Back To School!

I really can't believe that summer is over. I think I am having a harder time over it than the boys. I had so many plans for us this summer and a long list of things that I thought we could do. And now the whole summer is over. And we only got to like 2 things on the list.

I distinctly remember writing a post a few years ago about how badly I needed them to go back to school. Now I feel just the opposite. Do they have to keep growing up? I guess as they get older things are getting a little easier. I am able to send them to clean their rooms - and they actually do it. They clear off the dishes from the table, load the dishwasher, and put the food away. Things are slightly easier.

So today they trotted off to their first day of school. I thought I would cry but I guess the insanity of a million parents and kids rushing around helped. 

E's hair pre-haircut. So cool. M, we need to you visit and fix his hair. The stylists always mess it up.

W in 4th grade, getting his assignment book out.

E is a 2nd grader now!

And C's a 1st Grader now!

By all accounts everyone had a great day an think their teachers are very nice. So that's good.. In other news, W has been very busy with football. It seems like the 2 hours of hard training wear him out every day and he has been a lot more pleasant and helpful at home. I just pray that carries over to his school time. He seems to be really enjoying it and even got to play most of his first scrimmage on Saturday. However, after watching a special on ESPN last night about the severe injuries and heat exhaustion issues that they're seeing more and more with football players, I'm not sure that he'll play again. Scary!

Everyone needs to be spoiled

before school starts. So A and I took a day off this week so we could do something together as a family. We went to the zoo, of course. I always feel annoyed with the people that are there without kids, standing in front of the animals, too tall for the kids to be able to see. Then I realized that, even before we had kids, we used to go to the zoo for A's birthday. People with kids probably wondered what we were doing there too!

Anyway, our zoo membership is expiring soon, a sad day that will be, so we are trying to take advantage of it while we can. 

In 2009

In 2011. Look how they've grown. :(

We HAD to see the bats. Gross!

Always popular with the boys. They were the last kids that were let through the line.

 

 

After the zoo, we had lunch at Red Robin. Yum! We missed G and M though. It wasn't quite the same. They always take us to Red Robin. :( We miss you!

Then W had football practice. Wow they work them hard. That'll be for a whole other post.

No way that shirt's too little... or holey... LOTS of wear left...

You can't end a spoiling day without ice cream! We went to a little local ice cream shop after football. It was super yummy! The perfect ending to the day.