It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Do you remember the commercial where the dad is pushing a shopping cart gleefully through an office supply store? Kicking up his heels while "The most wonderful time of the year" plays in the background? Pan to shot of his kids with sad, sad faces, watching as he fills the cart with back to school supplies?

It's a GREAT commercial and it's exactly how I feel!

Every year.

Back to school. That's right baby.....the most wonderful time of the year!

Don't get me wrong. It's not because I don't love my children. 

I do. 

But, they NEED to go to school!!

I have decided to stop feeling guilty-you read those blogs or hear about mom's who are sad their kids are returning to school, who feel so empty the first day of school, wondering "where did the summer go?", dreading the carpools, the homework, the structure.  Oh, yes. Those are the mom's that for years pushed me into suppressing my true feelings.  I use to feel so guilty for my feelings of glee when I see the words "back to school sale". I use to try and suppress my joy when notebooks, colored pencils and glues sticks are stocked at the front of the store at ridiculously low prices. I use to try and look sympathetic to the groans and dismay of my children as the two weeks before school were counted down. BUT after years of closeting my happiness and euphoria about the kids returning to scholastic study....NO MORE! 

It's time to come clean!!

I love this time of year!!! 

I love back to school!!!

I love structure and order and bedtimes and homework time! 

I LOVE IT!

I am not a bad mom for wanting more than endless hours of Wii, Webkins, I-tunes downloading, Facebooking and "hanging out" doing nothing with friends for my children.
I am not selfish to want a period of time where the fridge stays shut for more than 15 minutes straight, where silence reigns supreme through the day and no one is beat boxing, pounding on the piano, dancing, wrestling, singing, pillow fighting, "inventing" things out of wood with power tools, riding their roller blades on the wood floor and or shrieking through the house being chased or trying to get someone to chase them.
I am not evil for wanting my kids up and dressed and out the door before noon-going somewhere where trained professionals help them learn and use their minds and creativity.
I am not ridiculous for wanting to stop hearing "What are we doing for FUN today?", "No one is home, there is no one to play with.", "I'm bored.", "Let's go to the mall!", "I have nothing to do.", "How come we don't go to Hawaii?" (Or  Disneyland or Lagoon or anywhere cool and fun their friends families are going) and "It's summer-I don't need to get up!".
I am not the devil herself for wanting structure, bedtimes, scripture time, dinner times, and a sense of knowing everyone is at their designated school and not running a child here, another there, trying to find a friend for this child, hoping another is driving safe and another remembers to get to work.

Mothers unite!!

It's time to shrug off the guilt!

School is great!

Teachers are saints!

Silence is golden!
Despite what my children think about this subject and my love for this time of year, I do love my children! I think the fact that I love for them to go back to school is only proof I love them even more! I love for them to be engaged in learning and growing. I love for them to come home and smash their cheek against mine and tell me about there day. I love to hear about who is going out with who and what so and so said to so an so. I love to see and smell my teenagers all groomed and smelling good rushing out the door at 7:25 am. I love to see my elementary kids run up the front steps after school and throw open the door exclaiming "I'm home! Where are you mom?" I love the break we get from each other and the chance to miss them a little each day.

And although I really hate this blog background I'm going to keep it until school starts! Just to get the "feel" for this "wonderful time of the year"!!