School has begun

The girls were off to school EARLY this morning. I offered to walk them to the bus stop & got a defined NO! I stood in the driveway & watched until the bus got them, but caught heck about it when they got home. No problem, I will stay in my PJ's, make sure they get out the door, and go back to bed....good for me. I am sure I will drive them the 4 houses up if it is pouring rain.

This was our best summer ever with very few fights, and no one "I'm boared" form them. When asked what I would do when they are at school, I was told save money-no shopping all the time. Now this is true. The day so so very quiet with them gone and I do miss them.

There was excitment from Sara when she got home, as usual at full level, first telling me that one of the boys she liked last year is not in any of her classes, and she does not see him at all. I am thinking good, now you can focus on SCHOOL!

Ruth on the other hand is mello and just told it was OK. She had to have 3 schedule changes until they finally got it right and she has friends in all of her classes and found friends to eat lunch with, so she will be OK.

Ruth is trying contact lenses now, but has not managed to get them in before school. We will see if this happens

Preparing for High School

The clothes are bought, the shoes are selected, the hair is cut...sounds like school to me. The schedules are in hand, along with a map for poor Ruth, who actually has a good route through the school. Sara had every one of the 8 classes in different halls, some up & some down. They only have 5 minutes between classes, so she better hoof it.

This morning the girls walked their schedule so they have an idea where they go next, and Ruth found the stairs/bathroom/nurse, so she should be ready, yet still a little nervous thought she would never let on.

As for me.....I will still get up at 5:30 to shake them on their way. This year the school begins later so they have to be at the bus stop at 6:30-15 mins later....yea!

remodeling #3-Sara

Knowing Sara, she did not want to be left out so we redid her room too.  It is now all zebra print.  We found a papasan chair at a garae sale for 10.00 and I bought fleece to make a zebra cover for it.  New curtains, bedspread/ sheets, lamp shade.  I even repainted a sidetable white and added a few zebra stripes.  The sad part is that she put up all of her very cute collections that she had....

I will wait until it cools off to do more painting in her room.

remodeling #1-bathroom

Just before we left for Colorado, I got a contractor in to redo the girl's bathroom-told it would only take 3 days and they began July 5th.  Simply add tile, new sink faucets, replace light.  They did the demo really fast, then of course then you are stuck. 

The tile in in wrong, and on the wall they did not always use spacers so some slipped down.  They did not finish grouting the tile.  They used both the girl's good wash cloth and bath towel for rags....now trash.  Removed the mirror, cut off the water, took out the toilet, and left....never to be seen again....literally.  The contractor lives two houses down from me and I know he is home, yet not in communication w/ me.

I have finished it myself with the help of a plumber twice, one to put in the toilet and get the shower going, a second time to fix the leak in the new shower-but need them again since on of the new faucets is leaking.  A mirror company who cut down the mirror and put it back in. A very patient husband who rewired the new light fixture.  Two kids and myself who did the two coats of paint.  I have left to paint around the new light and add trim to the tub.

NEVER AGAIN will I hire a contractor.  I can call and get people in myself........

braces be gone-sara

Today Sara celebrated and got her braces off. She does have a beautiful smile, but then I always though so. Next is the perminate retainer that will be glued behind the lower teeth, and the invisaline retainer for the top. Let's see how long that lasts until she loses it.

remodeling #2-Ruth

Ruth asked if I could repaint her bedroom. I have not done anything really to her room since she was 3, so it was about time. Of course it included much more than paint. The room is now teal blue with black/white damasc accents. She now has a better reading lamp for her bed where she loves to curl up and read for house...sort of like a little nest. It is so grown up looking and beautiful, just like her. We also get new curtains, bed spread and sheets.