And they're off.

OK, the Back to School Banquet? This was 100% NOT my idea. It was hers. A celebration of The Ones Big and Short on the eve of their return to school. Second Grade. And Fifth. Until this year, The First Day of School Fairy has left a few trinkets alongside their First Day of School Breakfast. But, I loved the idea of "royally" treating the boys to a "grand" meal of their design. Their great-grandmother's china. Their parents' wedding crystal. Their grandmommy's pink table linens. A few treats from the Back to School Fairy ... treats like shampoo and toothpaste. The Ones were politely receptive, but not POSITIVELY awed. This, I suppose, is what a summer of being served Pop-Tarts and milk in "the big bed" w/ a side order of Disney Channel will do. SPOILED, I say. (But, still sweet.)

The menu? The current favorites. No Pop-Tarts. But boiled shrimp. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Cantaloupe. Strawberries. Crescent rolls ... FROM the can! Fudge brownies ("like Grandmommy makes.") And to drink? "Fuzzy water."

They were all scrubbed up and fed by 6 p.m. And then we didn't know what to do w/ ourselves. We read our traditional book ... which is OLD (like me) and falling apart (NOT like me, yet), "Katy's First Day." ASLEEP by 8 ... ALMOST all of us. Including the dog.

And wide awake and happy at 6:15 a.m. All of us EXCLUDING the dog. She's STILL asleep.

Daddy made bacon (OF COURSE) and we devoured Bubble Girl's homemade cinnamon rolls (NOT out of a can) and hit the street. Do you see how easy The Big One is smiling? This is new. No anxiety that I could detect. Free and easy. Ready for school. No concern about clothes or hair or the wrist brace he's still wearing (but could probably shed) from a basketball mishap a week ago.

Oh, but golly. The Short One's face says it all. He carefully picked his clothes. "My Galveston clothes," and has had them set out for a couple of days now. He wants long hair. Oy! And I think he was positively scared to death. He didn't TELL me this. But, just LOOK at the poor little fella!

We hit the streets PLENTY early. And I SWORE I wouldn't take pictures at school. And I didn't. Well, except for one. Little Fella.

I miss 'em. And it's hot. And they'll be sweaty and grumpy when I pick them up.
We'll drink a Dr. Pepper.
And take a nap.
Wishful thinking for me.
But not for the dog.

(I hope others of you who sent children away from home or received them into your classroom, had an equally sweet morning.)