Back to school

The kids went back to school on Tuesday, and though I wasn't ready for summer to end, I just had to get over it and move on, because life sure doesn't wait for me! I had bought most of the kids' school supplies over a month before school started so I had the best selection, but then I got really busy enjoying summer activities and it was time for Back to School Night and I hadn't finished. I went as is, and then spent that evening running around from store to store looking for Prang paint and pencil boxes. Of course every store in the state is sold out of Prang paint by now, and I know to buy it before back to school season even starts since the kids all need it every single year. Big fail on my part this year. I still need to get a zip drive for Ben and am still waiting for stores to restock that paint! I stayed up waaaay too late that night doing laundry and folding it all, and we picked out their outfits in the morning. I didn't even do any back to school clothes shopping this year, so I'm glad I did a couple big orders from mini Boden when they had their huge summer sale a month or two ago. Ben's shoes are all about to fall apart, so I ran into Fred Meyer the night before school, at closing time, and picked up a pair of Vans for him. Ha ha, I feel so unprepared this year! Sooo not ready for summer to be over....

Ben is starting fifth grade and will be in middle school next year! If anything makes me feel old, it's that. Mila is starting first, so she'll have to get used to full days, and Olivia is in kindergarten. Ben and Mila had the same kindergarten teacher, and this year I requested the other one for Olivia just because I had heard she's more easygoing and personal with the kids. I think that's really important with Olivia since she's just so affectionate and needs to be shown love back. I would worry about her with the other teacher. I'm so glad we got our request.

So far all the kids are enjoying school. Ben tends to get lazy about homework once the novelty of school wears off, but this year I am committed to making him do homework before he gets to play with his friends. I think that will help things a lot, because all he wants to do is play and then tells me at bedtime that he has a big project he needs to do. That totally reminds me of me as a kid, a total procrastinator, but I am determined not to teach those bad habits to my kids. I think it's a very valuable lesson to have for the real world. I wish my parents hadn't let us be so irresponsible. :) A weird thing to say, but our family is definitely not one of those punctual, on the dot, do things early, go to bed at nine kind of families!

xoxo,
Tanya