new school year

The kids have been in school for a couple of weeks now, and we are getting into the new grove of thing. Carter is in 1st grade now = all day school 5 days a week, and layla is in pre-school = 2 hours 3 days a week. Carter feels like life is really unfair right about now, because he doesn't get to be home all day on Craigs day off, layla only has to go to school 3 days a week, and benson gets me all the time; so we have been trying to point out the advantages to him of his new school schedule. Here is what we came up with.

1. he get's to be the only kid at breakfast with me and Craig every morning, because Layla and Benson are usually still sleeping.
2. He gets to pick what treat he wants in his lunch box.
3.Chocolate milk!
4.walks home with one of his favorite friends everyday (if it's not raining, snowing, hailing, blowing, or iceing).
5. 20 exclusive minutes with Mom (me) when he gets home from school to go over homework, read, and catch up with each other.
6. and the biggest advantage to going to 1st grade....(drum roll)........The big toys!

Carter is super excited about the big toy. Last year he was on the other side of the school, and they just have an old school style playground on that side, so he's movin' up in the world.

Layla was a little nervous about that first day, but I think she has been enjoying it once the jitter bugs went away. I talked to her teacher about this next thing, and she said it didn't happen, so that makes it kind of funny. Every day when I pick her up and ask her to tell me about school she says the same thing. "my teacher was mean today. She made every one put their heads on their desk....except for me, because I was being really good." She heard Carter say that once, and I guess it made a real impression on her.

The other thing she told me about school is that she is worried she is going to get too smart, and her brain is going to get too big, and her head band won't fit anymore!

....Ya never know.


p.s. I have a new format for my blog, and I can't find spell check...which I normally rely on Heavily:)

kindergarten graduation

Sometimes you just gotta brag about your kids...right? You know you've done it! I certainly have, and now I'm about to do it a little more:) This past School year Carter was in Kindergarten, and he did so well. He came home one day with a flyer and said, "Mom, I'm going to win an Ipod!" so I read the flyer and found out the story. His School was going to hold a spell-a-thon, and he had to get pledges from friends and family for each word he got right. The ONE student that raised the most money from the ENTIRE SCHOOL would get an Ipod. So, being the loving Mother I am, I thought to myself "ya right, not going to happen", but I said to him "OK honey, if you work really hard anything is possible". longs story short...He WON THE IPOD! He got 52 out of 52 words right, and raised nearly $500. Also, he was the only kindergartner invited to the Young Authors Celebration. He was chosen because of a couple of the books he wrote and illustrated. Carters teacher would read his books to his class for story time sometimes, and she submitted his name for the honor. And wait, there is more. He also excelled in reading, he is actually a grade ahead, so he got to go to the library with 2 other kids from his grade and check out special books, which was a really big high-light for him. If you can't tell by now...I'm really proud of my little buddy for all his hard work. Ok, I'm done:)