First Days {2015}

Time for the yearly There's-No-way-l'm-This-Old punch in the gut post! Two weeks ago Marie and Erik started school--second grade and kindergarten respectively. Today, baby boy Ethan started Pre-K. (He'll do 3 years of preschool since his birthday is after the fall cutoff--all the better, I think).

We started off the year a few weeks ago with the Kidergarten Teddy Bear Tea, which is a chance for the Kindergartneners to come to school and see their classroom and meet their teacher/classmates and read a book while the moms [and Dads, let's be real] sit huddled in the gym and practice getting all their tears out. And get briefed about the business of being a Kindergarten parent. I still had a few tears left in reserve, but Ookie Man and his Ookie Bear rocked it at the Tea:

On their first real day, all three kids were excited (and the oldest two slightly nervous). At pickup all reported a fab first day, and Marie specifically gave me two thumbs up, saying her teacher was "hilarious." She got assigned to be the class librarian during the first week--big surprise there. Made mama proud.

I thought Kindergarten would be easier this time around, having previously survived the emotional turmoil. Nope. Not by a long shot. We lined up and walked through a gauntlet of clapping teachers and sixth-graders for the annual "Clap-In," which was definitely a little overwhelming. Erik's nerves mostly dissipated once we got into the classroom and all parents followed hiding behind tissues. It's a tradition for the teacher to read the story "The Kissing Hand" as a way to help the kids feel comfortable with their parents leaving, and as an exercise in torture for said parents who are trying desperately to keep it together until they can jet outta there.

I'm fine, Mom. Get outta here already.

Thankfully Ethan and I had gymnastics to get to, which proved a somewhat suitable distraction for me.

The Elementary school also kicks off the first day with another tradition, the Annual Ice Cream Social, where Marie was determined to win the hoola hooping contest this year (another way the ape doesn't fall far...). She got second, which I was delighted about but she thought was a travesty. The competitive streak lives on...

On Ethan's first day today, his enthusiasm was virtually uncontainable (which happens to be his norm). He was up and dressed and skipping around long before I rolled out of bed. 

He's so happy he can't even stand it.

The kids had some free time after getting ready quickly this morning (I'm gonna take a moment to acknowledge that this has never before happened and may never happen again, thus it was extremely momentous). I found big sister reading to him, and found out that she had also beat us to making her little brother's lunch. In which she left a note. [Insert ten thousand melting heart emojis].

I'm fine too, Mom. Get outta here already.

Our little Ham capped off the school day with a puppet show starring the mouse puppet he made:

We're blessed to have some fantastic teachers and administrators this year, especially at the elementary school, who have already gone to great lengths this summer to meet with us and help our kids feel more comfortable and be set up for success. Navigating school stuff as a parent is already overwhelming enough without any additional "stuff," so we feel really lucky to have such a great team supporting us and working with us on all our specific needs and focus areas. We've already seen some really positive strides, and I'm definitely as hopeful and happy about the 2015-16 school year as the kids seem to be. Here we go!

See that? That's what three whole hours of freedom looks like!
(To go do work).

One Happy Camper

For months, our little miss had been talking about having her 7th birthday party on her actual birthday this year. Being that it was a Friday and she had been dreaming up a camping party in the evening (because she is absolutely her father's daughter), we agreed.

Sadly, the day before her birthday she got sick, which foiled our perfect plans for her special day. Thankfully we were able to postpone to one week later and still have lots of fun (and LOTS of silly giggles, which we found out is what happens now when we get a bunch of little ladies all in the same place).

The birthday girl wanted to change things up and requested birthday doughnuts (why not, easier on me!!) as well as pizza for dinner. The rest of the party stuck with the spirit of the camping theme--eating picnic-style from trays, hanging out in her new tent "we" built, and roasting marshmallows. Also pinning the flame on the fire (which proves that I am a worthy kindergarten graduate with paper crafting skillz--I free-handed that bad boy after the birthday girl requested it last-minute).

We even stuck it out in the rain for a few minutes before going inside to open presents because we're not about being that hardcore. (We'll save that for next year's Ranger party).

In the end, we were glad to overcome the crisis of the delayed birthday and have a truly fun Birthday week. The newest seven-year-old on the block rated it two thumbs up, and that's what matters most!

Thank you Pinterest. And Carpenter Peter.

Camporee, Round Three

About three weeks ago we went on our first and only camping trip of The Year of the Disappearing Summer. [Can we take a moment to try and absorb the fact that school started this week? Like we're already in school, people]. The trip is put together by our church, and it's by far my favorite kind of campout, where the menfolk cook all the food (and then play cornhole) and the tweens/teens play with and watch all the kids, and the ladies sit and chat relax with drinks of choice and I inhale two whole books in three days.

This was our third such trip with our church, but this year was a little different. In past years we've always had a group campground reserved at Lake Dillon, but we didn't get in on the lottery to reserve the campground this year (I'm still not quite sure how it works), so the campout was held a bit farther north at Wolford Reservoir. There weren't as many trees, which made for slightly hotter days [but also slightly less frigid nights]. The scenery was a bit more rugged and very striking, and it was fun to be able to spend time on and in the water, riding around in a pontoon boat and splashing around by the dock. (At Lake Dillon you can boat but aren't allowed to actually swim since the lake is part of the Denver watershed).

It was also a better setup for community; there was a good centrally-located area for hanging out and having fun, and we got to know some old friends much better than years past, as well as meet new friends. 

The kids, of course, loved it all--roasting marshmallows, sleeping in the tent, getting faces painted, playing in the dirt, you name it. Me, I'm still lobbying for us to try one of those comfy campers one of these years [you can try to break me of my love of creature comforts, Army, but you'll forever fail]. But as always, it was worth it. I'm loving the tradition this trip has become for us, and I can't wait for next year!

Clifftop view of the swiming hole.

Fast asleep after church on the lake.

S'mores, fading facepaint, and (not so) scary stories.

Goodbye, campsite. See ya next year!