Back To School

The boys are back in school, the house is mostly quiet and stays clean for more than five minutes, and summer seems like a distant memory.  The first day of school is always a little nerve-racking for me as I wonder how the kids are faring.  This year I was relieved that everyone came home happy with positive things to say.  What a relief!

Marcus rarely wears his glasses but was going for the "serious student look" on his 1st day

Marcus is in his sophomore year at Skyline.  He's taking drivers ed so that's exciting and scary but mostly exciting.  Drivers Ed isn't offered through the school like it was when I was a kid.  In Washington, you have to pay to take the course and it's offered through different companies but there's also a class offered through the school, which is what Marcus is taking.  He has class every T/Th for a couple hours after school and then has drives scheduled around that.  It's long and torturous but at least I don't have to drive him to his class which is why we're doing it at the school, even if it's a longer program.  He's still working one or two afternoons a week at his lifeguarding job and is playing his first season of box lacrosse (indoor lax which is a lot more physical and a lot less running) with a game every Saturday.  So basically we never see this kid even though it's not track and lacrosse season yet.

So handsome!

Ethan started 8th grade and Pine Lake Middle School.  He's the kid I worried about the most and came home the most excited.  Turns out being the oldest grade in the school is all it's cracked up to be.  He's got a few friends in every class, a lot of familiar teachers, and is running cross country after school.  He bikes to school on days when it isn't rainy and other than getting an intense bout of stomach flu on the second and third day of school, he's off to a great start!

Landon's pose says it all

Landon is in 4th grade at Creekside Elementary.  He lucked out with a great teacher.  Bless her!  Ten-year-old boys are obnoxious but she seems to think they are cute and almost as funny as they think they are.  She had short 10-minute interviews with the parents of each student on the second day of school and I was so excited about that.  It gave me the chance to get to know her a bit and tell her about Landon.  After sharing all of Landon's good qualities (he's a great student) I told her he has four brothers but that doesn't mean she should let him act like a wild animal and if she sees any behavior like that to nip it in the bud.  Having five boys is a blessing and a curse.   I've quickly realized that when people discover my boys come from a family of boys they immediately assume that my boys are out of control with no manners.  I'm always happy to prove them wrong.  For the most part.

Parker finally got to wear his new shoes!

Parker started 1st grade at Creekside.  He had a great group of boys in his kindergarten class and it's sad to see them disbanded.  He's already made some new friends and has transitioned from playing tag and "spying" at recess to playing soccer.  His brothers are thrilled with that.  He's also super grumpy and I'm working on figuring out if it's due to lack of sleep or feeling overwhelmed by changes.  It's probably both.  But he and Landon are good buddies and ride their bikes to and from school most days because they love the freedom of not riding the bus.  I love that they get good exercise!  The school is almost 2 miles away and there are a lot of hills so they work up a sweat.

Henry is in the throes of the "terrible twos."  He is grumpy and very particular about everything. At every meal, he insists on eating with at least four utensils.  And don't even think about trying to get by with three!  He still naps like a champ and is lucky he is the cutest thing ever because some days I want to dropkick him out the door.   Thankfully he plays happily with our next-door neighbor, giving both of us a break from each other.  

Everyone made it to the bus stop on time.  Win!!

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.