Changes Ahead

I'm still working on posting pictures from our trip to Grand Bear Lodge last weekend. I haven't forgotten. I was just waiting on getting the pictures that my brother in law took. I've got them now and will try to get to those tomorrow.

School starts on Monday and the kids are actually excited to go back. I think they miss being around their friends all day, even if it means that school work goes with it. Or maybe they are tired of me. Ha.

So. What to do with myself when they go back next week? I could spend maybe two weeks or so cleaning and organizing my house, but that would get old really fast. Since making the decision to stop babysitting, I've been trying to come up with a plan.

I've already committed to being Vice President of the PTO at Ryan's school and that will keep me somewhat busy - and yes that also means I'll be chairing Rock The House again this year. I've already had my first RTH related nightmare - and it's only August.

It just so happened that by word of mouth I was offered a part time position supervising lunch and recess at one of the grade schools in our district. I jumped on it because it gets my foot in the door if something else were to open up. The only downfall is that it's not at Ryan's school, but I've been told that I can be moved there if an opening becomes available. I'll only have to go in for about two hours each full school day. I'll be off when my kids are off or when they only have a half of day. And in that two hours a day, I'll be making close to what I was making each day when I was watching Chloe. Perfect - except that now I've gone from watching one kid to watching over 300 kids. Oh well - it'll buy some groceries or at least fill up my gas tank every week, right?

It's unbelievable how much you have to go through to work in a school. I had to have a physical yesterday, along with a TB test. Today I had to go down to the courthouse and get finger printed so that they can run a background check on me. I am now obligated by law to report any suspicions I have of child abuse to DCFS and then there is also a huge mound of paperwork to fill out.

I start work next Wednesday and will have just until lunchtime to myself on Monday and Tuesday while the kids are at school. I had all kinds of ideas of what I might do during the first two kid free days since the beginning of summer break and have decided that the minute they walk out the door I'm going to put my iPod on and sing at the top of my lungs just because I can. I'd like to apologize to the neighbors right now.

I've loved having the kids home this summer, but in the past week I've felt my patience thinning quite a bit. It's time for them to go back to school so I can whine about missing them.