School has FINALLY started

 Yes, that is right, school has started!!!  I am more excited than the kids, if that is possible.  Lilly started Kindergarten on the 5th.  Lucy's first day of her new preschool at our church was the 9th.  Ben is going to a Mother's Day Out program twice a week at the same facility as Lucy.  The plan was to have Lucy and Ben at the same place to cut down on the number of drop offs and pick ups.  Too bad that didn't work out for me.  I had MULTIPLE conversations with the staff at the church about why I was signing up and NO ONE mentioned to me that I had the times wrong.  Lucy begins at 9:00 and Ben can't arrive before 9:25.  Ben has to be picked up at 2:00 and Lucy can't be picked up until 2:30.  I asked if there was a possibility of a holding room for Ben and was told "No".  Are you kidding me?!  Is there no one else that has this conflict?  I think someone is missing out on a $$ opportunity.  I am sure there are at least 10 parents who would be willing to pay five bucks for 30 minutes.  I know I would!!  Think about it, that is $50 for just 30 minutes if you had 10 kids.   Times two if you needed to do the reverse in the afternoon.  For that kind of easy money I am willing to do it!  If I have to be there anyway at 9:00 I may as well be making some $$.  I have requested a meeting with the director and I am going to throw it out there and see if there is any interest.  I will be rolling in it - hee hee

It took a couple of days, but I managed to get Lilly excited about riding the bus.  One of her friends is in 1st grade at the same school and she rides the bus so it just took me taking Lilly to that bus stop and the rest is hopefully history.  At least it cuts down on one of the drop off/pick ups!  The school is just 2 miles away so it is a rather short bus ride (about 12 minutes).  Lucy and Ben are rather upset that they don't get to ride a bus.  Good to know they don't look at me and the mini-van as a bus service even though that is pretty much what it feels like to me.

Without further ado - pictures of what went on last week.

I feel like I need to add an explanation of the picture of the bag. Lucy's school has a dress code and they provide tote bags. They all look the same so I was "told" we could personalize the tote. So borrowing an idea from another bag, I took the navy blue straps off and sewed on ribbon that I ran through tubing. Then I decided to spell out her name in ribbon on the side. We bought some flower decals but they haven't made it on there yet. It, like most things going on in this house, a work in progress.

I made the mistake of answering a question from my husband honestly.  He first asked me what was I going to do with my two days a week when I didn't have a child wrapped around my leg.  I told him I was planning on going out in the boat - A LOT!  ha ha ha, yeah right.  While I do hope to do that, I fear that most of my Mondays and Fridays will be spent cleaning, meetings, appointments, and going to the grocery store and other errands.  The other question came a few days later when he returned from yet another trip and I was in a "mood" by the time dinner rolled around.  "I thought things would be easier for you now that the kids were in school most of the time.  Why isn't it?"  Well... I am still making three breakfasts and three lunches, trying to get all three out the door dressed with all their belongings, doing the whole drop off/pick up dance in addition to other errands and yet I still found time to make a home made meal for you and the kids.  So sue me if I didn't get to the grocery store for SALAD!  Improvise for crying out loud!  I am sure once we all get into the swing of things it will get easier.  Right - it will get easier?  Don't tell me if it doesn't - I need to dream.

But I digress.  Other highlights of recent events:

Lucy caught a fish!

And Lilly has a loose tooth!  OH MY GOD!  I can't believe she has a loose tooth.  I need to have a chat with the Tooth Fairy.  I have explained to her that the TF leaves whatever she just happens to have in her pocket and it will probably be something different every time.  She shouldn't be surprised to find fairy pocket lint all over the place too.  Well not all over the place, because you know who will be the one cleaning that up!  More on that once the story develops.