Back To School Traditions

It's that time of year again.  Time for all the kids to go back to school!  I love this time of year.....now until Christmas is my favorite time of year.....even more so than summer I think!  In the past, this time of year brought us the tradition of school clothes shopping.  When my older 2 were young, they went to Catholic School, so the clothes shopping wasn't as fun.  Uniforms were on the list.  Blue and White everything!  When they were older, I remember them dictating which stores we needed to go to, depending on what trend they were into at the time.  Sporty, (Dicks and Champs)......Preppy, (American Eagle and Abercrombie).....Then there was the Pacsun phase with anything Billabong, Roxy and Quicksilver.   All three went through all these different phases and I loved seeing what they were into each year!   The last phase was College, and my daughter was still fun with this phase, wanting, or at least letting my buy her at least a few new items to start the school year with.  Dominic, our youngest, just started his Sr. year at Edinboro University.  He wants nothing!  No shorts, shirts, he doesn't wear socks, so socks, not even pens or pencils!  Ugh!  That's not fun for me!  I did however order him a desperately needed new pair of shoes, so I at least had a little fun doing that!  Our tradition was that you weren't allowed to wear any new back to school item until the first day of school.  Not even socks.  Last year I was out shopping around this time, as saw a little family with 3 elementary age boys.  It tugged at my heart watching them pick out shorts and t-shirts.  I went up to them and told them that I was missing buying back to school clothes now that my kids were grown and I gave them $75 to spend on their boys.  They were extremely grateful and so was I  :)

Here are my 3 babies.  2001.  The first time they were all in school at the same time.

Blayne, 13, Connor 12, and Dominic 5

Back to school also means our traditional Back To School Treats.  I started this when our oldest, Blayne started Kindergarten and I've been making them every year since, and usually only make them this time of year.   This may be my last time making them, depending on if  Dominic needs more credits next year :)  Anyway, the year Blayne started college, I made the treats for Connor and Dominic, and make another batch for Blayne and drove them to her dorm and dropped them off.  Each year I did this and last week when Dominic started classes and I again made 2 batches....one for Dominic and my nephew (they are roommates and my sister also made them her back to school cookies), and another batch for Blayne and Connor to split.  Traditions are important to me.  I think my kids look forward to different traditions throughout the year.  It's those little extra touches that they remember the most :)

Nut Mellow Goodies

Our Back to School Treat

1 pk Chocolate Chips

1 pk Butterscotch Chips

1 c Peanut Butter

Melt in a hot not boiling double boiler.

Add 1 c Spanish Peanuts

4-5 c Mini Marshmellows

Pour in a foil linned 11''x7" Pyrex dish

Refrigerate till firm

Needless to say, I was a little sad looking at all of my friends posting pictures of their kids' first day back to school, but then I realized how much I love my life now, and how lucky I am to have those memories of my kids and all the back to school pictures I've taken :)

xoxo