Check, Check and Check

It may only be the middle of July, but I am happy to report that most of the big "Back to School" tasks are done. Out of the way. Checked off the list.

School supplies are bought*, labeled, sorted, and boxed for both Chase and Ellis. Check. Check. Check.

New book bags have been ordered and should arrive this week. Check.

There are a few things left on the list. Chase and Ellis both have to have gym shirts with their names on front and back. We got inexpensive solid color tees (green for Chase and purple for Ellis) and although the school says you can write your name in marker, when your Daddy is an artist, this JUST WON'T DO. Mark is designing iron-ons. Chase and Ellis think that flowers would be nice. And, I want to wait until the last minute for shoe shopping. It seems like both of them have massive foot growth in the summer.

But for the most part, I feel like I can say--Done. And it feels pretty good.

I am working on finding ways to make our mornings a little easier come school. I have hung a 10 cubby canvas sorter in Chase and Ellis closet. The top five will be Chase's and lower five will be Ellis'. I explained that on Sunday evenings we'll place Monday through Friday outfits-- complete from undies and socks to shirts and pants--one in each slot. So in the mornings, they can each just grab an outfit, get dressed, and go. All of the outfit sorting drama (Ellis is the one for this) can be saved for one evening. Keeping my fingers crossed that this works!

Nothing like the pending threat of a baby born the first week of school to get things organized and a plan in place! I suppose this is a form of nesting.

It feels great to check things off this list!

*Finding tubs of Wet Ones was the most difficult task on the list! After no success at three stores, Mark cornered a Red Shirt at Target. It took three employees and a computer look-up to find them. They are not in the baby aisle. Nor the health and beauty area, and not even the cleaning area. Nope. They are with paper plates. Seriously, who planned that one. Considering that they are on every back to school list we have ever had, I would think that moving some to the school supply area might be in order.