all laid out for this morning, had talked about how she wanted her hair (she calls it her Valentine's Day flip) and what she would want for breakfast. So this morning, it was smooth sailing.

My big girl posing for a couple pictures

Walking to school - Silas wanted to bring his backpack too

a Video of the walk to school - a big hug and Sir Stomp-a-lot





Posing for a picture in the school

Heading to the classroom with Mrs. S

She saw her neighborhood friends, Ashlee, Allysa, Abbi and Alli too which was fun for her.
The bus will bring her home after school. She is very excited to ride a bus!