March Catch-Up

Again, it's been a while since I posted last - sorry!  We've been a bit busy, which is actually the norm for us, but sometimes, it catches up to me.

My mom was here last week, which was of course, great fun.  We went to the Hogle Zoo, the first time for all of us.  The kids were off school on Monday, so we went to see "Rango".  I do not understand what all the hype is about that movie, because I personally thought it was awful.  None of us liked it, actually. 

I started a new job on Wednesday.  It's a receptionist position, but it's a small office, so I'll be doing some other things too, once I get up to speed on the business.  And no, it's not a funeral home.  :)  It's full-time, and not too far from home, so I think it will be good.  I enjoyed my first three days - now we just wait and see how the rest go!

Mitch left today for a month in Montreal.  Perfect timing, right?  Oh well, such is life.  I actually hired someone to come two afternoons a week to take Jacob to band and to hang with Sara during that time.  We're already looking forward to Mitch returning.

Oh, and I have a new nephew!  My brother Dave and his wife Christine welcomed their third little sweetie on March 14.  Well, not so "little", Harrison was 8 lbs. 12 ounces!  I guess it's true - everything's bigger in Texas.  I've seen a few pictures and he's adorable of course.  Christine had quite a time with this pregnancy, bed rest and dislocated rib, so I'm sure she's glad that's all behind her. 

Sara has her follow-up with the neurologist tomorrow afternoon, so I'll let everyone know how that turns out.  This will give us the results of the MRI she had a few weeks ago.  She seems to be doing well, so I'm hoping the MRI will confirm that. 

Spring promises to be right around the corner, though everyone here tells me not to get too comfortable with that idea.  I suppose anywhere you live, the weather is unique.  I wonder how long I have to live here before I get used to this wind.

Mitch and I have been out looking at a few houses.  There are some nice ones out there.  But as usual, the trick is to get Mitch and I to agree on something!  Very nearly an unheard concept with us.  I know we'll find something eventually, and when he returns the search will step up a notch.

So that about covers it, I think.  I'm sure I'm forgetting a million little things, but those are the biggies. I'll be sure to update what the neuologist says about Sara tomorrow. 

Last Call

At the last minute, Jacob opted out of Drama Foundations as an elective and picked Popular Literature instead.  We'll see how that goes.

Tomorrow is my last day at school.  I think I'll really miss it.  Who knew that I'd actually like working at the school?  Not me.  If I'd had more hours, I would have stayed.  Really.  I know, you're all shocked.  Me, the mom who nearly needed sedation to be a lunch parent.  Me, the mom who dreaded with nervous tummy every single Girl Scout meeting I had assist at. 

I think the whistle gave me courage.  The people I work with are awesome too.  It's been a fun couple of months.

I'm keeping the whistle.  Just in case.

Friday Roundup

Jacob is home sick today.  He's been up since 6 AM with varying sicknesses, which I will spare you the details of.  I can't decide if I genuinely feel sick now or if it's just the power of suggestion.

I interviewed one sitter yesterday and have another to interview today.  I liked the girl from yesterday quite a bit.  The fact that her regular job is here in town is a huge plus.  And she has to drive for that job, so I know she has a good driving record.  And yes, I viewed her background check.

Big news around these parts is the suspension of Brandon Davies from the BYU basketball team for an honor code violation.  You have to admire a colllege, especially a sports program, that remembers that student athletes should be held to the same standards as non-athletes.

Jacob had middle school orientation yesterday.  Registration is next week.  He has to take a math test to see if he qualifies for Math 7 (standard 7th grade math), pre-Algebra, or Algebra.  He's chosen band, drama, intro to Chinese and shop as his electives.  The drama choice blows me away.  I wouldn't have guessed that in a hundred years.

Oh, Here I Am!

Okay okay.  Sorry for the departure.  I started a couple of posts, but couldn't get into the groove, so to speak, and they came out sounding like the ticker at the bottom of the screen on MSNBC.  Some days, I'm witty and well-spoken, so days I can fake witty and well-spoken, and some days, nothing comes together.

I've had too many of the "nothing comes together" days in a row, I'm afraid.

Then for a while, I had big news that I couldn't share yet, but now I can.  I got a new job.  I will start on March 16 as a receptionist/secretary.  I'm very very sorry to leave the school - I love the kids and the job itself overall - but I'm only working 14 hours a week there and the new job is full-time.  So, as much as I hated to quit the school, I really had to.  Apparently, ignoring the bills doesn't make them go away after all.  Who knew?  But I'm excited about this opportunity.

What I'm NOT so excited about is trying to figure out our new schedules and how to make everything work.  And to make it even more difficult, the Monday after I start my new job, Mitch leaves for Canada for a month.  So even though he works Thursday through Sunday, at the very beginning, he won't be here at all.  I'm trying to find someone to take Jacob to band two afternoons a week and make sure I can Sara to Girl Scouts on time and then today I get a letter from the middle school that the math placement test Jacob needs to take for next year is only offer on April 4 and 5 (Monday and Tuesday) at 3 PM.  Which I completely do not understand, since he's in school until 3:30.  I posted an ad on a sitter website I've seen on TV, and actually am interviewing someone tomorrow.  I hope this works out.  I'm sure it will cost me an arm and a leg, but I don't have a lot of options.  And it would only be until the end of May, since school lets out here the first week in June. 

We've met with a realtor to start looking for a house.  We're definitely staying here in this town, but we can't choose a neighborhood yet until we find out if Sara was accepted into the accelerated program.  The program is run out of one specific school and if she gets in, I want to live within those boundaries so she can take the bus or walk.  If she doesn't get in, it doesn't really matter where we live.  We're supposed to find out by the end of March about Sara.  There are a lot of houses for sale around here, like everywhere, and I think we can get a pretty good deal.  Now just to find something Mitch and I both like.  That's the trick.

We went to the Hank's Open at my dad's last month and had a GREAT TIME.  How wonderful it was to see everyone.  The kids had a fantastic time too.  They love to see everyone.  Sara would have snuck into Aunt Mart's suitcase if she'd had the chance.  I can't wait to do it again next year.

Sara has her follow-up MRI next Monday.  Then we wait 2 weeks to meet the neurologist and find out what the MRI shows.  Hoping for good results.

Okay, there are the basics.  Thanks for reading.