First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school for 10th grade and 8th grade.  And yes, I got a little teary-eyed.  It feels like they are slipping through my fingers but that's a lament for another day.  I couldn't get a group shot because Will is taking 0 hour weights which is a fancy way of saying that he takes a class in the wee hours of the morning and it's weight lifting.  He leaves the house before I'm fully conscious but I rallied to get his picture.  

He's growing his hair out along with the majority of the teen boys in society.  The 80s are back!  

Reina goes to school at a slightly more acceptable hour so we snapped a few photos in the sun and with a cat as an ankle accessory.  

 It's only been two days but the school year is off to a good start.  Will travels with the football team to Sheridan tomorrow and Reina has a slumber party on Saturday.  Whoever agreed to hosting a slumber party on the first weekend after school started was obviously not thinking clearly LUCY.  

Mother's Day

Today was my sixteenth mother's day and I'm not sure how that is possible.  Insert lamentation about time tick tocking by here.  I told everyone here that I didn't want a present because I bought myself a cakepan that can make numbers and letters last week (yes, it's unbelievably wild and crazy at our house) but that I would like a card.  Thanks to Glenn, they obliged.  

Sweet note from Will and he even used markers!  

Reina knows (and shares) my obsession with Wordle and made me this little gem.  So creative!  

 

One Day More

A few years ago, a friend from high school posted that she always sang "One Day More" from Les Miserables on the last day before school started and since I read that, I've always giggled and of course I've had that song in my head all day. (I might even be trying to rewrite some of the lyrics to fit... Tomorrow is the judgment day...... tomorrow is the first day of ninth grade and seventh grade..... one more dawn, one more day ONE DAY MOOOOOOOOOOOORE.) So yes, tomorrow is the first day of high school and the first day of junior high for Will and Reina.  The kids are ready. Glenn's ready. I'm mostly ready.  I drove by the elementary school last week on the way home from work and noticed all of the cars and people streaming in for open house night.  I was struck by the fact that none of my monsters spend their days there anymore.  The days are long but the years are short, right?  So I'm getting in a few extra hugs, going over schedules, making sure first day outfits are ready and let's do this!  I'm also making pro and con lists.  Pro's for going back to school?  The house will stay cleaner, the snacks will take slightly longer to be emptied out, and people will be tired enough at night that bedtime won't be (as much of an argument).  Con's?  The pets will miss them, I will miss seeing them at lunch or getting texts during the day about what snacks can and can't be eaten, and people will be too tired at night to behave reasonably. 

I don't need to spend another five paragraphs bemoaning time and aging and giant teenagers who empty the cupboards on a weekly basis so here's a quick note about the week before last.  Long story short, we were exposed to covid-19 and coincidentally came down with summer colds that we convinced ourselves were covid breakthroughs. I took a mail-in test but while we were waiting for results, Glenn started feeling poorly enough that we took him for a rapid test.  He tested negative, I tested negative and it was just a poorly timed summer cold.  We are back to masking in public places, doubling down on hand sanitizer and hoping that everybody stays healthy and school and school activities (FOOTBALL!!) stay on schedule.  

This time last year, I told myself that I'd take the first day of school off and spend the day looking at pictures and crying but instead, I'm hosting a workshop this week which will probably keep me to busy to cry (hopefully for the workshop participants sake anyway).  We're off to a new adventures and I can't wait to see what the school year has in store.  

8th Grade Promotion

Yesterday was the last day of school (more pictures of that later!) which almost meant the last day of junior high/middle school for Will and the last day of elementary school for Reina.  Yikes!  More lamenting from me later but here are a bunch of pictures of Will dressed up for the 8th grade promotion. 

Handsome boy.  I ironed three different shirts yesterday afternoon until he landed on a combination that worked.  

Will rode to the dance in a giant limo with 13 other 8th grade boys.  I don't think we paid the limo driver enough to put up with this crew.  

Most of the parents met beforehand so that we could take some pictures of their big night.  They cooperated about as well as you can imagine. 

Let's climb the windmill!  No 8th graders were harmed in the taking of this photo.  Will is on the ground to the left. 

Will and Payson have been friends since kindergarten and it's fun to see them head off to high school together.