Phewf!!!  Summer is finally here.  Today was the last day of school, and man, was I ready for it.  I've spent the last few weeks coordinating our 8th grade graduation.  350 14 year olds, 2500 parents and family members coming to watch in a huge ice arena.  The kids had to stand and sit at the exact same time, conduct themselves with dignity, give speeches, accept awards...it's quite a show.  And yet, I was able to get it all together and have everyone in and out in one hour exactly.  So again, I say Phewf!

So, I have tomorrow off, but I'll be cleaning the house to get it ready for a party we are hosting for my parents on Saturday night.  Then, next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I'm writing curriculum at school, and on Thursday, I'm meeting with my counselors in training.  Friday I have off and camp starts on Monday 7/2.  So, I guess all in all, I have two days off before I start working again.  Lucky me...I hope I don't get too lazy in all my free time. :)

Kids are doing well.  Julia finished Kindergarten yesterday and is ready for 1st grade.  Matthew is transitioning to the next phase room in daycare.  Patrick...well, Pat's having a bit of a time, lately.  Two was fine for Patrick.  Three is turning out to be quite a challenge.  He's been very aggressive and angry lately, and we don't know why.  Nothing has changed here at home.  We aren't reacting any differently to him than we used to, so we have no idea what is going on.  It's very frustrating.

So, here it is...a nice, long weekend.  And yet, I feel like it's going to be exhausting.  I almost can't wait to get back to work on Tuesday to relax.  No, I kid, I kid.  Well, maybe not.

Tonight will be relaxing.  I'm hoping that Rob gets out of work early, but his boss isn't in today and put Rob in charge, so he'll probably have to be the last one to leave.  After dinner, we'll give the kids baths and then put them to bed.  Rob has hockey and I'm going to watch "Stranger than Fiction" which a friend lent to me.  I tried to watch it while Rob was at hockey last night, but I fell asleep.  I can't complain because sleep has been difficult lately.  That's odd because I've been getting up so early each morning to walk, but my mind has been racing lately and I can't turn it off.

Anyway, tomorrow we have the Memorial Day parade in town and Rob wants us to go to the diner for breakfast beforehand.  My Mom is out of town, so my Dad is coming over here for the afternoon and then for dinner. 

On Sunday, we are driving down to Pennsylvania to a Memorial Day/Birthday picnic at my friend, Erin's house.  She moved there from San Francisco a few years ago and I still haven't been down there to see the house.  The biggest reason is that I am deathly allergic to her cats.  I actually get asthma when she comes to my house to visit, which is ridiculous, but it's my freaking immune system!  Anyway, I'm taking Benadryl before we leave and hopefully all will be fine. 

Then, on Monday I have a committee meeting for this Working Parent Advisory Committee that I'm on.  We're in the midst of trying to find a group to do before and after care for our school district (the one I live in, not the one I teach in) and we presented to the board last Wednesday and now need to get our ducks in a row for our presentation to the community this Thursday night.  After the meeting, we are going to my father-in-law's house for a barbeque.

So, like I said, I'll rest up on Tuesday. :)

On Thursday night I'm chaperoning the Honors English class trip to see Les Miserables in NYC.  I love that show.  I've seen it 5 or 6 times.  I weep each time.  So, I'm sure Thursday will be no different. 

So, I feel great because of the walking I've been doing in the morning.  I have a different attitude about myself and I feel good physically and emotionally, which is a good thing.  Still, like I said, I'm having trouble sleeping.  I'm not thinking about any one thing in particular...just everything all jumbled up.  I know that it's getting down to the end of the year at school and I'm the graduation coordinator and so I've got that on my shoulders.  It should be fine, but still...it can be nervewracking.  I think I'm also getting worked up about Summer Camp.  It's a long day and it eats up my entire summer.  I know how great it looks on my resume to be the "Principal" of the camp, but I just don't know.  Kinda like I've been feeling with the whole job in general.  I'm...antsy.

First of all, I'm checking in for last week.  It was a good week.  I took my 8th graders to DC for two days and one night and it was a blast.  They were so well-behaved and we had so much fun with them.  My bus was Bus#7 and the two other chaperones and I had games planned for the bus and we brought movies and had a fabulous time.  We played Teacher Trivia and had a Bus #7 Idol contest and enjoyed relaxing with the kids without worrying about grades or anything like that.  All 250 kids were so well behaved the whole time.  In Arlington Cemetery for the changing of the guard, you could have heard a pin drop and they were excellent.  Other schools were there and they were NOT excellent.  We made sure we told them how proud we were every opportunity we got.  In the museums, I would call the groups of kids that I was chaperoning and tell them a mission to find something and take a picture of it with their cell phones.  For example, I said, "Find the number 19."  So, they searched the Air and Space museum until one of the groups took a picture of the number 19 on the side of one of the airplanes hanging from the museum.  They LOVED that kind of stuff.

Back home since Friday night, and had a great weekend.  Julia had swimming lessons and we took the kids to the park and went to the local carnival last night.  The kids rode rides, played games, ate cotton candy and enjoyed themselves.  We also had a great time just being as a family. 

Today is Mother's Day.  I taught a class in church (not my favorite Mother's Day activity, but it's money and between this class and the last class I taught, it's $300 more to put in our fix the bathroom fund!  Then, Julia and I did the food shopping and we finally found her a Webkinz at the game store next to the ShopRite.  She was thrilled.  I had her pick one out for each of her brothers as well.  I have to tell you, she never nagged or whined or anything about getting one.  She mentioned it one or two times a few months ago, and then never complained when one didn't appear.  So, now she has one and she is having a blast with it.  Right now, it is sleeping under a washcloth under her round, pink pillow.  She's too cute.  While the boys slept, I took a long walk through the neighborhood with my iPod.  It felt great!  My legs are a little achy, but I think that they were resting after all the DC walking and then I muscled them back up again.  I'm definitely back in the walking game.  I feel so good afterwards! 

We met my parents for dinner.  We got my Mom 3 little grandchildren charms for her necklace and 2 gift certificates for one of her favorite restaurants.  My parents bought me an enormous thing of Tide with Bleach.  I'm too cheap to buy it for myself, but I love it.

Now we're winding down and getting ready for bed.  I'm exhausted and tomorrow is back to the grind.  I'm sure we have a great week ahead of us here, as well.

Wow...it's been a whirlwind and I haven't been here in awhile!  So, I'm gearing up for the DC trip with the 8th graders on Thursday and Friday of this week.  I am hoping that it will be fun.  I've never been on a trip where we didn't all have a fabulous time.  However, I have a feeling that if it's ever going to happen, it's going to be this year.  I am hoping beyond all hope that I am proven wrong.  So, we'll see.

This past weekend I taught an hour of piano on Saturday morning, we had a Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday evening, a birthday party on Sunday morning and a First Communion party on Sunday afternoon.  We all went to everything and had a great time.  It was busy, but lots of fun.  We made new friends and enjoyed ourselves. 

I went grocery shopping yesterday and had to stock up on some things that we had run out of, like flour and sugar, along with the weekly necessaries like milk, eggs, bread, cereal, yogurt, string cheese.  I didn't have to buy meats or poultry since I stocked up on that last week, so that kept our total down.  I believe I spent $63ish.  I'll check the receipt for the real amount later, since I need to be accurate with the $250 challenge for the month.  I was bummed to have run out of the baking goods, but I did lots of baking for all of the parties over the weekend.  I was bound to run out eventually.  Of course it was right now. :)

I'm now gearing up for the class that I'm teaching on Sunday at church.  But Amy, you say, it's Mother's Day!  Shouldn't you be resting up in bed?  Yes, you would think that, wouldn't you.  But, my Dad asked, I said I'd do it, but asked him to try to find someone else, and apparently, he hasn't.  So, off to teach I'll go.  We are going out to dinner with my parents later in the afternoon, so that should be fun. The kids love going out and this way, no one has to cook.  Gotta love that!  My Dad made the reservations a week or two ago, so we're all set. 

I've got two grumpy boys this afternoon.  I think Monday is always a little difficult for the boys after having had the weekend at home.  Tuesday-Friday is a breeze, but that first Monday back, especially after a busy weekend like this one, is tough.  Julia has no adjustment issues.  I feel badly for her, though, because her allergies are in high gear.  She woke up yesterday morning with her eyes swollen shut.  Ouch.  She's been taking Claritin before bedtime, and it's helped, but only a bit.  I'm hopeful as it gets more constant in her system, it will kick in for her.

Okay, so this morning we did our first grocery shop for May.  Now technically there are a few days left in April, but I don't want to wait until next weekend, because then we'll be in May and I'll feel like I was cheating by leaving a couple days off.

Anyway, I spent $121.91 for this shop.  However, I stocked up big time on some of the main meal staples that we will eat throughout the month.  That will help keep the rest of the month's bills down.  I'm just hoping that ShopRite doesn't throw a triple coupon week at me, because then I know I'll go over, because I use triple coupon weeks to stock up on items that we don't necessarily buy every week.  I'll deal with that if it happens.

So, as I said, I spent $121.91.  The original price was $154.78.  I didn't do great with coupons, but again, I bought lots of meat this week.  I saved $32.87 with sales and coupons, which is only about 8%.  Not great.  But, here is my itemized list:

N=normal price  SC=price after sales and coupons

1 gallon 2% milk = N=$2.79

2 1.75 qts of Edy's ice cream (this is why I normally don't bring dh shopping with me) N=$3.69 SC=$1.99 each

3 16 ct boxes of Aunt Jemima frozen waffles N=? SC=$1.33 each

1 package beef hotdogs N=$3.99

1 package turkey dogs N=$2.69

4 boxes Tyson frozen chicken nuggets (for any night that gets a little crazy and making dinner is rough) N=?  SC=$1.04 each

1 box ShopRite Marshmallow Dreams cereal (Lucky Charms generic) N=$1.99

1 box Crisp corn/rice cereal (rice chex generic) N=$2.19

1 box Malt-o-meal Cinnamon Toasters cereal (cinnamon toast crunch generic) N=$1.79

1 box ShopRite Natural Oats/Honey/Raisins cereal (dh's favorite) N=$2.29

3 lbs ground beef 93% lean N=$5.07, $5.11, $5.19

1 package size 4T-5T Pull-Ups (Dear God...let him be potty trained soon) N=$16.99 SC=$10.99

1 6-pk light bulbs for the lightpost by the end of the driveway N=$3.99

1 2-pk sticky mouse trap (oh yeah...there's a mouse in the house :( ) N=$3.49 SC=$1.89

2 12-pks Cottonelle tp (normally we buy generic, but this was a good price when using coupons and the sale) N=$9.09 SC=$6.29

1 loaf bread N=$1.69

5 ears of fresh sweet corn (Love Jersey corn!) N=5 for $1.99

4 packs of pork chops (boneless, center cut) N=$4.87, $4.79, $4.27

2 containers Huggies wipes N=$3.09 SC=$1.10 each

1 box ShopRite graham crackers N=$1.89

1 bunch bananas N=$1.60

1 24-pk ShopRite sliced cheese N=$2.99

5 granny smith apples N=$3.21

3 Ban deodorants N=$2.49 SC=profit of $0.26 each!!!!  (that doesn't usually happen...usually they only double the coupon up to the amount of the product after the sale...this time they doubled to $1.50, even though the product was less that that!  Whoopee!)

3 cans ShopRite cream of mushroom soup N=3 for $2.00

2 lbs ShopRite baby carrots N=? SC$1.50 each

1 can Maxwell House coffee (dh) N=$3.59

So, wish me luck for the rest of the month...it's a long one!

So, our weeks aren't normally crazy like this, but here we are.  First of all, Rob has been going out after work this week with colleagues from California who are in town.  Last year he went out there on a business trip and they all took he and his colleagues out to hockey games, to dinner, etc.  This year, it is Rob's turn to reciprocate, so he's not been home too much.

On Monday, we had a half day of school and then we had a half-day of teacher inservice.  Boring.

On Tuesday, we had a half-day of school and then parent conferences from 1-5.  Then, I picked up the kids from their respective friends homes and daycares, brought them home, stuck dinner in the oven, fed them and then headed out the door to my handbell choir as soon as my Mom got here to babysit.

On Wednesday I had an interview with the head of the Educational Leadership Program at the university where I am going for my principals certificate.  Good news: I was accepted into the program, AND they are waiving the first 9 credits (3 courses) because I already took classes that were incredibly similar when I got my Masters degree and Supervisor certificate at Rutgers.  So, that's less time and less money that I have to put into this.  I'm a bit ambivalent about it, though, because it's a cohort class and that means that everyone who is accepted takes all the same classes at all the same times.  So, everyone will have been through three classes together and will have 7 months of knowing each other under their belts by the time I show up.  I'm not incredibly social, so it may be difficult for me to break in.  However, my friend, Tara, is also applying for the program, so if she gets in, then I will have someone there to help ease my entry inot the group.

On Thursday I had piano after school.  Nothing earthshaking there.  I teach piano every Thursday.

And today we have one of Julia's friends over for a playdate.  They are playing very nicely together right now in the playroom.  She's a really nice little girl. :)  I'm making my grocery list for my first shop of May.  I'm trying to stock up on the things that are on sale so I don't have to buy them later in the month when they are no longer on sale.  Gotta stay under $250!  If Patrick would totally potty train himself this week, that would help tremendously with the budget.  Don't think that's happening, though. :)

Tomorrow is a laundry and grocery shopping day.  On Sunday is my handbell concert and then there is a party afterward at the directors house.  Should be a much more laid back week next week.  Then the next week it's off to DC with the 8th graders!

So, we spent another day hanging off of the bridge, fishing with sticks, butterfly nets, and whatever else was handy. :)

I taught a class on the facts of Evolution, Creation, and Intelligent Design this morning, while Julia went to Sunday school.  Then, I brought Julia and her friend home and we practiced their song for the Creativity Fair at their school in May.  They changed their mind mid-way through our practicing and now are doing a much shorter (thank God) little cheer.  Then, we went outside and they waded in the stream, looking for gold and catching water bugs.  We caught a few water bugs, put them inside the discovery kits that Julia and Patrick have, and then inspected them with our magnifying glasses, then let them go again.  Julia's friend left early because they had another commitment, but just around that time, Rob came home from  his Dad's with the boys.  So, the boys napped and J and I did the food shopping.  When we got home, the boys woke up and the kids rode bikes and played some more in the stream.  That stream is a curse when it rains and clogs up and floods the yard, but it is a blessing in the warm weather.  Last year I thought Patrick was too little for the stream, so we didn't let the kids play near it.  This year they are both fine and having the time of their lives.  I think we've found our summer activity! :)

Rob made hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner for us on the grill (yum!) and all of the kids had baths/showers and off to bed they went.  Matthew is having a hard time getting to sleep.  I don't know if it's a tooth problem or if he just isn't ready, but he's quiet and then he starts crying out.  Such a sad sound. :(

It's going to be a crazy week around here.  Rob has colleagues from California that are in for the week for training and so he is going to be with them after work most nights.  I have more Parent/Teacher conferences from 1-5 on Tuesday, then handbells from 6:40-8:00, then on Wednesday, I have an interview for the principal certification program at the college where it is held.  Thursday is piano and I think Friday is actually clear.  It's just going to be busy.  My sister-in-law is taking Julia after school on Tuesday and my Dad is going to meet her off of the bus on Wednesday.  Lots of lining things up, sending notes in on the right days about the right meetings, etc.

So, my big claim to fame around here is that I can feed my family of 5 on $250 a month, including health and beauty products, paper products, diapers, etc.  I can and I have done this on many occasions, however, I've fallen away from it lately.  I'm not way over...I've been at around $300, but May is the month that I'm going back to it.  I am making this the week of using it up and wearing it out for my fridge and pantry, and it's a great week to do it, since Rob won't be eating with us most nights, I can go through the little stuff we have like boxed mac and cheese and frozen chicken nuggets, etc.  Then, when I do the food shopping next weekend, it will be like starting fresh, so I'm not cheating when I say $250 for the month of May.  I did pick up 3 roasts this week because they were on MAJOR sale.  But, other than that, I'm starting over.  (Obviously I have the basics like flour, sugar, salt, etc...everyone does, except if there were some sort of catastrophe, and when Frugalites talk about how much they spend on feeding their families per month, they usually figure that these things are already on hand, however, if I need to buy more, it certainly figures into the cost.) 

The biggest challenge will be keeping it at $250 with diapers.  Again, I've done it before, but those diapers are such a freaking expense, and with Patrick potty training, his pull-up might only be a little wet, but when I see that when he's sitting on the potty, I'm not putting it back on him, so we are going through them at a quicker rate than we used to.  However, challenge aside, I'm going for the gold. :)  I think once I get back on track for May, I'll be on track for the rest of forever. :)

The key will be meal planning.  If everything is planned out in advance, I can definitely do it.  Meal planning is so great because you already know when you wake up in the morning what you are making for dinner that night so things can be defrosting, cooking in the crock, etc.  I can do (and have done) this and do so while making healthy, nutritious meals.  Someone once said to me, "Well, sure I can do that too if I feed my family Hamburger Helper and frozen meals."  Uh, no.  Not around here.  We always have a full meal like roast beef, mashed potatoes, and peas, or pork chops, rice, and beans, or meatloaf, potatoes, and corn, etc., etc., etc.    We eat fresh fruit all the time.  Everyone in our family brings lunch to work/school/daycare with them everyday.  Sandwiches, yogurt, apples, cheese sticks, bananas, etc.  Because of this, on top of the other stuff, we buy 3 loaves of bread per week.  We drink only Milk, Crystal Light and water.  We buy 3 gallons of milk a week and literally drink the last drop on Saturday with dinner.  I just give this information so people realize that I'm buying real food to feed all 5 of us.

So, wish me luck!  I know I can do it...it's exciting. :)

This is the most beautiful day we've had in ages.  I almost can't believe it!  I forgot what a nice day was like!  The kids and I spent most of the day, so far, playing in the stream.  The Easter bunny brought the kids butterfly/fishing nets, and we played with those, trying to "catch" something.  We also used big sticks and fished for a bit and then we moved big rocks with big sticks, because the kids thought that they were taking up too much space under the bridge and causing a slow flow of water.  Yeah, my little engineers. :)  It felt so good to be outside.  Tomorrow is supposed to be just as beautiful, so I look forward to getting out with them some more.  Rob spent his time walking through the woods.  We have the stream that divides our property in half.  It's source is WAY up in the woods behind the house, actually starting in the next town.  Somewhere along the way, another stream has formed...an informal stream, as it were.  And, it has cut a path through the woods, right into our backyard.  So, when it rains, we wind up with a backyard full of mud.  Rob has been trying to rearrange logs and dig trenches and do everything he can to redivert the flow towards the actual stream, and during this last week of rain, it worked a little, but not enough to leave us with a dry backyard.  So, he's been looking at it, trying to figure out what else to do.  We could build a retaining wall, but the fact is, over time, even that would wind up getting knocked down by the water.  It's quite a flow.  So, we're working on it.

I got an e-mail the other day from a very old friend of mine who is in a band.  They are playing at a local bar (not the other friend who we've gone to see at a local bar...a different friend) and e-mailed me asking if I could come.  So, Rob agreed to stay home and I asked all of my friends who are in the relative area and they were all busy.  So, I called my mom to see if she could sit and then Rob and I could go, but she was busy as well.  So, I'm not quite going to make it this time.  This is the second time that they've played this venue, so I'm hopeful that they'll be back again soon.

I'm taking Julia to a birthday party this afternoon.  Right now she's in the shower and the boys are napping.  She's thrilled.  It's the little girl whose house we had dinner at last weekend.  Should be fun for her.  It's an afternoon of fashion, fun, and beauty; all of which Julia is interested in. :)  Ah...to be six again.  Nah...I'm fine with 35.

Finally...good weather.  After a day of school and then helping out at Julia's Girl Scout meeting, we picked up the boys, came home, and went outside.  The kids rode bikes, played on the swingset, and just had a great time.  Me?  I pulled them in the wagon, pushed them on the swings, and just enjoyed being out in the fresh air.  We've been inside for too long around here.  I was getting itchy and feeling confined.  It felt so freeing to be outside today.  There is definitely something to that Seasonal Affective Disorder.  You know, where people actually get depressed and suicidal during the winter from lack of fresh air and sunshine.  Not that I have that, but if the sun hadn't come out this week, there's no telling what I might have done.  I'm feeling up for a big hike somewhere.  I'm not sure where, but I'd love to find a trail and just start going. 

So, we had Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight.  They make me so sad.  I was there for two hours, from 6-8.  I had 11 parents come.  11!!!  I teach 114 students.  11 parents came.  Now, we do have an afternoon session next Tuesday, but I bet I don't top 20 on that day either.  And, who came?  The parents of my students who are getting A's.  The parents who I need to see never come.  I e-mail, send letters, call, etc.  And still, they do not come.  It makes me sad and it also explains why these kids are failing.  :(

So, this week it was back to school.  It's been tiring after having a week off, but it's going fine. 

Last night I had my handbell choir which is always a good release for me.  We haven't had rehearsal in two weeks, so we needed the practice.  Our concert is going to be on April 29th during church.  There used to be an actual concert, but somewhere along the way they changed the rules to just having us play 5 songs throughout the church service instead of having the regular choir sing.  Anyway, we're trying to perfect our songs now and it's slow going.  We aren't terrible, but...we aren't great either.

I have a doctor appointment for Patrick this evening.  I may cancel it if he's been fine at school today.  I made the appointment yesterday morning, but he was fine last night, so we'll see how he is.  I made dinner early while Julia was doing her homework, so that if we need to go, dinner is all ready.

I'm starting on a new story.  I don't really know where it's going to go, but I think it's going to be a different genre.  Maybe something in the romance genre, with an unexpected ending.  Most romance novels end the same way...I'm thinking this one might end differently.  Broken hearts, broken lives, etc.  Why?  I don't really know.  Just to see if I can, I guess.  I feel like I need to be writing.

So, my week off was a nice, relaxing but productive week.  We had my neice come over for a sleepover with Julia and that went well.  They had a great time and were alseep by 9:45ish.  We went to the park when the sun peeked out a few times.  Julia and I played board game after board game.  I got all of the closets in the house, including the foyer closet and the pantry, cleaned out.  I moved everyone's clothes around (Patrick's outgrown clothes to Matthew's closet, and Matthew's outgrown hand-me-downs back to my sister-in-law)  Patrick moved into a big boy bed (Julia's old bed) and we gave back the crib we were borrowing for Matthew and moved him into Patrick's (and Julia's) old crib.  And, I read three books.  I now have no books in the house that I haven't read.  I think I need to trade some coupons online for a Barnes and Noble gift card! :)

Last night we all went to dinner at friend's house.  Julia is in kindergarten with the daughter, and Rob and I went to high school with the parents.  The mom graduated the year after us and the dad graduated the year before us.  So, they invited us all over for dinner and we had a great time.  We got home around 9:15 and we all just zonked out.

Today, we fought through the driving rain and went to bagels at my father-in-laws.  That was fun, but it is nice to be back home now, in sweats.  The boys are napping and I'm exercising while catching up on my recorded episodes of Mission: Organization and Clean Sweep.  God, I love those shows.

I have begun looking through the first 40 pages of my manuscript to send to the agent, but I think that was a mistake, because I've begun changing things around, and I'll never have it ready at this pace.  So, I'm going to try to look through it with a less critical eye, because, to be honest, I could change it every time I read it, same as with every book I read.  So, my plan is to have it mailed back to the agency by the end of this week.

Tomorrow is back to work, so I want to make sure I have everything in order before we start up again.  I've got Julia's and Patrick's clothes all selected for the week in their hanging shelves.  I need to do one load of wash (Matthew's) and then we'll be all set.

Ahhh...what a good week.

Well, I was able to spend a good bulk of my day organizing today.  Loved it! 

In the morning, the kids and I went to Target.  My organizing system finally arrived from the Lakeside Collection.  Let's just say that they did some creative photography in the picture for the product and it was MUCH smaller than it appeared in the ad.  I was so disappointed, I cried.  Seriously.  Anyway, I still needed to organize the craft area, so the kids and I headed to Target and I bought, among other things (it's so bad for me to be home...Target calls my name), a four-drawer organizing system, and then a smaller one.  When we got home, I dropped Julia at a birthday party, and while the boys napped, I moved all of the craft items into the drawer system and then used my label maker to label all of the drawers.  Then, I set the smaller system on top of the other one and put in the smaller items like stamps, crayons, markers, etc.  Then, I labeled those drawers.  Then, I came into the kitchen and re-organized the Tupperware cabinet.  Then, I took the empty boxes where I had been storing the craft stuff and put in some hardcover and paperback books that I will be selling in the garage sale.  Then, I went to the bookcase in the playroom and pulled out any broken books to be tossed, pulled out some books to go to Patrick's room, books for Julia's room, and then books for the garage sale.  Then, I moved some toys around and some furniture and am very pleased with the result. :)

Last night we put Patrick's bed together.  (It's Julia's old bed)  Why?  Well, because yesterday morning, when I got Patrick from his crib, he had an enormous wet spot on his crib mattress.  I said, "What is that?  Did you throw up?"  He said, "No, it's tinkle."  I looked at his jammies and said, "But you aren't wet!"  He said, "I called you and said I had to go to the potty, but you didn't come!  So, I took off my jammies and my pull-up and tinkled."  Unbelieveable.  Rob and I decided that if he was in a bed, he could have just gone, so we thought it was time for the bed.  So, we put together the bed, took his crib upstairs, took apart Matthew's crib (Which is my sister-in-laws sister's crib) to return, and moved Matty into our crib which was Julia's, then Patrick's, now Matty's.  Phewf.  Anyway, he was wonderful.  He went to bed like a big boy, didn't get out of bed once, and his first words this morning (heard through the monitor) were "I like my cool, new bed!"  Big Boy! :)

Rob just took Matty with him to ShopRite.  Normally we only shop once a week, but Rob realized that we didn't have popcorn kernels on the list, and tonight and tomorrow night are popcorn with tv nights.  So, they went to the store to pick that up, along with a yummy treat for dessert tomorrow night.  Julia is having my neice over to spend the night tomorrow night and she'll be here for dinner and dessert.  So, I thought we'd have a yummy dessert...not just fruit. 

Oh, and the best news?  Our federal income tax return came in the mail yesterday and I deposited it this morning.  Yeah!!!  So, we are now halfway to our goal of getting the bathroom redone.  Phewf!  Oh, and I am signing up to be considered for the TV show, "Save my Bath" on HGTV.  We seem to meet the criteria and it would be cool.  It's the NY/NJ/PA area, so we qualify there, and our bathroom is definitely hideous.  Rob is charging the camera batteries tonight and I'll take the pictures tomorrow and fill out the application then.  Fingers crossed!

Busy day so far, but a good one. 

Julia and Patrick had dentist appointments.  My mother came with us to watch Matthew in the waiting room and to sit with whichever child was not currently in the chair.  They both had great checkups and the dentist told Julia not to worry about not losing any teeth yet.  She'll probably lose one in August, and then they'll all soon follow.  (She is quite bummed at being one of the only kids in her class who has yet to lose a tooth.)

Then, we went to the bank and Julia dumped all of the change from her little cash register bank (was my Dad's as a boy, and then mine as a little girl, and now it's Julia's) into the coin counter.  (At our bank, there is no fee if you are a member)  So, she wound up with $26.25 in change.  We added the $10.00 in one dollar bills that was also in her bank and she deposited $36.25 into her savings account.  (We let her keep out the $10 bill she got from Grampa in case she decides she wants to buy something.)  I also deposited $25 for each of the boys that my Mom gave them for their birthdays today.  (Yes, their birthdays were in February and it is now April, but you may remember that she broke her leg right before birthday season, so she's just getting around to it now.)  So, their little accounts continue to grow ever so slowly, but it's something!  

Then, we came home and had lunch and the boys went down for naps.  That was 2.5 hours ago and they are both still snoring away in their cribs.  Who knew the dentist could be so exhausting?  Julia and I played her Angelina Ballerina board game, and I finished clipping coupons for one of the two potlucks that I sold online.  When the boys wake up, we're going to the park to meet my sister-in-law and neice and nephew.  It's 42, but it probably won't get any warmer this week, according to weather.gov, so we're heading to the park, all bundled up.  We'll get cabin fever otherwise.

I've also got the last of the laundry in the house in the dryer right now, and I will put it all away tonight.  Last night, Rob and I did a sock sort.  We pulled out the basket where I put all mismatched socks at the end of laundry day, and we matched them up.  Then, this morning, I took the rest of the unmatched ones around to everyone's bedroom and sock drawers and saw if I could possibly match them up.  If so, I made the matches.  After hitting everyone's sock drawer, I tossed out the remaining mismatched socks.  No reason to let them hang around, taking up valuable space in my home!

Oh, and this morning I went through a bag that was in Patrick's closet.  I tossed out the whole bag, except for a crockpot cookbook and a doll that was still in plastic.  Julia doesn't want it, so we'll sell it at the garage sale.  I also tossed (from the bag) a photo album that had pictures from college.  The pictures were primarily from a fraternity formal that I went to with my boyfriend at the time.  I'll never see those people again, except for my college roommate, and I've got better pictures of the two of us anyway.  So, out went the album.  Oh, I did pull out one picture of me and my old dog, Keebler.  Loved that dog.  :)  He's laying on the couch next to me, and I've put a baseball cap on his head, and made it look like he's snuggling with a reindeer stuffed animal.  Then, I'm snuggled up next to him.  Ooh, he was such a love. 

Tonight, I'm making beef stroganoff.  Should be yummy, and no one really complains about that one.  Oh, and yesterday we had my Mom over for Easter and had lasagna and salad.  It was delicious, and it was a very relaxing day.  I went to Rob's church with he and the kids, and my Mom came as well.  It was nice.  Then, we came back here and hung out and she went to our church.  Then she came over, and, as I said, we all just hung out until dinner, and then ate, and then she went home and we bathed the kids and we were all in bed early.  It was a nice holiday, but a long one.  Oh, right as we were sitting down to eat, the phone rang and it was a friend of mine from school.  She and her husband had been on their way to see her family in New York for Easter, and as they crossed the border into NY, their tire blew out.  They got towed all the way back here, and I picked them up at the service station and drove them home.  Poor things.  I felt badly for them, but they had a plan for chinese food and a bottle of wine in lieu of dinner with the family, and they seemed okay with it.  I was just glad that they weren't hurt.  They said they went from 75 mph to 20 in under a second.  Scary stuff.  Which reminds me, my brakes are squeaking and I have to take the car in to get that checked out.

I also have to mail in my first 40 pages of my book and my synopsis.  I've been rereading it, just to make sure it is good and thought provoking to make them want to read more.  I think it's not bad, so hopefully, since I'm my own worst critic, they'll think it's great! :)

I have been absolutely seduced by this book.  I've never read a book by Diane Setterfield before, and if the others are like this one, then add me to the fan club.  It's a book about a writer who is asked to write the life story of Britain's most famous author.  They both have secrets and the plot itself is really good.  However, that is not why I am in love with this book.

Setterfield's descriptions of things, her language, her use of language...it is riveting and not only paints a picture in your mind, but enhances all of the other senses as well.  I absolutely know what Margaret's fathers book shop smells like, and I know what the antique books feel like, and I can hear the quiet of the store while they are reading the afternoon away.  I don't know how to explain it, but I have never quite been as captured by a book before.  I actually kept going back and re-reading certain paragraphs that came 100 pages earlier just to feel those descriptions again.  It was really an experience. 

I finished it yesterday and was disappointed to be done.  This morning I read Running with Scissors.  I finished it by noon.  Entertaining, yet not the same experience at all.

Today was a good day.  In school, I have an artist in residence doing a workshop with my students on the 100 years war.  She is having them create characters and families and stories and doing research and will be interviewing them in character and having them interview her character and a whole bunch of other things.  It is really interesting and I think the kids are enjoying it.  (As much as 8th graders enjoy anything that smacks of uncoolness) :) 

After school, Julia had a friend over.  This little girl is the daughter of a woman that was a year behind me in school, and who also went to my church.  Watching Julia and this girl reminds me of me and my friend, Erin, when we were real little.  Erin had her own sister, but she and I were very much like sisters as well.  It's hard to explain, but we were completely comfortable with each other.  There was no embarassment or discomfort when we were together.  It was like we just were meant to be.  Julia and her friend are the same way.  They just enjoy each others company, and even when the disagree, they are over it quickly. 

I've been very lucky in my life.  Erin was the earliest of my friends, and I was fortunate enough to gain two other friends, like Erin, as I got older.  Kim was in my elementary school, but always in different classes.  We became good friends when we were a little older.  Michaela went to a different elementary school, but we became close in middle school.  The friendship was the same with them.  We were all never afraid or embarassed to be silly or goofy or funny or smart or sad or anything when we were with each other.  It was just so easy to be with them, and it still is.  The four of us are still just as always, although distance and our lives definitely part us.  Kim is a human resources guru at a big national company in that is headquartered in NYC.  Michaela is a photographer/world traveler/non-profit organization maker/woman of the world.  Erin was the head accountant or CFO or something brilliant dealing with money for a few dot.com websites and now is home with her two beautiful little girls.  We all definitely don't see each other enough, and are currently trying to coordinate schedules to get together for a girls night out.  However, when we are together, it's like no time has passed.  I remember that my college roommate used to leave the room to study when Erin would call me at school because I would immediately revert to being an 8 year old giggly girl.  That's just the way it goes with us. :)

I'm excited because the organizing system that I bought for the playroom has finally shipped!  That means that I'll have it by Friday at the earliest, and it just so happens that there is no school that day, so I can get everything in there and organized!  I've already purged the papers and dried out markers and other craft items that can go, and everything is ready to be loaded in.  I am psyched.  I'm currently mapping out a plan for the spring break for more purging and organization.  The problem is, I think I've purged just about everything that can be purged around here.  I've also created organization systems for just about everything that can be organized, and really, the only thing left to do is to have a garage sale.  I'm planning that for May.  I've been looking into professional organizing some more, and have found lots of varying information.  Some sites say that you must be certified in order to work as one.  Others say that isn't necessary if you can get a network going.  So, we'll see.  I'd love to get my hands on my Dad's office.  That would be FABULOUS, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon.

Julia is so much like me.  As I type, she's sitting at the counter doing some make-up work that she missed while absent.  She is just chatting away while she works.  Not to me, mind you...just to herself.  It's exactly what I used to do as a kid.  My parents would always knock on my bedroom door and ask who I was talking to, but it was always just me.  I was creating my own television show or talking in accents to various people that I was "interviewing" or having conversations with people I wanted to meet, or just telling the events of my day to the various stuffed animals that were strewn about the room.  She does the same thing. When she's on the computer, she chats and chats about everything and nothing.  In her room, she talks to herself in the mirror or to her stuffed animals.  In the back of the car, she tells me stories and then gets off on tangents about make-believe things or real things that happened, but with some major embellishments.  Sometimes you are hearing from Julia, but other times, it's some British girl, or a little Irish girl or someone else.  Her imagination is HUGE and it's great. 

...cuz my washing machine dun broke on me.  :) 

Yesterday, while home with Julia, I did Patrick's wash, then Julia's wash, and then when I opened up the washer to take out Rob's and my wash, the clothes were soaking wet.  The tub was empty, but the clothes were soaked.  So, I set it for another spin cycle and sure enough, nothing happened.  Something must have broken so it not longer agitates or spins.  The tub fills with water, soaks the clothes, then drains the water, but no spinning, so no cleaning or drying.  Ick.  Rob and I wrang out the clothes by hand and hung them on the line.  They'll need to be rewashed, because I had bibs in there and there is still food stuck to them and now to other clothes as well.  Ick, again.

This washing machine was a wedding gift from my parents, so it's lasted almost 9 years.  Rob and I checked Consumer Reports online and apparently at 9 years, you are almost better off buying a new machine than getting the old one repaired.  So, my father-in-law is going to take a look at it and see if he can fix it, and if not, we may be off to Sears to buy a new one.  Luckily, we do have the "house account" where we've been saving for the new bathroom.  Of course, this will wipe out almost everything in that account, but a washing machine is a luxury that, for me, is a must have.  I'm just not washing my clothes by hand, nor am I taking them all to the laundromat.  One of the things that shocked me was how expensive washing machines are these days!  It's ridiculous!  Again, though...a necessity for me.