Having a full time job on top of my most important full-time job (mommy) has been an adjustment for my family. We have done really well. I would even say that we've done better than I expected! Ray C. has been amazing. I have really felt like we are working as a team since I started work, and that has been really fun!
But today, I did not like being a working mommy! This week, Chase has been staying home with my mom because he has a severe case of infantigo which is highly contagious.
(I would have been staying home with him before!)
Today, Ray C. took him to school even though we'd decided not to send him since his face still looked so bad. I got a text during third period about that.
Then, during my planning period, I got a text from my mom saying that Thomas was not feeling well this morning and she was concerned about him and thought she should go pick him up.
(If I wasn't working, I would have known he wasn't feeling well earlier than anyone else and would have been on the ball with making him better.) Instead, my mom called the doctor and waited for the call back to figure out what to do. They called me, but I told them they'd have to call my mom since my students were about to come back in class and I wouldn't be able to talk!
Then, just before my last bell rang, I got a message from the kids' school saying the kids thought they were supposed to be walkers today but no one had a note. I wrote the note before I left this morning and asked Mary Frances to take it to school. She forgot.
(If I'd been home, I would have seen it earlier and would have taken it to school in the morning!)
So, I had to leave my school before I finished everything to walk over to the kids school and pull them out early. It was too late for a note. So, they would have gone home on the bus and no one would have been there. They came back to my school for a little while so I could finish my work.
Then, we went back to their school so Ray C. and I could meet with Thomas' teachers. He is doing very well in school, but he is still have some problems making new friends. I cried in the meeting just because I want him to be happy!
Ray C. had to leave early with Chase so they could get to Chase's football game. Then, I felt guilty because I had to skip his game. I have too much going on and can't catch up with everything that needs to be done. He cried after the game when he realized I wasn't there -- even though I'd told him I wasn't going to be able to make it!
I got a lot accomplished tonight, and amazingly, I don't really feel upset. BUT, I did feel guilty today for not being the ONE in charge of all my children's needs! I love having my family help, but there is something inside of me that says mommy should be the one to take the kids to the doctor, give all the medicine, kiss all the boo-boos, and give the hugs when you had a bad day! That alone made my day a little difficult! But, as I told my mom earlier, thank goodness that each day is new!
It's time for me to go to sleep in my clean sheets! I do love clean sheet day......even if it wasn't supposed to be clean sheet day and that added to my stress!! Another story for another day! :)
hang out with their friends,
race each other for candy,
make reindeer food that's really for the kids to eat,
and lets not forget DANCE!!
It was fun to see the kids playing with their friends! Of course, after three one-hour parties, I was pooped! The kids want me to be there, but they don't want to stay with me. They just want me to watch what they are doing! I guess that speaks to the power of presence!!
We had a great time together. We are all starting to get a little sad about him graduating from preschool this year. We decided to put him in the Bridge program instead of kindergarten this past year, and it was a great decision! He could have gone to kindergarten before, but I KNOW he is ready, now!
His class consists of only 7 boys (no girls) and their precious teacher, Mrs. Zarazee. The boys have all grown this year, but one unique thing Mrs. Zarazee has given them is a unique awareness of surviving breast cancer! They all know what the little pink ribbons are, and most of them even enjoy wearing pink just to make her happy! I don't know how she will be able to let this group go!!
Mom's munch was a blast. I loved spending time with Chase and his friends, and I received a beautiful flower pot with some seeds to grow some flowers!
Mary Frances is in 1st grade this year, and Thomas is in 2nd! I can't believe it! I feel so old!
Look at my babies! They are ready for mommy & daddy to leave so they can do their thing!
Mary Frances with her fancy lunchbox from Honey!
Mrs. Mosley is Mary Frances' 1st grade teacher!
Mrs. Poff has been a fantastic 1st grade teacher! We are so glad we had her. She was so patient and king to Thomas! We will really miss her!
Miss Crosby was an amazing teacher, too! We think she should get the teacher of the year award! She thinks of everything! (Chase loves her too.)
Mary Frances has learned so much this year. She has learned to read and
We will miss Kindergarten, but we can't wait for 1st grade!!!
100 meter dash?
This is Mary Frances with one of our neighbors!
We put her hair in a French Twist, let her wear my high heel gold sandals, and tied them on with ribbons! She wore her tutu on top of a nice skirt with a shirt detailed in ribbons. Of course, she also wore a tiara and jewelry all topped off with powder sparkles EVERYWHERE!! They had so much fun! 
Thomas and Jaryn, our neighbor, helped us make their costumes the night before. I went up to the school the next day to do some of the rotations with the kids. They made jewelry & head dresses, built pyramids out of sugar cubes, played "Are you Smarter than your Mummy?", and more! It was a lot of fun, and I can't believe how much they learned! 
Waiting to be dropped off at school!
Here's a close-up of Mary Frances sign. It says:
MY HEROES:
Mary Frances noticed Chase staying home this week and has developed the "I Want to Stay Home" Flu! She tried it yesterday but still went to school after I checked her temperature and it was normal! However, today it was 100 all day. So, I let her stay home assuming she was probably getting what Chase had - which one I do not know!
