The first day of school is here. The girls are pretty excited about the return to the school routine and going to school. They had their clothes picked out ahead of time and the morning planned. Julia’s biggest concern was if Mama would be on board for getting everything done before we needed to leave. Mama had input from both girls for what should be found in their lunches. Many requests for the rest of the week were given too.

Julia was a bit more nervous than her big sister. She was not interested in giving smiles for the photos and once we got to school she just scanned the kids faces, teacher faces, room layout, and just about everything else just trying to take it all in. Emily’s teacher was ready to go and was already giving classroom instruction to the class a few minutes before class even started. He must have a lot to cover on the first day. Third grade must be quite serious.

They were ready to get into the building! Excited for sure!!

The backpack doesn’t dwarf her so much these days. The backpack had to be worn on one shoulder only.

Julia’s desk and her first activity. She was a bit over photos and smiling. This is her “mama get this over with so I can do fun stuff” face.

Julia and her teacher.

Here is our spirited second grader. She had trouble going to sleep last night, had no trouble getting up this morning, and carried herself with an extra bounce today.

Outside of school while we were taking first day photos Emily’s friend came by and joined in a photo. Emily has several friends in her class this year.

First day with our teacher. She made a great impression with Emily last week when we met her. This just added to Emily’s excitement. It is going to be a great year!

Another year has passed and we are saying goodbye to another grade and teacher. Emily has loved 1st grade and her teacher Ms. Johnson. This year has been full of learning addition and subtraction, learning new words, learning about writing, learning to love reading, and lots of fun time with friends in the classroom. It is fun to watch Emily use all the reading skills she has learned. She reads signs, books, and just about everything else. Now it is time for some fun days with sunshine and sister.

Julia has finished her preschool program. It was two days a week for several hours. Most days were filled with playtime and she enjoyed going with her friend Maeve. After several years of going to the same place, next fall will be really different, but Julia is excited about up-and-coming kindergarten.

Flashback look! My how that little one has grown.

It is our first day of 1st Grade today! Emily was up early and waiting for the house to join her. She must have been excited. Her backpack and clothes have been ready since last week. She picked something blue to wear of course!

Sporting her backpack that doesn’t seem to swallow her as much as it did last year.

Mama and Julia walked Emily to her class. Emily went last Friday to meet her teacher and find out where the class is. Mama asked Julia if she was ok leaving Emily today and she thought it was fine. When asked if she would miss her while playing she answered that "Mama will just play with me instead".

Emily was happy to get right to work on her desk assignment. She was ready and eager to follow the instructions given to her.

Emily with her 1st Grade Teacher. I think they will get along great this year. Both of them seem to have a bit of bounce to their personalities. Emily asked to bring a croissant to the teacher for her first day. Seemed like a great way to start off the year!

This day finally came!

Emily picked out her clothes the night before, ate a good breakfast, consented to a few photos, packed up our family in the car, drove the mile and half, and made the journey into her new stage of life.

Emily was a little apprehensive about the unknowns of the day, but also excited about school. She was literally jumping with excitement before we left the house this morning. When we got to school she marched down the hall with her Daddy like she knew what she was doing. Emily patiently waited her turn in line to turn in her school supplies and meet the teacher. She seemed pleased with the attention and then enjoyed her practice exercises while she waited for the class to start. We asked her to give us hugs and tell us goodbye and then she happily went back to work on her desk assignment.

When it was time for pickup, she seemed to have a bit of a deer-in-headlights look until she found her Mama in the right car. Once the "helper" was getting her in the car she was exuberant to tell Mama that "School is Great!". She wasn’t a fountain of stories on the way home, but she continued to tell little things that has given a window into her day. She loved hearing stories and going to lunch. No playground today because of the rain though. She is definitely looking forward to going back on Friday.

When we dropped off Emily in her class we took the whole family. It seemed like a good idea for Julia to know where Emily would be during the day. When we left the classroom to walk down the hallway Julia told us, "I want my sister!". She did get settled and she had her own excitement for the day that distracted her. It was pretty sweet to see how much she enjoys being with her sister.

Emily’s new homework desk ready for when she has some.

Our Big Girl!

Check out her BIG flowery backpack. Maybe we will remember to get a photo like this around the end of the year to see how much smaller the backpack looks as she grows.

Our photos had to be taken inside today due to a rainstorm.

Her favorite Kitty lunchbox accompanied her to school today.

Her first school lunch, she told me that she finished it just in time. It seems lunch ended just after her last bite. Emily can be quite a talker at lunch instead of focusing on eating.

Emily walking down the hall to the Kindergarten wing. She wanted to do it on her own and didn’t want to take Daddy’s hand. Our independent girl!

I’m sure this will not be Emily’s assigned seat, but it was for the first day with her first coloring and writing activity. She was pleased as punch.

Emily with her Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Pendergrass