It is Friday!

Well, the week has certainly flown by. All the adjustments and tweaking we needed to make in order to make the transition back to school as smooth as possible. I would say we have had great success so far!

We are back at our "school bedtime" for the kids. Which is now back to 8 pm, with the exception of Cameron who reads in bed for about an hour. He just loves to read! The kids sure go down easy! I am sure it is all of the walking and new things tuckering them all out! I know I can certainly feel it! I sleep well too! So does Cliff.

School started back on Tuesday of course, and Cameron started in Grade Three, and Claire started Grade One. Carly, on Wednesday started her gradual entry into Kindergarten. Catie, already wants to start Kindergarten! I keep telling her two more years! In two more years. I was going to put her into preschool this year, but decided to pull her out until next year. She is fine here at home with me and the other kids. She also wasn't potty trained, but now she is really there I think! Oh well. I will be nice to have the two, and then the three at home with me. I have really noticed the absence of Claire at home in the afternoons. I am always counting the kids to make sure I have them all! My home feels the empty void. My heart feels the empty void of all of the kids being away at school. It feels really strange to just have our two little ones at home. And of course the baby in my belly, which makes its presence know to me!!

It is a slow start to the year, gradual I guess. That is OK with me. The summer was a good one. A long 10 weeks, but mostly happy 10 weeks. It could have been longer and that would have been fine with me. After school today, we will find out who their teachers and classrooms for the year will be. It will be great to have that settled! Come Monday, they can bring their backpacks, their lunches, their gym bags etc. It will be good for all of them.

I am looking forward to starting fresh! We are enjoying our walks and noticing how cool the air is in the morning, and how warm it still gets in the afternoon. Fall is definitely in the air! We have been enjoying watching the leaves blow, and the vivid colours of the fallen leaves. Cliff has a birthday tomorrow. He turns 35. And, Catie dear turns 3 on Sunday! Then the birthdays are over for a bit. But, we have the new addition coming in 12 short weeks! Then the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the new year! I wish the days would slow down so I could enjoy them more. With routine, sometimes comes a bit of blah. But, we will work on adding in some excitement to help with that! Cameron and Claire are now registered into a 19 week gymnastics program once a week for 1.5 hours (Thankfully on the same night!)

My friend Lisa took a photo of the 5 kids on the very first day of school, and I am waiting for her to send that to me. I will take an official first day of school photo on Monday for the 2 big kids, and then on Wednesday when Carly FINALLY has her first full class!

Time to start putting away the summer toys, and getting ready for the fall and winter. Time to put the patio umbrella away for another year. Time to get more of the fall clothing and gear out!