After 10 long short (depending on how you look at it) years...I have three kids in school!  For six whole hours of the day, they are in the care of their dear teachers, and I will use every one of those hours to catch up on the last 10 years of my life!  The full effect of six hours to myself has not yet hit as Shea is in the gradual entry for kindergarten.  This time next week though, I already have a road trip planned with my "knotty knitters" to scope out a knitting shop in another town.  I have an overdue dentist appointment, doctors appointment, a few canning sessions and apple picking occasions on the horizon as well.  I could easily fill my days up with just cleaning from the last two months of sand that was tracked into my house!  I have home projects, coffee dates, workouts, devotions, crafts, organizing etc. that have been put off "forever" that I can't wait to get to.  I'm sure the hours will fly.  

Riley is in middle school this year.  It is the first time that he has merged with two of his french immersion cousins into the same school, so they get to walk together.  He has a huge locker and is finding his way around the school with all these big kids!  There are over 500 students, and when I went there today to get the tour, I felt...
a) suddenly very OLD, and
b) like Riley is WAY too young to be there already!
Wow.  I really hope he has a good year.  So far so good and he likes his main teacher.  Phew.  I was nervous about that one.
Liam is in a class with the same teacher Riley had for grade three.  She wasn't our favorite for the academic side of things, but is super sweet, quiet spoken and positive.  Liam will have an easy year with her but I'm hoping will still remain motivated to grow more.  He has all his friends with him from last year and seems to be a much more confident boy than in years past.  I hope he learns to share his ideas and speak up when he gets the opportunity, as that is his biggest obstacle in school.
Shea just started kindergarten for an hour today.  He has the same teacher that Liam had for K as well.  She will be perfect for him, and runs a tight ship with her 25 years experience as a K teacher in that school.  He is in with at least 5 kids from his previous preschool class, so he had buddies right away and had no fear at all.  This baby brother was so ready to break free and join the others in school, that it makes me so happy for him more than upset that he's leaving me!

But ya, so that puts us in a whole new phase of our life, and it is a busy one.  I know this year will fly by and will be full of new things for all of us.