Happy New Year...Now Back to the Grind

Here's hoping it's a happy and healthy new year for everyone!  After two solid weeks of a break from school and work, some celebrating, a wedding, sledding, shopping and un-decorating, we are hunkered down to get back into the grind.  I'm still waiting for that feeling I hear people talk about when parents are chomping at the bit to see their kids off to school once again.  I'm sad to see them go and have so enjoyed this extended time we've had.

I think a major reason why it's particularly difficult this year is that this break actually seemed like a break.  In the past, even if work and school schedules were on hold we were still up at early hours because the kids were.  And they needed us.  Now.  But we are rounding that curve now, I feel.  We actually slept in (8 a.m.).  The kids actually taught themselves how to play new games and organized their own new things for the most part.  Instead of full-on parents taking care of kids we are becoming more of just...a family with parents and kids.

Here are some things I look forward to as we head back to school:

• Organizing.  Without little eyes to police things that might get tossed, this job is much easier.  Happy Meal toys beware.
• New classes.  Will is taking hockey and Paige is taking gymnastics.  Cole is skipping this semester unless I find something super cool.
• The opportunity to volunteer in Will's class.  The teacher hasn't used parent volunteers yet and I'm really excited to see him in this element.
• Getting back into my exercise routine and bumping it up a notch
• Getting back to doing things because we want to, not because it has to be done (library trips, moseying the mall, other fun outings).

Happy 2011!