What…how did that happen…Summer is over!?  Today I’m sending Reece to 1st grade, Drew to 3rd grade, and Jake to 5th grade.  Wow that sounds really old!  Or maybe that just makes me old?  Either way, this mom is not ready to say goodbye to summer and hello to homework, making lunches, and millions of sports practices.  Oh well summer fun has to come to an end sometime and maybe we might get to bed before 11 soon.  I’m blaming it on the Olympics.  We can’t stop watching it!  I feel like I’m back in the days of the Royals in the playoffs and world series when families went to bed late night after night and everyone in the city was walking around in a fog.

Each year we all gather in our driveway for donuts and pictures with the neighborhood kids.  My kids absolutely love doing this.  They’ve been asking me for days if I had it set up and the food ready, etc.  So cute.  Don’t worry guys…I’ve got this under control.  I love how they are looking out for me (or themselves really).  Most years we have two days of celebrating because the kids start on different days.  Today was the high schoolers 1st day (yes, we now have kids in our group that are in high school!  Ava & Brooke…hope your 1st day was awesome!  The 6th graders started today and all of the elementary aged kids.  So, this means Morgan did not start today – one last day of summer vacay for her but she was outside with us this morning looking adorable.

look at this flashback photo…holy moly my girls are growing up!!

I love seeing all the new school clothes, backpacks, and perfect new shoes which will likely be scuffed by the end of this first half day of school (and knowing Jake and Drew they will be asking for new shoes by next week).  The anticipation and preparation for this day is overwhelming for all moms and we want everything to go perfectly.  This is why a neighborhood friend of mine hosts moms at her house for mimosas after the kids are dropped off!

Reece loves peacocks so we found this snazzy peacock backpack for her this year!  The boys are using last years because they were still in great shape (thanks boys!).

Meet Liv & Maddie Stowell our neighbors and friends across the street.  Liv is Drew’s 3rd grade buddy and Maddie is Jake’s 5th grade buddy for several years now.  We like to joke that they will get married one day (that would be two very cute & stylish couples).  For now, I wish all of these kids were still babies so let’s not jump ahead!

 

And Aunt Jenn always makes an appearance on the 1st day of school (donuts in hand)…she’s kind of famous around the neighborhood 😉

Reece’s bestie, Olivia,  started Kindergarten today!

I hope every single one of these kids has the best day ever, feel great in their new clothes, love their teachers and classrooms and have a successful school year!  And may the force be with all of us that are sending our babies to school all day for the first time tomorrow.  A new chapter begins…

Jake is famous for this move….putting the window down and waving at us each morning.  Hoping he doesn’t get in trouble for this…new bus driver…yikes!

At 11:35 we were patiently waiting on the side of the school.  Sure enough there was a mix up.  Jake got in the walkers line, Drew got in the bus line and Reece got in the carpool line. The secretary called me asking if I had Reece because the boys were in the office looking for her.  She was MIA for a minute.  Apparently we should try not to stray from the normal way of getting home because they were CONFUSED.  Not to worry, everyone had a great day and we enjoyed a family lunch at Austin’s.

Finally, I will leave you with this funny video of Reece at Austin’s bar & grill.  She has some great moves doesn’t she!?  Enjoy!