My friends Ali & Lianne and their families were so sweet to send the kids a balloon bouquet the day before they started at their new schools. They were excited to get such a fun surprise! Thank you, girls--y'all are awesome!!
I loved this picture! :) :) :)
That night we tried to get in bed early so everyone would be rested and ready to go on Thursday. Crosby was super excited about starting Kindergarten, but I could't help but wish I could rewind time. How could five years go by so quickly?
These are the books we read the night before Kindergarten. This Richard Scarry book is one of our favorites, especially the fire fighter stories. I wonder how many times we've read The Firefighters' Busy Day and Smokey's Fire Engine?
Night-before-Kindergarten clothes
And these two...I don't think they wanted summer to end. They weren't quite as enthusiastic as Crosby, but I know they'll do great too! :)
Here we go again with the lunch-preparing, snack packing, etc.!
Morning photo time:
5th, 2nd and K
Praying they all make new friends and learn a lot!
Lane was off work that day, so he went to school with us--so glad that worked out.
Our fun-loving, confident, joyful Kindergartener:
Our thoughtful, super-sweet, energetic Second Grader:
And our kind-hearted, analytical, responsible Fifth Grader
(and 11 year-old Bogart):
Rhett wanted me to walk him inside his building. Lane, Alexee & Crosby waited in the car while I took R to the gym where the classes sit together before the bell rings. I didn't want to embarrass him, so I didn't take any more pictures. It was hard to walk away and leave him in a room full of strangers.
Crosby was in a hurry to get inside the building. He told us he didn't need us to walk him to his class. We followed behind at a reasonable (to him) distance, and I snapped a few pictures of him putting his things in his new locker for the first time. Then he walked into the classroom, sat down on the rug and started playing with a toy. No tears and barely a good-bye wave. While I was very thankful that he felt so comfortable with the whole process, part of me really felt like hiding in his locker and crying for a long time.
1st-3rd grades were told to meet in the gym, so we dropped Alexee off there. (She had accidentally stepped on C's foot, so he was mad about that in these pictures. ha!)
It was such a big help for Alexee to already have two friends to sit with. She still looked slightly nervous, but I felt better knowing she'd at least have two familiar faces at lunch and recess. We waited outside the gym door, along with her friends' parents, and waited for them to walk to their new classroom. I think these girls will become dear friends and have an awesome year together in Miss B's class!
Lane and I went to Panera Bread for breakfast with some other families that we've met. When we got back home I saw C's footballs on the kitchen counter. So sweet to me (reminded me of when I saw
A's pink blankets when she went to K). The house seemed very quiet. He must have been so excited that he got sidetracked when making up his bed--he forgot to put the pillows on. :)

I was anxious to go pick everyone up. The first day went fine. R's school is 15 minutes ahead on morning and afternoon schedule, so I picked him up first. He said he missed his old school, but I assured him it was just going to take a little time. Things have improved a little each day, and now he has a few new friends that he is hanging out with. They all really like their teachers. Alexee seemed like she had a good day, and Crosby's only complaint was that he didn't get to ride the bus home. He told me that he "didn't like school, he LOVED it!" and then the second morning he told me he "likes school like he likes sweet cake!"
Day 2