Mama Drama: where did the time go?

I just got back from finalizing all the details for my baby boy's 10th grade year of school and we will be at Open House tonight, ahead of the first day of school tomorrow.  From the time I woke up today I was filled with melancholy and nostalgia for those days when I had three to get ready for school and the little things we used to do to celebrate the arrival of a new school year. 

This year is so different.  My daughter is now a year+ into her marriage and living several hours away, my oldest son has started a new college several hours away and living on his own, and my youngest son is going to get in his own car tomorrow and drive to school by himself.

 Gone are the days of everyone having breakfast together, prayers on the way to school, first-day-of-school after school celebrations, and the sound of their voices sharing all the details of that first day. No more days of excitement over new school supplies, backpacks and lunchboxes. Life has been transitioning to this for years, but I think the realization that I only have my youngest for 36 more months really is hitting me hard now that my two oldest are out and on their own.  I am missing the days that felt simpler and full of  fun.  I miss field trips and class parties and even them getting excited about picture day.  Now, I am lucky if I know when picture day is!  I miss the anticipation of report cards and the arrival of yearbooks. I miss picking them up from cheerleading, football, baseball or basketball practice and all the games that went with it.  I even miss those forced back pack clean outs that often found moldy snacks long forgotten.

I am not sure why the nostalgia has hit so hard today.  Across the state my older son is having his first day of school and my younger one will have his tomorrow.  Maybe it is because my daughter was home this past weekend and it was good to see and hear lots of voices in the house and my Mother was here to visit last week?  I loved life when I had a full house and being Mommy.  It is the greatest gift I have ever received.  Seasons change and growth happens and, even though I miss my babies, I am proud of who they are and are becoming.  I have been blessed.

Happy New School Year!!!

Some new Artwork....

I love Jill Strickland's work.  These are just a few of her works that I love.  I am really thinking my new home won't be complete without one or more!

What do you think?  See more of her work at http://www.jillstricklandart.com/

Oh....and I couldn't leave this one out...

They just make me feel like I need to get a glass of sweet, iced tea and head out on the porch!

***BTW, if you are part of the blog patrol, I received NO compensation for this post (nor have I for any others, for that matter).

Homecoming 2010

Last week was Homecoming at my children's school, so it was a flurry of activity all week. One of the biggest highlights was that DD was on Homecoming Court, which was so much fun for her.

During the Homecoming game pep rally she was escorted by her little brothers! I don't know that they appreciated the experience like they should have!

During the Walk-Out for the Homecoming festivities, she was escorted by her handsome Daddy!

It was another one of those bitter sweet nights for a Mom. She is a Senior and our time of sharing events like this with her is ebbing away...the countdown is on ,and I hear the ticking of the clock much louder than I would like. Only one or two more formal occasions in her High School career and after that, well...I will be lucky if I see photos on Facebook. Sigh....

Since we all love the shoes!

She and her handsome date getting ready to catch a limo with friends to the Homecoming Dance.

Aren't' they cute?

Ahhh, to be young again.............

First Day...

Wow, another school year! I can't believe it. I especially can't believe it because today is the very first day of DD's Senior Year. This morning I am finding myself full of sighs...where have these years gone? I want to just stop time and hold them still.

My big, little man on his way to the 1st day of 2nd grade. He was so sweet this morning when I woke him. He reached up and gave me one of those sleepy hugs and said, "I wish we were born smart so I could stay home."
Here they all are....

It is probably silly that I took a picture of DD's lunch box, but I couldn't help but think this would be the last 1st day of school that I would ever make her lunch. Oh my....

Frugal Check In - Back to School!

Ok, I have to admit the summer hasn't been great for my frugal-wannabe status. I found myself, last week, with a stack of coupons (of course, the best having expired) that I hadn't bothered to clip since school got out at the end of May, and realized that I didn't think I had done a proper grocery run since then either. So, I forced myself to sit down and weed through the stack an organize them and make a grocery and CVS list - to coordinate with sales and needs for the next week+. It felt good to start getting control again. I am a person that needs lists, and rules, and boundaries!!! Whew, that feels better - especially when I have tangible evidence of my organization paying off with my savings.

The one down side is that when I really took a look at last weeks paper it brought the hard and fast reality that our summer is almost over when I saw all the Back-to-School sales! Unfortunately, we live in a area of the country where school administrators have decided that sending kids back into the classrooms in early August when it is 678 degrees outside is a good idea. Our 1st day of school is August 12th and we are one of the last to return in the area (insert eye rolling, pshaw noise here). When we lived in NY we didn't return to school until after Labor Day and I loved it. It felt natural and it wasn't 678 degrees, but I digress and don't miss the NY taxes.

Sooooo...back to my original point, frugality! I like to buy school supplies for the entire year and keep a supply shelf stocked so that I am not having to frantically locate a report cover at 10:00 p.m. on a Thursday night (yes...yes, this does happen!). I also don't want to spend a house payment gathering all these supplies. For those of you who have children, you know that those lists of supplies have continued to grow each year as costs have risen. I definitely don't begrudge the purchases because I am aware that teachers receive next to nothing (if anything) for supplies and most spend a great deal of their own money providing supplies - even with the long list of requirements from parents, but I also have 3 children and need to manage this expenditure carefully. I imagine parents are really eyeing how to cut costs this year, more than ever. When looking over the Sunday paper last week I saw several CVS Back to School sales that, after Extra Care Bucks, were FREE and Office Max had some amazing "loss leaders" so that got me rolling. Yesterday, I again scoured the Sunday Paper and headed out this morning to pick up the great deals to be had at Walgreen's and new loss leaders at Office Max. I love sharing good deals so here is what I have managed to get:

• 50 mechanical pencils
• 2 pairs of scissors
• 2 bottles of glue
• 2 rulers
• 3 protractors
• 44 ink pens
• 10 highlighters
• 3 packs of cap erasers
• 3 rolls of Scotch tape
• 44 #2 pencils
• 3 compasses
• 3 pencil sharpeners
• 10 2 pocket poly folders w/ prongs
• 6 binders
• 10 report portfolios
• 24 2 pocket folders
• 8 composition books
• 3 sets markers (washable)
• 3 sets colored pencils
• 16 sheets poster board (white)
• 6 packs 100 count index cards

Are you ready for my grand total?

$25.03 (including tax)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do have a few things left on my list but feel pretty certain I will manage to get school supplies for all three for less than $50! I am doing the happy dance today to be sure.

OK, how are your frugal efforts this summer?

They are off....

Today is the 1st day of school.... We managed a smooth send off this morning but I feel sad. I think I have dreaded the 1st day of school this year almost more than any other. I don't really know why...maybe because school is starting back way too early (?), maybe because I feel like summer is just getting started (?), maybe because I am feeling the moments in this season of life running swiftly away...I just don't know. The morning was nice though, I got ready before the kiddos and cooked their breakfast and while they ate, I made lunches and listen to the three of them chitter-chatter about the day to come. It was somewhat of a sad Mommy Moment when I realized that DD would be driving herself to school because she has cheer practice after...that is the 1st time that I haven't taken her on the 1st DAY! I did see her in the parking lot, though and she just looked so grown up.

I came home after dropping the boys off and got some laundry on, walked the dog, weeded a bit in the bed out front and... prayed for my children...yes, I think that was the most important thing. This year I hope to be a better prayer warrior for them during the days when they are away at school.