Venting!

I don't have any pictures of any recent events to update everyone on, and I haven't written in a while, so I just thought you would like to know what I have been going through lately! Ha! Ha!

I am stressing so much about Olivia starting kindergarten in September this year! I can't believe I am worrying about this already, she was just a baby yesterday, wasn't she? My baby is getting ready for kindergarten. It is so scary.

It is so stressful because of the options we have and then the decisions we have to make. I wish I could say that the decision is so hard because we really just want to make the right decision as far as her education and what is best for her, but on top of that we have to make a sound financial decision as well. It is all weighing so hard on me.

Our options are to send her to the public school here in Brookfield. The public schools in our town are great, so I am not worried about that as far as the education she would be receiving and it's free of course. The issue is that for kindergarten they only have two full days and then 3 short days a week. I am ok with the morning bus because she would get on the bus before I leave for work, but I am on the fence as to where to send her for after school care and worry about what bus she gets on every day, what time and the cost is ridiculous for a place like the YMCA after school. I don't know.

Our other option is to send her to the Catholic private school where she is right now for Pre-school. I like the school as far as the education and smaller classes and that there is really only one class for each grade and it's very personalized for each student. I also like that they incorporate faith within their teachings. The other great thing about sending her there is that again she gets on the bus before I leave for school and they have 5 full days where she gets out at 3PM and then she can stay at the school for their after school program until about 4:30 when Erik could pick her up. This way I don't have to worry about being at work and her getting on a different bus every day and where she is going. The problem is that we have to pay tuition, uniform and then the after school as well. I also like the school because it is K through 8th grade, so I don't have to worry about her switching schools until high school, but the down side to this is that she is going to private school for K-8 and then when she starts highschool she is going to be like the "new kid" her Freshman year because most of the kids starting highschool where she would go will have gone to the public schools. Again, I don't know!

Last option is the Magnet School which I am really excited about, however, we sent in her application, but it is a lottery, so who knows if she will get in. They were anticipating accepting over 600 new students this year! It is only K through 5th grade, so again I have the issue that she would go there until 5th grade and then start Junior High as the new kid. It is free, so we don't have to pay tuition except for the after school program that they offer. It is in another town, but they have a bus to and from, so that is also a plus. I have a feeling this option is out because of the lottery, I never win! HA! HA!

So, I stress about this continuously and I have to make up my mind. HELP! Anyone have any suggestions, thoughts, ideas? Oh and then there is Scott. I need full time daycare for him starting in September! LOL I have been in talks with the daycare provider that Olivia went to from when she was 2 until 3 when she started Preschool at St. Joe's and she has been wonderful, so hopefully that works out!

Anyway, that is my problem for right now.

Florida

I don't know what is wrong with my blog, but it is not allowing me to add an "album" of pictures, only individual ones right now, so I can't add all of the pictures I have which is really making me angry. Hopefully I can figure it out.

Anyway, Olivia and I went down to FL on Sunday to visit with Karen and baby Makenna. The reason why I didn't update my blog with Aunt Laura's birthday entry before I left is because we were supposed to fly down to FL on Monday, but because the threat of snow, we changed our flight to Sunday. I wasn't packed or anything and it was completely last minute. I packed in about 2 minutes and we left. Erik brought Olivia and me to the airport and we got off! We had a blast visiting with Karen and the baby. The baby is absolutely adorable. We took a day and went to Disney. Olivia got to meet the princesses in person and get a hug from each of them! She was in her glory. She loved the show in front of the castle at the end of the day and was ear to ear grin. It was so cute. I am so glad we got to do that. She was at Disney when she was 9 months old and will never remember that, so I am sure she will remember now!! Makenna won't remember this trip, but I am sure she will be back again.

Olivia had a great time helping take care of Makenna, giving her "special tuck in's" and singing songs to her. She also had fun with "Skella" I mean Stella. That is their dog and Olivia called Stella, "Skella" all week. It was so funny. Stanley on the other hand couldn't wait for us to leave! That was their cat. Here are a couple of pics and when I get the issue resolved, I will post all...

Surprise! Happy 50th Aunt Laura!

Sorry for the late update, I'll explain later...

Last Saturday, the 12th, we had a surprise birthday party for Aunt Laura, the big 50! It has been extremely difficult keeping this from her for soooooo long, but we all did it and I can not believe. She was very surprised and it was awesome! We had so much fun at the party. Heidi put together this great DVD that had pictures of Aunt Laura from her childhood all the way through today and it played to music. Of course there were tears when we all watched it, but it was so much fun! We all wrote letters to Laura about what she means to us and Heidi put together the most beautiful scrapbook for Laura. I think people were hitting her up for orders for their own books!! We had the private room until 9pm, but they were nice to us and I think we stayed until 11pm or so. Again, it was just an absolute blast and she had the best time as well. It was nice to have a babysitter at home for my kids and not worry about them...thanks Katie and Meagan! You gals rock!

Correction!!!

Ok, sorry for any confusion but Andrew and Heidi ARE NOT PREGNANT!! I guess I kind of confused some in my last entry on New Year's Eve. I just meant that IF they do get pregnant soon, then next New Year's maybe they will either have a baby or be pregnant or something like that. GEEZ! I think EVERYONE who read that got the wrong idea! Sorry Heidi!!!

Happy New Year's!

We had our annual New Year's Eve get together. It was really nice this year and low key: Me and Erik, Aunt Laura with Marissa and Chris, my mom, my stepfather Mark, Andrew and Heidi, Mike and Sarah with Lindsey and Mason, Tom and Stefanie with Payton and Cameron, my cousin Jason, and Knobby with his girlfriend Marcia and her daughter Giovanna. Everyone stayed up until midnight except for Scott and Mason. The 2 boys were absolutely exhausted and wanted to go to bed so badly, so we put them down around 10:30. Payton, Lindsey, Olivia and Giovanna had so much fun playing together and wreaking havoc on Olivia's bedroom! LOL Even Tom and Stefanie made it until midnight! What?!?!? That was a first! LOL Cameron slept through all of the chaos and noise in her little bouncy seat the entire night and was a perfect little angel. Andrew and Heidi left for a while and went out to meet up with another couple since this will probably be their last New Year's without children! Yippee! Hey, they should live it up while they can...

Happy New Year's to everyone and good luck with any resolutions. I won't even make one because I know I won't keep it!!!!!!