it's that time again...

Yes, it's back-to-school time again (the kids start back on Wednesday), and time for me to be nostalgic once again about my own school days. :)

Ben will be starting Kindergarten this year, and he is SO excited!  I remember being excited to start school, too.  I had kind of a chaotic Kindergarten year, however, moving several times and going to three different schools. 

The summer before school started, we moved from Madison, WI to Aberdeen, MD, so that my dad could attend army training.  I began Kindergarten while in Maryland, at Hillsdale Elementary, and Mrs. Richardson was my teacher there.  I was very nervous about riding the bus on the first day.  I got to school okay, but when it was time to go home, I couldn't find my bus and ended up in tears!  I remember a teacher walking me to the principal's office, and then waiting there for my mom to come pick me up ~ very traumatic! ;)  The next day, Mrs. Richardson made sure that I got on the right bus home.  I remember liking my teacher a lot, but the rest of my memory of that time is pretty hazy!

In October, we moved to LaMoille, IL, to live with my grandparents for a couple of months.  We started out with my dad's parents, and they lived right across the street from my new school, Allen Elementary.  I was very excited to find out that my cousin Michael would be in my class! :)  Mrs. Serr was our teacher, and I quickly made two new friends to hang out with, along with Michael ~ Jill and Jimmy.  My very first school picture was taken at Allen:

Cute and casual!

(My mom would want me to tell you that she didn't realize it was Picture Day when she sent me out the door that day.  If she'd known, she would've made sure I looked more dressy! :) )

After about a month at my dad's parents', we moved to my mom's parents' farm, and once again I rode the bus to and from school.  This time, though, I rode it with my Uncle David (who was in high school), my cousin Jackie (who must've been in 2nd or 3rd grade), Michael, and Jill... and I thought it was great fun!

In January, our family moved again, this time to Ames, IA.  We lived in a rental house until the summer, and I began attending Crawford Elementary (which is where I went for the rest of my elementary years).  It was only a few blocks away from our home, so I was able to walk there.  My teacher was Mrs. Koester, and I absolutely loved her! :)  I also made some new friends, including Tracy (who lived 2 doors down from us) and Jayson.  Despite all the changes, I had a great Kindergarten year!

On Wednesday, Nick will be starting middle school, 7th grade.  I remember being very nervous before 7th grade started! (I'm pretty sure Nick is, too!) For me, it was junior high, not middle school, but still... it was a new school, a big school, with all kinds of things to remember ~ my locker combination, all my teachers' names, where all my classrooms were, etc.  Luckily, it didn't take long before I had it all figured out and felt comfortable in the school. 

I attended Welch Jr. High. (Go, Welch Wildcats!)  The school was about a mile away from our house, and I either walked or rode my bike with friends to get there.  I had Mrs. Mohr for Reading, Miss Wilson for English, Mr. Clinton for Social Studies, Ms. Quint for Music, Mrs. Boyd for Gym, Mr. Heinen for Art, Mr. Little for Math, and Mrs. Rassmussen for Science.  (And also Mrs. Pier for homeroom.)

Oh, so fashionable in velour!

My best friends that year were Tara, Abby, Inger, and Lisa.  I also had two boyfriends (not at the same time, LOL) ~ Dave and Andrew (a 9th grader!)  I was in the 7th grade chorus, and was also a Dogpatch citizen in our school musical "Li'l Abner".  I ended up enjoying 7th grade ~ all of jr. high, actually ~ quite a bit.

Emmalie will be starting 10th grade, her sophomore year this week. (WHERE did the time go??)  It will be her second year of high school, and she'll have several of the same teachers she had last year.

For me and my classmates, 10th grade was our first year of high school.  I remember being somewhat nervous about it, but not too much.  Mostly I was sad that I'd be away from many of my good friends who were still back at Welch, in 9th grade.

I went to AHS (Ames Hi Aims High!), and could've ridden the school bus there, but chose to ride the city bus, Cy-Ride, with my friends, instead.  Mr. Hansen was my (very wacky) homeroom teacher. My first semester, I had Child Development with Mrs. Schepers, U.S. History with Mr. Daddow, Honors English with Mrs. Bauske and Mrs. Rowley, Swimming with Mr. Bailey (1st quarter), Health with Mr. Wittmer (2nd quarter), Geometry with Mr. Johnson, French II with Mrs. Schonhorst, and Sophomore Mixed Chorus with Mr. Wiser.  In 2nd semester, I had the same classes and teachers except for Interior Design with Mrs. Hassebrock, Introduction to Dance with Mrs. Kautzky, and I now had Mr. Duea for U.S. History.

Preppy... and over-tweezed!

My best friends included Tara, Inger, Jim, Joe, and... back at Welch... Kevin, Sean, Mike, Jonathan, and many others.  I did not have a boyfriend that year, and spent much of my time mooning over Mike, who'd broken up with me on the last day of 9th grade.  Other than chorus, I didn't really participate in extra curricular activities that year.  (However, we did go on a Choir Tour to St. Louis that spring, which was a ton of fun!)  I did enjoy my classes and new friends in 10th grade, but for the most part, it was a melancholy year for me.  Luckily, the rest of high school was much better!

Here's to (hopefully) a great year for Ben, Nick, and Emm!  Wishing you lots of wonderful days to look back on and remember when you're old and nostalgic, like me.  :)