Day Two Hundred Twenty Four

The First Day Of School--Start To Finish


Shelby, the reluctant third grader, poses for a first full day of school picture before making the long trek to the school building (which you can see directly behind her). She's got that "Aw, man! I can't believe this is happening to me!" look on her face.

Elijah, the dutiful little brother, has said his goodbyes to his big sister, grabs Eddie the striped kitten, and heads back inside where mini waffles and Scooby Doo await.

Elijah attended the open house for Mother's Day Out this morning and met his new teachers. For lunch, while his sister slaved away at school, he pigged out on a cheeseburger and apple fries at Burger King, then did some heavy climbing on the BK playground. It's a tough life, but somebody's gotta do it!

This was the weirdest and kind of saddest thing we saw at the BK playground. Elijah was the only kid in there and put his Crocs in the rack. But there was this one little pink sneaker just sitting in there all by itself.

I thought this was odd because it's an expensive Converse All Star tennis shoe (sneaker if you grew up in the fifties). Probably belonged to a three or four year old little girl.

Neil and I kept calling to Elijah to go down the slide. He called back to us that "There's something in here." I immediately flashed on the kid in The Shining (by Stephen King) who encountered "something" inside a big drainage pipe. And there was that one little Converse sneaker left in the shoe rack.....I was totally creeped out. Then Elijah called "It's a wasp." Oh well. I have an over active imagination sometimes. He did eventually go down the slide.

After lunch, he was down for the count for a couple of hours in my bed, then wandered into the living room and crashed again on the floor.

Time for Shelby to come home! He ran to greet her.

The devoted little brother watching for his beloved big sister to come home from her first day of school.

Here she comes, crossing the street to Granny's house. The school day finally came to an end!

Elijah gets left holding the bag as they march toward Granny's house where there will be Popsicles and mindless television after a day spent quite possibly growing some new brain cells.

As a tired and flushed face Shelby grabs the remote to channel surf, Elijah sits down next to her and asks, "How was your day, Shelby?" It was the sweetest thing, and it totally made my day.

Day Two Hundred Twenty Three

The Last Day Of Summer Freedom


Today is Shelby's last day of freedom for a while. Tomorrow school starts. The kids chose Ocha for lunch. Here are Holly, Shelby and Elijah after a big meal of rice and spicy chicken.

I was trying to get a picture without the rabbit ears, but it wasn't meant to be. This is our last weekday lunch with Shelby until the fall break in October I think. She is now a third grader and Elijah will be attending Mother's Day Out two days a week.

The Coke can says it all. Summer 2009 is over for school kids in my neck of the woods, even though Autumn won't come around for another six weeks on the calendar. It ends too soon.

Day Two Hundred Twenty Two

We were hoping for hand prints, but by the time we got out there to do them, the cement had already set too hard to make an impression. Bummer! One of the Public Works guys handed me a big nail and suggested writing their names and tracing their hands. So that's what we did. I really figured somebody would protest about messing up the new surface, but these guys don't care I guess. Anyway, the deed is done for posterity. Or until they replace the sidewalks again.

Day Two Hundred Twenty One

Daughter Kelly sent me this picture a few days ago, helping to feed my obsession with mushrooms this summer. Huge mushrooms growing out of a tree somewhere near her house--that is weird wild stuff. We have a Maple tree in our front yard that has mushrooms growing out of it, but nothing this good. Thanks for the picture, Kelly!

Day Two Hundred Twenty

Haircut

Elijah stayed with us for a while this morning while his mom and sister were out of town and his dad was at work. At his mom's request, we took him to the Village Barber Shop to get a haircut. Lots of boys, all ages, getting haircuts there today, too. School starts next week. You have to look your best. Elijah is never thrilled by the process, especially the buzz clippers around his ears. But he didn't complain and patiently endured, because he was promised a handful of M&M's out of the candy machine when it was all over.

Happy days are here again! Love that face and the new buzz cut!!