Back to School 2018

I blinked and summer is over.  Judging by the smile on Henry's face I'd say Henry is pretty excited for a quiet house again. We are on day 3 of school, day 2 of early morning seminary, day 1 of kindergarten, and everyone is doing great.   I'm relieved!  The first day of school is so nerve wracking for me as I wonder how each boy is doing.  I can't wait for them to get home so I can hear the good and the bad while we eat cookies.  This year it was mostly good.  Marcus said, "I think I'm going to really like high school!"  That's a big deal because Skyline High School has a bad reputation for being ridiculously rigorous, so much so that the kids think college is easier.  We shall see.....

 (No, he hasn't colored his hair, but it sure looks like it! You know you've got a confident kid when he wants to take his little brother's backpack to school.)

 Early morning seminary starts at 6:15am.  The plan is for me, or Randy but probably me, to drop Marcus at our friends house and they will drive him the rest of the way to the church which is 15 minutes away.  Unfortunately Marcus has had to be at school early for stuff so I've been driving him to seminary and waiting for him, then dropping him off at school.  I need a nap!  Marcus is on student council and ASB.  I'm not sure what that actually means except he ran for office and won, and spent 15+ hours the week before school going to meetings, making posters, going to a retreat, and prepping for an assembly.  He just texted me and told me he was elected to be the Freshman class president. Pretty cool!  He's doing all this in hopes of making new friends and getting involved while all his guy friends are out on the football field.  I know he wishes that's where he could be but I think he's benefiting from all this other stuff much more.

 Ethan is in 7th grade at the middle school and is enjoying not being a lowly 6th grader.  He also gets to go to the brand new middle school.  It is faaaancy!  We walked around looking for his classes and locker and I was even feeling a little intimidated by the huge size of the school.  After enduring the long 45-minute bus ride, Ethan realized he'd rather bike to school with his buddies so that's his new thing.  He loves it and I love that he and his friends cruise through the neighborhoods looking like the gang of boys from the movie, E.T. 

 Landon started 3rd grade and is relieved to finally have a nice, experienced teacher.  All he really talks about or cares about is recess so I'm happy to report he played football and soccer. Oh, and Landon really loves his shoes.  He said his high tops are so comfortable it's like having a couch for shoes.

This boy is ready for kindergarten!

Bus stop with best friends is an awesome bonus

I almost cried at this moment

I'm so glad he has Landon to show him the ropes

Parker left for his first day of kindergarten this morning, two days after everyone else started school.  He was so excited!  I thought about getting sad and emotional that my little shadow/buddy was leaving me after six years but then I looked over at Henry sitting in the stroller and the sadness was quickly snuffed out as the reality of having another shadow for five more years is now my reality.  To put this into perspective for you, Marcus will graduate from high school before Henry starts school.  If you still aren't feeling sorry for me then let me share this little tidbit.  I will have had at least one little boy tagging along with me for a continuous span of eighteen years before Henry starts kindergarten.  Eighteen!  That's just crazy.  While I don't envy people that have lots of kids close together in age, the benefit is definitely that their kids all move out of the home faster.  Oh well.  I still love Henry.

Minutes after returning home from the bus stop and Henry discovered the garbage can is a fun toy.  My life is never fair.