Lois - 8th grade; Julia - 1st grade; Rachel - 11th grade; Hannah - 6th grade

First day of this new school year!   Their pencils are all sharpened.  Their lunch accounts are funded.  Everybody got new clothes and a backpack - though I found out Friday afternoon Hannah won't get to use hers, at least for school.  Sixth graders get lockers, but are not allowed to carry backpacks because they get books for school and home.  We made a rushed trip to Academy for a Dickes shoulder tote for transporting homework.

Hannah and Lois will get one year together in middle school.  Julia had last year in elementary school with Hannah, but won't be in school with a sister again.  Makes me a little sad - but I am so thankful she and Hannah were together last year.

Julia chose a Dora the Explorer shirt for this important first day, and ate her scrambled eggs from the Dora the Explorer plate using themed utensils.  When Rachel asked (in jest) if she could use the plate and utensils, Julia replied, "No.  You do not look like Dora, Rachel."  Word!

The girls' excitement offsets my - ummmmmmm - lack of enthusiasm for the amount of parental self-discipline the school year requires.  But hey - We've been doing it for 11 years, and we have only 11 more to go.  So.....