Back to school!

Summer is officially over and school is back in session! Last Thursday the kids had back to school night where we got to meet their new teachers and principal. 

On Friday we took advantage of JCPenny's Salon $10 back to school haircuts. Madeline wanted to try something new and thought she would like to have short bangs. After talking with the hairdresser we decided to go for it! Doesn't she look great!!!???

She was super excited with how her hair turned out. James had an appointment too but his hair was still fairly short from his cut several weeks before, so he didn't get another cut.

Last night I got off work a little early which was good because I had to prepare the kids things for the first day of school. I've made it a tradition to write them a little lunch note on the first day of school.

We were up early this more (hence my front porch light still being on). Out the door we go to school, but first mom has to take traditional first day of school pics!!!

Can't believe how much my babies have grown and changed over the years.

These two have this year and next school year together at the same elementary school. Then they won't be together at the same school until they are both in high school!!

I walked the kids to class this morning. Madeline was really excited. They have a 2 story school but only the "big kids" in 4th and 5th grade go upstairs. Well she's UPSTAIRS now. :)

James was a bit nervous this morning, worried about what his 1st grade teacher would expect him to know already. I reassured him his teacher is there to help him learn! :) He felt better after getting to class and working on the fun coloring pages in the morning.

Madeline and James with their friend Ashleigh. Could hardly believe it but it rained this morning on the first day! It's never done that! I took a 1/2 day at work so I could be home for the kids when they got home today, they had a wonderful first day!

My Babies Started School Today!

Time has really flown by! Today we have a Kindergartener & a 3rd Grader!

Last night we got everything ready. Had them take their showers and get ready for bed around 7:45. James thought it was strange they had to go to bed when it was still "during the day". Sun sets here around 8. They finally went to bed nervous and excited. I heard a thump late in the night, that would be James getting out of his bed and crawling into ours to cuddle. And Madeline woke in the middle of the night needing some water. Nerves...

First up, traditional photos by our front door. :)

I think Madeline grew a foot over the summer!

Our handsome baby boy!

James and Madeline will go to the same school together for the next 3 years, then they won't be in school together again until high school when Madeline will be a senior and James will be a freshman! Crazy to think of what the picture in front of our door will look like!

Madeline is a pro at this school thing now. But I still walked her to class as I always do the first week of school. Snapped a couple pics (not too embarrassing) & said goodbye!

The Kinder teachers always make their classrooms and hallway so cheerful, bright and colorful! When we went school clothes shopping this summer James insisted on wearing his favorite colors, blue and green, on the first day. Doesn't he look handsome!?

He was happy to see his teacher whom he met last Thursday. She told him to pick a cubby to hang his backpack. He of course picked cubby #5, it's his favorite number since he's...well ya know 5!

He found his desk and sat down right away and started coloring.

 I think one of the things James is most excited about in going to school (besides learning really fun stuff and playing on the playground) is meeting new friends!! I would say both my kids are on the shy side with new people, but James is definitely more social able. He asked me, "Mommy can I talk to the kids in my class and on my bus even though they're strangers?" or "Mommy can I make friends with the kids that sit next to me on the bus?". Of course you can! So when Sandra (his classmate who sits next to him) sat down this morning I heard James say to her, "Hi what's your name again?". :) Then they started talking about what color crayons they were going to use to color their school house. It was so darn cute!

When we left the house this morning and he was still nervous he asked, "Mommy on the first day of Kindergarten your mommy gets to stay with you the whole day right?". So as he saw the other parents come and drop their students off I asked him, "Honey are you okay if Mommy goes now?" and with confidence he nodded his head yes. Gulp. I know he's going to do just fine! Can't wait to hear how their first day went!

Back to School Shopping

I can't believe it, but back to school night is in 5 weeks! James will start Kindergarten and Madeline will start 3rd grade. The past 3 summers I would start shopping for Madeline's school stuff around 4th of July, when sales would start. Now I have to shop for 2 kiddos. I'm the type that rarely likes to pay full price for shoes and clothes, especially name brand stuff. I'm always searching for deals, clearance, coupons and sales. And so far everything pictured here I got great deals on! For Madeline I've always had at least 2 pairs of good shoes for the school year: tennis shoes (for P.E. days) and slip-on comfy shoes (for Music & Art days). So I was able to score on great deals for a pair of Crocs and a pair of tennis shoes from the Disney store for James. I also got 10 pairs of socks on sale at Target for $6.99.

Madeline still has a good pair of sandals and boots, so she only needed new tennis shoes for the school year. She'd been dying to get these Chuck Taylor Hi-Top Converse. Kohl's had them on sale and I had a 30% off coupon, so we got a pretty good deal on them. Also found some cute socks on clearance for her at Target. My neighbor told me about this store at the outlets called Naartjie, she bought her daughter some really cute clothes on clearance there so I checked it out. I was able to get Madeline these really cute pairs of stretch pants that had ruffled bell bottoms for less than $2 each!

 

James got to pick out his first school backpack. :) I let Madeline pick a new one out each year, but last year I let her splurge and get one from Justice for Girls on the condition she use it for 2 years. So she will reuse her backpack and lunch bag from last year. James had trouble deciding but finally chose an Avengers backpack. He still has to pick out a lunch bag.

 

I love back to school shopping and the excitement of a new school year starting. Target and Walmart already have the classroom supply lists out...so we need to start purchasing that stuff before it runs out! Can't wait for back to school night and to meet the kids new teachers! Keeping my fingers crossed that James gets the same wonderful Kindergarten teacher Madeline had.