Back to School

All three kids went back to school today. It's always a bittersweet time. As a stay at home mom I am grateful to reclaim time to get things done, guilt free. When the kids are at home the days pass very quickly and when I look back I wonder what the heck I've been doing. This happens every summer so this time I had good intentions to spend August (our June/July was pretty full) doing a bunch of things I never get to with the kids: Playdoh, Monopoly (don't you remember loving it when your parents would play that with you as a kid, that game lasts hours), use our craft kits, lounge under the pergola etc. None of that happened. What I did do: Cleaning (how is it that 3 kids can make such a mess all the time?!), AAC programming (some really good changes I think), doctor and dentist appointments, shopping for school/art supplies and clothes. It is easy to fill up the days with necessary chores so I really did my best to try to find balance in the days of the last weeks of summer. I wasn't very successful.

Yesterday the kids said they wanted to watch a movie together in the middle of the day. We never do that and it was the last day of summer so we did. Adrian, knowing I might not agree, suggested The Princess and the Frog, stating that it was the perfect back to school movie because of it's theme "that you have to work for what you want". A good lesson, and yet it is not just about working hard but also about remembering what's most important, the people we love. The perfect movie for the last day of summer. Agreed!

Speaking of back to school don't you wish they would teach time management as a subject in school?! I certainly do! I think most of us fumble around a bit as young adults and then as parents before we (hopefully) eventually figure out a way to get through our days with some success. I don't know anyone who says "I have plenty of time to do all the things that are important to me."  Heck if they had classes that taught that I would definitely go back to school!

Ainsley had an awesome first day! Ainsley has the same para-educator and she is awesome and very excited to attend school with Ainsley! She has two enthusiastic teachers (Gen-ed and Spec-ed) and I think this is going to be a fantastic year for Ainsley! Especially having her trach stoma closed! (Having a clean neck is oh so awesome!) We were thrilled to get Gene back as our bus driver. 

Evie had an awesome first day in HIGH SCHOOL! Despite going from a school of 90 kids to 1800 kids, she seems to be adjusting well, if she can only get herself to class on time. Knew that one was going to be a challenge for her. It's a BIG school.

Adrian is super excited about the school year and his new guild advisor who happens to be a man. Although Evie has moved on and is no longer there he seems just fine, which is a relief. I think he's trying to earn the best dressed award this year. I think it's great and I'm glad he's at a school where he can express himself.

I always try to make a special dinner and have cake to celebrate the first day of school. 

This year we had Shepherd's Pie (Cottage really) and a store bought Lemon Boston Creme cake.

Hopefully now that the kids are back to school I will get a chance to get go through our Disney World pictures for a post. I went through them a bit to create an "about summer" page for Ainsley's communication device. I have SO many great pictures to share! You also may have noticed I've been in the process of redesigning the blog over the summer. I hope you like the new design and with any luck I will get to updating the pages soon, now that the kids are back in school.  I'm looking forward to a fantastic year!!!