First Day of School

    Back to school is always such a bittersweet time for us.  On one hand the kids are so excited to get back to school and their friends.  On the other hand, they are gone all day and we miss them at home. It also means summer is over for us and we can't do much during the week.  It's back to the grind of school, homework, early bedtimes, and lots of activities!  Its a crazy season, but an exciting one for sure!
   Every year since I was a kid, we have gone to a local pizza place the night before school starts.  Of course, we share the same tradition with the kids.  After we had pizza, we went back to my sister's house for an ice cream sundae bar per the kids' requests.  It was a sweet ending to a fun summer!
    Dawson is in the first grade this year.  He and Ella are in the same class again.  They have a wonderful teacher who is so caring and kind.  She is a really knowledgeable teacher, so I know they will learn and grow a ton this year!  They really like her and say she is really nice.
   Ashlyn is in the 4th grade at the School in the Woods.  This school is definitely unlike anything we have ever experienced.  One major change is that she now rides the bus to and from school.  She carpools with a boy in the neighborhood so we only have to pick her up from the bus stop in the afternoons.  She just loves riding the bus and has made some good friends on their daily rides.  She is really enjoying her experience at her school.  They are always going on some adventure.  They have gone on several field trips including Pikes Peak and Chico Basin.  They even had an overnight camping trip that Ashlyn said was so much fun.  I love in this day and age with such a push for technology in classrooms, that her school focuses on the opposite and not being constantly plugged in and instead learning from nature around us.  She has plenty of time to focus on technology, it is nice she gets a year to be outside learning.
    Gracie also started preschool with Ms. Emily.  We were very sad to learn she is moving and will no longer be doing daycare come the end of October.  We are sad, but well so grateful our kids got so many years with her.  I am not sure what I will do with Gracie.  We are looking into other preschools, but most are already full.  I can work with her at home, but worry about a lack of social interaction.  Also, with a newborn in the house, she may get kind of bored.

Ella making her sundae

Ice cream time!

My beautiful girl.  I can't believe she is already in 4th grade!  

She wanted to wear a normal outfit for her first day picture.  

This is her naturalist look. 

Boarding the bus for the first time

Our big first grader

I can't believe all three of them are now in school.  

Best buds

Walking to school

Dawson looking for his teacher

Dawson was happy to discover that his friend Ethan was in his class again this year.  

Heading into school