I hate to even say the "s" word, but it's approaching fast. So I did what had to be done, and took the kids shopping for school supplies tonight. First step was to have Alice and Emma condense the 4 different grade-level lists into one giant manageable list. With John at work, I was taking all 1o kids to Walmart with me. Things needed to be efficient and organized so we could get in and out as quickly and effortlessly as possible. We have 6 going to school this year...2 kindergardeners, a 1st, a 3rd, and 2 fourth graders.
After locating and sorting through last years' scissors and pencil boxes to see what was still useable, we finalized the list and headed off.
The kids did amazingly well, despite the busy aisles, and always long check-out lines. Little Lucy was in an umbrella stroller with Alice chauffering her around. Charlie, Frank and Rose were buckled in one of those 3-seater carts. (I actually sent Emma into the store ahead of us to locate a cart with all the buckles intact, cause lets face it...if they can get out of the cart, the battle is already lost!) This left the 6 oldest school-goers ready to grab supplies and toss them into the cart. It makes me smile (and feel a little guilty all at the same time) that our kids are so excited to be getting new things, that they don't even buck or whine when I explain they'll be getting the 25cent generic folders that they can decorate themselves in lieu of the Hannah Montana folder that costs quadruple that. They're just too dang excited about getting a fresh pink eraser, it doesn't really matter! I tell you, it's the little things. I did cave on some Swedish fish candy at the checkout (to be opened in the car, cause yes, I need that leverage right up until that moment when everyone's buckled in their seats!)
Anyways, sorting through the treasures when we got home was a whole 'nother ball game. Even the toddlers pulled out old backpacks from the toy box, and begged for a pencil to call their own. We had a couple to spare, so everyone left the table happy. Everyone packed their supplies into their recycled backpacks in anticipation of that big day, exactly 2 weeks away. Oh my.
I'm soooo not ready for homework, alarm clocks, soccer schedules, and remembering who needs to wear gym shoes on which day. My head spins just thinking about it.
Oh, but then I imagine quieter days with just my 4 youngest at home, and wonder what we'll think of to make our time special while the "big kids" are away. I think I should have put playdough on our home "school" supply list.
for giggles: our list
6 jumbo pink erasers
8 folders
4 boxes crayons
2 pair scissors (already had 4 at home)
4 small glue sticks
2 large glue sticks
6 bottles elmer's white glue
....I know, what on earth do they do with all that glue?!
4 packs watercolor paints
10 boxes of tissues
#2 pencils (for everyone!)
8 dry erase markers, fine tip
4 yellow highlighers
1 deck of cards (learning to gamble during recess?!)
3 packs colored pencils
1 red pencil
1 notebook
2-12 packs of post-it notes
2 clear plastic rulers (we already had others at home)
2 red pens
2 packs loose paper (15o pages, wide ruled)
2 binders
2 clip boards
2 ultra-fine black sharpies
10 kids running wild, 1 cart, 1 stroller, and 1 package swedish fish to reward them for good behavior. Whew. we did it!
