Back to School - otherwise known as Mommy is getting her sanity back

The long anticipated day has arrived and the kids have gone back to school.  This is a very bittersweet moment for me as I have both been looking forward to it but also dreading it.  This was my first summer home with the kids - EVER.  As I am just approaching my one year anniversary of being a SAHM (stay tuned for an upcoming post about that) I have never experienced the joy of summer break.

I had so many plans for ALL the amazingly fantastic awe inspiring things we were going to do together.  Well....we didn't actually get to all of them.  I could go on and on about the excuses reasons why we did not but really why bore you with those?  For this reason I wanted the summer to last a bit longer.  Our summer break was extended by a month due to the tornado damage but by the beginning of August my countdown to the return of school had begun.

We began picking up school supplies each week as they went on sale and the kids just couldn't wait to pick out their backpacks and lunch boxes.  Although they had a good time playing outside, at the pool, the park and the other little adventures we had over the summer - our kids LOVE school.  They began asking when they would go back the week after it ended in May :)  So the past couple weeks leading up to school have been much anticipated.

Well after all that anticipation we had to wait an additional day because the night before school was supposed to start we got hit with a major storm which caused flooding, downed trees and power lines so the first day was cancelled.  Go figure...

So now the part you all really care about - the pictures!

The backpacks were hung by the front door with care....in hopes that the first day soon would be there...

Payton was pretty grumpy that first morning as she didn't want to go to bed early like we tried so we did have some drama and tears but I think she still looks beautiful.

I still cannot believe she is in the first grade!!

She chose a Barbie backpack and coordinating big girl lunch box this year.

Walking to the school bus (which picks up in front of our house).

With a final "Good Luck" and kiss from Daddy she was off.

We entered Cole into a full-time Pre-K program this year.  I am still not completely sure about our decision but we think he will benefit greatly from it (Jay also really likes the fact that it is completely FREE).  Our big boy is growing up so fast and these photos show just how big he is.

So handsome isn't he?

Off to Preschool he goes (he was so excited).

He chose a super hero backpack and Transformers lunch box.

Off he goes into his class.

How cute is his name on his very own seat?

Now that my big babies are off to school full-time I am hoping to spend some serious quality time with my little babies as they will be gone before I know it.