A Visit to Jon's New School, Dinner at Friendly's, Shopping for Backpacks

Mama loves her baby...

Daddy loves his baby...

When Dave got home from work today, we all jumped in the car and went to Jonathan's new elementary school. We were very impressed! Jonathan was very pleased to meet the science lab teacher, and VERY happy to know he was going to be playing with earthworms at some point in the future. Everything was very efficient and well-organized, and the adults were all very positive and cheerful. The principal and vice-principal were both very friendly and welcoming, and when there was a slight snag in the registration process, the principal gave us her personal attention until it was resolved. Jonathan was placed in the teacher's class that I have wanting him to have for Kindergarten for YEARS! Even before he was born, I heard about Dr. Rose and how wonderful she was. So I am VERY happy about that! He keeps calling her Dr. Suess (he's a little mixed up!). We met her and signed up for an individual appointment this Monday. He does not officially start until Thursday. We got to see inside the K classrooms, and I was very impressed at how spacious and clean, and well-equipped for learning they were! I am very, very pleased with his school so far. I am excited about the art, music, computer, and science programs they have in place. And to top it all off, one of his best buddies from First Friends will be in his class! Very good news!

I also met the president of the PTO (like PTA, but with an O on the end instead....) and she was very nice. I am, of course, going to be going to get fingerprinted and start volunteering at the school, so I can get some of my "teacher energy" out and also so I can spy and make sure my precious one is in a good environment. (I am probably joining the PTO also! I just need to get the kids in soccer, lose my sense of humor, and whine about every little thing, and I will have officially become a stereotype!!!) No, I think being involved in your kid's school is very important. My Mom was always very involved with our education and our school when we were in elementary and I think it made a big difference in our lives. I am so excited for Jonathan. I can't imagine everything he is going to learn this year.

To celebrate, we suprised him with a trip to his favorite: Friendly's beachside. Right now, if you go between 4-6 PM, adults can get a drink, meal, and a two-scoop sundae with one topping and whipped cream and a cherry on top! All for only $7.99! MMMMMMMM!!!!! The kids cleaned their plates, and Jonathan ate his entire double-ice cream cone. Our dinner was delicious! I chose cookies and cream ice-cream and marshmellow topping, and it was yum-o! Dave got chocolate chip cookie dough with kit kat bars on top. The kids both got double cones: Anna, strawberry and cookie dough and Jonathan, strawberry and cookies and cream. I thought we all made very wise choices!!!

Next we went to pick out backpacks for school! We did our favorite kind of shopping. What we do is this: Dave stays in the car with the kids, and I run into various stores to check out what they have. Then I run and get in the car and we move on to the next place. If I think it is worthwhile, then we will all go in. This way the kids have to go to minimal stores, and there are fewer transitions in and out of the car, less buckling and unbuckling carseats.... We finally went into Ross, and Anna picked out a Dora backpack with a matching lunchbox. Jonathan skipped over the Star Wars, Cars, Spiderman, etc, and selected a red and black Ekco brand (that cool brand with the rhino on it? It is too cool for me to even know much about it!) backpack. He then picked out a plain red and black lunchbox because it "matched." Very funny choices. Interesting. Anna set out to get a Hanna Montana backpack, and I was a little relieved to have her switch to the Dora. I just don't think she is old enough for Hanna yet! Or maybe I am just not ready for that yet. And they both have last year's backpacks to fall back on if they change their mind or just want to switch now and then.

A pleasant evening spent together, maybe even more so since I have been somewhat housebound lately because of my surgery. It was very sweet to go out and have a nice time together. And the ice cream, was really, really good.