Charlie-3rd grade, Henry-kindergarten, William-2nd grade.
This week we have been busy busy getting ready for school to start. We have had kindergarten orientation which was very informative. They even took the kids through the lunch line and showed them how it all worked, complete with snack and throwing their trash away and putting their tray away. We toured the school, practiced getting on and off the bus and met the teacher and all that jazz. The next night we had an ice cream social where we met the boys' teachers and dropped off their school supplies and signed up for pto and all that other good stuff. Then Wednesday was the first day of school. I can report that we have survived the first week, that is if my boys make it home all right this afternoon. Man, am I pooped.
So, in case you don't know yet we have moved to Indianapolis. We've been here a few weeks. We actually live in Carmel which is a northern suburb. I'm still getting used to people asking me where I'm from or having to repeat myself several times b/c they can't understand me with my twang. But all in all I think we're going to be super happy in this area. That is until we have to go home and it takes all day to travel. They actually say this is the Midwest so I guess we're really midwesterners. All I know is they call it pop and not coke. Sounds Yankee to me. But they don't act like Yankees, you know not making eye contact, etc. Everyone we've met is exact opposite. They are the nicest ever! We've even gotten cupcakes from our neighbors. I was not expecting fresh baked goods at all! Our neighbors are all great and we have convenience at our fingertips....Kroger less than a mile, all kinds of shopping 2 miles down the road, hobby lobby, target, walmart, kohls, dicks, dsw, childrens place, etc etc etc. I am loving all that! Plus I can get to the mall in less than 15 minutes! Parked in the garage and all! The girls and I have been two days in a row!! And they serve sweet tea at every restaurant, so I guess they are not Yankees after all.
I have found the girls an excellent dance studio and they went yesterday for the first time. Oh my, I am in heaven!!! It makes me realize that I basically just paid for a playdate once a week last year at our old studio (and a great date it was--made some of the best friends there!). But technique-wise I totally wasted my money last year. They learned more technique in yesterday's 45 minutes than they learned all year last year! And it's all ballet which I love! And they did fabulous! And the most important thing, it was the best part of their week! They loved it!! Which makes me so happy! I have also found them a preschool which they start after labor day.....I feel for their teacher, ha!!
I can say so far there are way more positives than negatives about living up here. The main thing that is driving me crazy is being in the eastern time zone. My body is still in cst and so are the kids. For instance, it doesn't get dark until almost 9. I don't know what time the sun comes up. All i can tell you is it's not early enough in daylight savings time. If my body had a choice it would wake up at 8:00. On est that means my body wakes up at 9:00.......my kids too! So since school is going on I have to get up at 6:30.......a long cry from 9:00!!! That really means my body is waking up at 5:30 which is way too early for anybody to up and at em! Not to mention it is still dark outside, which means it's time to sleep! This whole daylight savings time is for crap and I think we should all do away with it!
Now, when i was young and even after I was grown and even after I had kids even I liked saving the daylight. I mean, nobody wants to get off work at dusk and come home in the dark. But I tell ya, i'd much rather get off at dusk than have to crawl out of bed and get three kids to school at sunrise! Since my kids started school I think saving the daylight is for the birds! The birds I tell you!!!! We all just need to be on normal time all the time. The kind of normal time that tells you to go to bed at a decent hour so at least if you have to get up at sunrise, or heaven forbid before, you at least feel like you have gotten some rest! Not like staying up too late and then feeling like a truck ran you over the next day. But I'll get off my soap box for now.
Oh, I know I said some things about the bus earlier. Now, I have not gone crazy. Normally I would never even think of letting my kids on a cheese wagon. But apparently it's the only way to go up here. Everyone rides the bus! The first day I took the kids to school. I was like one of fifteen adults there walking kids to class, no lie! I passed a gazillion parents on the way, standing with their sweeties at the bus stop.....yes, the bus....on the first day of school! And even getting off the bus on the first day! So I took the plung. I let the boys ride home the first day. They were so excited. I was nervous as a cat. And my fears came true. They got off at the wrong stop. It was just down the street but I lost a few years off my life for those few seconds when they didn't get off the bus and then sprinting from the bus to see them walking down the sidewalk. They did much better the next day. And this morning I even let them ride it to school. They loved it! They think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I will say it is convenient. And it's just k-5 on the bus and they sit by grades and have Assigned seats. So I guess we're doing the Midwestern thing and conforming to the bus.
Enough chatter. Here are some first day pics.
Yes, my girls (well, actually all my kids) love them a water fountain. It's gross, but it's like trying to get them to avoid nasty public bathrooms.....the more you discourage it the more they want to go hang out in them. So I give in. We stop at every single one we see....every.single.one. It hasn't killed them yet!
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