School Started!

It's actually been going on for a couple of weeks now, but obviously, I need to post our back-to-school pictures here!

My kids leave for school at wildly different times, so they're never all ready for school when the first contingent leaves!  So here we have Camille all ready to leave (at 7:15!), and everyone else still in their pajamas (Ryder can barely open his eyes!)

Camille is a big 5th grader now!  My last year having a kid in elementary school!!!

Colton left next at 8:10, beginning 7th grade (and our only Smith at Walton!) but I totally forgot to take his picture, so this is actually him AFTER surviving his first day!

And finally, Ryder and Kendra head out to the high school around 8:40!  That's an hour-and-a-half of goodbyes!!!

Look at this cool senior all ready to rule the school!!!!!  How did we get here???

And this is how Ryder feels about being a freshman!

Just kidding, here's his real smile!

The first couple weeks have gone very well and everyone seems happy and like they're adjusting to their new classes.  Whew!  And I am having NO PROBLEM keeping myself busy while they're away, whether I'm meeting up with friends, hiking, prepping seminary lessons, going to the temple, or occasionally even going to my job!  The only thing I still don't seem to have time for is cleaning my house!  😂  But honestly, where's the fun in that?

Shortly after school got going, we also said goodby to Bentley.  After much debating, he decided to go live in Seattle with Tracy and Adam (and Cora!) for a bit while he gets ready for his mission.  It was getting harder and harder to juggle four drivers and only three cars, so there's at least one perk to him leaving, but I'm still really sad that he's gone.  Sending your kids off is so bittersweet.  But I am truly grateful to Tracy and Adam for welcoming him into their home at this time!

Saying good-bye to his siblings (and dressed very appropriately for his new home!)

Everything went very smoothly with his flight, and he even got a gorgeous sunset as he rode the ferry to Bainbridge!  

So this is our new normal-- until everything changes again!

Unrelated, but this seems as good a time as any to share this gorgeous picture that my Mom took of the ferry!