Back to School Week

This was a big week. Sunday evening we attempted a mediocre-at-best back to school family home evening. Probably some room for improvement there... I can't be perfect at everything, okay! But Phil was able to give our kids a Father's priesthood blessing, which was the most important thing. This was a tradition I grew up with and as I sat there listening to the comforting blessings being given to my own children I couldn't help but think how we'll probably never know how much those blessings helped us while growing up. How grateful I am for that beloved tradition in my childhood and how we're able to pass it on to our kids now.

 Then--Monday was Ryder's 7th birthday! We were horrible with the picture taking during the opening of the presents and blowing out his '7' candle on his donut cake. (Okay--so I'm not perfect at A LOT of things.) But it doesn't take away from the fact he is sweet, and good and how there are so many wonderful things about him that comfort my apprehension about his growing up. I just love every single thing about him and I'm so lucky that he came to our family. 

And since his birthday just happened to fall on the day before school....and since his cousins and Nana and Pompa just happened to be there for his birthday party, we thought we'd throw in a little back-to-school fun with our first ever:

Presenting: Penny, Jared, Rory, Gracie, Ryder and Hazel! Sporting a couple of their favorite back-to-school fashion trends!

We've got sleek & chic. Pop-culture graphic T's. Skinny jeans. Your classic button-up-the front shirts. A little bit of little-girl ruffles and just a shot of neon to top the whole thing off!

Folks, this was hilarious. If you ever need to turn a gathering into a par-tay, strap some Christmas lights to your banister, turn-up a little Billy Jean and Vogue and make your littles strut their stuff down the stairs. We whistled and cheered and before your knew everyone was coming out of their shell. If this little celebration was any indication--it's gonna be a totes fab school year. 

On a much calmer note, here was my Ryder the next morning ready for his first day of school (Pen doesn't start preschool until after Labor Day). Throughout this entire week of a new routine and rushing to get his lunch ready (we'll see how long that lasts!) I've been digesting the fact that he's gone most of the day for most of the week (which means the most of the rest of his life).  Dramatic much? Perhaps. Even Penny and Hazel are struggling with it. ("Ryda's school?" says Hazel 20 times a day.) But it's been a hard idea for me to swallow that Ryder has to go out there and fend for himself for a good portion for the rest of his childhood. I suppose it has to happen at some point and the fact that he is happy and excited to be doing so counts for something, by golly!