First day of school 2012

Today was the first day of school for our kiddos, and it came not a minute too soon.  The fridge is empty, the house is a mess, the wii needs a day off, the temperature outside is still well over 100 degrees (no playing outside) and I am...tired.

I spent yesterday selling million school t-shirts with the PTA, attending two back-to-school nights, helping Brayden find his classes, teaching him to open a combination lock and how to use deodorant, figuring out the bus schedule, reading and signing a bazillion class disclosures, making a list of all the additional school supplies we needed, and eventually sent Todd for pizza so we could have dinner before 9:00. 

I never did get around to buying new clothes for school (other than the nine pairs of jeans I ordered online, and new shoes for Brayden since he already outgrew the ones he just got in April). My boys didn't even mention it.  They didn't care in the least that they didn't have new clothes.  Sometimes I really love having all boys :o)  Dillon's shirt was a hand-me-down from Caleb, and Brayden and Caleb's shirts came from the DI this summer...so I guess they're "new to them" shirts...

 Brayden started 6th grade today.  I swear he just started kindergarten yesterday.  He's grown up a lot this summer.  He's been practicing getting up at 6:00 since June. He still only hears his alarm 1 out of 4 days, but at least he's trying.  He started reading the Book of Mormon when school got out, and he is currently in Ether. And he knows what he's read. He'll finish it before he is ordained a deacon in October, and I'm so proud of him for that. I didn't even know he was doing it until he caught up to the family (we're still in Alma...after three years).

The bus stop is in our driveway, and I was SO tempted to get into costume like this guy but I restrained myself...for now.

There goes my baby boy.  (He's looking over my shoulder right now saying, "Mo-om").  This is the first time we've had to catch a bus for school.  He has to ride a little over a mile.  When I was a kid, I rode the bus for an hour both ways!

Caleb and Dillon leave an hour and a half later. Talk about dragging out the morning! Dillon has grown taller this summer, but Caleb...not so much.  He's in 5th grade this year, and Dillon is in 2nd.  Caleb is still my helper.  Whenever I need something I call for him, because I know I can count on him.  Dillon still has sunshine coming out of his eyes, and I am relishing every minute I have with him before he loses more teeth and leaves his "puppy phase".

See the big 'ol cat butt in the picture?  We gave him away today.  We're finally down to one kitten. We need to get momma cat fixed, but Todd's truck broke down on his way home from work and that'll have to come first.  Sigh.  Just another day in paradise...