Back to School!

 While I've been working on my Canadian Vacation posts...

We've been getting back to real life...Real Quick.

Can you believe school started on Monday?!

August 6th was the first day of school.

Even though I was reminiscing about my childhood school year starting after Labor day I was filling these book bags with $$supplies$$.

First Day of School Photos:

Hair freshly cut and ready for the 1st grade.

3rd grade here she comes!

My sweeties

Good Morning Miss Linda! 

(the best bus driver ever)

On the bus and off to school.

After the kids went to school I headed off to the gym to start my school year routine.  After the gym I showered, went grocery shopping and tidied up the house.  I was in a daze.  A lot of Moms are happy when their kids head back to school but not me.  I love our summers home together.

Soon enough though I spotted the bus heading back to the house.

Woo Hoo!

There they come.

Uh Oh...Lauren doesn't look so happy.

Despite their looks getting off the bus they had a good first day.

Tyler had stories to tell about his day and teacher but Lauren was a little peeved that she had homework already.  Welcome to third grade Missy.

(*After three days in school now she's coming home happier than ever.  She likes her teacher and is very excited for the school year.*)

I guess it is good the kids are back in school because I've developed an obsession.

Ever since I found this HUGE, 'give me the heebie jeebies', Tomato Worm sucking the life out of a green tomato in my garden I am on a mission to rid the earth of them.  (Not really because I can't bring myself to harm them but I do clip them from my tomato plant and toss them out in the front yard for the birds.)

After I removed this tomato-sucker from my plant I Instagrammed him.

You may have seen him on Facebook.

CREEPY

The next day I found this smaller "creeper" (not to be confused with Minecraft lingo) feasting on my plant.

I now check my tomato plants MULTIPLE times a day.  It's become a true obsession!   

My ultimate goal is to harvest this reddening tomato and also let his green younger brother ripen.

I was able to put my hornworm obsession aside today to watch this cute little guy for a few hours.

Little Man is approaching two and he was a lot of fun.

He really likes blocks, balls, destroying block towers and throwing balls.

He was great and he makes me miss the toddler stage. 

I predict he will be some sort of Engineer.

He likes to organize the blocks into a neat even line and he even prefers the seem side of the block to be facing up.

(He and Matt would get along great!)

With all my distractions of late I'm still cooking in the kitchen most nights.

This week's meal plan comes from my Cook This Not That cookbook.

Today was a Tofu Stir-fry with red bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli and carrots

mixed with a hoisin, soy sauce, chili sauce, thai chili paste, rice wine vinegar concoction I threw together.

 It was yummy.

(Matt is obviously out of town. (because I used TOFU!))

However,

Lauren ate her whole entire serving and Tyler ate all the Tofu and zucchini.  

(See Matt, Tofu is good)

I will close this post with Tyler demonstrating the proper position to hold when there is a tornado drill at school.

He tells me a tornado drill is coming up next week since they had their fire drill today.

Be safe!

And be on the lookout for the evil tomato worms!