Back to School - First day

It's back to school time again at our house.  I loved getting organized and everything ready for school when I was younger.  The excited anticipation of new teachers, new friends, new classes... I think I might be more excited for their new experiences than they are!

Ethan starts 8th grade!!! (Notice he has 8 fingers = 8th grade)  No problem - he already knows the school, where the classes are, etc.  His goal for this year is to change his mental thinking that school is actually good.  Great goal since he hasn't had a high regard for homework and school night bedtimes.  So far his favorite class might be Mythology.  Big improvement from last year when I asked him what his favorite part of the first day and he replied "lunch".  Ethan really has been a good student.  His other goal for the year is to get straight A's.  You can do it Son!

Can you guess what grade Rachel is going into? Yep, you guessed it, 5th grade! She's growing up too fast I think. She got the teacher she was hoping for and is also excited to be starting rotations in the computer lab with the nice MAC computers. She has always been a good student, easy to get her to do her homework.  She will get to do her first science project this year too. I think she also is excited to help her teacher.  I remember always wanting to help my teachers.  Yes, I was a teacher's pet several times, I admit it.

I'm sure by now you've figured out our tradition for first day of school pictures.  Luke is now in 2nd grade!  He has a man-teacher (that sure sounds funny but if you think about it, for elementary teachers you automatically think of them as women unless you give the disclaimer that it is a guy).  His teacher is an older, laid-back kind of a guy.  We've heard good things about him.  At back to school night, he showed Luke all of his Star Wars books.  Today when Luke got off the bus, he told me that his teacher is SOOO nice because he lets them read for 9 minutes!!!!  I love Luke.  He has really become a good reader.

Well, I haven't forgotten about Brady.  Technically Brady hasn't had his first day yet because the first week of school is dedicated to individual kindergarten testing.  I have to tell you what he did at Back to School night.  We went into his classroom to meet his new teacher (she was voted Teacher of the Year for the school district last year, so she must be good).  As she was saying hi to Brady she asked "Brady, are you excited to start kindergarten?"  Cautiously he looked at her and then bravely answered "No, not really."  I almost started laughing right there and then.  Good thing she has a good since of humor.  She made a deal with Brady that by the end of the first week of school that he would come home and tell me how great kindergarten is. 

So next week I will do the traditional photoshoot before he gets on the bus with Rachel and Luke for the first time.  How do I get him to do the letter "K" with his fingers?????