It’s the last day of August, and I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings. I love reading these posts and seeing how everyone answers these questions.
This month’s topic is Back to School…
It’s hard to believe that we’re on our third week of school already! Thankfully, I feel like we are finally getting in a groove.
1. Where do you typically shop for back to school? Any tips?
It’s changed as the kids have gotten older, but we usually go to the outlet mall at some point to get them new shoes.
While Hayden doesn’t care much about what he wears on the first day, Hadley will always say, “Yes!” to shopping. I shared about her “back to school ‘fit” a couple of weeks ago. Her favorite store is probably Aerie.
2. How do you organize for back to school?
The last couple of weeks of summer, I try to start crossing things off our “to do” list and do a little bit at a time. One day, we might get haircuts, and another day buy school supplies. Right before school starts, I have the kids get everything organized, label their folders, and make sure they have everything they need.
I also have to get my classroom organized, and I always feel so much better after I get it situated. Hadley was a big help this year.
3. Do you meal prep? Any fall recipes to share?
I meal plan more than I meal prep.
I always write our activities and dinners on the magnetic paper calendar on our fridge. Last year, I made a point to do my Kroger pickup on Saturday, so that I wasn’t scrambling on Sundays. I hope to keep that up this year too.
I also try to get our lives/activities organized using the Cozi app.
4. Any back to school traditions?
We always do a “Back to School Brinner” a night or two before school starts. Of course the morning of the first day, I take the kids’ picture.
5. How long does it take you to get in a new fall routine?
Uh…I’m still trying to get that figured out. haha
I do feel like we are getting in a bit of a routine now that we are on our third week of school. Just when we figure it out, I’m sure our evening activities will change and throw us off.
6. Best lunchbox packing tips?
Since middle school, the kids buy school lunch. That being said, Hadley requested this lunchbox this year for days when she wants to take her lunch.
I don’t really have any packing tips. When the kids were in elementary, we’d pack these Yumboxes, and Hadley still uses hers.
I do think it’s best to pack lunch the night before, and I told Hadley that needs to be her plan this year if she’s taking her lunch.
Maybe on the days that Hadley takes her lunch, she will let me put a note in her lunch like I used to in elementary school.
As for me, I do try to plan my lunches. Every week, I usually split a bagged salad with chicken over two days, take leftovers one day, pack an “adult lunchable” another day and so on. I always take fruit and then some days I bring cottage cheese, chips, etc.
7. Best tips for getting out the door in the morning?
This year, I set an alarm for when I need to leave for school. I’ve done a much better job at getting to school on time so far this year.
I try to have an idea of what I want to wear for the week just so I’m not fumbling around trying to figure that out. Often times, whatever I wear to church on Sunday, I wear to school on Monday.
8. Slow cooker? Instant Pot? Neither? Both? Recipe to share.
Some of our favorite recipes are Sloppy Joe’s, King Ranch Joe’s, and Taco Tortellini Soup.
9. School bus? Car pool? Walk to school?
When the kids were little, we’d walk to school some and they’d stay after school for childcare or a sitter would pick them up.
Once they started middle school, they started riding the bus in the morning. I pick them up from school most of the time if they don’t have practice. They mostly do something year round, but never really at the same time until track season.
Hayden doesn’t mind to ride the bus home in the afternoon, but Hadley does. haha
It pretty easily works with my schedule to pick them up, so I do what I can when I can.
10. Start school before or after Labor Day?
Before! I wish we just kept it simple with a nice long summer of Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Hope everyone is having a great back to school season.
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I can’t believe that August is almost over…and with that, “summer reading” is just about over for me. Today, I’m sharing the books I read this month.
I started off strong with reading while I was in California. I finished one book on the plane, read another book in 24 hours while there, started a book, and then read a novella while on the plane. Then, I finished a book right around the time school started. Since school has started, I just haven’t had as much time…and can barely keep my eyes open at night.
I had a really good month of reading though…poolside, oceanside, and in the car!
Here are the books I read this month:
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Five-Star Weekend:
Summary:
After tragedy strikes, Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.
Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’s perfect life—her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline—grow deeper.
So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend”—one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie.
The husband of Hollis’s childhood friend Tatum arranges for Hollis’s first love, Jack Finigan, to spend time with them, stirring up old feelings. Meanwhile, Tatum is forced to play nice with abrasive and elitist Dru-Ann, Hollis’s best friend from UNC Chapel Hill. Dru-Ann’s career as a prominent Chicago sports agent is on the line after her comments about a client’s mental health issues are misconstrued online. Brooke, Hollis’s friend from their thirties, has just discovered that her husband is having an inappropriate relationship with a woman at work. Again! And then there’s Gigi, a stranger to everyone (including Hollis) who reached out to Hollis through her blog. Gigi embodies an unusual grace and, as it hap- pens, has many secrets.
Quick Thoughts:
I think this is my fave EH book to date. This was the book I read in Cali in 24 hours! I loved the premise, the different friendships and of course the Nantucket setting. It was the perfect summer book to read.
Rating:
FIVE stars for the Five-Star Weekend.
Hello Beautiful:
Summary:
An emotionally layered and engrossing story of a family that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.
But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?
Quick Thoughts:
Wow! This book hooked me from the first page. It might be a top contender for the books I read this year. There are complicated relationships with many layers – sisters and marriage, love, death and everything in between. This is a story I think that I will always remember.
Rating:
The Sixth Wedding:
Summary:
A sequel to 28 Summers – Jake McCloud returns to Nantucket for Labor Day weekend 2023, this time without Mallory.
Quick Thoughts:
This short novella is a postscript to 28 Summers which is one of my favorite EH books. As I read it, I realized that it was in Endless Summer that I read in July. Now, I’m not sure if it was all in Endless Summer, but I knew that major parts of it sounded familiar. That being said, it was the perfect quick read on the plane, and I loved reading about these friends being reunited for Labor Day weekend.
Rating:
Hotel Laguna:
Summary:
In 1942, Hazel Francis left Wichita, Kansas for California, determined to do her part for the war effort. At Douglas Aircraft, she became one of many “Rosie the Riveters,” helping construct bombers for the U. S. military. But now the war is over, men have returned to their factory jobs, and women like Hazel have been dismissed, expected to return home to become wives and mothers.
Unwilling to be forced into a traditional woman’s role in the Midwest, Hazel remains on the west coast, and finds herself in the bohemian town of Laguna Beach. Desperate for work, she accepts a job as an assistant to famous artist Hanson Radcliff. Beloved by the locals for his contributions to the art scene and respected by the critics, Radcliff lives under the shadow of a decades old scandal that haunts him.
Working hard to stay on her cantankerous employer’s good side, Hazel becomes a valued member of the community. She never expected to fall in love with the rhythms of life in Laguna, nor did she expect to find a kindred spirit in Jimmy, the hotel bartender whose friendship promises something more. But Hazel still wants to work with airplanes—maybe even learn to fly one someday. Torn between pursuing her dream and the dream life she has been granted, she is unsure if giving herself over to Laguna is what her heart truly wants.
Quick Thoughts:
While we weren’t in Laguna Beach, I still thought it would be fun to start this book while in California. I love historical fiction, and this one didn’t disappoint! Hazel was such an amazing central character, and I loved the beach town setting. This is another favorite book of thesummer.
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars
Summer Reading Update:
I had such a great summer of reading.
Read:All the Days of Summer, Endless Summer, Meet Me at the Lake, Summer Stage, The Five-Star Weekend, Hotel Laguna
Currently Reading:The Block Party
Picked up from the library:The Summer of Songbirds
I’m enjoying The Block Party, and I will definitely finish it. I just haven’t had tons of time to do much of anything lately besides school and shuttling the kids everywhere they need to go. I’m not sure if I will go ahead and read The Summer of Songbirds or not. I definitely wan to, but I might save it for next summer?
How was your weekend? We had a really good one, but I feel like I need a weekend to recover from the weekend.
Friday evening was a blessing in disguise though. We had tentatively made plans to go to the pool, but after a hot day, we had severe storms roll through. We ended up ordering Chinese carryout for dinner, hanging out at home and watching tv. Not that going to the pool would have been a taxing activity, but it was just nice to be home, in my pjs, and just relaxing before the busy weekend ahead.
Saturday, Hayden had a cross country meet, and then Travis and I high-tailed it to Nashville for a friend’s birthday party. We had such a great time seeing so many wonderful friends. Then, yesterday, once we got home, I spent most of the day doing all the things to get us on track for the week ahead.
Anyway, I can’t believe it, but August is almost over. So, I’m sharing my favorite memes from the month.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it, but August is my least favorite month of the year. I always drag my feet going back to school (but it’s always good once we get in a routine), and it’s just a really long, stressful and tiring month.
I’ve probably never related more to a meme that this one…
Did you hear the news about Bob Barker? Ahhh. I used to love The Price is Right! I saw this meme on Saturday, and while I kind of wondered if it was “too soon,” the sentiment was a sweet nod to him and the game show.
My friend sent me this one (thanks, Allison!) …lol
Literally…so hard to do sometimes!
This happened to me on Saturday as I was trying to rush out the door, so we could get on the road. So maddening!
Last week’s temps were just stupid. This week, I think we are in the low 80’s, and it will be such a nice reprieve. That being said, I’m definitely ready for fall.
Me yesterday…(and quite a few days since the school year has started)
Me Friday night …lol
Me…always! Why am I this way?
This one just made me chuckle. There were a couple of times this summer that we went through the McD’s drive-thru just to be disappointed that their ice cream machine was broken.
I hope these memes start your week off with a laugh! I can’t believe by the end of the week, it will be September. I’m ready for it.
TGIF! This week has felt extra busy which made it go by pretty quickly. I think this is our last really hot day for now, and I never thought I’d be so excited about low 80’s degree days, but that’s on our horizon.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favoritesfrom the week.
Favorite photo(s):
Our friend shared some of they professional photos from our fun evening a couple of weeks ago celebrating at Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah.
I loved this one…
…and this one with some of my favorite people
Favorite moment:
Seeing Hayden back on the race course this past weekend was fun.
…and I can’t wait to watch all the runners this season. Coach White and his crew kick off the cross country season this weekend.
Favorite food:
Quick and easy dinners were the way to go this week! I made thisCheesy Fajita Baked Chicken again, and it’s officially a family favorite. Like last time, I used peppers from our garden which was an added bonus.
Clothing item:
Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I’ve had lots of favorite outfits lately.
Favorite Amazon find:
I always wish I could burn a candle in my classroom, and I decided to try this Candle Warmer Lamp. I was sooo pleasantly surprised that it worked!
This week, I tested out a single wick candle as well as a three wick candle, and they both worked! The lamp helps warm the candle and it’s a subtle scent. You touch the shade, and it’s dimmable. There are three settings, and I’ve kept the light brightness on the second one. Anyway, I’ve looked forward to turning this on as soon as I get to my classroom every day this week.
Last Saturday evening, when we arrived at Hayden’s race, Travis and Hayden wanted to get out of the car in order to get his racing bib and get settled. So, they hopped out of the car, and I said to Hadley that they didn’t even say goodbye.
She said, “Cross country season…live, laugh, love.” 😆
Favorite Mom Meme:
This sure is the truth!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
In honor of cross country season starting, I love this throw back to the kids’ 5th grade year when Hayden placed 1st and Hadley placed 4th at their end of season county race. Who knew we’d have so many races in our future?!
I hope you’ve been having a great week. We’ve just been trying to stay cool!
I haven’t written a Three Things post in a while, so today I’m sharing a few tidbits about each of us.
1.Mowing the lawn: You know you are in middle school when your dad tells you that you are old enough to start mowing the grass. LOL
Hayden took on this responsibility this summer, and he’s really kept up with it. For living in a neighborhood, we have a decent sized yard. There have been a few times that Travis will split the responsibilities with him, but overall, Hayden has kept up with this task. I’m not sure if he realizes that he has a couple more months of mowing left to do, but he’s had a good attitude about this responsibility.
On top of mowing our yard, he’s mowed a few neighbors’ yards, watered flowers and fed the neighbor’s cat as well.
2.Cross country: I can’t believe it’s already Hayden’s 8th grade cross country season. I swear, I think middle school years really fly by because they are only there three years. Hayden had his first race of the season on Saturday, and he did great. It was a 3k race, and he placed third overall. Eventually, they will run 4k races later in the season. I’m hoping for a healthy season for him. Towards the end of both his 6th and 7th grade seasons, he wasn’t 100%. At the state meet as a 6th grader, Hayden was still recovering from Covid. Then, last year, Hayden injured his IT band about ten days before the state meet. Anyway, I’m just hoping he can have a healthy season!
3.Scrambled eggs –I’m sure I shared that last summer Hayden mastered grilled cheese and quesadillas for lunch. Well, this summer, he mastered scrambled eggs for breakfast. While I realize making eggs isn’t that hard of a task, I commend him for eating healthier than a Poptart and a taking a few extra minutes to make a homecooked meal. Now, if only he’d wash the skillet after cooking them…haha (Maybe he’ll master cleaning next summer?!? A mom can dream, right?!)
1.Babysitting- Hadley has been quite the sitter this summer. She’s been able to watch my brother’s kids quite a bit, and Hadley and her friend watched a few kids together at one point this summer. She’s at a great age to hang with the little kids, and she enjoys earning money. Hadley continues to say that she wants to be an elementary school teacher, and so far, I think that would be the perfect fit for her. Besides baby sitting, she’s done a great job helping neighbors when they’ve gone out of town. She’s fed fish, collected mail, watered flowers and more.
2. Volleyball- This year, Hadley wants to focus on volleyball. I really can’t believe she’s not dancing anymore, but I also appreciate that she’s making these decisions on her own. She really fell in love with volleyball last year, so I hope she has a great year. In our district, the girls middle school basketball is in late summer/fall, and then volleyball is late fall to December. So, right now, Hadley is playing a short season for a club, but it’s more like a clinic a couple days a week practicing serving, hitting, and blocking with some scrimmages as well. It seems like the perfect time commitment and a way to work on the volleyball skills before the season.
3.School goals– Hadley has big goals this school year, and she also declared this as the year she stays organized. Like most first weeks of school, she has all the school supplies, and she has all her folders organized. Honestly, she even helped Hayden organize his folders for the school year. Besides staying organized, she says she’s going to manage her time better as well. I guess time will tell.
1. I can’t believe that I’m starting year 22 in education! I’ve had a few friends ask me recently if that means I will retire in six years. Unless we win the lottery, the answer is no. Thirty years has always been my goal for a variety of reasons…and depending on what I’m doing when I hit year 30, I may stay longer. I have sat in plenty of meetings looking at grumpy educators and thinking, “Why don’t they just retire?” I never want that to be me. I hope I’m always approachable and helpful to new educators over these next few years.
Also, I’m still doing academic intervention, and I’ve really enjoyed that over the past few years. I hope I can continue doing that, but there are times I miss the classroom full of kids. I’m also still in charge of our after school tutoring program and credit recovery sessions. For now, I don’t mind this responsibility because it’s another way for me to help students and teachers.
2.Travis is coaching cross country again this season for the kids’ school. It’s definitely an extra time commitment, but he enjoys it. He will be busy soon with work and the September horse sales.
3.Homer is probably sad that we are back to school…haha
I guess Homer updates are pretty boring since he’s matured and is a pretty well-behaved dog. That being said, when we were out of town, we had a new dog sitter who said as soon as she opened the front door one day, he bolted out of it. Poor lady was panicked to get him back. I guess he hasn’t matured that much?!
Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve shared what I’ve been wearing.
I’ll be the first to admit that I drag my feet getting back into school mode, but one thing I do love about going back to school is wearing some of my favorite summer outfits.
So here’s a peek at what I’ve been wearing lately…
Hi my name is Jen, and I love a summer dress! I also loveShop Style Your Senses, so you’ll see a few items I’ve purchased from SSYS over the past few months.
I wore this lilac dress when we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah. I wore it last spring to Keeneland, and I’ve worn it a few times in between. (Actually, I think I might wear it to school tomorrow!)
This is one of the pieces from their label, and I love everything about it…the color, the fabric, and the fit!
For a professional development day before school started, I wore this matching SSYS set…and threw on one of my favorite cardigans. (You never know about the room temps in a school building!)
I wore this SSYS dress on the first day of school. (I also have it in black) I also wore this dress when I met up with friends and then again to church on recent Sunday. This dress is perfect, and I love the zipper detail.
On the second day of school, I wore this cute new Amazon dress. I saw someone share it on Instagram, and I ordered it. She said to size down, so I tried a medium, but it was a bit tight in the chest. So, my typical size large is what works best.
I just thought it was a cute dress, perfect for school, and it has pockets!
On Sunday, I wore this SSYS dress to church. It’s so bright and colorful, and I love the cute ruffled collar. (and it has pockets!) Anyway, it’s a lot of fabric, so I don’t think I will wear it this week to school because of our hot temps…but I will definitely wear it a few more times before fall.
On Monday, I wore this black dress that I got last summer, and wore a cardigan over it for school. This is my same favorite cardigan, but in a different color. I wear it all the time. I’m still loving the sandals I ordered in the spring, and have been wearing them often as you can see.
Yesterday, I’m not sure why I chose the hottest day of eternity of wear pants…but I did.
At least they are my comfy Matilda Jane pants, and my favorite summer sweater. Apparently, I love a gold sandal. I think I got these at DSW, and I’ve had them for years. I love them because they are comfy, pretty, and a little nicer than flip flop style sandal.
One more addition to this post…for the first time ever, I ordered from Shein. I ordered three dresses, and really liked this one. The other two were just ok, so I plan on returning them.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with all three considering the state of the package that was on my front porch. The Shein package looked like it had been dropped on the highway and then sat on the side of the road for days.
Obviously, the dress needs ironed, but it think it’s cute.
Also, y’all I’ve embraced the claw clip. I just noticed in a couple of the photos, I have my hair pulled back. I’ve started to do this at least one day a week…especially if I’ve run out of time to wash or style my hair.
These are my favorite clips to use. Hadley has a couple as well because I put them in her stocking last Christmas.
Anyway, I really think this time of the year is my favorite for what I wear. After the summer of mostly wearing athleisure, swim coverups, and shorts, it’s nice to get dressed. Plus, I love being tan…lol.
Well, I can also embrace sweater weather, but I think we have a while for that. Our temps are on the rise this week with heat advisories and over 100 degree heat index. Whew!
I hope you are staying cool!
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Shew! I feel like the first part of the weekend was timed just right, but Sunday flew by. The weekends never seem to be enough time for me to get all the things done once the school year starts.
I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday!
By Friday afternoon, I was definitely ready for the weekend. I picked the kids up from school, and Hadley requested Starbucks. Hayden rolled his eyes, but didn’t say no to a vanilla bean frapp.
Before our evening activities, I wanted to rest for a bit…
Homer was literally my spirit animal…He was so tired too.
The cross country team had their “fun run” fundraiser. Most kids got “flat” donations, but they still had fun being competitive and counting laps. Hadley played music on the speakers, and helped Travis tally the laps.
After the fun run, we went to Drakes for dinner. I got sushi and a glass of wine.
When we got home, I was able to get most of my Clicklist order completed but the website was being glitchy, so I gave up on it for the night.
I put on my pjs and watched one episode of Depp vs. Heard on Netflix. I remember when that trial was on tv, but I didn’t really know the details of the defamation lawsuit.
We were all asleep by 11.
I was up around 8, and ready for coffee. I was able to finish my Kroger pickup order. (yay!)
Then, I settled in to watch episode 2 …
…before getting started with the rest of my day. I picked up around the house, started laundry, and made the bed. Then, I went to the gym. I rarely walk on the treadmill, but I did that for 15 minutes before doing the elliptical for 30 more minutes.
Then, I went to Trader Joe’s for a few things…
…and picked up my Kroger order.
(For the first time in forever everyone was home to help me unpack!)
Travis and the kids had been to cross country practice and picked up Chipolte on the way home. Homer joined me for lunch on the back patio.
Then, it was time to hit the road for Hayden’s cross country meet. Only Hayden was running (not the whole team), so we were able to time the 1 1/2 hour trip to Elizabethtown to arrive about an hour before Hayden had to run.
Travis drove, so I was able to start a new book.
Once we got to the facility, Hadley and I just hung out while Travis helped Hayden with warm-ups and stretching.
Hayden ran a great race and had a solid start to the season.
We ended up seeing two sets of friends who were there because their high school daughters were running in the JV races. It was fun catching up with them.
Of course, Hayden wanted to see the Varsity boys run…It was an exciting race, but it didn’t start until after 9:30. So, we didn’t leave the facility until around 10.
We got home around 11:30.
Long story, but I sprained my ankle a couple of weeks ago. It doesn’t hurt to walk, but by the end of the day it’s sometimes tender. I’m icing and elevating it when I can. Most days, it’s pretty swollen by the end of the day, but I guess I really overdid it on Saturday. So, I iced it before bed, and didn’t go to sleep until almost 1:00.
It was a long day for sure.
I slept until around 8:30, and then really needed some coffee. I caught up on my blog reading…
We headed to church. The first few Sundays of the school year are some of my favorite services. Last week was the “blessing of the backpacks” for students and teachers. It’s always so sweet to see the little kids with their backpacks on excited for the school year.
During yesterday’s service, the 3rd-5th graders received their Bibles. Anyway, it was another sweet service.
After church, we went home for lunch. I ate the rest of my Chipolte on the patio again.
Hadley left to go to an outside art fair with her friend’s family. I went to Target for a quick pick up.
Then, I decided to go to the pool. I almost didn’t, but then realized that I don’t think I will be able to go next week and pool time is running out. So, I figured I could spare an hour to relax a bit and read. It was hot, so an hour was all I needed.
Once I got home, I took a quick shower. Then, I did some meal prep for the week and made pasta salad for a side dish for dinner.
Hadley went to volleyball, Travis and Hayden finished yardwork, and I worked on this post and finished laundry. Then, we just kept it simple and grilled out for dinner.
Then, it was time to get ready for the week ahead.
Anyway, that’s what I was up to this weekend. What is something fun you did this weekend?
I hope everyone is staying cool. The temps are definitely on the rise this week in Lex.
How was your week? We had a good one. I’d say I feel like we are “surviving” rather than “thriving.” haha Nothing major…just getting in the back to school groove.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
I feel like I have a lot of odds and ends to share. We sure packed in the fun before heading back to school.
Last Thursday, I went to dinner with friends. We went to Lost Palm which is a new rooftop bar in downtown Lexington. I’d been there one other time with Travis and some friends after dinner one night this summer.
Anyway, one of our friends was in town, so it was nice to meet up with everyone for a few drinks and some dinner.
On Friday, Hayden and his friends had fun at King’s Island. They were celebrating one of the boy’s birthday.
Saturday night, we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah. Hadley has known her since Kindergarten, and we are friends with the parents as well.
The short ceremony and reception were at Kroger Field which was really cool.
The weather was gorgeous, and the facility is so pretty.
More fun with my “mom gang!”
All these sweet girls had the best time celebrating their friend.
There were tons of boys there too, but as you can imagine, they didn’t care to have their picture taken 😆
It was a fun night!
Hadley’s back playing volleyball, and she had fun at a clinic over the weekend.
On Tuesday, we had our “Back to School Brinner” before…
Well, odds are that I will be in my pjs again by 7pm! haha
Also, cross country is officially back this weekend, so we’ll be busy with that. Not sure what else we have going on, but I’m glad I can sleep in tomorrow morning.
Well, we did it…we made it through the first day of the school year!
I used to do the “Back to School Breakfast” when the kids were in elementary, and then started doing the “Back to School Brinner” once they started middle school.
Back to School Brinner:
We had our Back to School Brinner Tuesday night. Travis and the kids were at cross country practice, so I had some time to myself to set up the table and cook dinner.
I use shipping paper as a table runner, and then have my decorations in a tub. Overall, it only takes me a few minutes to decorate.
I can’t believe we’ve held on to this chalkboard for over nine years…it’s a fun tradition.
I made Andrea’s Sausage Square Breakfast Casserole, and it’s a family fave. I made it for Easter too.
I put out donuts, fruit, and yogurt as well.
I like the shipping paper because I can write a few back to school things on it.
Not that it was a “mom fail,” but I didn’t pick up any cute cookies or a Bundt cake this year. Instead, I just put a few cookies in a cup.
Every year, I put a book at their place setting, but this year I “kept it real” with the books they needed to finish reading before school started. haha
I did all my summer reading, so my place setting was a little more simple 😉
It was a good meal to kick off the year…and probably a “snap shot” of most of our dinner times…since we didn’t eat until after 8:00 when they got home from running.
First Day of School Photos:
I’m grateful they still oblige for a traditional back to school photo….one was probably more agreeable than the other 😉
I will say that both set their alarm clocks and got up on their own!
What a difference two years can make…
Year 22 for me…hard to believe!
Back to School Interview:
After school, I picked them up and we got some ice cream. We all deserved a scoop after the first day back.
Then, they answered a few questions for me…
Hayden’s Thoughts:
As an 8th grader, I’m most excited about…sports.
A goal I have this year is…to get all A’s.
I think my favorite subject will be…gym.
One thing I’d like to get better at this year is…math.
The first day of school was…it felt like school.
Hadley’s Thoughts:
As an 8th grader, I’m most excited about…being the “top dawg” in the building.
A goal I have this year is…to keep up with my assignments.
I think my favorite subject will be …science.
One thing I’d like to get better at this year is…math.
The first day of school was…good.
Oh…I miss the days of sweet and funny responses…haha.
Anyway, I’m always thankful we start on a Wednesday…We all need to ease back into reality.
Y’all — before I get to today’s post, I have to apologize/share —if you get my blog posts via email, you might have seen a major typo yesterday. It took four years of blogging, but I finally had a whoops – I spelled “swimsuits” as “swims!$&s!” I corrected it as soon as I saw it on the email. You know on Fridays when I typically share a flashback photo and say “this popped up in my memories”…I always thought it would be “poop” that I type by accident but instead it worse. lol
Anyway, on to today’s post…
Well, with school officially starting tomorrow, I guess it’s time to get serious about back to school.
Today, I have a classroom work day, and I told Hayden and Hadley that they need to get their school supplies organized, their clothes picked out, and get ready for the first day of 8th grade tomorrow.
Here are a few things on my mind as we get back to school…
Clocks and Cozi:
As we get back in the swing of things, two things that we will heavily rely on are alarm clocks and the Cozi app.
I got the kids each this alarm clock/sound machine combo back in February, and ever since they have been in charge of getting themselves up. While Hadley hasn’t used it a ton this summer, Hayden has gotten up most mornings on his own to run. Both of them use the sound machine feature, and it’s been a good upgrade from the sound machine they each had when they were babies.
So, now it’s back on them to set the alarm, get up and get going in the morning.
We started using the Cozi app last year. It’s really handy because each of us has a color assigned to our name, and we even have a color for when all of us have somewhere to be.
Backpacks…
Hayden got the Under Armour backpack two years ago while Hadley got the North Face one last year. Both of them are still in really good condition. That being said, they both have a second backpack they carry for sports, but these have been great for school, and have held up nicely.
First day of school clothes:
While Hayden doesn’t care much about what he’s wearing on the first day of school, Hadley had a vision…haha
Travis ordered her new shoes which might not make it for the first day, but she chose On Clouds. I braved the mall twice with her over the weekend because she wanted to find a pair of jean shorts to wear. We went to Pac Sun because she had luck there last year, and she found two pairs she liked. We also wandered in to Aerie Offline, and she picked out a couple of waffle henleys.
Hadley has a real knack for dodging sale items…haha
Beverages:
I had the same coffee tumbler for years, and the lid cracked right at the end of the school year. I was going to order another one, but saw this small coffee tumbler at Target and couldn’t resist. To be honest, I probably drink too much coffee, so I figured if this smaller one worked, it would be better to take less coffee to school.
I’ve also been loving my new Stanley, but I knew it would probably be too heavy to take to school. I’ve heard great things about this tumbler, so I think I’m going to leave it at school (or bring it home every once in a while) to use to drink my water.
The kids have been using these water bottles from a local sporting goods store. Hadley has had hers for over a year, and Hayden got a new one this summer before running camp.
My school supplies:
I really didn’t need too many school supplies, but I picked up my Happy Planner at Michaels because they always have them 40% off this time of the year. The stickers were discounted as well, so I picked up a pack of those too.
Paper Mate Flair pens are my faves, so I picked up those and the pretty pencils at Kroger one day.
Y’all –yesterday, when I sat down at my desk to start writing in meeting dates in my planner, I realized it wasn’t the same layout at the one I had last year.
This one had the vertical layout, and I prefer the “classic layout,” so I found this one on Amazon that should be here tomorrow.
I sent a schoolwide email, and gave the planner with the vertical layout to the first one to claim it. I’m hoping what I ordered is just what I need.
Well, I had these pens saved on my Amazon list (you can never have too many pens, right?) along with this wireless keyboard and mouse that I want to use for my school computer. I’m excited to get it set up this week.
I get a new desk calendar every year…sometimes from Amazon or Walmart, but I saw this one at Target, and it will work for me!
My classroom:
Hadley helped me get my classroom set up on Friday, and yesterday I put the finishing touches on it. This will be my 22nd years in education, and I’ve never “cut it this close” on getting ready. That being said, I won’t really have students on the first few days as I’m still doing academic intervention, so I will help wherever needed.
I got rid of a couple of tables because the most I typically have would be 15 students. Most of the time, I have 3-5 at a time.
My room got a bit of a refresh with carpet (to replace the old tile) Also, we got these new Interactive Flat Panels at the end of the school year, so I’m excited to use it more this year.
For lunchbox moms:
I miss the days of putting one of these cute lunchbox notes in the kids’ lunches.
Now, they mostly buy school lunch.
Brinner:
I wanted to have our “Back to School” brinner Sunday night, but both kids ended up having plans with friends. So, we’ll do it tonight once they get home from practice.
Phones:
With getting back to school, we had the reminder conversation about phones and what they really should be used for before we get back to school. I’ve told both of them that phones are a responsibility and while I know they use them to text or watch videos/Netflix, I expect them to start taking more ownership in their learning. They did a pretty good job with this last year, but with this being the last year of middle school, I want them to be as responsible and engaged in their learning as possible.
They have the phones and can use them to check the Cozi app (and add to it when needed –like when the Stu Co meeting pops up that I didn’t know about), check their grades, email their their teachers and check assignments.
We’ve always had a rule of phones up by 10:00 (even earlier if they have been at home and not at an activity), and asleep by 10:30. Also, they plug them up in the kitchen; we’ll definitely continue that practice this year. Towards the end of last year, they were getting on them in the morning, and now I don’t want them getting them until they are ready for the day.
Obviously, kids having phones wasn’t something my parents worried about when I was a kid. I remember when we got a cordless phone when I was in the 6th grade…that was the best thing ever! We definitely don’t have all the answers, and we’ve relaxed a bit with rules over the summer, but it’s time to get back focusing on school and managing time wisely.
My goals:
I always surprise myself that I’m not more disciplined in the summer. I guess I thrive a bit more with a routine. So, while getting back in the school routine usually takes a few weeks, I always appreciate it once we get going.
My goals are:
Workout 4-5 days a week. (I was decent with working out this summer, but like to have a plan). I honestly have the goal of getting up at 5:00 three days a week to knock my workout out before school…I’m going to give myself this week to just get up at my regular 6:00 time, but we’ll see starting next week if I can make the early mornings happen)
I want to get 8-10k steps per day. My goal this summer was 7,000 steps, and I got that many most days. While I was pretty good about working out, that doesn’t always give me lots of steps. It’s easier for me to get steps during the school day, of course. Plus, I want to try to walk a bit if I’m short on steps to reach the 8,000 goal.
Kroger pick up on Saturday. This really worked for me last year. Before that, I was usually picking up groceries on Sunday which felt like one more thing to do as the weekend was ending. Last year, I would meal plan and make my Kroger list on Thursday or Friday for pick up on Saturday. This summer, I haven’t been structured with groceries, and it’s time to get back at it!
A reminder for my kids:
Of course, we want Hayden and Hadley to be well-rounded individuals who are polite and respectful, but who will also stand up for what’s right.
Most of all, I care that my kids are inclusive and kind.
They certainly aren’t perfect, but I know at their core, they do their best to do the right thing, and I sure hope they are making good choices and being kind both when we are looking and when we aren’t looking as well.
I know middle school can be rough. High school can be difficult too. I’m hoping they continue to surround themselves with great friends, but I also hope they look out for those who need the friendly smile or a seat at the lunch table.
A person’s character is what matters most…not how fast they run, what classes they take, or how they score on a test. How they treat others is so important as well.
Because apparently I like to make myself cry leading up to the first day of school…here are a couple of fun flashbacks:
…the first day of kindergarten and the first day of 6th grade.
I probably won’t have a post tomorrow, but should have first day of school pics on Thursday.
I hope everyone has a great year…the kids, the parents, and the teachers!
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