Another first is in the books!

The first day of Kindergarten!  Wow.  Not to be cliche...but it is hard to believe that we are already a school-going family.  And for the next 16 or so years we will have kiddos officially in school.  Like Cora said this evening, "Mom, I can't hardly believe that I'm actually a big kid now!"

It was a good day.  Pictures in the morning - all indoors because there were some evil-looking, but ultimately harmless, storm clouds brewing outside.  Willa insisted on posing right alongside her sisters (but no pics of here for now...today is her sisters' day to shine).  The girls were so anxious and ready for school to start, they were chomping at the bit, just waiting for the clock to turn to 6:26 so we could get out the door.  (Ian and I like to start our day early, so that we can leave right at 3:30).

I dropped them off at the school's before-care, and honestly, they couldn't wait for me to get out of there.  They patiently allowed me to take their picture hanging up their backpacks, and again as I left them in the gym, but then wanted me out the door so that could do their own thing.  Part of me is sad that they don't "need" me...but a bigger part is so very proud of them for being independent and grown up.

And they had a wonderful day.  We met Mrs. Bierman last Thursday at open house, and the girls have been very carefully practicing her name ever since (Mrs. Beer Man...like, Daddy drinks a beer and he's a man).  At the open house Evaline told her teacher that she (Evaline) had a very long name and it was hard to spell...but Evaline would teach her and with practice she'd get the hang of it.  :-)

They ate lunch in the cafeteria: Cora chose pizza (even though we'd asked them not to this morning), and Evaline chose a sun-butter and jelly sandwich.  They both picked the chocolate milk.  So we had a conversation this evening about the lunch choices that they were making.  (Chocolate milk is limited to twice a week, in case you were wondering.  Never one to wait, Cora is having it again tomorrow, but Eva thinks it would be better to wait until Friday so can start and end her week with it.)

Ian and I both snuck away from work this afternoon (everyone had a half-day, and we were out before the elementary schools) to pick the girls up.  We ran into Mrs. Bierman and she said that they did great - that they had fun, and were a nice mix of stick-together and independent, which was good to hear.

All in all - I'd say that it was a great start to the year!

Please ignore the state of my living room in the following photos.  I promise, it isn't really as bad it looks.