Back to School: The Obligatory First Day Pictures 2023-24

We are a few days into our new school year and settling into the new routine. The first week is tough on everyone, but I think we are figuring it out! This year had some big changes for our family, which I stressed over big time, but they seem to be good moves for us, so I'm focusing on that!

First up, Trent started HIGH SCHOOL this year! I can't believe I have a kid in high school, time is wild y'all. He 'graduated' from our Montessori school {it goes PK3-8th grade}, so he definitely had to go to a new school this year. We had decided a while back that another local charter school, Gateway, was where we wanted him to go. {It is a K-12 school with each grade having about 100-125 kids in it.} We applied in January and found out we were waitlisted - they do a lottery selection when more kids apply than they have spots for. We had a long wait but found out 6 days before school started that he got in! He started on Monday and was excited that his best friend would be there and they had some overlapping classes.

Thanks for posing for a picture, Trent!

We also applied to move both girls over there as well, and they were also on the waitlist. I had mixed feelings about moving the girls, but Drew wanted to move {her 4th grade year wasn't her favorite}, and if I'm moving 2 kids, I might as well move all 3. Well, as I mentioned in our Port A post, we found out Friday morning that Drew also got in! I thought she would start Monday as well but found out Sunday night that her first day would be Tuesday, which was also Paige's first day. So on Monday, I took Paige to get her nails done {I promised her this all summer}. Drew was NOT interested. But we found the summer reading list for 5th grade, and she started the book her grade was supposed to have read - Number the Stars.

Miss Priss getting a different color on each hand and foot!

Tuesday, both girls started - Paige at Goodwater and Drew at Gateway. [Reminder that Brent was out of town from Sunday afternoon - Tuesday night so I did all this BY MYSELF. So glad book club was Friday night for some girlfriend and wine time.]

5th grade at Gateway is the beginning of middle school, so she needed a laptop {which came in Sunday night!} and would change classes for each class! I had to walk her into the building to get her schedule. She has her best friend in a few of her classes too, yay!

The big 5th grader!

And last...but certainly NOT least, Miss Paige! She moved up from the Primary class {PK3-Kinder} into lower elementary {1st-3rd}, so she was a little nervous about having a new guide, but her previous guide, her beloved Ms. Liliana, told me her new guide, Ms. Jackie, is an excellent teacher, yay!

In her Port Aransas shirt - tie dye on tie dye!

I sort of got Trent to take a picture for me...teenagers are so fun. Sigh.

Happy girl going into school!

This week we've been scrambling to get all the school supplies and things, but we are trying to embrace this new season. Brent is able to take the big 2 to school - it's on his way to work, but I'm having to get all 3 which is taking me about an hour and a half right now. SUPER fun. Very thankful for Teams, so I can work while sitting and not moving in 2 different car lines!

Here's hoping everyone a great 2023-24 school year!