The scoop

It didn't work out with my dogs.  It breaks my heart, but, I had to let them go.  Granted, they went to the two loveliest people on Earth, but, I am still sad, my heart still feels empty, and I will likely always long to have them in my lap, or sitting on my feet, but, it was the right thing to do.  They are happy and healthy, and J's cats can come out from under the bed once more.

We did go and pick up the birds that I had being fostered.  I am loving having them around, and the cats find them neither yummy nor scary.  They are a perfect fit in our household.  J was amazing, and converted a china cabinet into an aviary.  The birds have tons of room, as much attention as I can sneak them, which with the kids all in daycare, is actually quite a lot.

Daycare.  Sure enough, I took the plunge!  It is amazing to have a child free zone in which to clean.  I highly recommend this route to all of you.  Even if it is a two, half day, per week deal...do it.  I should have taken advantage of this a long, long time ago.  I have a chance to listen to my own thoughts, J can decompress, and the kids are having a blast.  Granted, they kick up a fuss every morning, but, they come home chattering about friends, projects, and teachers, so we know they are enjoying 'school.'

I am once more the Schedule Master.  I love having a schedule, and having everyone adhere to it.  It is a beautiful thing.  I know what time (relatively) the kids will wake up, eat breakfast, leave for school, come home, eat dinner, have a bath, get computer time, and go to bed.  Lovely.  This is one of the things that DH and I argued about, time and time again.  He is anti-schedule, and I am pro-schedule.  He is green with envy though, that I can put the baby in his crib at bedtime, and he goes to sleep, sans tears, no walking the floors with him until the wee hours.  Hehehe!

Back-to-school is approaching rapidly.  We go back the 20th of the month here.  The next couple of weeks will be fraught with orientations, shopping, hair cuts...the same stuff that all the rest of you probably do at a normal time of year, like after Labor Day.  I have no idea why Florida must start school so early, we have pushed back by three weeks since my eldest started kindergarten, and we still start earlier than most of the country.  I am trying to decide if I am excited that school is starting, or if I am dreading fitting homework time into our evenings.  Probably the latter.  Definitely the latter.

The next time I post, I will try to get a little something of substance up here, instead of my 'news' letter.  In the interim, please click the link and appreciate my bloggy friend Monica's clever writing...I pushed my kids' drawings over onto the sides of the fridge to make room for this...http://andillraiseyou5.blogspot.com/2012/08/to-clean-or-not-to-clean-that-is.html