I'm in complete and total back-to-school mode. Happens every year about the time the Target school ads start to run every break on HGTV and Food Network. Even spent my last "official" summer weekend doing craft projects for my classroom. I look forward to school starting. Always have. I have a list of things to be done before going back. Some of these are:
Get my roots done.
Mani-pedi.
Edit work wardrobe.
Begin the "early to bed, early to rise" training.
Go into my classroom and clean up after the cleaning crew.
Touch base with teammates and plan for planning.
Making the list (gotta have a list) brought me back to something that's been popping in and out of my mind over the past week or so. How much has changed on the back-to-school list? Still wardrobe questions, still supply shopping, still wondering who will be in my class this year. Other than the obvious (I didn't start coloring my hair until senior year in high school), the idea has always been much the same - what to do to put my best foot forward for the new school year?
This past weekend, while I manned the hot glue gun and crazy scissors, Mom was toiling away at the sewing machine. She made fabric banners for my classroom that I will use for my students' birthday timeline. Mom was happy to help, and it was fun to work together.
It got us talking about all those August weeks in the past when we went shopping for patterns and fabric for my new school clothes. My mom would make the cutest clothes for me, sewn with love and great care. Except for the pins sticking me during fittings, I loved this back-to-school ritual. I had input in fabric choice and pattern selection, and I knew no one else would have an outfit like mine. My mom worked outside the home, so making my clothes was something she did on nights and weekends. Made those clothes all the more special.
What are/were your back-to-school rituals? I'm adding a new one to mine - making sure Mom knows she is appreciated.
