1=# of years experience mr 10’s homeroom teacher has had in teaching. It’s so cute when they’re so eager to begin.

2=# of pairs of sneakers purchased on our last gasp school shopping expedition Tuesday to Roanoke with Chrissie & her daughter, it was a lot of fun, which was good because the kids were feeling pretty unhappy with the whole back to school ordeal.

3= # of minutes it took mr 10 to check in his schoolcalendar after receiving it for the last day of the school year this year.

4= June 4 2010, the last day of the school year, as confirmed by mr 10.

5= # of times I was asked to join PTA during open house at the school last night they’re striving for 100% attendance & I can’t give it to them, I work nights & am not a joiner so wouldn’t go even when I worked days.

6= # of times I heard “he got a new backpack, why can’t I” from ms 13, mr 10 received a backpack from one of my co-workers along with the school supplies, she’d purchased it for a step-grandson at a yard sale & then discovered her step-grandson had 3 already. Ms 13’s backpack from last year, the year before & our spare, emergency backup backpack are all in working order so I saw no reason to purchase yet another one.

7= # of years I have left to go through the open house thing.

8= # of forms I had to fill out/sign in both kid’s classrooms. (doesn’t it seem that if I’ve opted out for my kids pictures appearing in school literature, newsletters etc every year since kindergarten, that it would go without saying that I’m going to opt out again this year?)

9= “Months of school until it’s summer again” as announced drearily by ms 13 on our way to open house, it sounded like a dirge.

10= # of things on my to-do list for the next few days now that my living room isn’t taken up with lounging kids annoyed at me for getting between their eyes & the tv (& even more annoyed when I…gasp,….turn the TV off & insist they either help me with my clean up campaign or go outside & play)

11= # of times I’ve seen my favorite back to school commercial this year!

12= # of folders with pockets & prongs mr 10 needed for his 4 classes- a dozen? Really?

13= # of times I’ve heard one kid or the other say “do I really have to go back there….”

Picture notes, Ms 13 posing for yet another facebook picture- way too much makeup I think. Mr 10 at the river, yet again this past Sunday.