First day of school traditions

When I was in school there were certain things that we did every August to get ready for the first day of school.  I'd get a haircut, some new clothes, and possibly new shoes.  My favorite thing was getting new school supplies and a new bag for the year.  I clearly remember after the annual shopping trip, putting all my folders and notebooks in nice piles and sorting through the markers and pencils that we had bought.  I especially remember in 2nd grade having a messenger bag of sorts and making my friend come over so I could show her all the supplies and the new bag that I had.  It was so exciting. 

Now that I'm the mom, I'm trying to establish traditions like that for my kiddos.  Even though it was just preschool (JUST PRESCHOOL!!!) this year, I did the new clothes/shoes for Monster and she even got her first haircut! It was only a little trim but she looked so grown up afterwards. 

We also did the traditional picture on the front steps.  I was going to do a sign saying first day of preschool and all that, but then I realized she can't hold the paper, probably wouldn't look and smile at the camera, and can't stand up by herself anyway, so I just went with her sitting on the steps with her book-bag. It was cute anyway.  Maybe when she's older... there was a super cute sign that I saw on Raising Snowpeas, that Jodi made herself!!

Another tradition I'm hoping to start is muffins for breakfast on the first day of school.  In one of my all-time favorite books, the family always has fresh baked muffins for special occasions like the first day of school.  Always one to get ideas from books, I decided I wanted to do that too.  I made oatmeal blueberry applesauce muffins (say that 3 times fast) that I found on pinterest.  I wasn't extremely impressed with them but they were still pretty good.  I think if I made them again I would cut out the blueberries and ramp up the apple/spices.