And they're off!

It's the first day of school!

I dropped off Nicky and Daisy about an hour ago, and now I'm home alone with the Tornado Twins. The house was reasonably clean when I got up this morning. Now it looks like it's been ransacked by burglars. I never know how it happens. I only know that I can't keep up with the girls.

This morning I realized that this is the first year since becoming parents that neither Scotty nor myself are returning to school. We've been going to school for a really long time... and I think there's more school coming, but not for at least a year.

We did some prep work in the days leading up to school. Last Monday night we had a family home evening lesson on kindness.

On Saturday night, I got rid of our Hulu account. We're trying to make some changes around our home, and since I am not a great manager of TV time, I thought it would best to get rid of some of the "things," much to my personal dismay (seriously, I really love my shows!!!) We still have Netflix, but I'm going to cancel that as well (baby steps). We will be left with Amazon Prime, which doesn't have a great selection for our taste, but it gives us a little Dora to survive on.

On Sunday we attended my mother-in-law's annual back to school fashion show. Grandma and Grandpa always put together a bag for each child with a book and some school supplies. The kids have a great time and always look forward to the fashion show.

After we got home last night we reinstated the school year bedtime routine, and Scotty gave Nicky and Daisy a father's blessing.

This morning, I let the kids know it was time to get ready for school by blasting our breakfast song (it's pretty normal for me to either sing it or play it while I make breakfast). We did First Day pictures on the front porch, and I had them watch this video.

I drove the kids to school and took a wagon for Zoe and Eva to ride in. Then I wheeled the little girls around and dropped each kid off at their classroom.

(I started this post an hour after I dropped the kids off, and now it's almost time to pick them up).

The first day is always really hard on the kids. I anticipate some meltdowns the second they get into the car. Nicky will be hangry. Adjusting to the school year feeding schedule is always brutal for him. Daisy will tell me how much she hated school... and everyone there... and everything else in the universe.

I had big dreams of being productive, even though I knew that's not how things would go. Once I got home with the Tornado Twins, I had to immediately get to work meeting their every demand.

Those two!

I tell ya.

Around 10:30, the lighting from the windows started to dim, so I began to keep my eye on the eclipse. I didn't have any glasses, so I just punched a hole in a piece of paper and went outside to check the shadow every now and then. Our peak time was 11:33. I took the girls outside, and they played in the sandbox while I grilled a salmon burger and watched-but-didn't-watch the eclipse.

We ended up going over to the neighbors' house a little later, and they had some extra glasses. So we got to peek at the eclipse before it ended. Zoe loved it and kept saying, "I love the moon!"

And she does love the moon. She always has! But it never crossed my mind that my moon-loving four-year-old would want to watch the eclipse.

A week ago I didn't feel ready to send my kids back to school, but ultimately, it's going to be okay. I do like the structure, and there is definitely less fighting in the house (though Zoe and Eva go WWF on each other several times a day).

The best part, though, is if/when Eva takes a nap, which she is doing right now. I'm not always this lucky, but on days that Eva naps, having the older kids at school is pure bliss.

Next week, I'll attempt preschool with Zoe once again. I have such mixed feelings about sending her. On one hand, she benefits from the speech therapy and socialization. On the other, I end up having to drag her in kicking and screaming and then wait for someone to be available to hold her so I can leave.

It takes a toll on me.

Here's hoping for school year success!