The End of Back To School

Last night was the last curriculum night of the back to school season for Tim and me.  It was at the middle school for our eighth grader and sixth grader. We had already been to our the curriculum night for our kindergartner and curriculum night for our fourth grader. We had already done all the back to school shopping and worrying and reminding and routine creating and more reminding, and given pep talks about homework and remembering locker combinations and not worrying if they mess up especially in the first couple weeks.  By the time we were pulling into the middle school parking lot last night, we had grown weary of back to school everything and quite possibly a little slap happy.  Maybe that's why we had so much damn fun there.

The parking lot was packed, there were actually cars lined up waiting to turn into the lot and people walking from half a mile down the street.  It looked like there was a concert happening, a concert that a bunch of middle age suburbanites would line up for, like Weezer or a Bell Biv Devoe reunion.  

At the exact same time, Tim and I had the exact opposite reaction to the crowd.

I said-- "Ahhhhh," sounding like my middle school age kids. "Look at all these people, lets skip this and go back home and watch an episdoe of Sons of Anarchy." 

Tim said-- "There's so many people here, hurry up, we are going to be late."

We laughed at how different our reactions were and then Tim asked to be let out at the front door so he could get to class on time.  After asking if he was serious, I let him out and then went to find a parking spot in the back of the building.  I took my time going into the building stopping to chat with a few friends and then decided to skip first hour (the evening was set up to mimic our kids' schedules so we had 10 minutes in each subject hour and a bell would ring just like during our kids' days).

I met up with Tim in our eighth grader's second hour.  Tim was sitting in the back of the class looking around nervously.  I strolled in right as the bell rang.  I tried to whisper to Tim but he wouldn't look at me because class had started.

"I don't think we would have dated when we were in high school," I told him after class.  

For the rest of the evening we met in between classes by the lockers. Laughed at each other and ourselves. I got lost and skipped another class. Tim took notes in all of the classes. We each saw friends and chatted about how lost we were and how old we felt. I took a picture and put it on Instagram. Tim got annoyed.  We laughed some more.

Feeling a little more relaxed and even more tired, Tim decided to give in to my rebellious ways and skip the last hour and we headed for home.

That's it, we can officially close the books on the whole back to school season. Now it's all settling into routines and dealing with the day-to-day mania of having four kids.  And resting before the holiday craze which if the stores are any indication is any minute now.  Good-bye back to school hello Christmas.

Back To School Weirdness

For the first time in over a decade, I was left home alone on the first day of school.  All my babies left on school buses for the first time since I became a parent.  And it was weird.

It's weird because I miss them so much but not enough to be up for homeschooling or anything like that.  It's weird because it's an end of an era, an end of a season of my/our life.  It's not bad, it's just weird and bittersweet and unsettling and exciting and new and a little uncomfortable and ahhhhhhh.

I can't say that I love this new phase yet (it's only been two days!). I love watching who my kids are becoming and learning to parent them in new ways and hearing about their days at school. But I would not be truthful if I didn't say I don't miss when they were younger and told me everything and we had long lunches and did crafts in the afternoon and a few of them napped and waaaaa.

They still humor me with back-to-school traditions that I started over 10 years ago before I was on Facebook and Instagram and had a blog.  The traditions aren't fancy--a poster board and a sharpie to document the grade and the date.  

I love these traditions, and all of our traditions.The kids may think I'm a little wacky and a couple of the older kids may roll their eyes and that's okay. But I'm going to keep doing them. These traditions ground them/us/me. They are are a rite of passage and a goofy good time and great for the scrapbooks (I mean if I made scrapbooks).  

Wade thought it would be cool to wear his backpack as a frontpack and I kind of loved it.

I found this pic on the camera (JT took it) and I thought it was a pretty good pic  because it looks like I'm laughing.

Tim made it home from work before the little boys got off their bus after the first day of school. And he got a chance to talk to Lucy about her first day of middle school.

It was Wade's dream to ride the school bus. He LOVED it.

Wade loves kindergarten

Goofy, cheap poster boards are the tradition and so is Pencil Cake.  I've made the pencil cake every first day of school since Peyton was in kindergarten.  After JT was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2010, I had to change the recipe to make it gluten free. It still tastes great!

I like making a big deal out of things.  I like making things more special.  I love sharing these moments with my family.  I love being with these kids (even when the squabble over who gets the eraser part of the cake).

I'll get used to all the weirdness of having all the kids in school and getting older and growing up. I will.  But I refuse to stop making pencil cake and posing my kids in front of signs and doing a night-before-the-first-day-back-to-school-dance (to this song)....no matter how old they get. 

Counting Down To School

The pencils are sharpened, the backpacks are hung on hooks and everyone is so excited about school starting. Well, not really everyone.  We drove by the middle school and one of the older kids said "there's the jail."

I get it. I am not that excited. I wish it could be summer forever--sunshine, long days, no schedules, no real have-tos, late dinners, swimming pools, sleeping in, flip flops, road trips and bike rides. Ahhhhh!!!! The best.

I almost found myself saying "yeah, I know" when one of the kids called the school a jail. But wait, there's good stuff about going to school and I know it and I want them to know it too. Especially Wade. Wade is starting kindergarten in a few days and is so excited.  I don't want our bad attitudes bringing him down.

It's not school that is horrible anyway. It's busy routines and jam-packed days and winter in Michigan and staying on top of homework, that's the hard stuff.  Transitions and change can be hard for some of us too. So, I made a countdown to kindergarten for Wade. 

It's a simple craft using a thick poster board, some paper and pencils (I glued the pencils to the board for school-ish look). Each night Wade pulls of a number and we talk about what school is going to be like. It's not only getting Wade more excited, it's sort of helping all of us get excited. 

I just propped it up on our easel in the dining room. 

I find countdowns help with transitions.  Each night when we take down a number around dinner time. It's a good time for all of us to reflect and ask questions and talk about not only the things that we are excited about but also the things we are a little nervous about too.  As a family we've talked about what to expect in kindergarten  and fourth grade and middle school. Lucy talked about being nervous about having a locker for the first time. Peyton told her what teachers he really liked having in sixth grade. JT said maybe he's a "little excited" about school (um, that is HUGE!). And Wade says the same thing every time "I can't wait!"

His enthusiasm is hard not to love. Another bonus of the countdown is when Wade asks "how many days until school starts?" (and he asks that A LOT), I just say "check the countdown and tell me."  

Countdowns don't work for everyone, but they are working for us and helping some of us with our back to school anxiety.

Happy Back To School Everybody!

It's A Revolution & What I Know For Sure

This has been a long week of first days, finding routines, letting go and trying to figure things out. There was so much anticipation on the night before the first day of school and then the night before the second day of school.  So  much excitement, so much hope.  

I was determined, as I am every back-to-school season, to be different, be better.  I vowed to not lose the Get To Know My Child paperwork, to buy all the right school supplies, to finally find a morning routine that is smooth and doesn't involve anyone yelling.

And just like every year, by the second day of school I was um, what my older kids would call a "total fail."  I lost paperwork, forgot to buy the damn protractor, only bought one composition notebook instead of three and I yelled a little when I found the kids literally climbing the walls of the porch before school.  Total fail.

I was yelling at the kids while taking a picture.
Because yeah, I'm pretty good at multitasking.

A few years ago, I called these vows of "I will be and do better" Back-To-School Resolutions.  You know, like the resolutions people make in January to be and do better.  Just like in January, my back-to-school resolutions were seemingly made to be broken.  I am very good (and consistent) at breaking resolutions.

Back when I first talked about making these autumnal declarations of change, Lucy, a sweet non-eyerolling second grader, misheard me and asked "What are back-to-school revolutions?"  I thought that was so cute.  But looking around at our week I also think she was right, this time of year is more revolution than resolution.

There is so much change, so much breaking away, heading out into the unknown; so many new experiences, new ideas, so much learning and doing.  It is filled with hope and anxiety and energy.  It is messy and imperfect and uncertain.  It is full of setbacks and triumphs. It is overthrowing a schedule, putting in a new regime.   
It's a back-to-school revolution.

Wade heading into his new adventure...PreK.  He seems older this week.  Even his shadow looks more grown up.

I don't think I will ever find a morning routine that doesn't involve a little bit of yelling or rushing, but I can handle messy and imperfect and hopeful.  And yeah, we are exhausted, but we got this back-to-school revolution, I know that for sure right now.

Part of the revolution is acceptance.  I accept that some people might think Wade showed up to PreK orientation with messy hair, mismatched socks and a spider tattoo because he is our fourth child.  Even when I know that is not the case.   The truth is messy hair, mismatched socks and spider tattoos are pretty much who we are. I accept that and pretty much love it.

Here's what else I know for sure this week:

• My obsession with Friday Night Lights via Netflix is in full effect.  This is the only back-to-school advice I could come up with for the chalkboard.  We are in the middle of season three and I'm LOVING it so much.

• This is a funny football commercial.  It's not just back-to-school season, it's football season. Whether you are a fan or not, this commercial is funny.  It makes me laugh out loud.

• I'm still trying to meditate.  My last attempt involved me spilling coffee all over me.  People meditate with coffee (filled with really bad for you artificial creamer) right?  I posted this picture on Instagram and was going to use the hashtag "peaceandlove" and my autocorrect made it "peaceandlice."  Yeah, I'm still learning this whole mind, body, peace, zen thang.

The winner of the Mala bead bracelet from Little Bird Soul is Jeanna Parks. Congrats Jeanna.

• I'm cool with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  People are upset that we are rushing fall and I say who cares.  I won't order a special fall drink until the leaves start to change, but if people want to and it makes them happy I say do it.  Just like the people that have already started counting down days until Christmas, it's not my thing, but if it brings you joy....go for it.

• Imaginary friends have gotten very tech savvy.  Wade uses his fake phone to "text Frank" all the time.  Yup, this is what having an imaginary friend looks like in 2014.  And yup, he is wearing his snowman Christmas pjs and it's the first week of September.

What do YOU know for sure this week, right now? Are you embracing the revolution? Share it here or over on my Facebook page.

Come follow me on Instagram.

The Back-To-School List

It's the beginning of a new school year.   

This is the time of year that we get to start over.  So listen up kids... Did you struggle with math last year? Well this year, you can show 'em your stuff and rock the times tables.  Sally and Johnny* giving you a hard time last spring? So what, who cares? It's a new year and the summer only made you better, smarter, taller and more wonderful-er.

*Sally and Johnny are made up people with super old-school names to represent all kids with nice names who might be going through something at home and taking it out on my kid or your kid.

That goes for moms and dads too.  Did you have an uncomfortable conversation/confrontation with Sally and Johnny's mom at the car loop?  Time to move on, it's a new year and it's all about fresh starts.  So last year you didn't make into the classroom to help out as much, or ever?  No worries, new year, new classroom and 5 million new opportunities to volunteer.  It's a new year and the summer only made you better, smarter, maybe taller and definitely more wonderful-er.

This year I have an exciting opportunity to become a totally new person because the kids switched to a different elementary school.  So yeah, I can be a whole new me, a better me, maybe even a proud PTA member.  

I know, I know, I might be overreaching with my start-over dreams.  Maybe I should slow down a little.  As I type this, I am falling into dangerous patterns. Patterns that are so last year (and every other year).  Like writing this instead of filling out my kids' new school year paperwork that's a week late.  Oh man, this isn't looking good. 

Every September I make Back-To-School Resolutions, or revolutions as Lucy used to call them a couple years ago.  Every fall I want to seize the opportunity to better myself.  I make more resolutions in January. 

Looking back...
My 2011/2012 Back-To-School Resolutions with Updates:

• Finding the perfect morning routine that gets the children to school loaded up with a healthy brain-food breakfast and no anxiety. 
• Actually spending time with the baby, Wade, while the others are at school and finally reading him a book. 
• Learning to love little league/pee-wee football.  If your kid is in it you understand, you have no choice in it taking over your life.  So you better learn to love it.
• Not getting mad at my husband and playing the who works harder and is more tired game every night.  
• Drinking less wine.  I must admit I was going to name this post "How blogging made me an alcoholic" because I am enjoying a glass or two or three with each post.
• Tweeting more.  Yup, that's right I really want to get skilled in...Twitter.  

Back To School Resolutions for 2012/2013:

• Volunteer in my kids' classes more.  I told JT's new teacher she would see me more than when she was Lucy's teacher, which was never. Mwha-ha-ha. More than never, those are good odds.

• Get more creative with my kids' school lunches.  Even at home, I lack creativity.  After this summer, my kids will never want another hot dog again for as long as they live.

• Say "hi" more and judge less.  The end.

• Get more sleep. And kick the baby out of the bed, for good.

• Drink less.  Analyze less.  Lose my temper less. Laugh more.  Run more. Relax more.

This was how I spent last Saturday night, learning to play my ukelele.  It was a resolution from last January.  Sometimes I follow through with my resolutions.  Although, I'm very bad and can't play a song yet.

Sometimes it seems like I'm always resoluting, resolving or revolting.  I'm always focused on what I should do differently.  This September I'm revolting against my resoluting.  Oh my god, are you confused with what the hell I'm talking about?  Here's the what...this year instead of things I'm changing, I'm going to make a list of things that I am okay not changing right now. 

• I will never worry about whether my kids' socks match.  I only care when they do and even then we will have a conversation about why it really matters.

• Wade can climb into bed with us a little longer.  He's 3 and if he needs to snuggle in the middle of the night and that means I don't get as much sleep, that is okay.  It will not last forever.

• Drinking is my hobby right now so I'm going to keep doing it.

• Reality TV, I watch it.  PerezHilton, I read it.  I am unashamed.

• I simply cannot return a library book on time, I am sorry but I don't see that changing soon.

• This is not the year I will be PTA president or even a member. But thank you PTA moms for everything you do, being you is amazing and a goal of mine in previous resolution posts.

• I have become the worst morning person (it could have something to do with my latest hobby).  Completely incoherent, but I still try to make the kids a decent breakfast and serve it up with a song, which they loooove.

• Emotional intelligence, it's a thing and I've got a little of it. It isn't an MBA, but I believe it is helping me be a decent mother.

This list was much more difficult to come up with than any list of things I would change about myself.  But it feels sort of good to accept and appreciate myself.  Although I still wish I was taller.  

I challenge you to come up with a list, a list of things you feel okay with right now.  Things you appreciate or find pretty cool about you right now.  It sounds simple, but I bet you sit and sit and think it's a little impossible.  Because we are all very good at finding flaws, duh, that's easy.

For now I am sorry PTA, but I have to go fill out my kids' paperwork while I have a glass of wine and watch Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Back to Business and What I Know For Sure (this week)

This so called short week has felt very, very long.  

There has been a lot of change.  

This picture was taken only one week ago, but it feels like a month ago.

This is how we get back to business mode.

We're all in back to business mode---kids are in school, Tim's work is getting busier and he's staying longer and later, bed times are earlier, etc.
"There's a lot more traffic in the mornings now that school is back," I thought out loud the other morning in the car.

"Yeah, now that all the kids are in school,  the moms and dads are going to the mall," Lucy said.

Yep.  All us moms and dads are shopping all day long now sweetie.  
It's funny what a kid's viewpoint of our world looks like.  Some times it's right on target, other times not so much.

My sister used to start a sentence and then pause for...the....longest...time before finishing.  It drove me crazy.  Mostly because I hung on every word and idea she had.  Lately I find myself doing the same thing.  I start a thought, a sentence and then I get distracted and take....forever....to....finish it.  If I even do finish it.  And it drives my older kids crazy.  But they've also made a bit of a game out of it.  For example, yesterday in the car:

"I need to put on make-up so I can....," I began.

"Look younger," offered up Lucy.

"Look better," suggested Peyton.

Ugh.  I left myself wide open for kid interpretation.  I have to get myself back to business and at the very least finish my own sentences, that I know for sure (this week).

Here's what else I know for sure (this week):

• I hate when marriages break up.  Maybe it's because part of my emotional maturity never got past the year I turned 12 and my parents got divorced. Waaaa. Or maybe it's because I'm mildly obsessed with celebrities and I feel like I know Amy Poehler and Will Arnett.  Whatever the reason, I'm sad that they are getting divorced because they seem nice and funny.

• My kids can drive me crazy, but they are really sweet.  I love all the special moments like my oldest boy reading a bedtime story to my youngest boy. This. Is. Love.

• Zuppa Toscana is the bomb.  Yeah, I'm typing about soup.  Yeah, that's weird.  I usually hate soup unless I have Strep throat. Note I said "usually" because I have fallen in love with a copycat recipe of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup (another side note: I never go to Olive Garden) (yet another side note: it's gluten free). It's f@*#ing amazing. Click HERE for the recipe. You're welcome.

• I'm too old to Rock the Vote.  For the record, I watched both the Republican and the Democratic Convention.  I just thought it was funny that last night even if I wanted to watch the Video Music Awards I couldn't, because I don't even know what channel MTV is.

• This movie looks good. Check it moms. A movie about strong women and yet another movie filmed in one of the most awesome cities ever, Pittsburgh.

• The Ryan Gossling Tumblr turned into a book called: FEMINIST RYAN GOSLING: Feminist Theory (as imagined) from Your Favorite Sensitive Movie Dude is sort of brilliant. Click here to check it out.

• Tweenparent.com looks like a site I might be visiting quite a lot this year.  Some good stuff here.

• Twitter is seriously my best friend.  I may be the parent of a tween but that doesn't mean I don't still act like one.  I love Twitter.  Come play with me.  Follow me here @AngelaYBlood.

• Facebook is political.  Yesterday I wrote a post suggesting we shouldn't unfriend someone on Facebook or unlike a Facebook page just because we don't agree 100 percent on who should be elected president this November.  And you better believe, some people unliked me.  Waaaa.  Help me feel  better and like my Facebook page or share it with a friend to like.  Click here to help my inner 12-year-old feel more confident and loved.

What do you know for sure (this week)?  C'mon leave a comment and share what you know.

Every First Day

It's the first day of school.  

Three of my children are going to elementary school this year.  For one son, it is his first day of first grade.  His first year of elementary school where he stays all day.  For another son, it is his first day of fifth grade. His last year of elementary school.

"This is a great year," my oldest son's new teacher told me when we met her last week.  "Fifth grade is the year they really figure out who they want to be in middle school. It's an exciting time."

For my daughter it is her first day of third grade.

  
I hated third grade.  Mrs. Hutchins was my teacher, she was a soft spoken, strict teacher.  I didn't love her.  She didn't love me.  But what really stood out from that year are a few bad memories: my hideous perm that kids literally pointed and laughed at, when I misspelled Wednesday in front of the class (stupid D) and it is the year math started to suck (or I started to suck at math, guess it's how you look at it).

Each grade helps you figure out who you want to be in middle school and beyond.  Each phase, each bad perm (no one perms anymore though right?), each misspelling, each mistake, each first day, each really awesome totally wonderful greatest day ever, each horrible heartbreaking unfair moment--they all add up.  They add up to make you who you want to be or never want to be ever again. (That's my kind of math--emotional math.)

Every first is important.  Every step, phase, whatever you want to call it.

My wish list for this day of firsts, and every day from here on out, for my kids is: 

• I wish, hope and pray that my children learn better coping skills than I possess; 

• They find people that see potential in them who nurture that spark of something into real amazingness; 

• They are good to their friends and people that aren't their friends;

• They know they are loved no matter what always and forever;

• They see the joy in life and for god's sake appreciate it all.

Baby Wade is the only one at home now.

While the older kids are in school, baby Wade and I will be playing with my latest obsession, Instagram.  Come on over and play, follow me here:

In case you missed it, here's my Good-bye To Summer video:

Back To School Resolutions

We attempted to do some back to school workbooks and it didn't go too well.

After a loooooong couple days with all of my lovely children, I will tell you....I am very ready for school to start.

Yesterday morning we headed up to the elementary school to meet the kids' teachers for the new school year.  The new school year that doesn't start for six days, nine hours and five minutes.  Roughly.

Last year, I went to the meet the teacher event, called "World of Welcome," full of excitement and hope. My children proceeded to turn into mini devils.  The morning ended with JT biting Lucy.  Yup, we left quite an impression.

So really, unless JT bit the new teacher, this year had to be better right?  And it was.  All three kids seem, dare I say, excited about school starting.  And nobody bit anybody.  

I'm not only ready, but I'm excited too.  I'm excited for a lot of different reasons--the kids soaking up some knowledge, hanging with their friends, getting away from me and coming home happy (okay, that last part is wishful thinking I know).

The last couple weeks of summer are always a little rough.  We've had our fun.  We're ready to move forward, but not ready to let go.  We are all a little nervous about all the unknown that a new school year can bring, for all of us.  We have butterflies.  

But mostly, we get so sick of each other these last couple weeks that we can't wait for the first day of school.  A change.  A fresh start. 

Last year, in the vein of newness and fresh started-ness, I came up with a list of resolutions.

My 2011/2012 Back To School Resolutions with Updates:

• Finding the perfect morning routine that gets the children to school loaded up with a healthy brain-food breakfast and no anxiety. 
• Actually spending time with the baby, Wade, while the others are at school and finally reading him a book. 
• Learning to love little league/pee-wee football.  If your kid is in it you understand, you have no choice in it taking over your life.  So you better learn to love it.
• Not getting mad at my husband and playing the who works harder and is more tired game every night.  
• Drinking less wine.  I must admit I was going to name this post "How blogging made me an alcoholic" because I am enjoying a glass or two or three with each post.
• Tweeting more.  Yup, that's right I really want to get skilled in...Twitter.  

Click here to read more about last year's resolutions and my back to school revolution.

The only thing I followed through with is tweeting more. Whomp. Whomp.  So, just like my New Year's resolutions, where I've resolved to learn a new language and lose 10 pounds every January for the last 15 years, there are things that will stay on my list.  I will still be searching for that perfect morning routine, still trying not to get mad at my husband while playing the who is more tired game.  And don't even get me started on the drinking thing.  Just don't.

A couple new items on the Back To School Resolutions for 2012/2013:

• Volunteer in my kids' classes more.  I told JT's new teacher she would see me more than when she was Lucy's teacher, which was never. Mwha-ha-ha. More than never, those are good odds.

• Get more creative with my kids' school lunches.  Even at home, I lack creativity.  After this summer, my kids will never want another hot dog again for as long as they live.

• Say "hi" more and judge less.  The end.

• Get more sleep. And kick the baby out of the bed, for good.

• Drink less.  Analyze less.  Lose my temper less. Laugh more.  Run more. Relax more.

We will enjoy the next 6 days, nine hours and five minutes.  And yeah, we may bug the hell out of each other, but that's part of the process of school prep right?  

I will be making this hooray, I'm happy face again on the first day of school. Believe it.

Get in on the Back To School Giveaway

The chance to win not one, but two cute bags from Thirty-one is still on for two more days. (The winner will be announced on Friday.) 

Read the details below:

Thirty-one products are pretty and pretty cool.  You can't go to your kids' baseball game or the pool these days without seeing at least a handful of moms with a thirty-one bag. You know why?  Because they are practical and fashionable. 
And it happens to be my first giveaway.


You could win not just one gift from Thirty One, but two.  I am giving away a thermal tote and a cinch sac in the adorable Flutter pattern.

All you have to do is, leave a comment here, like the Facebook page, or leave a comment on the Facebook page and you will be entered to win.  This is the perfect back to school prize.  And if you are interested in hosting a party (so you can get more free items, discounted items and hang with your friends)click here. 
 (Click here for more information on Thirty-One.)