And here he is headed into school with dad. (Jason raced home from his overnight shift at the hospital in order to accompany him to school.) He was excited to see me at the end of the day and then seconds later completely melted because supposedly I am to send a snack with him every day. However nowhere in any paperwork did it state this. Apparently, according to him he was the only one without a snack. I felt like a schmuck. I feel like I should have known even though there is no way I could have known. Sigh...
Benton started preschool today! It is only 3 hours 3 days a week but I think it is going to be good for him. He was excited about going, though his face in the picture looks more questioning.
It is about at this point that he realized that we weren't in fact staying with him at school. (Will someone please teach my child to look at the camera.) He did really well according to his teacher. I guess he was a little nervous about playing with the other kids which is so NOT Benton. Alas, I'm sure he will adjust.
As some may recall last year I decorated/covered up logos on a book bag that we already had for Tab. Because we are cheap, I did the same thing this year for Benton. I took a book bag we had from storage and decked it out in pirate "stuff" per Benton's request. Pretty much the only difference between his and Tab's was that he wanted a hook on his instead of a skull and crossbones.
And I made him a luggage tag and covered the straps with cool pirate fabric.
Tab still has his book bag from last year but he did have to have an art smock for school. It was suggested that and old adult shirt would suffice but you know me. And I was sick of his long sleeve shirts getting ruined last year because they stick out, etc. So I made one. I just took one of Paisley's Ikea bibs and made a pattern that I enlarged to fit of course.
And the back is secured with a strip of velcro.
And I stitched his name on it.
So Jason and I set to work to transform this room with a little paint. Well, a little turned into a lot, which turned into, I hate painting and hope to never ever EVER do it again. Hello, do you see all of the freaking molding in that room. Crown molding, chair rail, windows, floor and, and, AND there was molding on the freaking corners too. Sigh...
Finishing up... I was putting the face plate back on the light switch. Ignore the little bum who was supposed to be getting in the bathtub. (And we have since decided to paint the wood stained trim on the doors white too. I just don't have it in me right now. Anyone want to come do it for me. I'll make you yummy food or something.
More of the room.
And the stinker.
And some stinkers dancing.
These brushes served us well, but if I never had to touch them again, I would be a happy woman.
He got it down pretty quickly. Backstitch... sew....backstitch...
The only problem was that he insisted that my machine stay set at the slowest setting. It made me kind of nuts. It was WICKED slow.
But eventually, we finished.
And a closeup.
Benton couldn't be left out. He needed to show off his "blankie". We did not however make his. His was made by Jason's Cousin's wife, Harmony for Tab. Benton just adopted it as his own.
He also helped to string the beads onto the wire and did all of the glitter. It is hard to see but the wattle is covered in glitter and the edges of the beak and the feet are covered in glitter.
He was very proud to bring his turkey to school.
I just love Benton's expression in this picture... truly amazed at how cool it was.
And this was the part where I smacked my hand against my forehead and said "Doh". I should have stripped the kids down before letting them play with this. Once it finds it's way to clothing, it doesn't really want to let go. 
Then I remembered this little trick that I learned once with silly putty. Hand sanitizer! Squirt it on rub it in, rub/scrape off the goo. Worked like a charm, coloring and all! Good thing I had this handy. It also works great getting it out of hair. (I can think of a sister who could have been spared an awful haircut if only my angry dad knew this trick)
I think tab could have sat there and painted all day if I had had the patience. He has asked to do it again already.
And I forgot to take a picture of what they looked like after completion.. Shame on me. But they were COOL!
To drop him off every morning I have to park my car, get all 3 kids out and walk around the back of the school, where all of the kids line up outside the back door to their classroom. 
Waving goodbye.
Not even a single look back!
We decided not to spend money on buying Tab a backpack just yet. We took a barely used backpack that I got from Novell when I worked there. I went to town doctoring it up for him. First was the skull and crossbones out of some remnant corduroy. I love the texture it gave it! Then I told him to pick out something that a Pirate says to put on it. He chose "walk the plank".
There was Novell lettering on the straps so I sewed some fabric over top to cover it up.
I made him a luggage type tag for his backpack.
Then he requested that I put a sword on it because we all know your not a good pirate without a sword!
In an attempt to avoid all things school lunch, we (or should I say, I) have opted to pack Tab's lunch each day. I've decided to go with Bento style lunches, so I got him this set. So of course he needed a lunch box to carry it in. So I made him one just the right size to carry his lunch. I sort of used this tutorial.
And I made another luggage tag type thing for his bag too.
