Thursday, August 28, 2014

August 28, 2014















































First  School Days.

Kate is in Mr. Allshie and Mrs. Lloyd's 2nd Grade class.  It is a team teacher which is different.  We went to the Open House the day before school started to find our class room and meet our teachers.  We actually already know Mrs. Lloyd because she has moved from Kindergarten and was Kate's Kindergarten teacher.  Who she loved and whose classroom she went to each day for 1st grade before the bus to give her a hug to.  So she is pretty happy.  We have a large handful of friends from the neighborhood and 1st grade and Kindergarten. So far it seems like things are going well.  Her first day she didn't have much to say but that Mr. Allshie is always telling jokes and that she played with her friend Jackie and picked a desk with her.  She wore this blue dress with aqua tights and a headband that we picked out school shopping.  She wanted to wear jeans and a Hello Kitty shirt but I told her it would be better to wear something nicer- so we save the Kitty shirt for 2nd day.  Kate and I and Sam all went school shopping together one night.  We bought way to much stuff and the kids thought it was cool to pick out all the stuff and to try it on in a dressing room which I have never had them do.   The night before Kate got a school blessing from her Dad.
Kate rode the bus her first day.  With all our friends from the neighborhood.  It was raining.  With everyone out waiting it made for an exciting first day.  We were 2nd to the bus stop, and each kid that arrived comparing new shoes and luncboxes seemed to add to a first day energy.  We are so glad the bus stop is just two houses away.  It makes it really easy as Kate just walks home with the girls who live next door, and I can see her walk the whole way to and from.  
We made Kate cupcakes for her first day home.

Sam started more than a week later to Kindergarten.  He was SO anxious.  He kept asking everyday "when is summer going to be OVER?"  he just wanted to start to bad.  It was even worse when Kate got to go but he still had 8 days of waiting and waiting.  He felt like he waited forever. He went to a Kindergarten assesment test a month of so before school.  He had even been excited for his "Kindergarten Test"  A bit nervous even he breezed through it like a super star with flying colors. A week before school starts they post teachers online and on the door.  We went to see the teacher and had me take a picture of it.    We went to an Open House the morning before.  We found his class and met his teacher Mrs. Broadhead.  She is teaching Kindergarten for her first year, but has been teaching 3rd grade at Heber Valley for several years.  She is a grandma and seems kind.  We found that we know two of the girls in class but nobody else.  He got a name tag he was suppose to wear the next day and found his desk.  He was now less excited.  Maybe he thought it was going to be more fun.  We found his playground too.  That night he got a school blessing from his Dad.
This  morning, both Kate and Sam were both finished getting ready at 7:04am.  I came out to find them dressed and having eaten the doughnuts Dad picked up for the big first day and brushed their teeth and cleaned their room.  Their shoes were one as well, and Sam had his name tag.  Since we still had over and hour before school began I told them to relax a bit.  When it was time to go I loaded all the kids in the car.  To drive Sam to his first day.  Only after taking lots of picture of him of course.  He looked so old and handsome.  He just got a new hair cut we call surfer hair.  And he had his new spiderman shoes he had picked and was excited for.  He ended up having to wear a sweatshirt.  He wanted to wear a super hero sweatshirt.  I told him it didn't match and made him wear his new BYU coat.  He was cool with that.  We walked together into the playground where all the kids were playing until time.  Kate ran off to the big kid playground. Lucky as we entered we found his friend Jackson, and then Kohler and then Grace.  He got to play for ten minutes before the bell rang.  He was one of the last through the door because he was talking to his friend Kohler.  We ran into his friend Julia who is in his class and walked to class together.  I didn't go in the class but said goodbye as he hurried in.  He got to ride the bus home.  The neighbor had ice pops ready for all the kids as they got off.  He was excited to play outside.  He told me facts like they went on a tour of the school and that he played with Colt at recess.  That was about it.  It seemed like a good day.

The kids play after school until 5:30 or 6pm lately outside with all the neighbors.  During summer people are in and out, and there is always somebody to play with but not every body at the same time.  Now that school is in but Rec sports haven't started it is everyone outside after school all night- which is so fun.

I've worried a lot lately if my kids are getting what they need from their school.  or more so if the 8 hours they spend away at school is time well spent, since it seems like lots of lunch and transition time.  But both Kate and Sam are super smart.  And excel and behave.  So I don't doubt they will do well and be amazing.

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