S&S INC. + B.: KINDERGARTEN!!!

Noah began Kindergarten almost 3 weeks ago on August 30TH. B.T.W. in case you were wondering, yes, he is almost 6 years old--- in fact, just a few more days and it'll be his birthday, but since his birthday falls after September 1ST, he missed the cut off last year for Kindergarten... it kinda stinks, but in a way it's good that he's had to wait to start school because he's so small. He's smaller than most 4 year olds! Anyhow, back to school... he was SO darn EXCITED to begin school! The evening before the first day of school he got to go meet his teacher. She seems really nice, and better yet she has some experience teaching! She's been teaching for a while now; she actually just moved from teaching 1ST grade to Kindergarten, which is fantastic because now she knows WHAT the kids will be expected to know for 1ST grade and she'll be sure to teach them it. Noah's class is pretty big! There are 29 kids in the class with no aides. It's crazy! It should be a crime putting that many Kindergartners in a classroom alone with just one teacher. There are a little over 1300 students in Noah's school. 1300!!! It's the 2ND largest elementary school in the district. That's NOT something I'm proud about--- good grief- we need another elementary school out here!!! Anyways... like I said previously, Noah was REALLY excited to start school.

I prepared a special back to school dinner for our family to eat the night before school started... On the menu: Autumn Stew and for dessert, g.f. chocolate, mint chocolate chip ice cream cake... YUM!

(I found the cake pan here at Williams-Sonoma- it looks like a giant Oreo!) After dinner, Spence gave the 3 boys a Father's Blessing for the school year... I was up the following morning at 3:40a.m. to take my mom up to the airport. Yep, she had to go home--- on the first day of school none the less... we wish she could have stayed but she had to get home to San Diego so she could get her own classroom for her 2ND graders ready. After dropping her off at the airport, I booked it home, showered and got dressed, then I woke the 5 boys up, bathed and dressed them. Just for the record: I am SO happy we have just boys... could you imagine how long it would take me to get 5 girls dressed and hair done?! It already takes long enough getting just my boys ready--- I'd hate for the process to take any longer! I fixed the boys waffles for breakfast- they LOVE waffles, particularly Noah, but he decided he only wanted a Gogurt for breakfast. What?! The waffles were even topped with fresh whipped cream AND mini chocolate chips!!!

Note to reader: We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new Gluten Free Bisquick mix for waffles...

it's so good and totally affordable!

Noah told me he didn't want to eat a waffle because he didn't want to miss the bus; silly thing is, we weren't even in a hurry! We were totally doing well on time, in fact we even had time to spare--- he could have eaten a dozen waffles and still made it to the bus on time--- honestly, I think he just had the jitters- or butterflies in his stomach... maybe both!

He looked so DARN cute with his new little backpack on. It's a Fox backpack with a faux fox tail on it... his lunch bag is a cute little penguin. He picked the Fox backpack... I told him he could tell people he chose it cuz he's FOXY!

The bus stop is right around the corner from our home- literally. Noah was SO excited about riding the bus to and from school. I had my concerns... namely, would he actually find his way into class FROM the bus each morning and would he remember to GET OFF the bus at the right bus stop on his way home?! What if he didn't?! Well, it just so happens he DIDN'T get off at the right bus stop the first day. Yep, he got off at the WRONG stop! He got off the bus by our neighborhood swimming pool. I personally think he did it on purpose. Some other kids on the bus with him got off at the same stop when they shouldn't have--- but I think Noah stepped off the bus there because he wanted to talk to all of his little friends who are a year younger than him and who were at the pool that day (namely, Leo, Simeon and Thomas). I also think he wanted to walk home on his own, like a big boy! I've never let him walk anywhere on his own, nor have I ever let him cross the street on his own---well, that's all history- he crossed two streets that afternoon completely on his own on his way home! So imagine this- there I am, with all the other mothers waiting for our children to get off the school bus near my home--- then, suddenly, a mother from my neighborhood runs up to me and asks me if my son was the little boy wearing a green shirt. She caught me by surprise and before giving me even a minute to think- yes, I had to think about what color shirt Noah was wearing--- remember I'd been up since 3'ish AND I have 5 little boys---in my defense I didn't know which one she talking about but before I could even reply she told me she saw my son (Noah) get off at the WRONG bus stop!!! Oh the horror! Seriously! Before I even had a chance to panic, I turned to look down the street and saw Noah trucking it up the street! Oh that boy!!! He even managed to beat the bus to our bus stop! I asked him how his day was and all he had to say was how much he enjoyed recess and that he was hot! Well, um... yeah! He walked 3 blocks in 90 something degree heat! Silly kid! Oh and don't worry- that same evening I had two different parents from my neighborhood call to tell me they were at the bus stop where Noah got off at; they said they were skeptical about him departing there so they questioned him about it and he seemed fairly confident he knew what he was doing so they just kept an eye on him to make sure he was headed home in the right direction. It's times like these I DO appreciate living in Utah--- where for the most part, I can trust my neighbors and everyone keeps an eye out for the kiddos.

Funny story: One morning I let Noah walk to the bus stop on his own, while I drove along side him... keep in mind, it's really only right around the corner... anyhow, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning I have to drive, park and sit and wait at the bus stop to watch and make sure that Noah gets on the bus safely, then I speed away to drop Cohen and Ian off at their preschool that starts 7 minutes later... anyhow, this one morning, while I was waiting for Noah's bus to arrive---- I looked down for just a mere second to grab a piece of gum... then when I looked up again, I looked to spot Noah among the line of kids but I COULD NOT SEE HIM!!! No joke! He had disappeared. I didn't want to panic, but I started too once the other boys who were sitting behind me began to ask where Noah was!!! Where on earth could he have gone?! The only thing I could think was that maybe he had wandered off to pet the neighbors cat that always hangs out in their driveway- but then again that's not like him. I waited for a minute- hoping he'd show up, but when he didn't I knew I needed to move into action... I mean the bus was going to be there at any second!!! I hopped out of my car, sprinted over to the line of kids, which I'm positive made me look cRaZy to the older kids standing in line--- I scanned the line looking for Noah--- then what would you know???!!! Right there, standing 2ND to last place in line, was Noah!!! He hadn't moved- he'd been there all along! I just couldn't see him because he was SO much smaller than all of the other kids! Note to reader: Noah has since informed me that I have to keep my distance from him while he's standing in line... I must wait and watch him from the corner STOP sign. I think I MAY have ALREADY embarrassed him! Poor child... he has NO IDEA that this is JUST the beginning! I volunteer in his classroom every other Thursday... I'll have plenty of opportunities to embarrass him... not that I'll mean too--- it just happens.