Back in the school time groove

We're back...back in the school time groove!  We've had some mixed reactions about going back to school.  Summer always goes by way too fast and I always miss the kids, but at the same time, it's nice to have a little more quiet with a new baby.  And by the last few weeks of summer, it seems all structure goes out the window and it's hard to get them to do anything!  The kids have mixed reactions, too.  They keep asking why summer can't be longer, and I'm with them.  But it's also good to get back to the routine again (especially it seems the last few weeks before school starts again, all schedules and structure go out the window).  Emma was excited to get back to be a queen of the elementary school as a mighty 6th grader, but sad to see the sleepovers and sleeping in go.  She has Mrs. Green this year (who she went to for math last year).  It's hard to believe it's her last year of elementary school.  This picture of her in kindergarten just popped up on Facebook and I swear we just dropped her off for the first time.  Now she's heading out like a pro to school each day, so grown up and independent and responsible. Cal was excited to go back, he loves school and the learning and social aspect.  But he loves playing outside so much and said he wishes it were warm like summer all year.  He has Mrs. Manternach for 3rd grade, who also happens to be his gymnastics teacher.  Lucy wasn't really looking forward to school and told us that often.  We reminded her that Heavenly Father didn't send us to earth to sit around and be lazy and he wants us to learn and use our brain and talents.  We overheard her telling Cov the same thing - "I've got to go to school because God wants me to use my brain!'  She has Mrs. Olson for 1st grade.  Covey asked a couple of weeks before school started "When can we do Mommy preschool again?"  I told him it was coming up soon and asked if he'd miss the kids while they were at school most of the day though.  "Naw," he said.  He really eats up the one-on-one time (plus our 3rd wheel this year).  The first day of school, we did a "back to school  themed preschool.  We also spent lots of time outside riding bikes and playing.  And also snuggled the baby.  Sydnie, it seemed she thought it too quiet at home the day the kids went back.  She kept looking around it seemed and didn't sleep as much as normal during the day.

When the kids got home, we had a special snack waiting for them (one of the only days of the year I actually put a lot of thought into after school snacks...haha!) which was cinnamon bear popcorn.  We chatted about their day and it seemed everyone was happy to be back and really enjoy their new teachers, class rooms, and seeing friends a lot again.  We had some roast, potatoes, salad, green beans, and bear bread for dinner.  We talked about goals for that year at the table.  Emma is going to do her best quality work every time to get good grades.  Cal said he wants to be an example to others.  And Lucy wants to color in the lines on everything.  Sweet kids!  It's going to be a great school year!

A couple of weeks after school started, we started joy preschool with Cov.  We are doing it with 5 other families, and the moms are taking turns teaching twice a week for two hours.  Cov was so excited, every day he asked "Do I start school today?"  And when it finally came, he grabbed his backpack and was ready to go with the kids to school, hehe!  He knew the moms were going to teach but he thought it was going to be at the school.  I was the one to organize it and we were first at our house and did an ABC overview theme for the first day, and focused on the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  We read the book, sang and shook it to the ABC song, made playdough and played with letter cutters, did coconut counting/sorting/throwing fight with pom poms, made our own palm trees with letters and our names on them, made coconut tree snacks, and letter volcano. Thursday of our week, it was an all about me day.  The kids decorated a brown paper sack and got to bring stuff about them in it, and they were all excited to share. We worked on making a book all about them, read some books about them and their body, did some science, played outside, did a craft with hand and foot prints, played a name game.  It's going to be fun, Cov is loving it!