It's that time again...

Back-to-School!

Actually, it was that time last week two weeks ago & I am just waaaay behind on my blogging...what's new! So the kids have now been in school for a week two weeks & we are working to get into a new groove. I am missing lazy days of having no where to be, but the kids are all loving their new classes/teachers & I am thankful that there is a hint of fall in the air...and by hint I mean that it was 87 degrees today instead of 98!!

Anyway, this year we have 4 kids in two schools & the official start day for everyone was last Tuesday two weeks ago today, although only 3 of the 4 got to go to school. Jack missed his first day of 4th grade because he had been running a fever for a couple of days. He was bummed because as he put it, "School is always easy on the first day!" Thankfully, he felt good (& was fever free) all day Tuesday, so he was able to start school on Wednesday.
Here's a little look at the kids on their first days...

Sophie, first day in the first grade!  

 Ready for a rockin' great year!

 All excited & ready to go!

I noticed this family of deer right after Sophie left for school. 

I wonder if it was their first day of school, too?

 I had grand visions of Jack walking Sophie from carpool to her classroom for her first day at a new school...but since he was sick, Jeff walked her in & took this pic of her at her desk ready for a great day!

 Darcy & Drew getting ready to head out for their first day, too!

 Oh, I like your new lunch box, Darcy!

 See, I have a cool new lunch box, too!

 Take one: picture in front of the school

Take two: picture in front of the school...this is as good as it gets! 

Drew & his great teacher, Mrs. Kelly. Despite the hesitant face in this picture, and totally oblivious to all the screaming around him, Drew went right into his classroom & hardly looked back! I actually think he wanted to get right to playing & that's why he wasn't cooperating for this picture.  

Darcy wanted a picture in front of this balloon tower 

 Darcy & her sweet teacher, Mrs. Cindy

While everyone else was at school Jack reworked the huge train track that has been in our foyer for a month.  

 Jack & his engineering masterpiece!

 When we got home from school, Drew was ready to play!!

 And play...

 And play some more!

 Jack always has such a great eye for details!

 After the second round of school pick-ups, Sophie enjoyed playing, too!

 Drew checking out every aspect of the new track configuration

 That's one happy boy! 

 Jeff played softball all summer in our church league (blog post on a summer's worth of softball fun coming eventually!) To wrap up a great season, the team captain & his sweet wife organized a great pizza party picnic on Tuesday evening. It was the best way to cap off a great back-to-school day!

 The kids enjoyed pizza, chips, cookies, brownies & lots of play time!

 Lucy enjoyed watching the balloons dance in the breeze.

 Drew enjoyed running all over the place as usual

The picnic was right beside the sand volleyball courts, so there was lots of digging & playing...

 And despite my best warnings not to get all dirty...the kids all got really sandy & dirty!

 But it was worth it!

 One last hurrah before the sun set on a great summer! It was a school night after-all...

 And bright & early Wednesday morning, Jack was feeling great for his first day of school!

 My 4th grader & 1st grader!

And they're off!

So here we are, two weeks into the school year...the first holiday/long weekend of the year behind us. We are slowly getting back into a routine & I hope that means I'll get back to blogging, too. Looking at my history, August is a terrible blog month for me...I knew that coming into August this year & I vowed it would be different...but it wasn't! Oh well, there is always next year!

Now I must wrap this up because there are lunches & snacks to be packed, clothes to be laid out & water thermoses washed & filled...it's a school night for mommy, as well!