A New Era Begins

For the first time in twelve and a half years, I do not have a little Heathen at home.  Heathen #3 became an "offical kindergartener" last Monday.  He was more than ready to go.

He fought with some nervousness the day or so before he boarded the big yellow bus.  But on that morning, he was too busy running around with the other kids at the bus stop.  The photo below shows my youger two Heathens and my neighbor's three (her youngest also started kindergarten).

Heathen #3 managed to snag his foot running over a backpack and fell on the sidewalk.  He smacked his head on the concrete and brush burned his knee.  As soon as he hit the concrete, I heard the school bus start up the street - go figure!

I stood him up and checked for blood - there wasn't any.  He was still sniveling when Heathen #2 herded him onto the bus with the other kids.  He didn't have time to be scared.  He was still rubbing his knee and his forehead from falling.

I'll admit to a few sniffles and tears of my own after the bus left.  It was a very long, quiet day at the zoo by myself.  Turns out, I really do like the Heathens after all!

Later that afternoon...

Around 3:45, the school bus returned to Shady Lane with the Heathens aboard.  Our neighborhood children don't walk off the bus, they swarm off the bus.  The littlest Heathen came running up the front steps yelling, "Momma, it was AWESOME!!!" 

My Heathens came inside and immediately began handing me papers and talking at the same time.  I finally got to ask Heathen #3 what was his favorite part of his "awesome" day.  (I'm listing the possibilities in my head: art, recess, gym, etc.)

With his arms spread wide, a huge smile on his face and sparkling eyes, Heathen #3 announces, "They give you all your food at once, even your dessert!  And you get to pick what you put on your tray!"

Only my Heathen's favorite part of the day would be the cafeteria.

The Last Huzzah

My Heathens never sleep well the night before school starts.  They are awake for ever, all worked up about the next day.  This year, I decided that we weren't staying home and we were NOT going to bed at 8 pm.

Instead, we drove almost three hours to attend the Renaissance Faire near Mount Hope!  August 28 and 29 was one of the themed weekends: Pyrate Invasion!  So the Heathens and I went to the local thrift store and put together pirate costumes to wear.

We invited the Grandma to go along with us.  She didn't go in costume, but she did make and take a pirate flag.

We arrived around 11:30 am and we didn't leave until after 8 pm.  We saw singers, musicians, sword swallowers, jousting, knights, pirates, queens, peasants and SO much more.  The Heathens decided that they would like to go back again.  The only bad part of the day was when my camera broke.

The younger two Heathens attended pirate school and learned how to fight with the blow-up swords they were given.  We all did a pirate treasure hunt to search for the secret word that opened the treasure chest.  All three Heathens went to sword school with the actors who taught them how to do mock sword fights for spectators.  We had an amazing day!