First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of School here in Wisconsin.  I love that they start in September!  I haven't asked anybody about the late start date, but I surmise it has something to do with the long winters and short summers.  Maybe they like to give the kids all the summer they can manage.  Whatever the case, I'll take it!  The boys, on the other hand, have been wanting school to start for a couple of weeks now.

 

Here is Luke at his "Backpack Night" (meet your teacher) outside his classroom.

 

 

When I asked the boys to stand on the porch for the traditional first day of school picture, this is what I got.  Man, I love these boys!

 

 

Caden and Luke

 

 

Luke

1st Grade

 

Caden

Preschool/4K

 

Here is Caden sitting on our walkway waiting for the bus to arrive.

 

Preschool for 4 & 5 year old children in Wisconsin is done differently than I am used to.  Preschool for children who are 4 or 5 is run by the school district.  Class takes place at the local preschools, but since the district is over the program (they call it 4K), they can ride the bus to preschool.  Even better, 4K children are picked up and dropped off right in front of their homes!  And to top it off, there is no cost for them to go to preschool!

 

Win, win, win.

 

Luke benefits from this arrangement as well, since he is picked up along with Caden.  After school and on Fridays (no preschool) he will have to make the trek to and from the regular bus stop WAY down the street.

 

Caden had some nerves about getting on the bus, but was able to practice getting on and off a bus at his "Meet Your Teacher" night a few days before school started.

 

 

Getting on the bus.  I had to laugh at Caden's HUGE backpack.  It drowns the poor kid.

 

I was a little melancholy as I walked back into our half empty house.  So was Porter.  He so wants to go to preschool. He began acting out and I knew this was difficult for him.  I asked him if he was having a hard day.  He said, "Uh huh...I want to go to preschool."  I explained how fun it would be to be at home with just mom and Ryland.  His responded with, "Not fun for me."  Poor boy.

 

Luckily, it wasn't all that long before Caden was rushing off the bus to greet us.



 

 

It took longer for Luke.

Luke loved his first day at his new school.  He couldn't stop talking about it when he got home.  At dinner last night, he said, "I wish it was tomorrow already."  When I asked him why, he responded with, "So I could go back to school."

I don't know how long this love of his for school will last, but I will take it while it does.