Visit from the Magic School Bus

I am a big believer in creating everyday traditions in your family. A few years ago, I read a couple of books by Meg Cox that sort of started me on this way of thinking, and ever since I have been looking for neat ways to celebrate special days within our family.

So, a couple of weeks ago I started investigating what I might be able to do to commemorate the beginning of the school year for the kiddos. (This is a big day for our family because our oldest will be starting kindergarten.) And I found some neat ideas out there, but the one that I thought was the most promising was a visit from the Magic School Bus. Both of my kiddos have enjoyed the TV show on PBS and the books this summer and so I thought it would be perfect for them.

This afternoon, after a LOOOONG Sunday School Kick Off meetingat church, I took our large lunch bag over to a neighbors house and asked their teenager if she wouldn't mind coming over in about 10 minutes and dropping off the lunch bag, ringing the doorbell and bolting away undetected. She was more than willing and so the kids were surprised a few minutes later when the doorbell rang and a big lunch bag was sitting on the front porch. I read them the note and they were very excited to open the bag quickly. They found all sorts of goodies inside - a couple of those character folders and pens that are always desired by the kids but not so much by the teachers, a couple of books to read at bedtime, a small package of gummy bears, some magic school bus coloring pages, a bite size brownie cake I picked up from the grocery store (I was planning on making school bus shaped sugar cookies for the kids to decorate - but I couldn't quite get it tackled) and some other odds and ends. Oh my goodness they were so excited! Sarah Beth couldn't believe that she missed seeing the Magic School Bus, but she was so amazed.

Ahh! The wonder of childhood. It was so much fun to see the look on their faces. I definitely think this is something we will continue to do every year on the day before school starts.