August 1, 2016-First Day of School

(click here for pictures)

• So today was the first day of school.  Robby and I did good last night and stood up from the couch at 10:30 and were in bed with lights out by 11 which is about 2 hours earlier than usual for us.  We had set our alarms for 6 this morning and hit snooze until 7.  But we did get on up then and start our morning.
• We had leftover doughnuts from Anderson's night at Nonna's house for breakfast along with some muffins.  Then it was time to start our first day of school.  This year will be a bit more challenging having a 5th grader, 4th grader, 3rd grader, 1st grader and Keaton and Whitman along for the ride.  They will be at school for 2 mornings a week and hopefully we will be able to really work hard on those days.
• The morning started fairly well and I did have low expectations for this day since we were just getting back into the routine.  Reagan didn't have any problems jumping back into her school work which was very helpful to me.  This is Anderson's first year for me to give him his whole weeks worth of school work at one time which worked pretty well.  Though I am a bit worried that he is going to save all of the more difficult things for the last day of the week but he will eventually figure it out.  Graham was the most challenging today.  He finished his school work around 3 today but it did seem like after the others started a movie, he was magically able to do the things that he wasn't able to do a few minutes before.  Campbell has gotten to be very teary lately and grumbling about everything so that didn't fly too well during school but she did get everything accomplished.  Keaton did some of her school work but did help occupy Whitman with sand, playdoh and a host of other games which all completely trashed downstairs.
• At 11, I stopped everyone and we did all sit down together and work on our memory work and science.  I think that all of that will go well this year but I am sure that everything will need a bit of tweaking here and there to figure it all out.  Then it was lunch time and I had frozen pizza rolls earlier in the summer and pulled them out to eat today.  That was very helpful and I wish that I could plan ahead every day like that for lunch.  After our big trip, that is going to be my goal-a lunch menu.
• We ate and then everyone went to work on their chores and after chores the boys and I had to go back to work on school work.  I had to help them and correct all of the work.  Pulling out school work, teaching everyone, checking work and everything else that I have to do during the school day is a bit overwhelming.  I sure can't imagine how a real teacher does it all!
• The afternoon went by way too quickly and the main thing that I was able to do was the treadmill.  I wasn't able to accomplish everything on my chore list but there is almost tomorrow.  We did pick up the house right before supper because the Wilson's came over to help us eat our huge pan of chicken spaghetti.  We asked them a zillion questions about their trip and also spent some time planning next years trip.  
• When they left, we cleaned the kitchen and tucked the kids into bed.  We passed our goal of going to bed at 10:30 but were there shortly afterwards.  Tomorrow is another busy day!