School starts tomorrow. Breathe. In and out. In and out. In and out.
We have our hopes so high for 1st grade. Eva has Mrs. Nickel this year. Ah the beauty of living in Smallville, USA...she was my sister's teacher, her husband is my mom's chiropractor, I babysat her daughter...
We desperately hope that Mrs. Nickel and Eva form a bond that enables her to reach her very highest potential, and above all, to feel happy going to school.
Here at home, we're going to miss her help...
...getting her brother dressed...
(Sorry Buzz, someday when you ask me why I let her do this, I'll explain that there is only one of me for my three children and as long as they are just plain not naked, I'm happy.)
...and entertaining Sage. Not every girlie can rock plastic lizards on her head like Sage McCage.
Something tells me these two will be alright without their big sister around as much though.
We continued our "last night of the summer" tradition Sunday night - a late night movie date. She picked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and chocolate ding-dongs. Thatta girl!
The Chachi Band does not like mornings. At all. Remember how last year it took her 1 1/2 hours to get ready to go out the door? This chart is our plan for getting her through the steps of the morning. My goal is that she will walk herself through each one without being nagged about it. She picked the pictures and we put them on foamboard and then gave them velcro backings. The happy faces at the side are for just plain having a good attitude. She will remove each thing as she does it (without being asked), and when the chart is empty, she gets to choose a reward. We'll see how it goes!
I also just want to say here that I am heavy-hearted about the current state of affairs in our country and our world right now. The country is in a financial crisis, London is burning, stages are breaking, drought is leaving thousands hungry...I could go on. I don't write about politics or current affairs much on here, but its not due to a shortage of opinions.
I guess I just want to publicly say that I know that the world is much much much bigger than the clothes my son wears or the velcro chart on my fridge.