School, Buckets, and Football.

My big guy had his first day of school today. In true Luke fashion, he ran into his classroom with hardly more than a "see ya Mom!". I was upstairs for "orientation" ~ Finding out all about what committee I am on, when we serve as classroom Aids, provide snacks, and all the rest. Nate came along ~ I have to tell you how proud I am that the kids have such an involved and loving Dad.....and I have to tell you how funny my 6'2" husband looked sitting on a preschoolers chair. Luke did great, and I already love the other Mom's in the class and am looking forward to our upcoming Mothers coffee. He was so proud of his star sticker "Cause I cleaned UP Mama!", and that he learned how to "only pretend" to eat play dough.

My Mom came over this morning with the backpack that we had picked out for Luke and his big guy school. We picked it out about two weeks ago. About a week ago I got an email from the school saying that they had found that the kids were doing so many art projects that backpacks were a difficult way to transport them, and to please INSTEAD of a backpack, send your child to school with a bucket that they would use to transport home their artistic wonders each day. DOH!

Every year of my childhood my Mom and Dad took a picture of us standing by the mailbox, where she had always planted Morning Glories. Knowing that Luke was going to school this fall, I continued the tradition by planting Morning Glories this past spring. I hope to take a pic of Luke in that same spot for many many years to come. He was not thrilled to be posing, but tough luck kid. I was bound and determined to get that stupid picture :).

Now. Here is the thing with me. I was raised by Super Mom. You know the one? The one who handmade every Halloween costume, baked homemade bread, decorated her home (and others) was classroom Mom every year, hand wrapped every Christmas present (even the teeny tiny ones in the stockings) and had a bagillion friends because she was the most giving thoughtful generous person on Earth. I am not Super Mom. In fact, some days I find myself feeling more like "Super Suck Mom". BUT, somewhere deep within me is planted the notion that I could or should be Super Mom. So. The BUCKET THING. I immediately panicked. I had to make the perfect bucket. Like, with his name. NO, with his monogram. And hand paint it, of course, and get one just the right color and blah blah blah. That was a week ago. That did not happen. So. Plan B. Go to fancy schmancy store on the way home from play group that sells personalized and monogrammed buckets. Ask if they had a "Luke" bucket laying around. No. Asked how long it would take them to monogram one for me. "When do you need it?" asks saleswoman. "Thursday" says procrastinator Super Suck Mom. "Thursday like TOMORROW? Sorry, they take about a week". "Oh, shoot. Well, how much do they cost?" Asked SSM. "$30" replied fancy schmantzy store worker lady. So, I left, bucket less as I would rather Luke use my mop bucket than spend $30 on a stupid plastic pail.

So last night found me at Michael's. I decided to use the bucket that we use as Luke's Easter Basket as his masterpiece carrier. I wandered the aisles of Michael's totally depressed at how everything there made me feel like a failure. I got nauseous walking by "fun molding clay!" and "rainbow glitter glue Popsicle sticks!" and all of the other bagillion "fun" things that I am supposed to long to while away an afternoon doing with my kids. I found some cute letters that I decided to use to put his name on his bucket.......then realized that they cost like $2 and all I had with me was my credit card. A glutton for punishment I made myself walk the entire circuit of the store looking for something else I could possibly buy ~ you know, something crafty. I walked out with some construction paper, my stupid letters, and some sticker coloring book thing. Letters went on bucket last night, and off to school Luke went today.

I'm not as sad as I thought I would be. It feels less like an ending and more like a beginning.

Speaking of beginning......it is FOOTBALL TIME, the season kicks off tonight! A high holiday around here. Wishing all of you sports fans a season of joy and victory (unless you root for a team playing against my Eagles!) and may you all find warmth and fun and friendship in yet another season of NFL awesomeness. We are celebrating with a giant pasta dinner and turning on the fireplace for the first time. Go Eagles.

(And because I love my husband, go Jets too. Rah rah rah............)