the kind of day: Back to School

School Supply Shopping 2009

I know I'm a little late on the 'back to school' theme but with the onset of Rosh Hashana two days after the start of school, I didn't have much time to reflect - at least not here. Now that everyone has all their school supplies, and the rush is over, I can look back on the last week while the emotions are still fresh. One nice thing this year was school supply shopping. Strange, I know. I think it's because I used the divide and conquer method, which happened more by chance than by any great stroke of genius on my part. Oldest Daughter shopped in Bracebridge on Labour Day weekend and there were zero line ups, hubby took care of Number One Son and I took Youngest Daughter by myself a week after school started. I think psychologically it was way less painful because I didn't have to see it all on the same bill! However, I also didn't get any good pictures because Oldest Daughter was mortified by last year's experience (note the pencil case in front of her face in the photo above) and wouldn't let me bring my camera (as if anybody in Bracebridge besides our family knows who she is!). I was so tired when I went with youngest daughter that I forgot my camera, and of course Hubby doesn't scrapbook so why would he take a camera? It did make for a fun layout last year using the School House line of October Afternoon paper. For someone who originally didn't like most of their papers, I seem to use them a lot!

Documenting the Chaos

Eventually I'll do a layout about this year that will focus on the morning of, which was a rather pleasant one.

Look how happy they are to go back!

I can say without a doubt that this was one of the least stressful first day back to school in a couple of years. Everyone seems to be settled and even looking forward to some major milestones that will be marked this year. Oldest Daughter started her final year of high school and Youngest Daughter started her final year of elementary school - honestly, where did the time go!?! Number One Son is in his second year of high school, so hopefully there won't be too many new things to throw him off. Oddly enough this was also the first year I didn't take anybody to school. Oldest Daughter is driving her own carpool on Tuesdays, while I dodge the dreadful traffic of this city and slug it out to work on public transit, and the other two went with their carpools.

The Grade 12 badge of honour.

Kind of nice not to be so needed but kind of sad at the same time. Of course they still need me to make their lunches. I dread it every day and I'm not one of those people who can do it the night before. I know exactly what you're thinking - "Why are you still making their lunches?" I DON'T KNOW!!! I wonder the same thing myself. Apparently my lunches taste better -"because they're made with so much love" - says Oldest Daughter, who's totally shovelling s..... I'm just a sucker. Thus life is back to busy with getting everyone up (yes I still do that too), teenagers fighting over shower time, lunches to be made, everyone rushing to get out the door between 8:00 and 8:15, carpool, after school late pickups, dinners, and homework - and this is only the first two weeks. I'm already exhausted!!