Back to School 2014

We got home from our road trip with just a couple of days to organize ourselves for the start of school. Once again, the nerves were high....the unknown will always do that to you. We had our traditional Back to School dinner the night before. Mark and I decided that our theme this year should have to do with having courage since these girlies of ours will have to apply that for sure.

 

The lunch workers (Mark and I) served up some Shloppy

 Mark gave the girls a fathers blessing and then we got all packed up for a very early morning.

Bailee left for school when it was still dark. She will have early morning seminary and has to meet her carpool at 5:30am. Her school is 25 minutes away in Fort Collins so normally she will either ride with her seminary carpool or catch the bus at the end of our street.  On the first day, Mark drove her over.

10th grader at Poudre High School

Because she was so early [she has an hour in between seminary and school], they had time to go in and walk around with the building still relatively empty of students, and Mark was able to snap a photo of her which wouldn't have happened otherwise;)

Kars and Emm headed out about 1 1/2 hours later. Kars was a little more nervous than I expected. Makes sense given that in addition to all the changes, she was starting Middle School which is a whole new ball game.

7th grader at Wellington Middle School

This little one could hardly sleep the night before.  Not from nerves but from excitement!! She was up and dressed long before she needed to be and was just giddy:)

2nd grader at Eyestone Elementary

Bus riding will be new for us this year.  We tried this when Bailee started 1st grade and BEGGED to ride the bus.  It lasted a day. I never imagined waiting an hour + for her after school and it sent me into a worried frenzy. Turns out she was the last kid dropped off on that route and it just didn't make sense to me when I could have her picked up in 10 minutes.  9 years later, she is getting another chance, although I think the thrill has worn off. Because her school is not very close to us, it just wasn't practical to be running her back and forth. The bus picks her up right on our corner [when she rides it] and drops her off right in front of our house.  Mark convinced me to take advantage of this convenience for Kars and Emm as well.  Their schools are right across the street from each other, so they ride the bus together.  This has been a HUGE adjustment for me [the girls have really done just fine]. It is really hard for me to "let go" and to turn over that responsibility to someone else. Look how cute these 2 are heading to the bus stop.

.....and off they went.  I did follow them over the first day so I could still help them get situated on their first day. C'mon I couldn't let go that much all at once:)

Emmrey was excited to find Mrs Ehrlich (Mrs E). She had met her at Back to School Night and she was so good to try and put Emm and myself at ease. 

The girls all made it home and we enjoyed some cookies and milk as we chatted about their first day.  They all liked enough that they didn't threaten to not go back.  Kars was a little frustrated because the locker situation was not treating her well.

So I picked her up the following day and we spent some time practicing with the halls empty and a little less pressure.  She was bummed that she ended up with a bottom locker.... kinda a pain for a girl of her stature.

Things are not perfect, but I think we are off to a  pretty good start!!