back at it

Summer is over.

Wait, let me rephrase that, since it IS mid-August and the sun is blazing down upon us.

Summer vacation is over.

Not that I get a vacation. Except I kind of do. I get a vacation from the morning school traffic, and the paperwork and the conferences and the lunch packing and all that.

My kids started 2nd and 5th grade today. At separate schools. Two local elementary schools combined and split the grades this year. That means Damien is the senior at his new school since it only has grades K-2. It also means he gets more opportunity than he did before, like getting to use the school computers.
Emily is still at the same school she's always been, except now it only has grades 3-6, which means she's also provided more opportunity, like spanish classes. They're both very excited, as am I.

It also means a whole lot of new kids, the kids that went to that other school last year are now all intermingled with the ones they've shared classes with for a few years. Like I said, lots of opportunity.

This will also be their first year riding the bus home. I'm very nervous about that, especially since they're at different schools. Damien gets out in 10 minutes and has to find his way onto the correct bus. It will then head over to Emily's school. I told her that if she gets on that bus and doesn't see her brother, she needs to TELL SOMEONE! Knowing her, she'll do a quick scan, won't see him and panic. But, it will all be ok, right? Right. I can't wait to hear how it all went.

In the meantime.......pictures.