The smell of freshly sharpened pencils

I picked up my French curriculum for school today. It was the last thing I needed for this year for school, so now we are ready! I am very excited to sit down this week with all my books and start scheduling (Did I just say I was excited about scheduling? Wow, it must be the heat!).
I have loved this time of year ever since I was a little girl. I never really loved school, but I sure loved shopping for it! I love how the stores are full of packages of pens, pencils and stacks of paper. I love the newness of pencils that aren't sharpened, markers that have never been used and a lunchbox that I've never left a moldy sandwich in.
Now that I homeschool, I think I love school supplies even more. When I bring them home now I have the satisfaction of knowing they are staying here! I don't even have to write my name on anything, because when the kids steal things, I can put them in time out! Oh how I wish I could revisit elementary school and put a few people in time out!
The anticipation of another year starting is really getting to me. This year Jack will start kindergarten and he is so excited to learn. Originally I had thought I would hold off on starting him until Elie was ready and start them both at the same time, but he is so eager to get going that I changed my plan.
I hope I can remember this enthusiasm in the dreary cold of February when the school supplies are chewed and ratty looking, and the kids are starting to whine about getting their work done. Maybe I should plan a trip to Staples for a midwinter supply pick up!