DAY 1459... Back to School Traditions

I spent so much time researching and exploring every outlet I could find in search of some fun back to school traditions for our family.

I know, I know, I probably could have spent that time being way more productive, but it is what it is.

Since Aniston is our first child to go to school (preschool counts right?), this was totally unexplored territory.

Setting up lifetime traditions distributes a crazy amount of pressure!

There are so many fantastic ideas and options!

I love traditions and I think that it's important to have traditions in your home. Traditions are what I remember most growing up. But it's really tough to figure out what is going to work best for your family and to know your limits and what you are going to be able to follow through with.

After several weeks of research we finally settled on our back to school traditions.

Back to School Feast

For our back to school feast this year, we chose Hawaiian Haystacks. This was the perfect dinner for this year because Ani ate a ton a vegetables and loves the options that this meal offers her. It's so awesome to have the ability to pick and choose what you want, and knowing that it's pretty healthy. Aniston loves options! I used rainbow colored circles on fishing line to decorate our dining room and made cute name plates for everyone, including Benny Boo.

Benson could not stop staring at the circle's hanging from the ceiling. 

He LOVED them!

While we were eating, we talked about what Aniston was most excited for when it came to school (the playground). We also talked about her fears. Her biggest fear?  Not knowing where the bathroom is. I made sure that she knew where it was and we practiced telling our teachers that we needed to go potty. I am happy to report that there have been no accidents (knock on wood).

I think it's safe to say that everyone enjoyed the feast!

Back to School Blessing

Every year, growing up, my Dad would give us each a Father's Blessing the night before we went back to school. This year Aniston got her very first back to school blessing from Spencer and it was AMAZING! For such a rowdy child, she was so quiet and so calm the entire time and then reached for Spencer to give him a hug right after he was finished. It was AMAZING!

Family Theme

So we I picked a theme for our family for this school year. This year I chose a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley that I absolutely love! The quote simply says, "Try a little harder to be a little better."

Once I settled on a theme, I got onto publisher and designed the print and had it printed, framed, and placed in our living room so that we can see it every day.

Hopefully it will inspire all of us to be a little better in our daily activities.

School Clothes Shopping

School clothes shopping was always one of my favorite things to do to prepare for school growing up. I was surprised at how picky my little 3 year old was when it came to buying new clothes, but we were able to agree and settle upon some super cute clothes!

I'm sure that this is one of those traditions that will change in the future and that she will rather go with friends than with Mom so I just really need to enjoy this time while it lasts for sure!

Back to School Pictures

We took our very own back to school pictures. I know to many they aren't anything special, but it was another opportunity to capture an important moment in our lives and for me to get more practice using my nice camera. They turned out AMAZING!

You can view all the images here.

Back to School Treat

The night before school started, after our Back to School Feast, we let Aniston pick any place that she wanted to go for dessert. She picked frozen yogurt, for the gummy bears and sprinkles of course.

First Night Pizza

For dinner on the first day of school we hit up Papa Murphy's for an easy and delicious dinner option. Aniston is obsessed with Mini Murph's and it really made for a simple evening especially after such a crazy busy day. 

Yes, she is wearing gloves... Weird, I know, but she loves wearing gloves even in 90 degree weather.

I am completely aware that these may change or adjust as time goes on and we have more children attending school, but for now we are pretty satisfied with our back to school traditions. We had blast implementing them and I can't wait to do them all over again next year!