School Starts...as does all the stuff that goes along with it!

Leigh Ashley's first day of 4th grade was yesterday. She was ready to go with her new, plaid sneakers and her backpack she customized online six weeks ago. She's little miss fashion! It took her hours surfing the net before deciding on the perfect backpack and the "coolest" pair of shoes. Since she wears uniforms, I allow her to "make a big deal" out of the only two options she has.

Zachary's first day of 10th grade is on Monday. I'm excited for him jumping into this new chapter of his life-high school, but I'm not looking forward to all of the junk that sometimes goes along with being back in school. For six weeks, I haven't been in the mix of things and we've been in our own "little world" at 118 Peninsula Drive. Now it's back to the problems and hassles that sometimes goes along with lots of contact with the outside world. I'm just praying for a good year and trying not to give up hope on people! A good friend called yesterday and told me how she got upset when a coach made a negative comment about her son (precious kid, btw) to her while in line for books! He later said that he thought she didn't like the comment and didn't mean it to sound like it did. Ok, we all say things that come out completely different that how we intended, but we've got to make it right as soon as we realize that it happened! Then she told me about a parent who totally ruined something for one kid because of assumptions and making judgments about something they didn't know anything about. Why can't things be different? These adults are teaching their children to be the same way! I love something that Kathy Lee Gifford said years ago "Each morning before my feet hit the floor, I ask God to keep me from hurting someone with what comes out of my mouth that day!". Maybe we need a billboard on Lakeland with that saying!

Here's a couple of pics of what mine and Coco's morning usually consists of. I love going out early in the morning and watching the sun rise. He hangs out in the backyard as I water my poor little plants. They just can't handle this heat! My yard was so pretty and now it's looking sad!