start of school . . .

someone started the 7th grade on monday. which seems crazy ... how can i actually have a 7th grader?!?! but apparently, i do ... because she came home with these today.

what is all this? we have 10 books ... 6 notebooks ... and 6 folders. there is actually another hardback textbook ... but it's at school. why aren't these books at school? is it because she needs them all for homework ... or to study? nope ... it's because she will have to carry these to and from school everyday. our school doesn't have lockers for the jr highers. we knew about this ... so it wasn't unpexpected. and i actually don't know why they don't have lockers ... but i'm sure there's a reason.

total sidenote ... but something i want to remember: when amanda saw the "world history/medieval" textbook ... she asked why there was a picture of the "round table guy" on the front of the book. lol! it was hilarious! and of course ... joe perked right up when he heard "round table" ... he loves their pizza!

 

ok ... she doesn't really carry them like this. she does have a backpack. lol! a really cool black and pink backpack with hearts and skulls all over it. but all of these books don't fit in her backpack. and most days, she has a lunch too ... and water bottle ... and other pencils and things. but look at the girl ... you can tell it's heavy. she's a little thing ... she only weighs 67 pounds. yes, she'll be 12 next month ... and weighs 67 pounds. lol! so we decided to weigh the books. 20 pounds of books there ... twenty pounds!!! she was saying how she had her backpack on after school (and carrying some books) ... and another friend (who is pretty tiny) brushed up against her in passing ... and they both almost toppled right over. lol!

  

i took these pictures right after school ... after her walk home. a walk in the heat ... i know it was over 100 degrees today. you can even see the sweat on her forehead and in her hair. nice, i know. lol!

but i'm sure she'll be ok ... because her little sister (who is in fact an inch or two taller) has offered to give her back massages every day. lol!

so yes, alyssa is in 7th grade ... and so far she likes it. 6 different teachers, 6 different classes. but pretty much the entire class sticks together all day ... so she stays with the same group of kids for each class. her elective is band ... she's in her second year of the clarinet. which will be nice now that they have band every day ... for an hour. instead of the 30 minutes or so once a week ... like they did last year. the homework hasn't started yet ... but it's coming. just looking at what she has to do for some of these classes ... so much work! luckily, she is really good about working on things ahead of time. unlike her mom ... who is a huge procrastinator. lol!

sarah is in 4th grade! her first year with letter grades ... and i'm sure more homework. she has a few friends in her class this year. it was so different than year-round ... when you knew what kids would be in your class because you were on the same track. this time it was just luck in who was in your class with you. she likes her teacher ... and has already told me all about the cool stuff that her teacher does. and this is a big year for PE too ... they have to start running the mile every week. luckily, she's a good runner.

i still didn't take any first-day-of-school photos. heck, i'm a scrapbooker ... i have no problem stageing these photos at any given time .. and then passing them off as the real-deal. i actually have a back-to-school layout that i was doing today ... about alyssa going into jr high. i pulled out a photo from back in march ... because it matched my papers. lol! nothing wrong with that! but i will get the official photos ... with the backpacks ... like every other year.

Comments

[Sara]

She has to CARRY ALL those books BACK & FORTH to school EVERY DAY???? She's either gonna have back problems or hopefully strong inner core muscles!! Poor thing! I'd be taking Sarah up on those back massages too...

Love how open you are about "staging" pics for LO's!! LOL!!

Thanks again for all your help today w/those collages!!

[Deneen]

The school I work at doesn't have lockers either and I am not sure why but it totally sucks for the kids.
Heather and Holly are really loving high school too. They had so much fun with Alyssa and Sarah on saturday night so thanks again for having them over.

[JokeBK]

That poor girl. I can't imagine that the school doen't have lockers for the older kids. That's really bad!
Wish her luck and your youngest is a sweety to give her sister a massage every day.

[Pamela]

No lockers??? Bless her heart and what a pain for her (all the way around). I teach 7th and 8th grade - love, love, love, that age. They are still excited about learning! :) Wish she was a student of mine. Thanks for sharing.

[Marissa]

I love your staged first day photos! Can't wait to see them...and can't wait to see some of your KOTM school kit..hint....hint...I think my school has a second set of books sent home with the kids to keep at home so they don't have to lug stuff back and forth- and we have lockers! That is awful for her! I would love to hear all the cool stuff Sarah's teacher does- I'm always up for new cool ideas!

[Melinda]

So does she not only have to carry them back and forth but around school all day as well? That is awful!! She will need a massage every night for sure. Love that you stage pics and that you admit- too funny!!

[Susan D.]

omigosh!! that's crazy!!! poor girl! does she have a rolling backpack or not? i can't imagine.

crazy about the cop...and the break-ins, a little scary.

i want to say on 2ps a while ago there was some talk about baking dishes shattering into a million pieces. i have a glass one that i use all the time, though i don't think i ever go much above 375 in them...and i don't broil in them...a little freaky none the less.

love the photos of the jump...how awesome is that place?

and as always love the last layout, too.

[Laura T.]

That is a LOT of books. You know come to think of it, we didn't have lockers until the 9th grade (high school).

I guess I pushed the memory of carrying books to and from school out of my head because I don't remember that stage of my life at all. Maybe it was too painful to remember (lol).

[Sasha Farina]

Wow.. laura, that's a lot of books. Poor baby, or rather, poor girl!!

[Sandi]

Wow all those books I would buy her a rolling backpack if they are allowed to have them.

I always take the first day photo. We get up 30 mins early just to have extra time for photos and extra hugs:) I am a mess for the first hour then I perk up.

Sandi

[Linda]

What are they THINKING? Giving 20 lbs of books to a kid, then not issuing a locker? That's nuts....I feel for her. No wonder our kids have back problems!

I'm glad to hear your daughter's sticking with music...I always get sad when I hear kids dropping music electives because they feel they have to take other courses. As a musician (for 32 years!) I think that music helps with every other course out there....

[Alicia King]

wow! that is a lot of books! can't wait to see your "1st day of school" photos! lol!

[Carla]

Goodness!! And no lockers? That's craziness!
That's a whole lot of books to carry!
Alyssa is so cute, and such a tiny little thing, which is adorable. I was exactly her size at that age and was teased so much for being short...got taller than my friends by HS!
And I really love the pics too!

[Megan Cristello]

Ugh..no lockers.poor girl~! Hey..didn't get out first day of school pictures on the second day eihter..but like you..I can stage anything~!

[doris]

yay for back to school! she's too tiny for all those books! lol abt the staged photos . . . you're my girl! :D

[Shaun Paddock]

I cannot believe that the school makes these kids carry all of those books every day. They are all going to have major back problems. Does her backpack have wheels? I would take this issue up with the school board and see if they cannot leave them in the classroom and if the school cannot come up with a solution then they should pay the doctor's bills when these kids have back issues.
Sorry, I will now get off my high horse. Great photos and they are such beautiful girls.
Love and God bless,
Shaun

[Lisa]

Yup it's the same thing down here in Florida -- no lockers for the kids. Ridiculous! My boys would literally have backaches after walking home. Great photos, btw. I think the one of the girls together, laughing, is one of the best ones ever! Love it! Good luck to both the girls in their school year!

[Leslie]

Isn't that crazy - no lockers!! Must be why those backpacks w/ wheels became so popular - though we aren't supposed to use those in elementary school! Great first day pics - it's ridiculously HOT in CA right now!

How great you have a kid who likes to stay on top of their school work! I always feel like a nag - lol!

[girlsmiths]

Well, Amanda started 7th grade as well, and, I showed her your pict, and she said she has the same books, plus a bit more--YIKES! Thankfully, she only has to walk two blocks carrying that load!

[Tor]

I had to carry around all my books during highschool. You get used to it after a while.
So cool that she can chose music as an elective! Good luck and a lot of fun with it!

[Erika]

Dang that's a lot of books to carry for a little girl. That seems crazy that she has to lug them back and forth every day. Poor thing! Great pictures!

[Erin Bassett]

Wow that's a lot of books!! We didn't have lockers when I was in school too (too much vandalism I guess)....and it totally stunk to have to lug all of those books around...my thoughts are with her!

[candi tardio]

that's alot of books!!!!!! especially since there are no lockers!!!

[cathy]

awww! that poor little thing! how is it that a school doesn't have LOCKERS??!! good thing she has such a sweet sister to give her a back rub everyday, looks like she's gonna need it! i'm totally with ya on the 7th grader thing, i feel sooo old! :( mine start school on wednesday!

[Stephanie]

Wow! That's a lot of books!
I can't believe school has already started there....we don't go back until September 2nd.
Great photos of the girls!