First day of school...We officially have a 1st Grader and a 2nd year preschooler!
We did the whole routine last night and this morning. Lay out the clothes, promise mom you won't argue over what we have picked out together, brush teeth, read books, say prayers, remind Parker to watch for Emmitt so he gets on the bus, remind Emmitt to take the bus to Stephie's, and don't remind Emmitt that he escaped from school last year or remind Parker that he took the wrong bus last year!
The four (usually Emmitt too) will forever be photographed just like this. Casual, cool boys with their arms around each other! I am hoping that they will let me take their pictures before school every year and never, ever be too big to do so. They are going to miss playing together every day!
Here comes the bus...that step is still a pretty big one!
Emmitt goes to preschool 5 afternoons a week. We cut through the grass and he took off on me. At least it was in the right direction. We ran up to the door, took a quick picture and then I asked him if he remembered where his room was. "No?" was his answer. So I led the way, we said hi to people in the hallway and I pointed out some letters that I saw on the walls. Come to find out they had a gingerbread hunt/Chicka Chicka Boom Boom scavenger hunt for all the letters on their tree!
When we sat down at dinner we asked the boys about their day and Emmitt told us his gingerbread story. I asked him what part of the gingerbread man he ate and he said the head and eyes! I reminded Parker that he had eaten the foot "so he couldn't run away again!"
Emmitt was able to find his locker and he was so proud of himself that he could reach the hook to hang up his bag! Then he promptly grabbed the fish bowl, picked it up and asked "what's in here?" I replied, fish I hope, not put it
down! He did and at supper he told me they are tadpoles!
Parker said he had a great day with Mrs. Dowty. She let them play outside a lot! Even on the big playground! I think she may have won him over on that condition. Last night before bed, I had asked Parker if he remembered his lunch code, his answer was "I think it is 911, actually." I bust out laughing and remind him that's the emergency number to call and that it is not his code. Mrs. Dowty was so kind to write it on their hand for when they go through the line they get it right! We had a good laugh about it though!
All 5 boys made it off the bus! I had a big sigh of relief that they did. Then they all asked me for a ride home. Which is down the alley, not even a block! I asked why and they all said...'cause we're tired!
Sleep well tonight little men!
On Saturday the 1st, we moved the equipment out. One by one, out the door and onto a trailer. Milo gave the kids rides on the dolly and on the equipment. I commented that at least somebody was having fun. The kids did great while we moved and hauled and packed. They have been told over the years to only touch the black part of the equipment! The white was the money in this case. Being in a franchise left us stuck in an agreement we had to abide by or risk being sued. So I was diligent at getting all my ducks in a row and following orders. The main part being that I couldn't sell my equipment. I either had to send it back to corporate, strip and scrap it or I could donate it to another club. I chose to donate it and charge them a delivery fee. But I needed the stuff to work when it got to where it was going. 
These 3 pictures of the empty, boring club make me sad. What once was a place for women to come together and always felt so warm and welcoming really was just paint on walls. But when it was the club, it was awesome. 
