As summer winds down, careful planning for first day of school

1

It's the evening before the start of the 2010-2011 school year and Anna Nottleson has already chosen the outfit she'll wear on her first day of second grade at Matoska International in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. (MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel) link to this photo

2

Anna has her new backpack set out for the new school year. She says she can't wait to learn multiplication. "Last year, some kids at school bragged because they learned multiplication. I want to show them other people can do it, too," she said. (MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel) link to this photo

3

Anna digs through her jewelry box, trying to decide if she should add a necklace to her first-day-of-school look. She makes it a goal to wear something pink every day, be it a pink dress or a pink bracelet. (MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel) link to this photo

4

White Bear Lake, Minn. — On the evening before the start of the 2010-2011 school year, Anna relaxes with the book "School Bus." It's a tradition in the Nottleson home to read books with school themes to get everyone in the school mood. (MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel) link to this photo

5

Anna takes her new pink backpack out for a trial run in the driveway. She's excited to start second grade and says, "There's nothing I don't like about school." (MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel) link to this photo