First Day of School

It's hard to believe the kids are starting 8th and 11th grades. I probably feel like that every year! The kids are excited to be involved in programs like Performing Arts and Jazz Band, as well as their advanced academic curriculum. It's going to be a great year!!

This prop goes along with the county's theme for the year. I'm starting my 21st year of teaching, 16th year as a reading specialist, 6th year at MPE!

Willow got her license (although she doesn't technically have the literal plastic license yet) on August 4th. Since we have 3 drivers now and 2 cars, she would drop me off for workdays so she could have a car to get together with her friends during the day. Here's her first day of driving on her own! Ack!!

Willow's driving!

It's hard to believe that Willow is old enough to have her permit! She's done an incredible job! We started off in the high school parking lot, moved (slowly) to the cemetery beside our neighborhood, braved going down the 25 mph road outside of our neighborhood, in and out of parking lots behind church, tried out the parkway, then gradually began driving to church, dance, etc. She has to log 45 hours before doing her "behind the wheel" test in order to get her license at 16 yrs 3 mo. The material from the state is actually really helpful and there are lots of exercises that we've done in the high school parking lot: measuring your blind spot, parking, backing up, etc.Getting a maintenance lesson from Dad!

Her first time driving to Walmart and she parked faaaaaaaaaar away from everyone else (and the store!!).

First time ordering in a drive thru (Taco Bell)

She WANTED a magnet for the car so that others would be more patient with her. This is what she picked:

A dusting of snow called for some practice driving in snow...to Dunkin Donuts!

Driving???

 I learned to drive on a dirt road on the way to our cabin in CO but often have wondered where our kids will learn to drive without other traffic around. The more people I ask, the more people say the high school parking lot. With it being summertime, I knew the parking lot would be pretty quiet, so Willow had her first time behind the wheel. We went a few times over the summer and Willow got more comfortable with easing off the brake, using the gas on the very minimal "uphill" section of the parking lot, and turning (usually left). In the fall we added parking as well as turning left AND right (ooohh, aaahhhh). We give her a hard time for saying, "4....I like 4...4 is a good number" (talking about mph!). Since then she has cracked 9 mph :)