Back to School

Imagine a mom (with her 4 kids dragging their feet behind her) pushing a grocery cart, leaping down the isles between rulers, college-wide paper, pencils and crayons swaying in tune with the music playing the familiar Christmas tune "Its the most wonderful time.... of the year." I think its my mom's favorite commercial. Even though I don't have school-aged kids who will be returning to all-day classes, I LOVE the start of a new school year. It must be the teacher in me, or maybe the memory of getting new coloring supplies. Either way, I love it.

Chris started a new quarter today. He's TAing a class, doing lots of research and hoping to sit in on a class or two. I honestly don't know how he does it. He works so hard to produce great theories and ideas that his advisor and colleagues exepct of him with minimal guidance on how exactly to do it. Its tough because you can't force good ideas and yet he keeps working at it. And THEN he comes home to me and our often toy-and-dirty-dish-littered house and I unload on him all the challenges of a mother of two little boys. Somehow he stays happy and positive and laughs and plays with the boys. And even THEN he still finds time to exercise almost daily and serve as a wolf leader in cub scouts. Incredible.

Anyways, Happy Back to School. (I do realize this is almost a month late compared to most of you out there).

This is Alec on his first day of "playschool" last year. We've not started it yet this year.