First Week of School - Finally!

OK y'all - go get yourself a drink, go potty and then come back and pull up a comfy chair, because this is going to be a long post...

I FINALLY found the cord that connects my camera to the computer. And I was sick the last 2 weeks with bronchitis so I have a bunch to catch up on.

First, we'll cover the first day of school for Gary and Anna Claire, which was last Monday. We have a tradition that I get up early on the first day of school and make a nice breakfast for Gary before he leaves. I made blueberry muffins and eggs. Here's Gary enjoying his breakfast - doesn't he look ready to hit the ground running? :)

When I woke Anna Claire up at 6:30 am, she rubbed her eyes and said, "Momma, it's still NIGHT outside. Is this the time I'm going to have to get up every day?" I said, "Yes, honey," to which she replied, "We should find me a school that starts later so I don't have to get up so early." I didn't have the heart to tell her that once she gets to high school, she'll be getting up even earlier!

Here's Anna Claire's new backpack and lunch box - Barbie backpack, High School Musical lunchbox.

Here's Anna Claire in front of her school...she is SO excited to go in and see her teacher! Mrs. K is newly married (3 weeks!) and has taught for one year in another school district. She graduated from Baylor and is so cute. Anna Claire kept looking at her and saying, "You're SO pretty..."

Leah decided to take the bull by the horns and hang up Anna Claire's backpack for her.

My sweet girls - Leah wants to be big so badly!

Anna Claire absolutely LOVED school - and is still really enjoying it. She has met some great little friends - both in her class and on the bus. She informed me this week that she'd prefer it if I didn't wave goodbye to her once she's on the bus (apparently I was embarrassing her).

Gary had an equally great first week of school (now 2 weeks) - his kids are very polite, and his co-workers have been so helpful and friendly. He is teaching in a school that's only 3 years old, so it's a real treat for him to have the latest and greatest technology, his own classroom, and even better - the school is less than 3 miles from our house! No commute! It really is so nice, and we are getting to spend lots of time together as a family as a result.

So, in other news, we were spared Gustav's devastation - which we were very thankful for. We're hoping that there aren't any other hurricanes that come our way.

I am really enjoying getting to know the ladies in my neighborhood, working out with them at the Y, and spending time with Leah. It's amazing how quickly her vocabulary picked up after Anna Claire went to school last week. She is really talking a lot. Leah definitely misses her big sister, though - she walks around the house saying, "Shissy.....Shissy" (her way of saying "Sissy", which is what she calls AC). I am also enjoying working from home - I have a pretty good schedule of working during Leah's naptimes, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays while she's at Mother's Day Out. I also often work a couple of evenings a week after the girls have gone to bed. So, I have the flexibility I need but still get to keep my feet wet in my work, which I love.

We are going to our first high school football game this weekend, which will be fun. They play at a local stadium that seats 30,000 people! I cannot wait to see what this is all about. Anna Claire is SO thrilled that she will be able to watch the cheerleaders. She begins her cheerleading lessons next week, so she'll be taking notes, I'm sure.