The Beauchamp FamilyYes, we really are this geeky…

School starts tomorrow for BOTH of my kids. BOTH of them. That’s right, my friends, my little girl is starting kindergarten. I keep telling myself I’m okay with that and I am, but a part of me feels a little sad. I know they are both little pains in the rump, but they are also wonderful human beings. It also means a weird thing for me – the first time in 6 years or so that I can work without a child in the house on a consistent basis. I’m not even sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I’m thrilled, but on the other, I am a little bit sad. I won’t cry tomorrow – at least not in front of the kids. And besides, it’s not like I’m losing them, things are just changing and while watching them grow up and experience new things makes my heart soar, it also makes it ache just a little bit. It’s the end of an era. A time for a change.

Having said that, Cassie will be great. She’s so excited about going and Jamie is thrilled to be going back (wow, 2nd grade!) and showing Cassie the ropes. Tom will be substitute teaching there some while his role in our business changes a bit. I loved working with him, but he misses the interaction of other people (besides me) LOL. I’m okay with that. He’ll still support me technology wise, which is what I really need. Change is good, right?

To that end, this is a picture from the night before Marie left. We took them all to Dave & Busters and let them play games and had dinner. They had a blast. Then we made plans for her to try to come back. The kids even decided to start their vacation boxes NOW instead of waiting until after Christmas so that we can all afford to go to Schlitterbahn next year (instead of sucky Volente).

Before everyone thinks we are horrible, the deal with the kids is that they have to save up enough to pay for their souvenirs and dinner out one night during vacations. We usually do pizza or Subway for their night so there’s plenty left for their souvenirs. It’s a great way to teach them out saving their money and the value of a dollar. We decorate a box each year, cut a slit in the top and they put at least half of their allowance – or any other money they get – into the box so they save it. Yes, they could open a savings account, but it’s just a dollar here and there and they don’t quite understand the whole bank thing quite yet, so we use a box. Plus decorating it is a good project.

We don’t MAKE them put the money in. They have a choice, but they know that their choice directly affects their Summer vacation. They saved VERY little last year and learned a harsh lesson from it, I’m afraid. *laugh*

Marie wanted to start a box too, so she decorated with them. I gave them each $1 to start their boxes… So cute!