They Ivey's are back at school this week! Yes I know most of you can't believe it because  you still have about a month left of summer before your kids go back. When you hear that my kids are back at school you either feel jealous or sad. Jealous that my kids are back at school and you still have a month left, or sad that my kids are back because summer is your favorite time of the year and you hate back to school.

Before you to jump to conclusions about me, let me let you know that I am very happy for school to be back in session. Sometimes when I say that out loud I wonder if I sound like the worst mom in the world. I mean I should love every single minute that my kids are with me and dread sending them back to school where I'm not with them for so many hours in the day. I feel guilty for that for a few seconds and then I'm over it.

We had the best summer ever around here (I feel like I say that every year though) and were able to spend so much time together as a family, but I love when school starts back. I love the routine that school brings. I love the every day life that school brings. I do hate my alarm at 6am, but I can live with that.

Our school is year round and that is perfect for us. Some of my kids need as little amount of down time from learning as possible, and this schedule allows us a great break, but also great learning time as well. Don't worry just when we are ready for a break we'll be getting our 2 week Fall break and that might be my favorite break ever.

Also can I just say that I hardly got any work done this summer. I couldn't write a blog post to save my life. I could hardly find time to record and edit a podcast. I had a few articles due that were so hard to write while my kids were at my feet begging for more snacks, more tv, and more of whatever else they could think of!

I still can't believe that my biggest baby is in 5th grade. I mean seriously one more year and I have a middle schooler. I don't even understand how this is possible. At the pool this week we were walking together and I reached down to grab his hand and he pulled it away. I gasped and he told me that I could hold his arm but not his hand. What the heck? Hold his arm – how do you even do that?!?!? Too cool for school. We do still have our secret kiss, but I would never ruin that by exposing that secret to his friends. I wonder how long the secret kiss will last? Every night we go through the routine … kiss on the cheek, eskimo kiss, then real kiss. Super sweet that he made it up for us!

I also can't believe that my last baby is in 1st grade. We're officially big kids around here. All in elementary school, all taking care of ourselves, all packing our own lunches, all big kids. I have big kids and I LOVE it!  I'll take big kids over babies and toddlers any day. I think I'm gonna love all the stages of life that are ahead of us, unless Cayden decides to not let me even hold his arm – what then?

Amos and Deacon are in 3rd and they both proclaimed that third was going to be much better than second, so hopefully that's true. They are still in separate classes and doing their own thing. This is their last year at this particular campus, so I guess they are the big kids at school for now, and I know they will both love that honor.

Enjoy the rest of your summer! While you're at the pool, we'll be learning multiplication facts.