So school started almost a month ago!
Yesterday was the first day of fall and all I could think was that I never even put up the first day of school pics on the blog. Good thing most people saw them on facebook, but this is my chronicle I want the kids to look back on so I need to make sure I get it in both places. Man, I really don’t want them scrolling through my facebook…
We started 2′s, Pre-K, 1st grade and if you want to count me going back to school, the doctorate as well!
I went to Orientation out at Texas Tech for my Doctoral Program in August and couldn’t help stopping by the Theta house on campus. 
It has been a tough transition back to school for all of us. Getting back into an earlier bed time routine has been met with some resistence by the oldest of our B’s and she has said more than one time how unhappy she is that school starts at 7:45. She told us early on week two that she was done going and she liked everything about school except for how early it starts. Last week (just as I thought we were turning a corner), I heard her muttering in her room to her fish, “I just don’t have enough time to feed you in the morning fish, I’m sorry fish!” Apparently, being 6 is very stressful. Despite the “time constraints” on her life, 1st grade is awesome. She rides her bike (no more training wheels) to school with Sean most mornings. She loves her teacher Ms. Shuhart and is eagerly anticipating homework that starts this week (Sean and I are not as eager – we are crossing both fingers and toes and hoping all said homework gets done at the afterschool program as they advertise). Bree has also started dance again at KJ Dance with bffs Olivia and Katherine. She is a born dancer (maybe not in talent, but in passion).
First day of school for Bree.
She barely let me walk her in as she is such a big kid. I finally told her I just needed to take a few pics! Golly!
Teacher shot from open house!
Bree loves being back in dance!
The boys are doing great in their new classrooms.
Sean and I feel really confident that we made a good choice not sending Bauer to Kinder this year. He is really learning a lot in Pre-K and getting that much needed rest time during the day. One of his best friends, Carter, turned 5 in August so they are both enjoying the Pre-K experience a second time together.
Bennett continues to amaze on the spelling and alphabet front. His teachers just love him again this year. His stubbornness when it comes to sharing or doing anything you need him to do reminds us daily that while we may have birthed a genius (Sean and I’s joke), we also birthed a Murphy. He is following right along with the hard 2′s and the even more frustrating 3′s. It is going to be an interesting year to say the least. Next goal for Bennett is to have him potty trained before 5. The Murphy household is so close to being diaper free!
Besides getting three kids to school and working, I’ve been doing this doctorate thing. It has been way harder than I expected. I think just being out of the school grind for almost 6 years is having more of a toll than I would have thought. I really enjoy what my classes are about so that is promising, but its finding the time to live my life, plan my life and fit in things like tests and papers that seems to be the most overwhelming. I’ve threatened to quit several times – sometimes just in my mind, sometimes to Sean, sometimes to my classmates. Started week 5 today so I think I’m too far in to quit this semester, but the verdict is out in the future. One day at a time…
Besides all that work stuff, we’ve been having some fun too:
TCU Football is back (not doing super, but back nonetheless)
Sean and I have carved some precious time out for a few date nights:
I’ve been crafting/procrastinating:
And most exciting of all, we finally had that family bike ride I dreamed about when we first got prego with Bree all those years ago! Bennett wasn’t so sure at first about the whole riding on the back situation, but he is a huge fan now! We’ve gone several times and now that fall looks to be arriving I’m sure we will go even more!
Most of the time we end up at the park….which is exactly where the Murphy family feels most at home!
Here’s to many more bike trips and adventures this fall….
