What Ana Does

A little Alice for your Monday morning. Related links: More Alice pictures Check out that Family Room! 

At Her Desk This week marked the end of summer and the first days of 1st Grade for Leah! First, I can't believe summer is already over. And I can't believe Leah is already in 1st grade! I remember first grade. Mrs. Evanson at Widsten Elementary. I sat near a boy named Joey. Carol was in a classroom down the hall. Ready for the New Year! On Tuesday, I took the day off to take advantage of the elementary school "sneak peek." We got to drop of all of Leah's supplies, ready her desk and meet her teacher Mrs. Enquist. We were amazed by the numerous bins of books along the wall. Leah was pretty brave about the whole thing, even though it was overwhelming. The school is large and a maze of hallways. Her major worry was how she was going to get from the school bus to her classroom without getting lost along the way.  Since I had the day off, we also went shopping for a new outfit to wear on the first day and shoes. Plus, Leah had a dentist appointment. Big...

Nana and I worked on a project for Ever in the living room. With help from the kids of course. It looks like a small tornado came through.  Hurricane Crafting

Public school is no joke, people. I had no idea what I was getting into until I pulled up to the middle school last night where the large school district was attempting to register somewhere around 13,000 kids -- in three days. We live in a massively huge district. Upon entering the middle school, I was given a map that would direct me to multiple stations. First, I had to prove I was a resident. Then, I got Leah's class assignment, bus tag and other information I have yet to fully read. Then, transportation and school nurse, which I was mercifully able to bypass (though next year there are more vaccines for 2nd graders). Next was a room for school lunches, paying for registration, waiving registration payments and other special needs. Last, it was into a room with class lists (I took a picture of the list of Leah's new classmates -- since they didn't have them for take-home). I also picked up an absolutely huge supply list (six glue sticks!). There were also a ton ...

... This week the girls had a "what do you want to be when you grow up?" day at camp. Leah: I want to be a ballerina (leotard didn't fit), a soccer player (didn't want to wear her jersey), a photographer. Upon further questioning, a photographer of animals in the jungle. Alice: I want to be a tennis player. Done. And she wants us to watch her win the Piston Cup. And maybe a gold medal. But definitely the Piston Cup. Score one for Mom: I created and cut out props for both girls so they could show off their future careers. No other kids were as prepared. Thank you. Move Over Maria Sharapova and Fran Lebowitz

So maybe not an idiot ... because the first day of school is always, universally, the day after Labor Day. Minnetonka started after Labor Day, Dave's school was after Labor Day and in New Jersey where Leah started Kindergarten, too. Like Election Day is always the first Tuesday in November. So, maybe I just assumed the same was true here in Illinois. I was wrong. The first day for First Graders is Aug. 22. Does that strike anyone else as just a random date? School in August? It's sacrilege! It's crazy! Are we going to voting in Oct., too? Anyway, idiot that I am, I didn't check and now Leah will miss four days after only being in school for four days to hang out at the camp. But I have to think other people make Labor Day travel plans, right?! Doh!