BUSY Doesn't Even Begin To Explain Our Life...

So here I sit, Sunday August 29th with 2 days left before September begins. My calendar during the summer months was pretty bare. Not as much by choice but by necessity. With my leg making it impossible to walk or drive, we were home bound many days. I had some wonderful friends take the kids to fun things here and there but overall there were several empty days on the calendar each week.

August, on the other hand, did NOT have many days empty. Between a new school year beginning, basketball for Dillon, dance for Ava, drawing classes for Liliana, and MOMS Club activities during the weekdays to keep the younger ones busy... all this kept us very BUSY this month!

I knew these days were coming but wasn't really prepared for this to be the year. Rosalia is set to arrive hopefully in the next 3-4 weeks. Over the next 3-4 weeks our lives will get even busier as a new year of religion classes resume and Marc's work schedule gets fuller with more stores added to his area.

I know most families do this juggling with school, extra-curricular activities, and religion (depending on beliefs) but what a way to live each day!?!

I know some of you are probably thinking... just wait until they are all at an age to be going to school and doing activities... life will be even busier! I somewhat agree with that statement but I have made it very clear to all of the children. As much as they want to enjoy their activities... I am NOT interested in jamming pack our weekly schedule to have each of them taking up a night leaving no free nights as a family.

FAMILY will ALWAYS come first!

Brothers...

Yeahup even as Dillon ages... his love for the camera still remains the same. At least Garrison gave me a smile!

Ava's First Day Of Preschool...

Tuesday morning was just another school day to Dillon and Liliana, but for Ava it was a whole new territory. She was the first one awake. She was the first one in the shower. She was the only one with a big smile on her face while she got dressed, ate breakfast, and brushed her teeth! Her preschool start time is just about the same as the older two so Marc and I drove everyone to school together. We waited in the designated area where preschool lines up. Her teacher exited the building, walked over, gave Ava a hug and asked if she was ready for a fun day of school.

Up until this point in the morning, everything was going smoothly!

Next the teacher looked at me and said "Why is Ava here she is in the PM class?"

My facial expression probably relayed my answer very clearly "No she is not, I enrolled her as an AM student"

The teacher said she had to get the kids inside and would keep Ava for the morning and look into the situation.

This question bugged me the whole way home. I immediately called the district office to find out where someone made the mistake. I KNOW it wasn't me because the day I called to sign her up, I was SHOCKED to hear that the school had any openings at all and asked several annoying times to be positive it was an opening for an AM spot. I went down to the office within the hour, asked several more times to be positive I was, in fact, signing up for an AM spot and each time the "kind lady, named Kerri" replied YES! So fast forward to today and my conversation with the "kind lady" Kerri.

To summarize the conversation, she basically claimed that I filled out my paperwork for an AM spot but only a PM spot was open. She never had an AM spot open and I must have assumed I had one even though she supposedly told me it was a PM spot.

My whole issue is, if someone fills out paperwork and puts AM ONLY on it and all you have is PM, wouldn't you make sure its ok to put them in the PM spot before just doing so?? Especially when they are giving you a check for $500??

After getting absolutely NO WHERE with Kerri, I was transferred to her boss, Fran.

While waiting for Fran to call me back, it was time to pick up Ava. I spoke with the teacher and she claimed it was an error on districts part because of where Ava was on the list. She said she would talk to Fran and get back to me.

Ava, was still all smiles. She had a BLAST at school. She got to draw us pictures, shared with her new friends, and had homework! With all this excitement I held off telling her about the districts error.

Later in the afternoon, Fran returned my phone call. She "backed up" Kerri and her accusations that I was mistaken about the open AM spot. I was appalled. She hadn't even heard what I had to say regarding the situation and yet she was insisting Kerri NEVER told me there were AM spots open?

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO ADMIT WHEN SOMEONE MADE A MISTAKE?

Long story short, Fran said she would contact the teacher and parents to see if anyone wanted to switch their AM spot for Ava's PM spot.

Two days later, Thursday, I went in to talk to the teacher. She informed me that district was going to contact the parents but hadn't heard anything back from anyone. Thursday was suppose to be Ava's second day of school. Sure enough, while outside the teacher asked the parents (there are only 4 of them) if anyone would like to switch and if someone from district contacted them. NO ONE was contacted! Go figure!

Fran never called me back. Instead, Kerri called and left a message that said she needed to know if I wanted a refund or if Ava would remain as a PM student! I called Fran and left a message that made it clear I was upset.

I CAN'T STAND WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY WILL GET BACK TO YOU AND NEVER CALL!

Fran called back and said Kerri called me on Tuesday afternoon because NONE of the parents wanted to switch classes.

GEE that's funny because that's 2 days earlier than when I spoke to parents and even on Thursday NO ONE from district had called.

I went off on Fran, called her out for lying, and informed her that this whole situation was long and drawn out because of their poor service and care. Whenever I plan to contact "higher ups" I feel its only fair to be honest and inform those I am going to report, so I also informed her that I would be writing a letter to her boss, his boss, and the superintendent! After mentioning that boy oh boy was she ever so nice about how she was planning to get me back my $500 refund!

What a JOKE!

At the end of all this hassle, I un- enrolled Ava and now have her enrolled in another program with a good friend of hers. She starts September 1st and is very excited! Thank goodness they had 1 spot left!

Look for pictures and posts on her first day in a few more days!

Basketball IS For Dillon...

A few weeks ago, Dillon requested we sign him up for basketball. I searched around for a program that would fit our busy schedule and one that wasn't too costly (its amazing how much all these programs cost when you have 3 kids partaking in them!!).

The program I signed him up in is 8 week sessions that coincide with the 4 seasons. The program rents out the gym space at a local gym (which just happens to be literally right around the corner from our house) and holds an hour long class each week.

We arrived right on time and Dillon walked right over to his class and began warming up. It was amazing to watch, as my mind drifted back to the days of soccer which some of you may remember included tears, whining, crying, and begging to never bring him back! I kept my camera behind my back so that I could be sneaky when snapping pictures. The last thing I wanted to have happen was Dillon not participate because I was taking his picture!!

An hour later, Dillon was all smiles and asked "Do I have basketball tomorrow too?!"

Once informing him that class was only once a week his smile went away and he informed us that he wouldn't mind going to basketball more than one time a week!

So from that response, Marc and I concluded basketball is for Dillon and we will be headed back every week for another 7 weeks!

Meet Betty...

Everyone... I would like you all to meet "Betty". She is the OTHER woman in Marc's life.

For those of you not into technology these days, Marc's blackberry is not only a cell phone but delivers his emails on an instant basis. Marc is a very hardworking, committed man so when "Betty" chirps, beeps, buzzes, or rings... he is quick to unlock the screen and see what information awaits his immediate attention!

This is great during business hours but durings hours when he is home with the family... it can sometimes get annoying. Instead of telling him to put his phone down, I decided it would be best to name IT "Betty". The kids haven't caught on to what I am talking about when I reference "Betty" so far! I don't want them to. I understand given Marc's position, it is important to keep up to date with work related issues but Marc's boss put it BEST last night.

The last few days Marc took off work because he "hasn't been feeling well". He told his boss it was stress related and was approved the time off. While "off work" he has held conference calls, done many work related things on his laptop, taken phone call after phone call from his workers, and constantly had "Betty" on his hip or in his hand! What a way to spend his days off, I know!!

His Boss knows all too well how addicting the blackberry can be so he decided to give Marc a test. All week long he has been very kind and called to check on Marc. Each time he has told Marc to put the blackberry down and only check it "a couple times a day". The normal for Marc is every 5 minutes.

The test was an email sent to Marc at 7:30pm last night. The email title said "Hello". When the email was opened it read "Put the Blackberry Down".

I have a feeling Marc's feelings for Betty are just too strong!!

Although I have never met Marc's boss, I have a feeling that when that day comes... he and I will have no problems getting along. As for the boss's wife... she too named his blackberry, "Debbie"!

Sigh, the life of a retail wife!

Group shot...

Group shots... its not always easy getting 4 kids to sit still all at once nevermind getting a nice smile out of um! This is as good as it gets these days... and I will take it!

The BEST Place To Play...

Garrison's favorite place to play is...
inside my cabinets!