Annual Back to School Celebration...by Kristin Wallace

It's the most wonderful time of the year...no it's not Chrismas...yet. It's a wonderful time for parents as kids head back to school. I don't have kids myself, but I do enjoy seeing all the posts showing those "First day of (fill in grade)" pictures all over social media. Although, I have to admit that seeing pictures of high school friends who are now dropping their kids off at COLLEGE really freak me out. Aren't we all still 17? No one I know is old enough to have kids that age.

Seeing the kids in their brand new clothes as they head off for another year brings back a lot of memories. I remember taking that list of school supplies to the store and hunting down everything you need. Pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, protractors, Trapper Keepers. Getting new textbooks that we promptly covered with brown paper bags, which we then “decorated”. In some schools, they don’t even have textbooks anymore, but a tablet like an iPad. I guess it does save their backs from having to cart around so many books, but you can’t cover them with a paper bag and draw on them.

There’s the wonder of getting your first locker, which didn't happen for me until Junior High. Or what we referred to as Junior High. Now, I think it’s called Middle School in most places. Where I went to school, we were in elementary school until fifth grade. Then some County official thought it would be a great idea to send all the sixth graders to one school. Can you imagine? A whole school of 11-12 year olds in one place? That’s like the basis of a horror film, right?

So since I can't share back to school photos of my kids, I will share a couple featuring a VERY cute little girl who happens to be me, circa Kindergarten. 

   

So tell me your favorite “Back-to-School” memories? Did any of you do the brown paper bag book covers? What kinds of traditions do you have with your kids now?

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is available now. 

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College Care Packages by Ginny Baird

A new movement is sweeping our nation. If you have children in college, at least it appears to be! With my husband and I having six kids between us (currently ranging in ages from 19 to 31), we’ve had plenty of experience with having kids in college—and sending out those lovingly crafted packages that help far-away students feel at home. The funny thing is, neither my husband nor I remember receiving any care packages when we were at university. Either times have changed, or we had horribly bad parents.

One thing is clear. When I attended college, the institution didn’t subject my parents to a barrage of correspondence urging them to purchase pre-fab packages made by the university itself. These all come at a cost of course and are most especially promoted during exam season. I’ve never purchased one, but can see how they might be a boon to busy parents. For my husband’s and my part, some of the joy in sending a care package comes in creating it.

At times, we’ve sent themed packages, centering on a holiday when the kids wouldn’t be home, like Valentine’s Day or Halloween. The package might include some homemade treats along with a few nifty gifties. The sillier, the better, and the kids always enjoyed receiving the unexpected surprises: ranging from pumpkin straws to blinking light rings, which a few of them wore to parties. It really is the thought that counts, even when your child is left wondering, What were they thinking?

On one occasion our youngest boy asked me this when he discovered an unexplained stack of mini post-it notes in his box. Generally, everything in the package carries a significance. What was the meaning of this? The truth was there was a tiny corner of the box—among the Tupperware containers and little presents—that needed filling. I glanced around my office and…voila! The stack of mini post-its was the perfect fit. Besides, I reasoned, son could use them to bookmark certain pages during his…ah-hem…arduous studies.

Just this week, I sent out another care package to this particular child, who is our baby, hence the caboose in a long train of siblings who’ve gone through schools: all of them out of state! Much to our delight (and after some gentle nudging), Gordon opted to study at the University of Virginia, which thrills us on two counts. One, he is just two hours away, and two, we pay in-state tuition. This also means the United Parcel Service can get a package to him by ground service overnight. What could be more ideal for shipping a box of homemade apple cake, brownies and peanut butter cookies? I mailed it the day before yesterday, and received a happy text from Gordon that he and his roommates were already enjoying the goodies last night!

Here is an easy recipe for one of the treats I included.

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup of peanut butter (both smooth and crunchy work great)

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

Blend everything together then form small 1 inch balls and press flat with thumb on cookie sheets. Use fork to form cross-hatch pattern in each cookie before baking at 350 degrees in a preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.

Our oven is quirky, so when I’m baking two cookie sheets together, it takes 18 minutes for both batches to be done.

Remove from oven and lightly press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. For serious chocolate lovers, use Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses. Let set on cookie sheet for five minutes then remove to wire rack until completely cooled. Yield 20-24 cookies.

Do you send care packages to your children, or do you remember getting them? Please share what you like to give—or once enjoyed receiving as a student yourself. Gordon has three more years of college left, so we’re looking for ideas!

* ~ * ~ *

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Ginny Baird writes contemporary romance novels and novellas. Book 3 in her Romantic Ghost Stories series The House at Homecoming Cove releases on October 15^th and is already available for Pre-Order. Find it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBooks. Want to keep up with news from Sweet Romance Reads authors? Sign up for the SRR newsletter today. Like chatting about Sweet Romance? Join the authors of Sweet Romance Reads in our cyber Café. Don’t miss our Café Open House October 17^th from 12 to 5pm ET. Save the date!

Back to School by Shaleen Kapil

Last year, this time, I was writing about the empty nest syndrome I had from my youngest leaving for kindergarten. This year, as I saw the kids off onto the bus for the first time ever (we used to walk at our old school), I was even more nervous. But I wasn’t so nervous about their school; instead, I was worried about my own.

Now that both kids are back to school, I decided to pursue my dream of getting a Ph.D. 

Last spring, I took the GRE again. That felt like a big step because it was a lot more difficult this time around than when I got my master’s degree‑probably because there was a lot more time between uses of inane math questions. (Yes, I truly believe having to look at a complicated algebra problem just to determine whether it is even or odd is an inane way to test for post-graduate intelligence.)

I held my breath for the next few months waiting to hear if I got in. The school was only going to accept 4 applicants. I felt confident that my education record was strong, but I was changing fields. I didn’t have particular skills or knowledge in urban planning, my intended field.

Long after I thought I had been rejected, I received my acceptance letter. Now, here I stand ready to begin my Ph.D.  I am very proud and excited, but I’ve also got the same jitters as the kids starting school and not knowing the teachers or where to go or who to talk to. This time around I have to balance family and kids with school. While my peers talk about finding roommates and cheap places to eat and go out to bars, I’m trying to find babysitters and pre-cook meals for the freezer and crockpot. Also, I’ve got to figure out pretty quickly what topic my dissertation is going to be on (feel free to throw crazy ideas out at me).

Deep breath. Whew, I get into a whirlwind just thinking about it. But I feel extremely lucky to be able to pursue my dream and to have a family willing to support me through it. There is so much good to focus on, as long as I remember to breathe.

Take your own deep breath with a sweet novella break by Shaleen. My Christmas Cupcake is part of Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 available Sept 27, 2015! You can find out more about Shaleen and keep up with her on Facebook or on her website.

How do you handle all of it?

With Labor Day approaching, vacations are officially over. 

I had a long break from writing during these past three months. After entertaining the grandchildren for two weeks at the beginning of the summer and two weeks at the end of August--and developing a monstrous chronic headache-- I am looking at my monitor screen and wondering where to start. The logical thing would be to write a list and organize my priorities.

I did. This way I hope I won’t forget important tasks, as I did last Friday, the last day of my grandchildren's vacation. I was so busy supervising five kids, eleven, ten and nine-years-old, swimming and playing in the pool, I forgot to write my monthly post for a blog, and I forgot a physical therapy appointment. Although both the blog and the appointment were marked on my calendar. How could I do that?

I love the children to death and enjoy watching them chat, discuss, argue, play on their electronic gadgets, and sing or scream, but I think my mind unconsciously protests and turns itself off.

On Facebook, many parents posted pictures of teenagers moving to college and discovering campus life.Young mothers must have released big sighs of relief after watching their precious kids board the school bus. Later, they were probably sipping a delicious cup of coffee and enjoying their first minutes of freedom knowing that the children were safely tucked in school for a few hours.

I don’t have college or school-age children but I watched my grandchildren gather their new books and head to their classes.

Still for me too, work should seriously start. My husband just said with a smile: “It’s so good to hear the silence.” Yes, it’s great to enjoy again a neat and peaceful house and be able to talk to an adult without constant interruptions.

But why am I so confused and turning around my place like a lost soul? 

Vacation blues?  Do you ever experience them?

Mona Risk is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. 
WEDDING SURPRISE is her most recent release.
http://amzn.com/B00T24CULM

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/wedding-surprise

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Her contribution to the Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 on pre-order is: