Where Did It Go?

I was up to my eyeballs in closet cleaning recently and came across a box of saved school work from my big girls, K and M. Artwork, spelling tests, and creative writing assignments were mixed in with the report cards and field trip fliers. The little kid handwriting, with its grammatical training wheels and misspelled words, brought little misty tears. 

Forgetting the self-inflicted pile of closet debris around me, I stepped into my personal time machine and took off.

K's "All About Me" poster was eerily foretelling. And M's birthday party pics captured her glee with ease. Time flies is truly the most accurate statement ever uttered. How could my precious little people, my motherhood guinea pigs, be all grown up now and out on their own? With ballet recitals and soccer games, cheerleading and SkillsUSA checked off on their TO DO lists, where did I fit into their world now? My heart ached and my eyes grew a bit more than misty. (I'm not crying, you're crying.) 

I took a moment, then carefully placed the papers and drawings and photos back in the box, checking to make sure no edges were bent or 3D art masterpieces crushed. Then I pushed it back into the closet and headed downstairs. 

My two youngest babies were playing Star Wars Legos in the front room and suddenly needed big hugs. Or was that me?

No one has ever died from a Dust Bunny attack

It's official. Days 1 and 2 of Operation New School Year launch can be crossed off the list. Day 3 has gotten off to a great start, too. I cannot believe my kids are growing up so fast. (I know, everyone says that.)

They look so big, and so Non-Little-Kiddish lately. It makes me sad and proud at the same time. All too often once the kids are off to school, we head back to the computer, throw in another load of laundry, or start working on something extra for the job.

STOP! I have to tell myself again and again. STOP and enjoy the kids while they're little. They need me now. IF I've done my job, someday soon they will be independent adults. And I'll be dusting an empty nest. Bittersweet.

No one ever died from an attack of dust bunnies. Those chores can wait. Work will be there tomorrow. Social media can survive without you. 

What once seemed like such a long time, now seems like my life has been on fast forward. Eighteen years will be the shortest longest time ever. Carpe diem! Before nostalgia seizes your heartstrings and tugs ever so gently.

(pic: my brother and me on the first day of school, circa 1975)

A Defining Moment

inauguration
1569, from Fr. inauguration "installation, consecration," from L. inaugurationem (nom. inauguratio) "consecration, installment under good omens,".... -Dictionary.com

My son's 5th grade class will be watching today, even eating lunch in the classroom so they don't miss a thing. I wonder if years down the line he'll recall this day every time he eats Pringles and a bacon sandwich?

Where will you be watching?

Walking the Walk

We're so lucky - we live close to our elementary school. Yes, my kids will miss out on the daily routine of bouncing to and from their education on vinyl bus seats, but I'm OK with that. 

Each morning my husband walks our kiddos to school. Each afternoon I walk them home. It's great to get out and see the neighborhood, interact with the other parents, and embrace the elements! Even bad weather (snow, rain, wind) isn't so bad when you're bundled up and walking with people you know.

Walking to school is a great deal, too, in that it eliminates unnecessary vehicle traffic in the neighborhood, cuts down on exhaust fumes in the vicinity of young lungs, and, of course, shrinks gas costs as short car trips are not very fuel-efficient. I wish everyone had the opportunity.

Our local grocery is right down the road so we walk there, too, provided we don't have a huge shopping list. The kids are so used to it, they ask "do we have to take the car?" if we head for the garage instead of the sidewalk. We love it!

Check out out KUDL's new web page, 1Thing. Our wonderful partner, Bridging the Gap, has great ideas for cutting down on emissions and getting healthy. Check out the Walking School Bus info, too. It's a great way to do good for our world, and get in some kid time while you're at it.

Do you walk in your neighborhood? How are you cutting back on your carbon footprint?

Best Ideas for Teacher Gifts??

They teach your children to navigate life, cultivate social skills, and basically, to tackle the world. Without them, our children would grow up half-full, never knowing the joy of alegbra or the revolutionary war. They are invaluable!! But, how to do say "THANK YOU!" without adding to a reluctantly growing collection of "Teachers Rule" coffee mugs, "A+ Teacher" keychains, and quaintly inscribed apple-shaped products? In the past, I've expressed my gratitude to our children's teachers with spa certificates, grocery and dining gift cards, cutesy trinkets, and things for the classroom. The kids have made special gifts, too. But what's most appreciated? Do teachers have nightmares about sweatshirts emblazoned with apples and chalkboard designs? Is homemade better than store bought?

Teachers - weigh in! What's the strangest gift you ever received? The most meaningful?

It's Picture Day!

School Picture Day was always one of the most traumatizing, dreaded, stress-inducing events of my school years. My shirt never seemed quite right, my smile always turned out goofy, and it was a major challenge to keep from bumping my feathered and Spritzed bangs before the photo session. And heaven forbid it would rain!

Well, the "new" hasn't yet worn off of the kids' haircuts, and here it is Picture Day again. So, last night I spent an hour coordinating shirts (making sure that each was wearing a favorite, of course). Then I realized that we have 5-6 background colors from which to choose. Do I need this much choice? Gray has always worked well, but who can turn a cold shoulder to the opportunity to have a purple background on their school picture? We just got a new couch, so now I'm thinking the background has to coordinate with the new couch, so purple is out. What about the red? Sassy and vibrant...but it would clash with one of the shirts. Scratch red. Maybe if we put the pictures in the dining room this year instead of the living room, we could do the blue....or maybe the hall since the green would set off the background chair cushion....

We went with gray.