Another year has begun!

Click for a few more first day pics...some are foggy...it was sooo humid out that my camera kept fogging up!

Yet another school year has officially begun in our house! Brian started second grade today and Matt started first grade. Luke will not start preschool for another two weeks so he's my sidekick for the time being! In the past I have been a sobbing mess at the prospect of sending my kids off for seven hours each day but this year was different. I will admit I still had a few years (but only in the shower since Brian forbid me from crying!), but I feel so happy about the new school we are sending them to that I am truly not all that sad as I know my boys will be loved on all day by everyone at the school as much I as love on them! Craig & I found a place that pushes them academically (their textbooks are one grade level ahead in each grade) but still allows them to be 6 & 7. They recognize the fact that they can't sit all day and gives them P.E. five days/week, as well as two recesses/day. They both have show & tell each week (which I as a teacher admit that I hated doing but completely understand how important it is to little ones!) They have "messy" art twice/week, spanish, computers and music twice/week, are actually allowed to celebrate Christmas and be excited for Santa (no more of this "Holiday or Winter Fest" nonsense!) They will have no less than four field trips each year and they encourage and beg for parent help in the classrooms:) They have IPads to use for centers and Smartboards in their classrooms for virtual learning. They have "whole school" chapel each week where they are picked up by and sit with an older buddy (Matt's is an eighth grade cheerleader and he is deliriously happy!!!) and they recognize two students of the week in front of the whole school at the beginning of chapel. No worries though...we have found the one negative of this "too good to be true"place...the cost! But we know this is a place where our children will spend a good chunk of their lives and be happy, which is most important to us, and is worth every penny:)

In typical fashion, Brian was not overly excited to start school! Brian declared at the ripe age of preschool that he would rather be homeschooled:) He was of course excited once he got there but school does not hold the fun aspect for Brian like it does for Matt. Brian has his group of friends that he's had for awhile now and has no desire to be a social butterfly like Matt. He likes to sleep in and would rather lounge around and learn in his jammies than be worried about the social aspects of school, whose friends with who, whose wearing what, etc. :) He lives and breathes sports and would much rather watch SportsCenter all day than anything else! Brian thinks of school as his job whereas Matt can hardly contain himself thinking of all of the fun he will have! Brian did manage to crack a few smiles once the big day actually arrived and I know he will come with tons of stories about his day! His teacher gave him a giant hug when we walked in and has made him feel so welcome as the new student in their class. She went out of her way over the summer to send Brian a questionnaire asking him all about himself so she could talk about him to the other students at "meet the teacher" and have everyone already know a little about him! He is the only new student in a classroom of 16 (love the small class size!!!) and will be able to walk in feeling like he's been with these kids since preschool:)

My Moose was 100% the opposite...he has been giddy about the prospect of starting school! He has two teachers and will switch back and forth which he thinks is beyond cool!! He already knows one little boy that he went to preschool with so having a familiar face will be a great thing! Matt has 12 kids in his homeroom class and there are 14 in the other. Matt's class has 9 boys and 3 girls...god bless that poor teacher!!! Every year, on the night before starting school, Matt has a 20 minute sobfest when I tuck him into bed in regards to how much he's gonna miss me. I can honestly say that I secretly enjoy this tradition we share but know it is short lived. He always wakes up having forgotten about this "treasured moment" and can't wait to get to school, meet his friends, see his desk, etc. Today was no different...when he got up there was no more "I'm gonna miss you Mommy" and no more tears, just one 6 year old too excited to even finish his breakfast!

I love how different my two children are and how well they can adjust to any situation we hand to them. They both walked into this brand new school like they'd been going there forever, with no tears and no fear in their eyes, completely confident of themselves. I love how trusting they are...if Mommy and Daddy say they'll love it, it must be true. I can hardly wait for it to be 2:40 so Luke and I can head out to get them and hear all about their day!