The Joy of
Brand Spankin New Stuff
(like school lockers)

Right now we are all about the "newness" of things in our family. Because, you know, it's "that" time of year again. Time for a new school year, which means all other sorts of new things. New classes, new teachers, new friends, new schedules, new activities...and, the favorite new things in our household... new school supplies and new clothes.

Yesterday was locker move-in day at Delaney's middle school, which is really a great idea because it gives the kids all a chance to get their lockers fixed up and packed; and lets them go through a mock run-through of their class schedule; and lets them socialize with all of their other friends they see up there doing the same thing.

I took Delaney and her friend, Jaelyn, up with me and they had such a fun time getting their lockers decorated (after, of course, we went and bought locker mirrors and dry-erase boards and paper to cover up the locker "walls"). Here they are (with Sydney too, of course, who thinks she's as big as any of them) posing in front of Delaney's locker.

I can remember the excitement of having a locker for the first time, when I moved to junior high in seventh grade; but I also remember the frustration I had when it took forever for me to learn how to open it for the first time.

I also remember the excitement of new school clothes, which I think might just be the girls' favorite thing about getting ready for a new year. (They're girls, though, so I guess that's a bit of a given! LOL) I grew up with wonderful parents who were also very frugal; they didn't see the sense of buying name-brand clothes or spending a lot of money on a wardrobe (in fact, I can still remember the year that Izods were so popular...remember them?...and my Mom let me buy ONE shirt. They were $14 a shirt, which was pretty expensive back in 1982. I bought a yellow shirt and wore it forever!!! And I loved my Mom for it!). But, generally, we'd always go to somewhere like JcPenney's for their huge back-to-school sale and I'd get to buy several new things; I'd come home and model for my Dad, who would just smile and say how nice everything was (of course, I know now that he was just indulging me...because Gary does the same thing...doesn't really understand the girls' affinity for new clothes and doesn't really like money being spent on it, but he still "pretends" like he thinks it's the best thing ever when they spin around in their new skirts or show off their cool new shoes).

I've taken the girls shopping several times and was pleased with what they all got. They definitely have their own sense of style. Sydney's style is simple...dresses, dresses, and more dresses (with a skirt thrown in every once in a while). Delaney's is very trendy preteen...this year she's all about the plaid bermuda shorts and screen tees. And McKenna's style is sort of a strange mix of Retro and Avril Lavigne...leggings and tunics and earrings that look like they came from my 80s collection (and, honestly, if I was about 15 pounds lighter I would be borrowing all of McKenna's clothes!).

So... new lockers, and new supplies, and new clothes are getting my girls excited.

Which got to me thinking of other "new" stuff I love.

In general, I love...

new books (the smell, the anticipation!)
new babies
new (to me) restaurants
new friends
new mornings (it can start all over again!)
new clothes (yep, I still love them)
new photos just back from the developer
new places to travel (somewhere I've never experienced before)

This time of year, I especially love...

new opportunities
new season and the cooler weather (eventually) that comes with it
new football season
new memories
new year (my birthday's coming up. Remember?)

What are you favorite "new" things? What new things are you looking forward to as Summer begins to wind down?