Tuesday Tell All: Back to School

What are your family's back to school traditions?

We have never really had set celebrations or tradition to kick off a new school year. I think after two and a half months of sleeping in, swimming, trips here and there and non-stop fun there is no need to end it with a bang. But the more I thought about the question, there are a few things we do when the beginning of school is near.

Father's Blessing: This is the one and only must. In fact Rich and I both received fathers blessings from our dads before a new school year when we were children. There is no better way than to start something new that with the support, love and help of Heavenly Father. What a blessing it is to have the priesthood in our home and lives to guide, direct and strenghten us in our endeavours.

Shopping for school supplies: For the past five years we have all piled in the car and headed to Wal-mart for school supplies. It began in Louisville when Trey started at Watkins United Methodist preschool. He only needed a few items, but it was enjoyable to walk the aisles picking our lunch bags (Lunch Bunch), glue sticks and crayons. I'm a sucker for those great sales and end up buying boxes and boxes of 22 cent crayons for our own personal use. Yes, the lists have gotten much longer and instead of a handful of items we had an entire cart full this year, but I love doing it and having my kids along to help me out. It gets us all excited for the new school year to begin.

Haircuts: Nope, I don't whisk my boys down to the local barber for a new look, I simply plunk them down in front of the TV and using my Flowbee give them the same haircut they have had for years. Why change it up when its working so well? They look so handsome when their hair stays combed and not flopping in their eyes or hanging over their ears. It makes them look the part- ready to succeed.

Bedtime: This is a hard one for me. I am just such a late night person, but when school rolls around I try to stick to a set bedtime routine and have them in bed no later than 9:30 PM. Their 6:45 AM wake up is just too hard when you've gone to bed late. I just have to make sure dinner is done, PJ's are on by 8 PM and we are brushing teeth by 9 PM. Easy to write, but harder to implement. The best days are when we are ahead of schedule and I can read aloud a bedtime story to the kids. I love to read the Childcraft animal book to the girls (they ask for it after they brush their teeth) and a chapter of Harry Potter to the boys. That alone should get me motivated to get them upstairs on time. I love reading to my kids.

That's all I could come up with. It seems like the work of getting kids ready for school is never done. Though the boys didn't need any new school clothes, they still need new shoes. I think we'll head over to the mall after school. At least we got lucky and have a few years until any of my kids need more immunization shots. That's one tradition they do not like at all! It's hard enough getting them to sit still for a flu shot in the fall!

HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS TO ALL!!!