Goodbye Summer....Hello School Year!

Yes it is officially over! Summer has ended and the new school year is here! We have all survived the first week back, amazingly enough. I knew the kids would be fine, but this was my first time working the first week of school AT the school! Let me just tell you it is a totally crazy thing! All is well now...I have gotten caught up on my sleep this morning and I'm ready for another week! I can now reflect on those things that we will miss about the summer and take a look at the first day of school for the kids!

Collin's greatest joy was getting up before anyone else on those joyous summer mornings....can't drag him out of bed when it's a school day, but armed with the knowledge of a computer all to himself and total control of the TV remote....he's flying out of bed before dawn!
And my darling Samantha...her true summer joy was endless sleep! I just can't really blame her. She is totally her mother's daughter!
And it begins......at the bus stop by 6:50 a.m., not even really light yet, here we are at the bus stop. He even has a smile on his face. Lovely.
McKenzie, Kyler (now the big 6th grader!), and Collin......all together.
They really do love each other......
Then the sun was finally out and about and we were ready for the next group to get to the bus! Samantha was ready to go around 7am....bummer that the bus doesn't come until about 7:50. But she was ready and able to help her newest school attending cousin, Cade, get to the bus as well!
Doesn't she look so cute! I can't believe she's already in 5th Grade.

Here's the whole gang.....(from left to right) Eliza, Ali, Cade, Kavan, Karlee and Samantha. Eliza and Ali are not attending school however...just there for moral support.
Faces only mother's could love! Don't they look like brilliant students. Gotta love them!

More Summer Fun!

It was Collin's first year at Scout Camp! It was something he was really looking forward to, especially since his dad was going to be able to go with him. How fun is that! Since I wasn't there, I don't have first hand knowledge of all the scout stuff that happened, but here are some photos you might enjoy.

Swimming Hole fun!

Hangin' with a fellow scout and good friend, Bryant!

He's not tired is he?

A skill taught at camp of balancing water bottles on your

head is very critical to learn as a first year scouter!

That's my boy!

Quite the fisherman!

While I was in Oregon and Kirk and Collin went to Scout Camp.....Samantha got to go spend time with her Atlanta cousins and Grandma and Grandpa! She was not sad about this at all! She had so much fun I think she got a bit spoiled!

Swimming in Grandpa's pool!

Going to Six Flags...

Going to art class with Grandma! What an artist!

And finally, going to the lake house to find some fish!

Thanks to Aunt Betsy, she also got to go horseback riding, rollerskating and more...thanks Aunt Betsy and thanks to Grandma for keeping her plenty busy and having fun!