Back to School

Our first day of school was August 22nd.  The kids were ready.  We had done all our school shopping, had been to back to school night, picked up computers (for Molly), and the kids had all had their blessings.  They were easy to get up that morning.

Molly, 5th grade, Daniels Canyon Elementary.  This is her last year in elementary school and that is sad and crazy and hard to believe.  I am so glad they put 5th grade back in elementary.  This is the last year she'll ever go to school with Brynn.  She was a little sad not to be going back to Old Mill Elementary but plenty of her friends were going to be at the new school with her and she already knew two girls from our ward who were going to be in her class (Sloane Ellingford and Pallas Andersen).  Wasatch County School District gives all students 5th-12th grade their own computers so that was extra exciting for her.  They also give 5th graders a really nice black backpack with a yellow "W" on it that they keep through the duration of their schooling.  It is extra padded and has a spot for their computers.  Molly needed a new backpack this year so that worked out great because I didn't have to buy one for her.  (Stockton and Brynn each have computers as well, they are strictly for classroom use and kids aren't allowed to take them home until 5th grade.)

Molly is in Mrs. VanHouten's class.  She was a little worried prior to going because we had heard she gives a lot of homework but she has loved her so far.  She has loved all her teachers so I figured she'd love VanHouten as well.  They do have weekly homework and a monthly book report but it doesn't seem crazy to me and Molly is able to manage it easily.

She has made some really great friends in her class.  Besides Sloane and Pallas, she plays with Jackie Bingham and Rylie Ball.  Also a boy name Deema, which is a shortened nickname of something longer but I don't remember.  There are no soccer fields at the new school which she was bummed about but they mostly play tag on the playground at recess.  She told me that she really loves this group of girls because they are fun, make her laugh, and they are good at being themselves which means that she feels completely comfortable being herself.  She likes that there is no drama involved and they can just have fun together.  We've had all of them over to our house and they are very sweet girls with good families.

Molly finally figured out her preferred style this year.  In the past she has picked some really cute clothes but ended up not wearing them very often and pulling old T-shirts out of her drawer.  I would make her wear a "cute" shirt once a week and she mostly didn't put up a fight about that.  This year, she picked things she really knew she would like...light-colored jeans, comfy T-shirts that still look nice, and red Converse sneakers.  She also really wanted some black track pants with white stripes down the sides and we were able to find a pair of those for her.  She is happy, I am happy, so it's  a win-win.

Stockton, 3rd grade, Daniels Canyon.  I have a hard time thinking of him in 3rd grade and always tell people he is in 2nd grade.  The years have flown by when I think of my boy.  He has Mrs. Davis who was Molly's teacher last year-she absolutely loved Molly and is equally fond of Stockton.  He is a good boy and all of his teachers have loved him.  He does well at school-good reading and writing, good at math (he loves learning times tables), and I know he stays on task and does his best work.  Mrs. Davis doesn't give homework but she encourages the students to get on her class website where they can follow links for different math/reading activities so Stockton does that everyday for his homework, along with his reading minutes.

Stockton doesn't talk much about his friends but I know he makes friends easily so has many.  He has played at a boy's house named Sam Freeman but we haven't had him over here yet.  He rarely asks for friends over, probably because he is happy to play with Brynn or Easton and Corbin when they come over after school.

Stockton likes sports T-shirts and dark jeans.  Through the months of September and October he would ask every night what the weather would be the following day and if it was above 60, he would wear shorts.  I started to tell him that he might consider being a weatherman when he grows up! He is picky about his hair and always makes sure it is combed before leaving the house.  I doubt he will wear a beanie the whole winter because he doesn't want his hair to get messed up!

Brynn, 1st grade, Daniels Canyon.  First year of all day school!  She has done great and, although some mornings she has a hard time getting up, she enjoys school and it has boosted her confidence- not that she is lacking at all in that department.  Brynn has Mrs. Hayter.  I didn't know anything about her but she is a veteran teacher and I can see such a huge improvement in Brynn's reading.  Something with reading just clicked for her a week or two into 1st grade and she started reading everything in sight.  We also work hard all week on her spelling words and she has gotten 100% on her spelling tests for the last several weeks.  She is good socially and has many friends.  She has played at Marianne Freeman's house (the same day Stockton went to Sam's, they are siblings) and has had a girl from our ward over, although she's not in Brynn's class.  She is excited to share the best part of her day at dinner every night and I have loved seeing her success in school so far.

Brynn is definitely my girly girl, as far and shopping and fashion go.  She actually had quite a few things left from last year that still fit so she didn't get many new clothes.  My mom bought her shoes like she always does but she had her heart set on those boots so I caved and bought them for her since she wasn't getting much else.  They have and will continue to get their use because she loves them!  She also wanted new "dangly" earrings and chose some butterflies for the first day.

I love these kids so much.  They are my everything!

catching the bus with the Anderson boys

New this year-they love riding their bikes/scooters to the bus every morning so they don't have to walk home.  I follow behind them in the car because I don't like them waiting so close to the highway.  They have continued to do this as the weather has gotten colder.

That leaves Ivy.  It's just the two of us all day every day.  I feel like I've entered a new stage of motherhood and I am loving it, even though it is different.  I had to go down to Orem a month or so ago to get the tires rotated and we walked across the street to the University Mall and the new play area they just put there.  It was full of young moms with a couple of toddlers running all over and often a baby on their hip as well.  It felt weird to me to be there with just Ivy and I was hit by just how fast time really goes.  Not long ago that was me with 3 kids underfoot all day and never getting any time for myself.  Now it's just Ivy who is easy and who still takes a nap and leaves me with a couple of hours all to myself each day.  It's strange and, when I think about it, makes me feeling nostalgic.  I am loving this stage of life and I love watching the kids blossom and grow but it is true when everyone tells you to enjoy each stage because they fly by.

Anyway, Ivy has adjusted well to being with just me.  She is good to entertain herself in the morning.  She is easy to run errands with.  She loves to watch Sofia the First and it's usually the first thing she asks for each morning.  Like I said, she still takes a nap and does so willingly.  Sometimes she even asks for me to go put her in bed for a nap before I'm ready.  We haven't started any mom plans or activities but we have lots of years together so we'll probably start that next year.  She is my little sidekick and I am going to soak up these days with her as much as I can.  I sure am glad she came to our family when she did because I am definitely not ready for all my kids to be gone all day-she ensures a few more years of having little ones at home with me.