BTS

Back

To

School

bittersweet.

we've been in for a week already.

i never posted about the first day of school last year, so i thought i'd post about both this year and last year.  It's kind of fun to see the 2 years side by side, anyway.

the kids make and wear crowns to a very informal back-to-school dinner (inspired by nienie, but no where near as fancy- hers are amazing).

spencer 

3rd and 4th

he looks a bit older. 

this year spencer had discovered some gold spray paint, so it was all about gold back-to-school crowns.

kate

2nd and 3rd

can you tell that we had been swimming right before dinner last year?

ezra

kindergarten and 1st

what cuties.

after dinner, weston gives each of the kids a father's blessing.

then we make sure that all of the supplies are in their mudroom-hook-hanging backpacks, that they are bathed, their clothes are picked out, and lunches made.

then to bed early.

the next morning we're up early.

breakfast and ride or walk to the bus stop.

they usually ride their bikes, like last year:

and park them by the gate,

but this year kate's tire was flat, so we all walked.

i had my camera around my neck to take pictures, but i was carrying a couple bags of tissues and paper plates, and when i tried to flip my camera around to take a picture, my camera  f l e w.  out of my hands.  onto the ground.  i sort of screamed a little scream.  very small scream.  i am not a screamer, really.  it was more of an "aaaaa!"

i did not have any other lenses with me, so no pictures from that morning.

but it looks pretty much identical to last year's:

and going here:

2011: 

2012 (after school with a different lens):

17 kids at school this year.

spencer and timmy are the 4th grade class.

miss kate and ezekiel are the 3rd grade class.

and ezra, abby, and savannah are the 1st grade class. 

and my poor, poor, favorite lens is in a class by itself...

the defunct class.