Back to School

Holy moly, it's September. That can only mean one thing - back to school! It has been a very busy few weeks around here as we adjust to our new schedule, but it's a good busy. Aside from a few long days and another round of summer colds, it's all good news!

The kids are adjusting well to daycare. Charlie had been going part time all summer, but is back to full time. His class has transitioned from summer activities back to preschool type things and he's already learning so much! He sings song to us all the time and is learning about shapes, puppies, dental hygiene, and fall. Ginny's transition to daycare has been surprisingly smooth. Her teachers love how laid back she is and that she naps and eats without a fuss. That's my easy going girl!

More good news? J got a teaching job!!! Ever since getting his MA in teaching a few years ago, the teaching jobs have been few and far between. He had several interviews a few weeks ago, but didn't get a bite. This past Friday, he got a call that a position opened up! He will be teaching 9th and 12th grade English and starts tomorrow. They've already been in class for almost 2 weeks, so he'll need to literally hit the ground running.

My students are back as well, so things are ramping up on campus. The summer is nice and all, but it is nice to be getting back into the regular groove.

One of our new challenges is getting the kids to daycare. I underestimated how crazy it can be to get 4 people ready and to 3 different locations every morning! Our schedule depends so much on when the kids get up (I try to let them sleep as long as possible) and getting things ready the night before is key. We've started a nightly check list and routine that seems to be helping. Each night before bed we...

• Lay out everyone's clothes
• Pack lunches
• Get G's bottles ready
• Pack C's backpack with extra clothes and diapers
• Pack G's backpack with diapers
• Get my pump and supplies ready
• Set up the Keurig

We bought this really neat organizing unit at IKEA to serve as a home base for all of our school and work stuff. Each of us have our own drawer to put lunchboxes, backpacks, and anything we need to bring with us that day. Even the dog has a little drawer for her leash, collar, and treats. It has seriously minimized the amount of, "Hey...where is Charlie's backpack?!" as we're running out the door.

I'm always looking for more tips and tricks to get out the door faster. Anyone have a good one they want to share? You can never plan enough when there are kids involved!