One down, so many to go...

Today, we found out that Alex got a financial aid award. I'm so relieved. We have spent so much time trying to prove that we don't have any money for college, that if you paid Alex and I $10 an hour, it seems like it would just about add up to the amount he needs. I sure feel like we've "earned" it, anyway. Now, we only have to worry about the ticket he received in the accident he had, how to get him TO the school, since he no longer has a car (the van was totalled in the accident), and finding him a job. Personally, it's one less thing in my boat. Which, by the way, is FULL. I've been trying to get my daycare license. It's been a sort of saga...first, I decided to get a sort of 'lesser' license, called a residential certificate. It's what I've had in the past. I needed a state licensing orientation certificate, cpr/first aid certification, a health dept inspection, a fire inspection, a city business license (which came with an inspection), a food handler's permit, and background checks for everyone over 12 in the house. While I was getting all of these things, the orientation apparently expired. So, I went to another orientation. Which is where I discovered that in 6 months, they have CHANGED some of the rules to get a license. Including the one where it is more difficult to get a residential cert. and there are more perks associated with getting the full license. So, now, I'm writing a 10 page Procedures and Disaster Handbook to turn in with my application. Also, I now have to prove I'm a citizen of the U.S. This feels like a big carrot out in front of me...my daughter said, "Try to think of it as a brownie, Mom!"

The Weekend

I just want to know what day is MY day OFF. AND, I want to know why whenever I leave the house, I have to take SOMEONE with me or live with 6000 calls while I'm gone. AND I'd just like to know how I ended up at home on Saturday night scrubbing tomato off the CEILING and SOMEBODY ELSE got to go the movies.

By the way, this is the reason for the ceiling; There were 7 jars in the batch, but one broke. When I was getting it out, there was a tangle up with the broken jar and the pot and somehow tomato was flung about.

All is quiet...or is it?

Who said schools should be able to e-mail. Here I am smugly thinking I have no calls from the school when I open my e-mail. There is an e-mail from the middle school band teacher ....asking for money for drumsticks and t-shirt for chicaron1. Of course she wants it today. Luckily only $15...
Oh goody another e-mail from the Science teacher of chicharon2, "Dear Mrs. Luna, I am delighted that your son (chicharon2) loves science. His enthusiam for the experiments we are doing in class is contagious to the other students and rewarding for me as a teacher. And while I am impressed by his intelligence and understanding of science, I wanted to let you know that I did have to ask him to not create any new experiments in class. So if you could remind him at home, that would be great. And by the way he asked that when I e-mailed you this could you please bring in his science notebook that he forgot.
Uh-oh another e-mail, this one is from nutrition services. "Dear Mrs. Luna, while we are thrilled that your child is choosing to eat the hot lunch provided in the cafeteria....."Chicharon 3 has been eating lunch everyday in the cafeteria (mind you I have been sending him with a lunch EVERYDAY) so could you please send in money" ....since he now owes like $20.
So when a tree falls in the forest if you don't hear it, check your e-mail.

Kids in school

So all of my own kids are in school all day. I have a 1st, 6th, 7th and 9th grader. Now I find myself with a lot more free time on my hands. I say this hesitantly because chicharon 2 is notorious for having his teacher call me. No one is ever quite sure what to do with him, and for some reason all believe I know. I don't really, I just make it up as I go along. Anyway now they are in school and so far the phone it quiet...

Speaking of School

I have a first grader starting at the end of the month. There are so many emotions/worries wrapped up in that sentence it's hard to go into. As any of you who have read this probably know, I have a worrying problem/hobby and this is a real "fun" topic for me to mull over.
First I was worrying about whether or not to homeschool her. We decided not to. Then I was worrying about sending her to a special classical education program run by the regular school district. She was even on a waiting list. They called yesterday with an opening but once again we decided not to. So now we will be entering the regular "run-of-the-mill" public school system. Even just doing that I find myself with 3 schools to choose between! We decided to go with the school she had kindergarten in even though we don't live in that district anymore.
Now that we've figured out where she is going I'm hurrying to the next worry. Since she is a good reader I am fretting over whether or not I should look into testing for Gifted and Talented. Who knows if she would even qualify for any of that?? (Deep breath.)
Let's not even get started on the facts that she will be gone all day, she might learn "bad" things while she is out of my sight, and she is growing up way too fast for my comfort. (another deep breath)
By the way, ballet class registration is started. Should I sign her up for ballet? (aggghhh!)

School Starts

Three of my kids start school tomorrow. I have realized, belatedly, that giving my kids pseudonyms relative to their age was a little idiotic. So I now find myself in the awkward position of re-naming my children. Good grief. I've been thinking over the choices:
1. Just use their real names. I mean, I'm not the CIA, right?
2. Make up funny new adjectives as names. (Shorty, Freckles, etc.) Cute, but is it dumb?
3. Use real names...(Jane, Mary, Phil etc) but not THEIR real names.
4. Use their real names, but don't tell anyone that those are their real names.
I'm thinking I may be over thinking this. I am concerned with internet privacy, but is that unrealistic? Is there even such a thing these days? I remember reading 1984 in 1986 and thinking it was ludicrous, and yet, now, I take for granted that it seems everything from my computer to my checkstand at the supermarket knows who I am.

ANYWAY, three of the kids start school tomorrow, 2 more start thursday, the oldest starts next wednesday, and the youngest starts the day after that. It's confusing and makes for 2 very hectic weeks. In the meantime, and at the same time, I am revving up the daycare and currently have the most gorgeous little 6 year old here for a couple of weeks. She has a unique family situation (2 dads and she is African-American) which has been interesting for my kids to see. We live a little bit of a sheltered life. We're definitely trying to wring all the fun we can out of these last days of summer!

So, any ideas about the name thing? Help me out here people, I've painted myself into a corner:)

Well, sorry I've got nothing to say because I am in a sleep deprived stupor. Little grunt, who I will now refer to as Gem, was doing a super super great job of sleeping through the night. Right up until a week ago that is. For the past week, she constantly wants to suck her fingers and wakes herself up every time I put her down at night. So I have been sitting up in bed holding her, and needless to say, I am beat. I want her to go back to her old sleepy ways ! I always say if you don't like what a baby is doing, wait two weeks and it'll change. Cross fingers for me that this will.