back to school .. 2012

My girls are so ready for grade 6 and 8.  It should be a great year!!!

5/7

Hello Grade 5 and 7, please be kind but challenging to my girls. Allow them to learn everything they need to, in a fun but creative way. Allow them to make friendships, be kind and participate in all avenues of their school year. Allow them to prove how smart they are, but in a classy way. Allow them to struggle just enough to remember that this learning is a gift not a right. Allow them to always be themselves, in all aspects of their school experience.

first day of school photos

Gone are the days when I could pick out the girls outfits for school, but they did pretty well this morning. They were so excited to pack up their new backpacks and set off. Our school changed the hours of operation so they start school at 8:45, which makes us have to hustle and get there fifteen mins earlier then any other year but neither of them are crossing guards this year so at least we don't have to be there even earlier.

I straightened Alissa's hair as per her request and even tho her hair is pretty straight already, this gave it the poker straight look and so cute and LONG!

Hailey begged for messenger bag this year and although she has to carry a binder this year and it may get heavy. I could totally steal her bag that's how much I love the pattern for myself.

So here's my girls, entering grade 4 and 6.

S day!

Today was the 'first' day of school! I put it into quotes because as if we can call one hour as the first day, but that's our district for ya. All they did today was the grades lined up in their classes per lists up on the wall (younger grades in the gym, older grades outside on the basketball court), then their teachers took them to their classrooms and hung out for an hour. During that time, the parents just hung out in the gym having coffee and cookies that were provided. I caught up with a few moms, found out what was new in their lives, how the summer went, etc. Now with me working, I won't be around the school as much so won't get to know any new parents or teachers as well.

Alissa has the same teacher/classroom as last year. Its a grade 3/4 split. I love the teacher as Hailey had her for two years as well, so I'm happy.Hailey's in a grade 6/7 split which surprised her so much. One of her best friends is in the 5/6 class and she's so sad about that. The only reason I can think of that Hailey's in the higher split (after looking at what other grade 6s are) is she's in the upper spectrum academically? It'll be nice she'll learn up rather then down but ummm, do I really want her making friends with 7th graders? ack! She's not ready for the grade 7 boys!

Today I measured the girls. Hailey's up three quarters of an inch since June and Alissa's up a quarter inch.Tomorrow I'll bring you first school day photos!

first REAL day of school

Today was the girls first full day of school and I couldn't let them leave without pictures. Other years, we were able to take photos outside, but this morning's downpour had me changing my mind. Although I did snap off a couple outside too, as the umbrella poses were cute!




I have yet to find out how things went, but they were happy and excited when I left them at their doors.

And for myself, I spent the majority of the morning tweaking my resume, and scouring the job boards for work in my field of knowledge. There's not alot out there, but I'm more then ready to be working AND finishing my course, and just getting on with this part of my life. I think I was just as anxious as the girls were, to have a schedule back in to place.

first day of school

Technically, today was the first day of school .. if you can call one hour a day .. but that's why I always reserve the right to take pictures of the girls on the first REAL day of school .. FULL day!

So we went and discovered Alissa will have the same teacher as last year .. which we pretty much knew already .. but were surprised that what was a 2/3 split last year is now a 3/4 split this year. Same teacher .. they just moved the 2's in with the K's and 1's. The principal is lucky I don't have a second grader this year. I would NOT be a happy parent in that case.
And Hailey has a new teacher, her first male teacher. And as apprehensive as she was prior to this morning .. I think she's good to go. With a class of 14 boys and 8 girls, I think the boys could use a male teacher keep them on the straight and narrow. :P And her class is 5/6, but the 6's are ones that were in her 4/5 last year .. and because kids are no longer failed, this is how they keep them back. It's all good .. as my girl gleans what she needs to, and stays out of the other drama. Well, that has been the case up until now so far. Who knows what this year may bring.

So look back tomorrow for some school day photos. Hopefully you won't see tongue.

i <3 my friends

Being away for ten days and not being able to participate in my social circle caused me to miss my dearest friends so very much. I was able to see two of my closest friends today, and it did my soul so much good to be in their company.
This afternoon I went over to my one friends, and from there we went for a walk, letting our kids ride bikes/scooters along the way. We caught up on the goings on in our lives for the past ten days, and just enjoyed each others company. Then this evening, after dinner, the girls and I met up with another friend and her girls, for them to play at the playground and us to catch up. It was a great day with friends, and I realized how much I have invested in our friendships and how very dear they are to me. I truly am lucky to have such great girls to laugh with, cry with, and most of all .. be myself with.

So here starts the beginnings of getting my girls back into an early bedtime schedule again. School starts in a week from today, so if I can manage to finish this week off with a normal bedtime, and then let it slide a little over the weekend, but making Sunday and Monday nights strict again, I think we'll have it down pat and manageable. We went to the library today, so they're stocked up with new books to read and were almost anxious to get to bed so they could look through/read new books. The summer night movies are now over and we're working our way back into a routine.

And on that note, I think I'll curl up on the couch and watch some TV.

first official day

Schools back in for the year! (sing that to the tune of School's Out for Summer) As much as I always look forward to school being out, and a full summer of adventures ahead of us .. this year sending the girls back to school has been like no other. I remember this usually being a depressing time of year, school wise, for me. Either my oldest is going to kindergarten or starting the full days of grade one, or then it's been my baby starting kindergarten and last year her very first full days of first grade. Now .. I'm an old pro at this. I've come to love and enjoy those precious six hours of quiet time. I have things I plan on filling that time with .. including whipping this place back into shape, and we can't forget my medical transcription course I set aside while I enjoyed the heat and sun of the summer.

So here are my girlies .. dressed in something far to warm for the weather, but they insisted they be little High School Musical rock stars. Really .. when did they decide to grow up so darn fast?

and they're off...

Off to their first full day of class, with bulging packs and a large healthy lunch/snacks.

that tug

Now that we're in the countdown to the first day of school and only have less then two weeks left, I'm feeling that nagging tug again .. like last year. Only this time .. my baby isn't starting half days of kindergarten .. nope .. she's on to the full days of grade one. There's no doubt that she's ready academically. She's sounding out basic words, she's figuring out how to spell short three letter words, she's active and enjoys lots of physical play, her mind works quickly and she's very inquisitive .. loving insects and animals and wondering many things about their existence, and most of all .. I know she needs the classroom atmosphere to thrive and further teach her about the social side. Last year brought her out of her shell, gave her the confidence of speaking in front of her classmates, interacting with them and being a friend and this year will be a continuation of that and further develop that area. She's even just lost her 7th tooth this morning!

She's ready for grade one, she's excited and willing to spread her wings. I'm not so sure I'm ready to be making an extra lunch, to be sending TWO girls off in the morning .. to spend the next six hours away from me. One thing I'm so thankful for, is that Hailey's there to keep an eye out on her little sister during the breaks and lunch recess. And I also know that two days after school has started, this anxiety will have dissipated and I'll be stifling the glee I feel after I get home to a quiet environment for six whole hours!

Which brings me to another thing that's causing me such unease. I'm about to tread in very unfamiliar territory. With the full days of school coming our way, another chapter starts in the life of Rachel .. and that leaves me a little freaked out. It means I'm available to take the course I have wanted to for the past two years, and by next summer I can be an employed person once again. After 8.5 years of nurturing two little girls into childhood .. consumed with everything that is baby, toddler, children .. finally now I get my chance to make my mark in this world in a different way. Going to school (online program actually) has me just a little frightened and apprehensive. Am I smart enough to get through it with a passing grade. Am I versatile enough to juggle school, kids, house, hubby? It's all more then just overwhelming at this moment!

I suppose I could remember the pleasant and sereneness of this little darling that visited us in our lower back yard, yesterday.

A's first day!

I haven't had a chance to post this from Monday, but this was Alissa's first day of Kindergarten. The first full afternoon anyway. And much to my surprise, she loved every minute of it. She had been telling me how she didn't want to go, etc, but after attending two years of preschool and loving every minute of it .. I KNEW she's like it .. just needed to get used to the idea of attending her sisters school. So all is well in the world of school!

Yesterday started the beginning of another stint of swimming lessons for both girls as well. So you can well imagine that our little fall life is starting to be busy. So busy in fact that we haven't had time to really contemplate how much we miss daddy. He did call this morning to talk to the girls and let me know they're changing camp locations. They saw alot of wildlife in another area and want to be closer to that for the morning/evening hunt. He came in perfect distance of a bear (rather large 600lb guestimate) and had it all lined up but decided to let it go because apparently a bear can't hang for 10 days without rotting. I happen to think beggars can't be choosers and you shoot whatever comes in your path, but D's being a chooser and that decision better be a good one. He BETTER come home with something or I'll be pissed off at his very expensive "vacation". 

first day of the second grade

Well, today was the official first day of school. One complete 9am - 3pm day of class. This morning when I took this picture of Hailey .. she was still a little apprehensive about her new classroom and teachers, but when I picked her up at 3, she was beaming and had many little things to tell me about her day. I soaked it all in and showed her interest back because I know soon this gush of news will slow down and I'll be forced to literally pick her brain with information and stories about her day.

She's so excited to have her very own desk with a little shelf to put her very own supplies. You see, last year she was in grade one, and it was split with the kindergartners. They shared a table with three others and in the center was a little caddy with crayons, scissors, glue .. things like that. But THIS year, she has all those things ALL to herself. She's proud as punch. Oh and another exciting tidbit of news is that she no longer has to change into indoor shoes when she comes in (or vice versa when she goes outside). Her indoor shoes are now strictly used for gym class. She's a child after her own mama's heart and loves her flip flops just for the convenience of slipping them off and on. Even though I've kept to the velcro/zipper/elastic kinda shoes for her still, she continues to have this speed problem in changine her shoes. So you can well imagine how exciting this was to her, not to mention that it's just one of those cool things that happens to you when you're no longer in the younger grade.

PS .. if you want to play around with photos like I did with this one, check out this site. Thanks to Pavel for sharing the link on his blog. :)