And This Is Just Today's Agenda.

-condensing PTA Committee Reports and the newsletter
-updating the funds available reports for the Principals
-paying a few PTA bills
-printing the PTA Public Policy Agenda for 2011
-gathering responses to see if we will have a rescheduled School Council meeting Wednesday and emailing Mrs. L to let her know
-updating the new PTA treasurer with the details of what is what
-responding to PTA emails, writing a summary of the Federal Legislative call from last month
-continuing the development of the PTA website
-deciding if I can be available tomorrow nights PTA federal Legislative call
-printing and updating calendars for the bulletin board
-looking in to scheduling the PTA SHARP program at Nichols this summer (instead of HBB due to reconfiguration)
-emailing the PTA about up and coming volunteer opportunities
-typing up the notes for last weeks MKG/HBB School Council meeting
-planning for a meeting with Kate's teacher tomorrow
-rescheduling an appointment for Emily

I have a feeling all of this will go well in to the evening hours.  Had I not made the decision to limit my intake I might have been asking for caffeine on an IV drip. It's a good thing I love every minute of all of this otherwise this list might look a bit more...daunting. 

Break time is officially over.  Back to it I go!

I have a feeling...

...that the "busy, I barely have but a minute of free time, oh my gosh am I ever going to finish all I have or want to" season has officially begun.

Take this weekend. Tonight the girls and I are heading to my sisters house so we can be there tomorrow morning for my nephews last soccer game of the season. After that, we are having professional pictures of the kids taken. We will drive back tomorrow late afternoon so I can be home in time to attend the First Carver High School Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony that night. Sunday I have another wake to attend (at the exact same funeral home no less as the one I was at earlier in the week for a family friend, this one is for my great aunt).

Next weekend we have the parade in Plymouth and Ryun's company holiday party (kudos to them for planning it early) on Saturday. I am pretty sure the plan for Sunday will be decorating the house for the Christmas (which we usually do Thanksgiving weekend but we have other thing going on).

On Thanksgiving, we will be heading to my sisters house for dinner and combining that with celebrating Katherine's 11th birthday (which is on Thanksgiving this year just like it was on the day she was born). Friday I am going to join the masses and shop and Saturday we will be at the Middleboro Christmas parade.

This doesn't even consider the myriad of meeting and kids events that will be going on in between. It's all good though. Busy is what actually keeps me sane...seriously.

Schedule

The next two weeks=insanely busy.

Just to get the schedule posted in as many places as possible, lest I forget where I need to be when, I am posting it here as well as on multiple calendars at home and on my phone.

Monday: Town Meeting @ 7.

Tuesday: appointment @ 5, Anti-Bullying Task Force meeting @ 6:30

Wednesday: Volunteer @ the MECC, dentist for Julia @ 4:15, PTA @ 7

Thursday: 1/2 day of school, babysit nephew for the day, physicals for Kate and Em at 5:30 and 6.

Friday: Crop @ 6

Saturday: NADA

Sunday: family cookout, babysit nephew for the day

Monday: babysit nephew for the day, Flag Day Ceremony at the MECC, volunteer breakfast at the MECC, HBB band concert @6:30, Flag Day Ceremony at the Elks @7.

Tuesday: NADA

Wednesday: Volunteer at Field Day at the MECC, appointment at 5:30, WOW Green night at Carver Holistic

Thursday: NADA

Friday: State Board PTA retreat

Saturday: State Board PTA retreat

Today is a new day...

...and thank God for that. It amazes me the difference a day can make.

So the insurance thing kind or worked it self out...not in the best way it could of but better than nothing. We will have the "good" insurance plan from Ryun's union for at least the next month and maybe beyond. So yesterday? I made five dentist appointments (one for each member of the family), two eye doctor appointments (one for Emily and one for me) one appointment with my counselor, and two well check visits with the pediatrician (one for Emily and one for Katherine). All taking place during the month of June. Hello busy month!

Today is already shaping up to be a better day...I feel better, I have lunch plans with my sister and nephew and then I have Julia's kindergarten concert. I can't wait to hear her and her classmates sing! Tonight I will be at the school committee meeting on behalf of the MECC School Council, presenting the school improvement plan to the School Committee.

Yay for a busy but fun day!

Weekend

I have decided not to go to the crop tonight. I still have a million things to do to be ready for dress rehearsal and the recital this weekend. I have to be up and out of the house by 7:10 with Julia tomorrow. My mother is on hair and makeup duty so we need to be in Carver by 7:20, to leave by 7:50, and get to dress rehearsal by 8:30. This ought to be fun with Julia, who is used to sleeping in on weekends until at least 8. She tires very easily, so most week day mornings it is really hard to get her out of bed by 6:45 to get ready for school. She is in bed by 7 every night, and usually asleep by 7:30. I certainly can't put her to bed before 7...most nights we are just finishing dinner up at 6:30. So...I let her make up the difference on the weekend. When Julia is done performing, I will bring her back home, help my mother get Emily and Katherine ready, and head back for 12:30. I will probably have a couple of hours in between. The recital on Sunday will be a little less hectic as it doesn't start until 3. Julia will be doing ballet in the Cinderella portion of the show and Emily and Katherine? Will be in the second half dancing in the Back to the 80's portion of the show. Back to the 80's? I am like, totally, thinking this show will be wicked awesome! After the recital, we will be heading with the whole gang (my immediate family, my parents, my sisters and nephew) to dinner. After that, the whirlwind weekend will be over.

So yeah, it seems to make sense to stay in to night, get things done and try and get to bed at a reasonable hour.

Things I Did (and Didn't) Do Today

1. I did fill out the mountains of paperwork needed to send the older kids to Girl Scout camp over the summer.

2. I did not put out a hit on Ryun's ex boss.

3. I did get some actual paid work done.

4. I did not put out a hit on Ryun's ex boss.

5. I did find out that Ryun's unemployment may have been screwed up.

6. I did not put a hit out on Ryun's ex boss.

7. I did vaccum the entire down stairs and clean the living room and kitchen.

8. I did not put out a hit on Ryun's ex boss.

9. I did make appointments for Kate and Emily to have physicals next week which will have to pay for out of pocket because we have not heard back about our health insurance yet and still...

10. I did not put a hit out on Ryun's ex boss.

11. I did find out from Ryun that because as the saying goes when it rains it pours, that our washing machine broke today and he will not be able to fix it.

12. I did not pick the washing machine up and throw it at Ryun's ex boss (mostly because, well a washing machine is heavy and Ryun's boss was nowhere near me but still, the fact that I didn't means something).

13. I did enjoy a fun random Tuesday night dance/singing in to wooden spoons party with the kids which was fun and stress releasing.

14. I did not put out a hit on Ryun's ex boss.

15. I did cry like a freaking baby watching The Biggest Loser tonight.

16. I did not put out a hit on Ryun's ex boss.

All in all? I'd say it was a rather productive day.

Hello...It's Destiny Calling!

Yesterday I tweeted that I wanted the annoying pain in my neck to be gone (literal pain in the neck...I am not referring to a person here) and I woke up this morning and? It's gone. Y'all might remember a few entries back I had posted about creating my own destiny. I blogged about something I wanted to happen and it did. Two for two? Doesn't seem like a bad record to me. Maybe I am on to something here. So, I am going to do something I have always wanted to do...make a "bucket list." Then, I am going to share some of the things on the list here, on Twitter and on Facebook. Who knows what could happen!

Sugar Coma

Apparently, I was in one because Easter has passed? And I did not take a SINGLE picture! My sister took a few, including a great one of all four kids (my three girls and her son), so at least I will have some "documentation" that Easter actually occurred. We had a nice relaxing day, a good dinner, and the kids had fun playing.

I did manage to forget, for a day anyway, about the very disappointing results of the override vote and the selectman's race. There was one constant, nagging reminder and that was the sunburn on the back of my neck. I was standing outside all day Saturday holding signs and put sunscreen everywhere except there. Oops...and ouch. I am so sad about the results and what it means for the kids. I don't know what the next step will be but rest assured, the fight is far from over.

Today is going to be all about paperwork, phone calls, emails, and work. This is not exactly how I would like to be spending this gorgeous day but it's life, you know?

And I Thought Last Week Was Busy...

Monday: Work in the morning, volunteer in the afternoon, dance for Emily at 6, FINCOM meeting at 7.

Tuesday: Work in the morning, hold signs near MECC at 5:30, Julia's PT conference at 7, then to an override meeting immediately afterward.

Wednesday: Happy St Patrick's Day! Work in the morning, Em staying after school for student/faculty bball game, conference call at 7.

Thursday: Work in the morning, Show at the MECC in the afternoon, Ryun's on call, Dance for Katherine, Olympics meeting at 7.

Friday: Work in the morning, dinner at my parents at night.

Saturday: Dance for Julia, holding signs for the morning.

Schedule

Tonight's agenda: Mom plays taxi! How is this different from any other night? Well, it isn't really! Although sometimes Dad plays taxi too. Tonight looks like this: bring Kate to basketball practice, leave to bring Em to PTSA (sad I am going to miss), go back to get Kate, then back to Nichols to get Em.

This could be less confusing if I wasn't trying to avoid bringing Julia out past her bed time. Julia goes to bed every night at 7PM and still wakes up at 7AM tired. As much as kindergarten seems to agree with her, this is undoubtedly a side effect. She has always tired more easily (both physically and mentally) than other kids her age. It would also be less annoying if I could drive a stick shift and if Ryun's car sat more than two people comfortably.

Oh well. Such is life.

I really have no idea...

...how I fit this all in but somehow I manage.

Tomorrow: Emily has student council. I have school council. Katherine has an after school reading program and Julia will be arriving home...all happening at, of course, the exact same time. Ryun will be at work during all of this so I am thinking a clone of myself might be in order. Or...I could bring Julia to school council with me (since it is our first meeting it will be rather quick). Emily also said she could skip one student council meeting which would make it so she would be home in time for Julia. Hmm...

Oh but it get's better. Here's my Thursday for you:

12:30-2:30 volunteer in Julia's classroom. Go to an appointment at 3. Run home to pick up Emily (and if Ryun gets a late afternoon call and isn't be home, Julia). Go pick up Katherine after day 2 of the after school program. Go eat a quick dinner somewhere. Bring Katherine to dance at 5:30. Bring Emily to Scouts at 6. Pick Katherine up at dance at 6:15. Drop her off at home. Go back out to food shop. Pick Emily up at Scouts at 8.

UPDATE: I totally forgot, Emily doesn't have Scouts this week due to a scheduling change! YAY for a slightly less hectic Thursday!

Hmmm...

I have been unusually tired lately and I can't seem to figure out why. Nothing of note has changed. I am the same amount of busy as I always am. It's weird...and annoying. Take tonight for example. It's not even 8:00 and I am seriously considering getting the kids clothes ready for tomorrow and going to bed. Meanwhile, I have this mental list of things I want to get done (from the little things like reading the books I have piled up to the big things...you know like total world domination...ha ha ha). Seriously though, it's really frustrating.

I need to figure something out.

Busy Much

Just for the fun of it, here is what I have on tap this year for activities etc.

-Three girls in 3 separate dance classes.

-Two girls in 2 separate Girl Scout Troops.

-one girl playing basketball.

-one girl involved with the Art Club and Student Council at school.

-one Mom (ME!) President of the PTA

-one Mom (me again!) chairing the PTA Advocacy Committee

-one Mom (guess who?) being active members of the following PTA subcommittees: the Green Team, Bake Sale, and Teacher Appreciation.

-one Mom(three guesses): member of the middle school PTSA.

-one Mom (still me!) volunteering every Monday afternoon in Kindergarten.

-one Mom (uh huh) being the Room Parent to a 4th grade classroom.

-one mom (yes) serving on the Kindergarten School Council.

-one Mom (you guessed it) serving on the MA State PTA Legislative Advocacy Committee.

-one Mom (enough already!) working 20 hours per week.

Busy much?!?!? I am not complaining really. These PTA/Advocacy/Volunteer type things? Are what I was put on this earth to do and I love it.

Karma

So, after all of the hemming and hawing I did about jury duty, a sick child got me out of it...until next Tuesday that is. Emily is home with me today with various complaints of pain, and a cough to go with it. She definitely seems a bit off and is fairly mellow. Is it terrible for me to say that she is much easier to deal with when she is sick? Probably, but it's true. She's too mellow to be the dramatic preteen that she usually is, too tired to be fresh, and too blah to give that famous eye roll. of course, I do hope she feels better soon!


As much as I hated the idea of jury duty, I was sort of looking forward to getting it over with. I am also not sure what to do with myself today now that I have the day off. Work is always an option, as are PTA things, fall decorating, laundry, housecleaning etc. I am pretty spontaneous but I do have to say when my plan or the day is changed, it kind of throws me off kilter. I am sure I will figure something out.

Anyway, off to it...whatever it is!

Halloween Town Boston

We took the kids to Halloween Town Boston yesterday. It was fun, even if it was a little overwhelming for Julia. She had fun, but in her own way, which was, you know different from how the other kids enjoyed it. The kids got all kinds of goodies, candy included. Anyway, I took pictures!

She wanted something scary. This worked. I left the red eye in for effect, which also worked.

Emily wanted candy corn eyes.

That's Dan Zanes of Playhouse Disney fame. Katherine and Julia particularly enjoyed listening to him sing and dance.

As you can tell, Julia was totally thrilled with the whole event. As for Ryun, this picture was the result of my calling his name and just snapping the picture.

The kids got to draw on a zip car. Very cool! Here is Emily's art work.

Julia wanted nothing to do with face painting when the girls got theirs done earlier in the day, free. In typical Julia style she decided as we were getting ready to leave that she did want her face painted after all. The original place was all the way at the other end of the building, and the last time we had been by, the line was miles long. So, I gave in and paid $10 which seemed like a bit much. Honestly though, at that point I may have given them my life savings for her to Julia to get her face painted. When she wants to participate in something, you just can't let the opportunity pass her by. She sat perfectly still the whole time and as you can see, the tiger face she picked out came out great! Turns out the face painter was from Art on The Spot, a local art studio here in Middleboro, just down the street a ways from us.

We took the kids to diner at Friendly's on the way home, which, as is usually the case at Friendly's, was a huge hit.

Happy Birthday...

...to me! I am officially in my last year of what I would call my "early thirties," so, yeah, I am getting old.

Today should be a nice one, spent with the immediate and extended family. We're heading out this afternoon to Ryun's uncle's house for pumpkin picking, hayrides, a bonfire, and fireworks.

We will be enjoying a turkey dinner at my parents house tomorrow, with my sisters and nephew.

Anyway, Happy Birthday to me!

This Year's Schedule

Just in case you were wondering!

Monday: Katherine has Girl Scouts from 6-7 every other Monday. Emily has jazz from 6-6:45. Ryun has Poker from 8 til whenever he busts out.

Tuesday: Julia will be in a preschool dance class for an hour in the mornings.

Wednesday: 1st Wednesday of every Month: Emily and I will be at the middle school PTSA meetings at 7pm. Every 2nd Wednesday, I will be at PTA. Every Wednesday Katherine will be at Jazz from5:15-6.

Thursday: every other Thursday Emily will be at Girl Scouts.

Friday: NOTHING!

Saturday: Beginning in December and going through March Katherine will be playing basketball for an hour and a half per day.

Sunday: NOTHING!

Help!

I am entering this photo in to a contest and am looking for a good caption/title for it.

Any thoughts?

Places We Plan To Visit While In NH

Just in case you were wondering!

...Santa's Village.

...The Flume Gorge.

...Clark's Trading Post.

...Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.

...Whale's Tale Water Park.

...The Basin.

...Boise Rock.

Busy Weekend=No Blogging

Busy for sure, but fun nonetheless. On Friday afternoon, we went over to my parents to swim with Jack and Suzanne. It was fun, and as usual, Jack and Julia were so cute together. We came home Friday night and, I stayed up way too late watching recorded tv.

On Saturday we had a birthday party to go to which was nice, although I did have to spend the first 45 minutes or so following Julia around because she refused to go play with the other kids by herself. She warmed up though after a while and was fine. We ended up being invited back to my parents to swim for a couple of hours after the party. It would have been a waste to go all the way home to get suits though, so I told the kids they could swim in their clothes. I might have earned the "coolest mom ever" award, but I can't be sure. It was all good, until we got there, and Julia refused to go in the pool without me. Thankfully, my sister Heather had two suits with her, so I borrowed one and Julia went in. She let me hold her in the water for a few minutes, but then retreated to her usual spot on the stairs and that was that.

Somewhere, between Saturday and Sunday (when we went back to the pool for the day) Julia decided that not only would she let me hold her in the water, but that she would swim by herself all over the shallow end and what the heck, jump off of the side without anyone catching her. It was like a switch in her head flipped, and she suddenly gained the confidence to know that not only could she do it, but that we would all be "right there" if she needed anything. You could tell how physically hard it was for her, but she kept right on going, pausing only to snack and go to the bathroom. It's hard to put in to words how proud I was of her. I will be anxious to see how she does when we go to a pool party on the 4th, not at my parents house and with people there that she knows only vaguely or not at all.

I am not sure what will be going on for week. Tomorrow is my turn to water the garden in the outdoor classroom at the Goode School and I think after that we will run errands. Beyond that? I don't know. But hey, it's summer? We don't need to have a plan now, do we?