Imani started middle school today. In an effort to celebrate this milestone (and because I still had a mantel celebrating the Fourth of July in September), I decide to create a 'back to school' mantel.
First, I dug out all of our first day of school pictures. Here she was on her first day of kindergarten getting on the bus with an older neighborhood 'buddy.'
Here is her first day of first grade. She insisted on wearing bright green crocs. Did I mention we live in Ithaca, where crocs are fashionable? Anyone who knows me knows this was difficult for me to accept.
Here is her first day of second grade. She wanted to hug the new shrub in our front yard. This was the first year Imani put an end to dresses and skirts.
Third grade:
Here is the first day of fourth grade, when Bieber Fever started to hit.
And fifth grade, when Imani was proud to have a baby brother to see her off on the first day of school.
Once I gathered all of the pictures, I found some school-related items like a globe and some books. I wrote a message on a little chalkboard.
I pulled out the scrabble tiles and spelled the mantel's theme.
Finally, I found a free printable ABC picture (click the link to get one yourself) and framed it.
That's it; a quick and easy way to celebrate back to school - and Jason is grateful he no longer has to look at a 4th of July mantel in September.
And here is Imani on her first day as a middle schooler.
Cheers! Here's to an awesome school year.
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