Heading back to school!

I can't believe we're already getting ready to go back to school!  Here in the great city of Trenton in the bustling state of North Carolina - the kiddos go back to school on August 25th.  I know that's still about a month away, but just about any parent can tell you that getting ready to send kids back to school starts WEEKS ahead of time.  Between back to school supplies, buying clothes, backpacks - registration - it takes weeks. 

I've been scouring the internet looking for deals on back to school supplies.  Every year it seems like the supply lists grow.  I certainly don't mind buying supplies if it means that teachers don't have to purchase supplies out of their own pockets. Some stuff starts to become the "staples" - that are on every list no matter what grade or teacher a child is assigned.  Kleenex, hand sanitizer, hand soap - every year, every list - no matter what.  So during the year - I buy the stuff when I know it's on sale or when I'm really ambitious - I hit the back to school clearance sales the year before.  I started hitting the dollar store a few weeks ago to get pencils, erasers and glue sticks.  I'm kind of weird in the sense that I LOVE back to school shopping.  Not just because I'm celebrating the fact that my girls are going back to school - I'll have my house back and I'll be able to go shopping and for walks without having to drag along 3 kids - but because there's something absolutely AWESOME about new pencils and lunch boxes.  It's like a new start for the girls. It's hard to explain.

I'm trying an idea I'm stealing from my wonderful blogging friend (and former neighbor) Anna. I think she got it from another site - but it's an AWESOME idea!  Taking cookie sheets and having the girls cutting out their favorite things to make a magnetic schedule!  If anyone else wants the idea - let me know and I'll send you a link to her blog. I'm really hoping that it will help the girls remember things and feel a bit more in control of their schedules. Thanks Anna! 

We're also gonna try the weekly menu idea again. I'm still writing out the menus that will be interchangable every month. (writing up 15 weekly menus w/ breakfast, lunch and dinner that I can mix up every month throughout the year) With Cory changing his school stuff around again and my trying to go back to school - I'm hoping this will help us stick to healthier food, avoid take out and help us save money.

And this year - we're going to try Girl Scouts again. Last year it was a bust since we couldn't find an active troop - but they're all old enough now to participate and hopefully they'll be able to enjoy it. The girls also want to do dance classes - so we're looking at that and trying to do that again.

We're going to stick with some of the same things we did last year.  No TV during the school week. Bringing lunches instead of eating school food. (when potatoes are the only vegetable offered - that's sad.)  I'm hoping that we're able to get into a good schedule from the first day of school with having a decent breakfast every morning before going to school. (Not cold cereal or toast, but a really GOOD breakfast so they're not hungry by 9am.)  They get so finicky and moody when they get hungry or don't eat well. And with their dietary sensitivities and allergies - it's hard for them to eat what's offered at school. They still get to eat the same kinds of foods that their friends eat - but without all the issues that can go along with them eating foods that can make them sick.

With everything that will hopefully be happening this school year - I'm hoping that things will improve and we'll be able to accomplish some of the goals we're setting.  Cory is hoping to get his teaching certification and get a job as a teacher. I'm hoping to get back into school and make some serious headway on my academic goals and finish my school stuff.  I've had to retool some of my goals, but I think it's for the better. I had plans to get my bachelors and then my masters and find some job that would change the world for special needs children in public schools. Instead, I'm planning on getting my LPN and my bachelors in education. I'm not sure what exactly I'll need to concentrate in to become a guidance counselor, but I know that i want now.

I want to have summers off with my daughters to go to the beach and spend time with them. I know that I want to be involved in their educations and have a close relationship with their teachers. I know that I don't want them home alone for days on end while i'm at work during the summer. I know that my 8 year old daughter wants family time and ASKS for it.  And I know that I want to have that continue. And if I'm working long hours and not available to them - than i won't be there for her to ask me. And being a teacher and working in schools will give me the availability to be able to be home for that.

With all these great things coming around the bend, lots of prayers and support would be appreciated. I don't know how it will all play out or if it will all work out the way we have planned, but it will work out the way it is supposed to. There are alot more changes that I am praying about and once some decisions are made - I'll share them and ask for input and guidance.  But for now, here are a few pictures to show some of the fun adventures we've been on.