some firsts

I am happy to report that we have all mostly survived the return to school.  We kind of know who has to wear sneakers on what day for PE, what the expected daily homework routine looks like, who will be taking gymnastics when, we have filled out forms, paid for 4th grade recorders, we know what my work schedule looks like and how to make the machine of family life run as bit more smoothly.  

As of the end of the first day of school we also completed our summer manifesto of sorts.  The last thing on there was "take Mommy to the water slides at Playland Adventures" and we did that in the 90 degree heat after the first day of school.  We also sprung for ice cream AND pizza for dinner because it is hard to go back to school when it is still summer outside. 

But make no mistake, the beginning of school is a bumpy transition.  Luckily their minds aren't too rusty since they kept up with work over the summer but their summer life is incredibly carefree.  School is not really in that same vein.  Secondly, the kids don't exactly want to go to school.  They would very much prefer to be home fighting with each other.  I do, however, think that they are reasonably content there.  I feel like we hit the teacher jackpot for each of the girls this year and that sets much of my heart at ease.  Fingers crossed for a good year for both of them. 

They decided to go matchy matchy on the first day:

Ella is over the whole "take a picture of me in front of my school" thing.  But Maya isn't!

This came home with Maya her first day.  I asked her if she changed it or if her teacher did.  She said, "I looked at it and said, 'Mom and Dad? I don't have a Dad!' So I changed it!"  I love this kid.

Another first:  I have not signed myself up for every volunteer opportunity known to man (or woman, or stay-at-home mom).  I am very interested in getting some stuff of my own done this year and don't want to commit myself all over the place.  I want to write and continue what I started last fall in The Great House Purge.  Sandi is on the band wagon with me now and stuff is getting DONE. We have already thoroughly deeply cleaned and cleaned out 3 rooms and the basement.  I'm talking behind the washing machine, the top of the refrigerator and the depths of each closet. We are taking no prisoners and have a direct donation line to our local Good Will. 

Along the line of firsts, Maya picked the first cantaloupe out of her cantaloupe patch and was very impressed with the results.  It tasted just like a cantaloupe!! (I confess I was as shocked as she was.)

And this also happened.  I don't really know what to say about it.  

A few days after I took this picture, she decided to put it on her giant stuffed dolphin, Dixie. But Dixie is enormous and in order keep the sleep mask over her dolphin eyes Maya had to reach the strap over her far away dorsal fin.  The elastic band couldn't withstand the stretch and it snapped.  Now Maya is using is as a toy horse bridle or as a Barbie blanket depending on the day. 

The start of school has been an interesting one for me.  I have piles of stuff to catch up on, the outside  and the inside of the house both demanding my attention from my summertime abandonment.  I have also been overjoyed to get back on my bike.  I have also enjoyed some level of physical breakdown with a horrible migraine the first day of school, a few days of feeling like I was fighting a GI thing and then getting slammed by an intense head cold that came with a lovely fever.  All in a week's time.

I guess I sort of suck at transition.