It’s the second half of August, and for the last thirteen years, that’s meant one thing to us: it’s back-to-school time, and we have the pictures to prove it.

The gallery contains the traditional first-day-of-school shots in front of the car, of course, but it also includes a few others, including William jumping for joy at some exciting news; Joe absolutely wiped out after his first day of senior year; and William’s first soccer game (hence the somewhat forced “Fall Firsts” moniker for the photo album).

The year is off to a fast start. William seems to be enjoying fourth grade with his teacher, Mr. Tejada. He’s especially interested in the class reading goals: if everyone reads 40 books by May, the whole class gets a party. William is already almost halfway there.

Joe is working with his small ensemble on some pieces they might play at band competitions in the spring. He’s also enjoying having an open first period on Mondays and Wednesdays, which lets him get an extra hour or so of sleep. If anything, he’s enjoying it a little too much: there have been a couple days in which he cut his arrival at school for second period a little close.

His relaxed mornings may not stick around for long, however. He’s planning to take vector calculus at a nearby community college, and the section he wants meets at 6:30 am. He’s currently on the waiting list for that section, but if he gets in, it will mean lifestyle adjustments for all of us.

Julia’s plans for the fall are still somewhat up in the air, but we’re hoping to have a more concrete idea of what she’ll be doing imminently.

Gallery: Fall Firsts