{Back to School 2011}

We survived the first week of school!!

I always look forward to this time of year...being able to get back to a more structured routine....new pencils...fresh notebooks.....ball season is just around the corner....I just love it! I'm pretty sure that Blake does not share my enthusiasm as noted by the lovely smile he sports for our traditional "back to school" photo. I keep trying to tell him, that someday, he'll thank me for the photo documentation :)

If ever there was a doubt regarding Blake's rapid growth....see above pictures! He has grown about 6 inches and is a towering 6'5" now. This is awesome for playing basketball and I'm sure the coaches would like to see him grow even more, but give a momma a break! It's hard to keep up with jeans, shoes, and the amount of food he puts away!!

Blake is all about punctuality. He had two different friends, Sydney & Michael, offer him rides for the first day....his dad and I both offered to take him....but none of us were leaving early enough for him. He leaves the house every morning around 7:25am to walk the two blocks to school, so he can be there early.

It's already been a challenging year. Blake isn't really used to having to do very much homework. Most of the time, he's able to finish it at school and he has an incredible memory....but this year he is finding homework a necessity. He's taking AP World History and spent 3 hours one night doing homework for that class. Hopefully, he'll find his rhythm soon and it won't be quite such a daunting task.

Check out other Back To School traditions over at Kelly's Blog...a fellow Arkansan :)

Project Life 12/365....and a brief post

We'll start with a Picture Of The Day......

{Blake...1st Day of High School....9th Grade here we come}

This was a different kind of 1st Day for us....

Obviously, Quentin isn't here to share the morning with us and that makes it bittersweet, but I know he's thinking of Blake as he starts high school today. He would probably roll his eyes along with Blake and tell me I make too big of a fuss over the first day and ask me why I have to take a million pictures...lol.

Second, for the 1st time, I only had one child to get up and ready for school. Mallorye doesn't start college until next week, so this morning was all about Blake. (I did make her get up and take a picture for me and snapped one of her and Blake...I was nice and didn't post it...lol)

It was different kind of morning, but I'm so excited for Blake (and let's be honest...I love school routine) He's growing into a wonderful young man and I know that he's going to have an incredible year. My prayer is that he will impact his school this year for God as he grows closer and more mature in his faith.

So....bring on the school year!

{I think this is his "quit-taking-pictures-mom-I'm-not-a-little-kid-anymore" look}


{Yes, my freshman is taller than me...he's taller than everyone!}

{On his way....we live just a few blocks from the high school}

Schools In Sessoin

Yes, that's right. School is back in full swing...and while I would love to share with you the fabulous first day pictures, I cannot. Why? Because my SD Card apparently is bad...according to my computer...and I have no idea how to get those pictures off of that SD Card. (if anyone knows I would be forever indebted)

Ok...so how'd the first day go?

Great. Well, for the most part. Everyone got up on time, out the door on time, to school on time...all major accomplishments.

Mallorye got to make a grand entrance with her class to the "classic" song "Ice Ice Baby"...these Seniors...I tell ya, they are crazy! I still can't believe this is her last year. I think she was feeling a little nostalgic...I know I was. I think the only "mishap" of the day was that somehow she was in Boys Choir and had to get that changed, which ended up knocking her out of College Algebra and into AP Calculus...she's none too happy about that.

Blake insisted on arriving at school at 7:20am and was really excited. As an 8th grader this year, he's top dog in his building...lol! His "mishap" was leaving his gym bag at school...somewhere...he couldn't remember where...ugh~boys!

It's been crazy busy...as always...and already my calendar is filling up with parties and ballgames and teacher conferences and..and...and...but I love it. I love being a mom and being busy with and for my kids. Too soon these days will be gone and I'll be staring at a blank calendar wishing for something to fill my days. But for now, I'll sleep little, drive much, laugh often, and love always.

Hopefully, one of you will send me a solution to my SD Card problem and I'll post pictures with the kids version of the first week....until then...

Guest Blogger-Mallorye

This is one of my favorites from Mallorye's recent photo shoot for her 16th Birthday~you gotta love the attitude and personality in this shot!

Mallorye without the hair and makeup...lol!

AHHH!..that is how my first week was. I pretty much hate school, and all the work. It might be a little better if more of my friends were in my classes. Today was fun however, because we had assemblies all day for yearbook =)! We signed everybody's yearbook today <3> Ok..gotta run..I have a dance in 30 minutes and I have to get ready..bye ~~Mallorye

Definite Pageant Photogenic picture!

Love this! The old building in the background...the high heels...the Charlotte Russe ad quality.

Fredia did an amazing job on all of Mal's photos...very hard to choose just a few!

Guest Blogger-Blake

I thought I'd let my kiddos tell you how their first week of school went instead of my trying to write their thoughts. WARNING! I did not change any grammatical or spelling errors...this is just the way he typed it! Welcome, Guest Blogger #1, Blake...a 7th grader at PJHS.

Well the week is almost over and its pretty much good. I have alot of classes with my friends. My favorite class is science with Mr. Dial and isshe. Isshe the class pet and its a 4' 4# ball python. Today i got to watch isshe eat a black and white mouse. I also got to put isshe on my shoulders the past couple of days after school....it's cool. My least favorite class is english. I don't like it because...umm
Inside a 7th grade backpack

The vast array of pens & pencils needed for a 7th grader

What Blake would rather be doing and does everyday after school before supper...his way of unwinding he tells us...lol.

Back To School 2008

I absolutely love the first day of school...my kids...I'm sure would tell you that they do not. For me, it's a time when life gets back to routines and well, let's face it, I love me some routine...although today was anything but routine! (a couple of major upheavals in some friends lives that I won't even begin to go into right now...but know that everything is much better now!)

The morning didn't get quite the early start that I had planned, but we did manage to sit down at the breakfast table and have toast and fruit before everyone went their separate ways. Mallorye drove her and her brother to school for the first time this morning...I'm quite certain that Blake loves not having to ride the bus or walk to school.


Blake survived his first day of Jr. High and even got the homeroom teacher that he really wanted. He has 3 Pre-Ap classes (Math, Science, & History) this year which should keep him on his toes and he has most of his classes with his buddies.

Mallorye was just thankful that she didn't have homework tonight! She has a very tough course load this year...College Anatomy & Physiology (which I have to pay for, but much cheaper than taking it in college), AP US History, AP English, Trig/Pre-Calculus, Spanish II, Journalism, and Multimedia...I told you it was tough and that doesn't even take into consideration that she also has volleyball after school. Whew! Glad I'm not her!! LOL! Sr. High had Open House tonight, so I was able to meet all of her teachers and even catch up with some she had from last year.


All in all, it turned out to be a pretty good first day of school. Blake's Open House is tomorrow night and I think I'll have the kids guest blog at the end of the week...we'll see if I can con them into that.

Hope everyone had a great day back to normal life!