Back to School!

Well, Savannah started school this week and it has been great for everyone!! She was so nervous and excited for her first day that she was sick to her stomach Monday morning. All the neighbors had a potluck breakfast for the first day of school and she could only eat half of a Creamie (who brings popsicles for breakfast?), and a sip of hot chocolate before she headed across the street to wait for the bus. The bus finally arrived and she got on and happily waved to Hunter and I (Collin was off with his buddy Carson). She loves the bus (she's the face in the metal-framed emergency exit window)!! These first three days have been half-days, but she thinks she knows it all now. I forgot to tell her to make sure to get on the right bus the first day, but she is starting to think ahead and told me that she remembered the bus driver, so she got on the right bus. She is excited to have a long day because they have THREE recesses. I have been told that it is "so cool" that her class has their own lunch table in the lunch room--in fact everything about lunch is pretty cool. Hot lunch, American style doesn't exist in Australian schools, so she thinks everything is amazing. Yesterday, I asked how her sloppy joe was, and she said, "They gave me a chicken sandwich and it was DEEE-licious! It was a giant chicken nugget on a bun! And they gave me two drinks--I chose chocolate milk and an orange slushie." What?? Chocolate milk days were special when I was in school and where were those orange slushies? She has been as happy as can be, and the dynamics of our home sure change with one less bored child around. Collin can't wait to start his preschool next Tuesday--we're headed to back-to-school night for him tonight.
While Savannah's away...the boys have been busy riding around in the Jeep. Last week the neighbor/primary president called to see if I would substitute for the 12-year-old class in primary. Then she asked, "And do you think you would want the Jeep? I've only charged it once or twice in the past three years until you guys moved in and now I charge it once a week." How could I pass that up?? Every time we go to Walmart, the kids have to go by the bike/electric toy vehicle section and take a look. Hunter bawled every time we had to leave it because he wanted to look at the tractor a "teeny bit longer." I certainly wasn't about to shell out $200-300 for one, since I thought they'd get sick of it quickly, and I wasn't looking forward to them asking for one for Christmas. But now that they've got one, they are out on it everyday. The first day, Savannah took charge and drove the boys around. Then when she went to her friend's house, Collin thought he could drive it (Jessy was out mowing the lawn and supposedly supervising this). I was doing dishes when I heard some yelling and looked out the window to see Collin trying to push and lift the Jeep while Hunter was patiently sitting inside. They had the left side wheels off the pavement and were high centered on the sidewalk! We've now set some rules, like stay on the grass, so our yard has turned into a racetrack. Hunter thinks he can drive it, but he can only barely reach the pedal so it jerks forward a few inches and stops. It's pretty fun for them and they are definitely using it well--thanks, neighbors!!!

The first week of school is always tiring, but I thought this was funny. Yesterday I woke up when my cell phone alarm went off--in the kitchen. I thought for sure the kids would wake up with it, too, since they were usually up well before that. Well, Savannah didn't get up until 7:10 (this is major sleeping in for her), Hunter got up at 8:00 (also big time sleeping in), and Collin rolled out of bed when the school bus pulled up at 8:15 (not so much of a surprise). I didn't catch Savannah sleeping, but thought the boys were pretty funny in their sleep poses. You can see that Hunter invaded our bed last night for the first time in a long time. He wanted a drink of water out of a certain water bottle and had a hard time settling back down to sleep.