One year older and wiser too

Here is to a new school year, back to regular routines and off to new adventures.

Kathryn is off to Grade 7. She turns twelve next week. HOW. IS. THIS. POSSIBLE? She likes her clothes and has her own style. She likes to be dressed up and doesn't have any qualms about wearing a skirt or dress to school. She is enthusiastic, and a bit sassy...but show me a 12 year old that isn't. She is your typical big sister, in that she is great at keeping her younger siblings in line...well great at trying, they don't like to listen very much. She is definitely a leader, both at home and in her class at school. She is excited to be playing volleyball again this year and looks forward to playing basket ball in the new year. She is super excited to be joining Young Women's. I love this kid. She is my best helper and I can count on her to get things done. I just can't believe she is twelve.

Tansley is off to Grade 4. She is super excited to have a male teacher in the school this year. MRES got a new principal, Mr Allan Rancier, the first male teacher the school has had for a long time. Tnasley gets to have him teach her half of the time. She thinks that is pretty cool. The first thing she told me about him was that he always wore awesome shoes. Tansley is an awesome big sister. She loves to take the younger kids for walks or up to the park. She loves math class. One day when I asked her what the worst part of the day was she said math class, because it was too easy and that she liked it better when it was trickier. She's growing up and I just can't slow it down. I love her, each and every bit of her.

Kymberly is in Grade 2. She loves school. She loves to learn everything. She loves everybody and everything. She is an excellent reader and loves to read every day. She wants very much to be like her big sisters and do everything that they do. This sometimes doesn't go over very well with the big sisters. If only they could understand what a huge compliment it is too them. Kymerbly has a tender heart and often expresses concern for her classmates when they have had a hard day at school. She is often making cards  to hand out to make people feel better. She honestly just wants everyone to be happy all of the time. I love her to pieces.

Oh my boy James started pre-k this year. He was so excited to start school. The first day was just an orientation day and only 1.5 hours. When it was time to go he was disappointed that it was over already. They have changed the rules this year and a parent doesn't have to sign him in in the mornings, so he is free to walk to school with his big sisters and I'll still be picking him up at lunch. As much as I love the idea of not having to look presentable at 8am, the idea that he doesn't need me to walk him to school, was a little heartbreaking. How can he be old enough for this? I worried that he would be OK on that first day, but I knew that he would be, I mean, look at him? On his first full day when I picked him up, we walked home hand in hand as he told me about his new friends and the toys he had played with. He never holds my hand. Like never ever. He has always wanted to run out on his own. That day, I wished we lived more than just two blocks from school so that moment could last just a little bit longer. My little man is growing up, soon he'll be a young man and heading off to new adventures at the big school....oh man. Just. Stop. Now.

Little Miss Ella is my only little one at home all of the time. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. Her words are just exploding right now and she thinks knows that she is cute. She loves shoes and is always stealing everybody's shoes. When she gets them on her feet she'll say "pretty?" She also LOVES to be outside. and when it is cold and wet and mommy is too much of a wimp to get all dressed up to go outside too play...she gets very very mad. She loves babies, and puppies and kitties. In fact, yesterday while we were outside and I was working in the garden she followed our cat, down the driveway, down the sidewalk, across the street and down two houses and into someones yard, all in a matter of just a few seconds. I had called after her as she walked down the driveway, and when I went to get her, she was nowhere to be seen, I gentleman driving by saw me looking and calling her name and told me he had seen her following a cat in to the neighbours yard. What a turkey. But even so, I love her and love watching her learn so many new things every day.

I seriously have the best job in the world, being a mom to these 5 rascals is amazing. They make me smile, they make me cry. They challenge me, try my patience and test my limits. They love me, encourage me and never give up on me. They hug me and kiss me more times in a day than one could possibly count. And even though they are growing up, I know they still need me...at least to read them stories at night.