Swinging at Curve Balls

I'm trying so hard to do all the right things for my family, eating healthy, being a positive role model, being a supportive wife, and now I am contemplating homeschooling. Not because I am so incredible at inspiring my children (I actually have a feeling the opposite occurs more regularly), but because we are now faced with what I consider to be a very important decision. You tell me if I'm swinging at curve balls, or if I should just give it more time, a lot of discussion, and perhaps a lot more reflection.

Maisey's school tuition has gone up. Not a surprise; we actually expected a yearly increase. But it's more than we thought, and that's not the worst news for us. The worst news is that they are charging the same amount for preschool as they are for grades K-8. And the kicker--they are not offering a multi-child discount. My husband says even if tuition rates never go any higher, in the course of the next 8 years, we will have spent the equivalent of Harvard college education on the primary education of our girls. I'll take a deep breath here while that sinks in.

While the Harvard comparison is a bit exaggerated, the tuition increase has indeed brought about a huge turmoil in me and in our household. Maisey loves her school, her friends, her girl scout troop--all of which I love too. Evie has wanted to join her sister at this school for over a year now. And now, just as we're ready to make that happen, we are hit with a curve ball: over double the bill, with no relief, no discounts, no explanation. It's beyond frustrating. It's heartbreaking.

And further research and discussion with other parents, the school board, and other private schools has revealed a huge problem in our area: an overcrowded public school system, with few solutions or alternatives. Two schools in our county are failing to achieve their national education standards. We live in one of those districts. Private education is expensive, and here, it seems they can charge a premium because of our "most livable city" small town conundrum. Every public school has overcrowding issues so that the cut off dates for kindergarten and preschool are strict. That leaves the private schools, who offer discounts and lower tuition to "members," and only non-members who can afford the full tuition rates can even consider it an option. The rest of us? Well, we're left to scramble.

The good news for me (if you can call it that): Evie isn't eligible for preschool in the county system this year. Her birthday is past their cut off date. So I won't have to scramble to get her registered for public preschool this year. But, if I want her to go to preschool at all, my only other option is to pay approximately $500/month for our top two private schools, or home school.

So, I'm thinking maybe I need to step away from the plate, and Evie and I can just spend this last year together at home while I find a way to pinch hit this curve ball.

A Day In The Life

Being three is a magical time. My three year old is silly and sassy, full of energy and curiosity. And she's a sponge. She takes it all in, and gives back so much more. She says she wants to go to school, so I signed her up for preschool in the fall. She's very excited about going to school. I, on the other hand, am not. It marks the end a chapter in our family life, one that I don't feel quite ready to let go. I know it's inevitable, so I'm trying to enjoy every moment (except the ones where she has a tantrum--those I will gladly forget).

So here's a typical day for Evie and me after we drop Maisey at school. First, we share our yummy and delicious clean shake. She enjoys it so much, I've started giving her some in her own cup.

Then we play. Sometimes she likes to rest in her spaceship.

Or create Polly World. Chief likes to play too.

This is her favorite dress up costume these days. Fairy Princess Warrior. I love it.

Sometimes creating her own polly world is exhausting.

Sometimes she likes to make up her own meals for lunch. Just like Mama, the experimental chef. This is her bluebrerry hummus sandwich. Yum!

After lunch, there's more time for play. Sometimes we draw pictures.

Or decorate t-shirts

On special days, she lets me play with her hair.

And sometimes she gets stuck. I have to help her up.

Then Maisey comes home. Who knows what to expect from there. Somtimes they play well, like when they are doing alien autopsies.

Or just monkeying around.

And it's always fun when Maisey has a friend over to play.

And sometimes they fight. But then Daddy comes home and then there's dinner and Daddy time.

With this attitude, I know she'll be fine.

Celebrating Our Own Way

My husband and I are not big on giving each other greeting cards, candy, flowers, jewelry and other elaborate things to show our love. The pressure on men to get something to show how much you care about your love, to outdo last year, or the Jones, or whatever you're trying to achieve just seems wrong to me. And women are set up for disappointment after all the expectations heaped on us from every corner of commerce. I'd rather spread that love throughout the year with every day shows of affection, mid-week surprises "just because," or put money from a V-Day gift or dinner towards an even better vacation we're planning this year. Cards, flowers and candy are nice, really, but they're canned sentiments. And what better way to express your love than in your own way?

February is a long, cold month, and the warming glow of love is still very much appreciated in our house. So my hubby and I don't limit ourselves to that one day to show our love.

You know what I love? That my hubby met a business colleague in Berkeley Springs last week and sent me a picture of a beautiful end table he found at an antique shop there. He knows me so well. I replied that I loved it, and it came home with him that evening. That's thoughtful, and to me that's a thousand times more useful than a Hallmark card or expensive jewelry (which I don't wear anyway).

For all the loves of my life, I made clean chocolates Tuesday night. We all enjoyed them--specially Evie.

What else do I love? Giving my husband two tickets to see Folk/Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley because I know he will love it, and making sure he goes with a friend who will enjoy that concert way more than me.

Now, that's not to say I don't love getting original handmade things from my girls. I absolutely love anything my kids make for me, because I know it's straight from their hearts. And they always melt mine.

And what kind of mom would I be if I didn't do the same for them, complete with a poem. Because you must know by now how much I love art too.

Happy Valentines Day.

Potty Troubles

Don't you hate when you look to the parenting experts for advice on child development setbacks and their words of wisdom are basically that you're doing something wrong?

Evie's been potty trained for months now, and suddenly she begins peeing her pants again. Ugh! I hate this kind of thing. I hate the mess, the feeling that I can't get the floor, furniture, clothes clean enough fast enough, and of course I'm frustrated. Of course I tell my daughter that accidents happen. But after the first few times, it's through gritted teeth. And yet it continues.

So I feel like we need to talk about responsibility. "You can do this, Evie. You have been doing this.You have to stop playing and go potty. You can't hold it in."

So what else can I do? I turn to the experts who say that leaving too much up to my child is a mistake. Really? What happened to encouraging your child to be independent?

Really, where's my magic wand when I need it? Better yet, where's my magic wine...

Snow Days

It was like a week's staycation, only not. After sled riding and hot chocolate on the first snow day, we did manage to have some fun and stay sane through a weekend and two more days off from school.

Playing Games

I spared you the photos of me playing Twister with the girls. Here's Clint and Evie playing a vertical Scooby-Doo version of Don't Break The Ice, while Chief gives me the chicken eye. I think he's hungry.

Dancing Fun

And what better way to dance and twirl to a concerto than in a princess dress with Daddy.

Pickle watches the show.

And speaking of shows, the girls watched an old, non-Disney version of Peter Pan, and were in love. It was eye opening when they saw Tinker Bell was jealous of Wendy, and a shock when Tink had the Lost Boys shoot down the "Wendy Bird" from the sky. It's enlightening for them to see that even characters who are supposed to be good or heroines can make bad choices.

Painting Fun

Playing Barbies

While Pickle naps.

Creating an African Savannah Diorama

I know that pigs and Polly dolls are not a natural part of the African Savannah, but it's their world, after all. Maisey loved this project for school, so she decided to do her own. It has an owl in the toilet paper tree. He's pretty cool, but very heavy.

I know I'll blink and these days will be long gone, so I'm cherishing the snow days now. I think I could have played more if we just had Lucky Charms for dinner instead of "real food." Maybe someday.

Staying Clean

So I finished the cleanse on the 27th, and I finally had my first cup of coffee on February 1. It tasted, in the words of a friend and fellow cleanser, "like rainbows and birthday presents." And then about an hour later I got all jittery. The second day of coffee tasted just as wonderful. Then DH tells me that the half life of caffeine is 36 hours. So I'm technically addicted again.

I'm still afraid to eat. But I got over it, mostly. I baked fresh bread, the dutch oven kind, because hot out of the oven, it too, tastes like rainbows and birthday presents. And I showed considerable restraint not eating the entire loaf for lunch. I had two generous hunks with butter, and I paid for it later.

Bread--my beloved bread!--doesn't agree with me.

So today I tried spelt flour soda bread. That ancient grain that costs about $16 for about a pound. I had to do British conversions for grams in my head, and as a true experiemental cook, I played with it until it looked like a good dough. Upon baking, it turned out just like my regular soda bread, but darker, with a nutty flavor. Yum! I'm waiting to see what this bread does to me.

I also made Ghiardelli chocolate brownies with Maisey last night. I refrained from eating one until today at lunch, and it was divine.

So maybe I'm not afraid to eat. :)

I'm afraid of what it's doing to me though. So back to the clean/elimination diet tomorrow. What good would those 21 days and withdrawal have done if I cancel it all out by returning to my poor eating habits? And I have to think of my kids, who eat way worse than me. I have to find better, fresher foods, and just do it. And for my husband too, whose health is in dire straights, according to his doctor, who wants to put him on Crestor for high cholesterol, and baby asipirin for blood clotting issues.

It's time to get clean and stay clean. All of us.