We survived it. The first day of school in a new place. The butterflies and jitters were all there. Just like last week…no one wanted to go to bed on Monday night. They were excited — beyond belief!

But we did it…and here’s how it went. But first things first; the 6th grade outfit.

She went with #1. Just for the record, I suggested this outfit when she asked my opinion. Clearly though, I don’t speak the language “6th grade girl” so she had noooooo time for me. And when I told her the majority of the replies on the blog and on Facebook liked this one, she didn’t agree to wear it until her 6th grade friend Caela commented. And Caela started 6th grade last week. So clearly, she knew what to do on the first week…and she obviously speaks “6th grade girl.”

Oh. She wanted me to tell you that she had on high tops with the outfit. She says they give her the “cool edge.” I know you were dying to know that part. Because you too will one day need to add a “cool edge” to an outfit and you will wonder what it should be. High tops. Even when it’s 105 degrees outside.

The new school. AWESOMENESS! Ok…that’s the word the school administrators use all.the.time. And yes, the school is awesome…but Tracy and I love saying AWESOMENESS like we are 14 and in the 9th grade because it makes us laugh. I like it because our family has a built in network there…and Tracy is part of the network. She’s a Mississippi girl, our families are long time friends, and we are sorority sisters. Her kids are in 2nd and 3rd grades, and my kids love the fact that they say, “My little cousins go here.” Emphasize the little part.

And speaking of the extended play family, their “cousin” Andrew also goes there and he is in the 8th grade. That makes the 6th and 7th graders instantly cooler. It just does.

Let’s review, shall we? For the cool points to go up, you’ve go to 1. wear high tops, and 2. have little cousins and an 8th grade cousin all at the same school.

As you can see, the 5th grader put it in writing. “The school needs to know this,” she said.

We also have a friend in 1st grade…and when I asked if they saw him, the answer was, “MOM! We DON’T go near the 1st grade classrooms. AT. ALL. But he’s our cousin too.”

I guess they told me.

The energy at the school was amazing. Administrators on the parking lot, cute welcome banners with minions, a purple carpet leading up to the classrooms for the parent paparazzi, and music playing.

The purple carpet.

And the minions.

And my kids could not stop talking about it until 11:00 p.m.

NO! I didn’t let them stay up until 11…we shut it all down at 9…but they kept needing to tell something more about the day, or their teachers, or their friends, or cousins, or something about the awesomeness of the school. So they kept talking, and talking, and talking. And that means a lot. We have not had awesomeness in several years.

And if you need a reminder, the past two years have been filled with conversations about twerking in PE class, drugs, and fighting.

So there we have it. A new year at a new school has begun. And this momma is ready for it and all of the awesomeness it brings.