First Interview in a million years....

So, I forgot to mention, my kids got picked for the Charter School.  I am SUPER excited about it, and HOPE it is a great move.  It is Kindergarten-8th Grade, which is awesome to me.. they have a ridiculously strict uniform policy, which I LOVE.. they require parents to do SERVICE HOURS, which is AWESOME... and they are huge on so many other things that make me smile. :)  SUPER excited.  Even more exciting is that I spoke with a lady about possible employment at the general information session the school had a few months back...and she said to send her my resume.. Well, we ended up having an interview today, and I think it went really well,  even though I didn't brush up on my interviewing skills...... It's an Administrative Assistant position at the new school.  I really liked this lady, who would be the regional Administrative Assistant.. she has the same priorities as me, and she and I hit it off like we have known each other for years!!  I really feel like the interview went well, and I hope I get the job.  It would be great to work at my kid's school. If the money is right, I will take the job, but still get my teaching certificate, just so I have something to fall back on...  I am so close to it, it would be silly not to!!  SO wish me luck.  I got a new suit and shoes for the interview, and I think I would be a good fit for the job! :)  CROSSING MY FINGERS!!!

Movie Night with Julie-Ann

Julie-Ann and I have spent more time together since I decided to close the daycare than we ever have.  I think we are both kind of afraid to lose each other or something.. :) We have this new tradition which ends up typically being on Mondays or Wednesdays... We wait till the last kids go home, and we have a delicious drink, or a few... :)    The other day I cooked a yummy dinner, Shrimp Etoufee, and then we watched a movie.. "Due Date"  It was pretty funny... any movie with that guy from Hangover proves to be funny...   I really am thankful for the AMAZING people I have met since opening the daycare.. There are quite a few of them, and Julie-Ann is for sure the number one on that list....now if only she wasn't afraid of lizards and frogs... ;) 

Jealous....

So, Eric always finds time to send me a picture of the kids when I am slaving away at work, and they are on the boat...or in the pool.. or doing something I would LOVE to be doing...  This is before Erianna tells Daddy to get pictures of her modeling.  I don't know if she is watching the girls at Academy of Glam... but she knows how to work it! They had a great time on the boat, and didn't hide any shrimp in each other's bags, so I guess we were all happy!!

Field Trip

Today I went to the Museum of Discovery and Science with Erianna's class.   What a great time we had.. except for when I fell and busted my butt in front of all the kiddos.. embarrassing.....

I must say I am really going to miss all of Erianna's classmates and her awesome teacher.  I have been spending every Thursday afternoon volunteering in her classroom, and I have loved every second of it.  Erianna truly had THE BEST kindergarten teacher she could have ever had. Here are some pics from the field trip, I blurred their eyes, as I don't have permission to post them. :)

Knock, Knock..it's your future.. please open the letters!

So, I have no answers for my future... or my kids near future... and it is driving me crazy!!  What school are your kids going to next year?  Umm... I don't know...... waiting for two schools to get back to me... if not either one of those, then possibly the school Erianna is at now... What are you going to do for money now that you closed the day care?  ummmmmmm ......  Substitute until I can get a position in the TERRIBLE Broward County School system or sell bottled water on the side of the street while dressed like a chicken..not sure yet...waiting on some letter from the Board of Education.

Well, got the letters..  First one board of Education.  Said what I thought it would, which is a relief... take your FTCE for Pre-K- Grade 3, pass it, get a job, you get a temporary certificate for three years..within those three years, take more tests, and then apply for a five year certificate.  hmmmmm.. ok now to dust the dust of that Exam prep book...

Next... the kids school.  It should have told me YES your kids got into our school... but nope... it said we had WAY more applicants than seats, we will hold a lottery this Saturday morning, here is your child's number...winner need not be present.

Well, I have yet to win a lottery...and we are still waiting to see if we can get the reassignment to a different elementary school....  stand by.  You will know when I know!  Time to read all the books I bought from Amazon!!
       

Erianna's First Show :)

Erianna had her first and last chorus show with school tonight.  She has been looking forward to it for weeks now.  They had a fund raiser before the show which was a spaghetti dinner. It was pretty yummy and the kids enjoyed getting coke on a weeknight, and ice cream for dessert!   Then they had their show.  It was really sweet.  The kids did a great job.  Erianna really enjoyed it, and of course loved that we were all there to see it. :)

Erianna and her best friend Jade

Erianna and Laely, Kylie and Jade

Hi Mom!

Tinsel

Well, gee whiz.. If I only knew what people would spend money on...  Yep, I spent 25 bucks today to get Erianna's hair "tinseled."  Kinda like you tinsel a Christmas Tree, but longer pieces.  

I know I don't have money to waste right now, but she has been such a good girl ( for the past six and a half years,) and she did well on her report card... so what the heck... She has her first Chorus Concert tomorrow.  She is one of three kindergarteners in Chorus, because she is so mature and well behaved.. so I want my little girl to feel like a super star and rock that tinsel.  :)  Wishing you invented hair tinsel?  I am at $2.50 a piece at the Hair Cuttery!!!  

The moon

There was a beautiful full moon outside the other night, so I grabbed my new lens to attempt to get some shots.  I took about 200.  This was my first shot, and my only good one.  I really would have benefited from my tripod, but was convinced I could hold the camera still enough.  NOT.  The pictures looked like the moon was shaped like a banana.  Very random pics.  I needed to go outside and do this, because Eric was pissing me off, and I needed to have some time with fresh air and my boyfriend, Canon.  Hope you like it.

Quiet Day

I only had four kids at the day care today, so we were going to go to the water park...but because Livi can't get her cast wet.. we went to the playground instead.  I had a great time with the kids, and took some fun pictures.  I am really going to miss days like these.. :(

The Frog Princess

There is just something about little girls and frogs that just doesn't work for me.  This is a long phase, and a gross one.  When will it end?  She has been peed on, pooped on..and bitten by lizards.. You think she would be done by now!!

Busy, Busy

So with the day care closing, I am busier than ever.  I am plotting my summer out with my kids, trying to get things sold and out of the way that I don't need anymore.. and soul searching!   My ranking (which means schedule) at my other job at has declined, and I was told it was solely because of my attitude.. so  I have to work on that while at work.  When I get to work on Friday night, I have had 50+ hours of crazy two year olds, inquisitive three year olds, clumsy one year olds, and a screaming little teething baby...so maybe my attitude isn't up to par.. Well, at least I know that is all I have to work on, and I am pretty sure after the day care closes, I will be able to get back up on the rankings and all the perks that go along with it.  I know I am an awesome server.. we all have our times when we make mistakes, but for the most part, I rock it.  It's a job meant for those of us who multitask well. :)  I also LOVE my job. It's a professional serving job.  It's full of structure, and it's unlike any restaurant I have ever worked at before.  This September marks five years, and I don't see myself going anywhere soon.  I have met so many amazing people there, and I truly enjoy going to work!

Big Changes.

So I have done home day care since December 2007.  I can confidently say that I am one of the best providers in Broward County, and I have one of the best set ups.  My house looks like a daycare, I have a large amount of area for the kids to play and learn.  I am absolutely head over heels in love with the kids I take care of.  I have had amazing kids for the past four years, and mostly amazing parents.. But some MAJOR hot mess parents, too.  I have some hilarious stories, and I can tell you one thing....  You should have a license to have children.  The classes in the hospital don't help everyone!  There are many people out there who should NOT be parents.  I have had people call me and tell me they were going to leave their kids with me for the whole night, because they didn't feel well, and thought they should not be around their children!  I have opened at 5:15 am, and taken kids till 8:00pm.  I have had the police knock on my door, because a client was upset I wouldn't tell her which child bit her child.... Sorry, it's the law!  I had asked my clients to bring a nutritious lunch while I was in England, and my substitute was running the day care for me, and a child shows up with donuts, kool-aid and skittles! ha! I am very thorough with information, such as days off, and I had the same client show up three different scheduled closed days, and play dumb.   I have had a parent show up to pick up their ten month old in a two seater convertible, smelling like beer, and telling me he didn't have a car seat, but the baby would be fine buckled in.  I have had a parent drop off their child, and tell me they threw up the night before and in the morning, but to call me if I thought the child was sick?  I have had kids just not get picked up, because the parents forgot.  I have not gotten paid for weeks at a time, because money was tight, but then I saw the parent post pictures on myspace of her fabulous weekend in South Beach!!  Parents showing up for an interview with a baby who looked like he had never seen the bath tub, and weighed five extra pounds because of the dirty diaper their kid had been wearing all day!  The interviews have to be the most hilarious part of the job.  HOT MESSES.  You know how awkward it is to fake an interview?!  I have such hilarious stories, and I could really go on and on if I thought about it..but I choose to remember the good more than the bad and treasure the friendships that I have made through this! I could definitely write a book though!!  It would be entertaining for those that can relate to this job.... but it's over.  I am closing June 3rd.  :-(
Right now I am watching movies with one of my best friends, Julie-Ann.   She was the photo tech at Walgreens, and when I was opening up my day care I thought I would ask if she wanted to work with me.  She was so good with my kids, and I got such a great vibe from her.  So she did and YEARS later here we are reminiscing about the good, the bad and the ugly...I have made some amazing life long friends through the daycare.  People I mentored, people that mentored me, people who gave me the privilege of taking care of their little angels while they were at work, people that also run home daycares, my supervisors, my trainers, my teachers, wow.. it's been rewarding.  I LOVE these kids so much, too.  There are a few families that I know I will stay in touch with for a long time!  I may be closing, but I am not disappearing.  I still want to see these kids that make me smile everyday. I want to remain close friends with their parents and I definitely want to help place their little ones in a place that they love and are as comfortable with, as they were with me.

I am closing so I can force myself to get closer to my goal of teaching.  Even if I work for free for the next year, it's valuable time I can use towards my future, and this summer I am going to love the heck out of the time with my kiddos.  I am reallllllly going to miss the day care kiddos, and all the fun times, but I am burnt out.  I need my house back, my kids want to have a fun summer full of water parks, beaches and the pool.  I want lazy days. :)

I had kids to be a mother, not put them in school/camp/day care.  I don't really have the luxury of a grandma for my kids (their only Grandma is in Pennsylvania.)  My husband's job has no rhyme or reason, some times he is out of town for weeks at a time, with little or no notice...so I need to be available.  I LOVE kids, so teaching seems to be the only option for me.  I am sick of dirty diapers, poor little teething babies, and temper tantrums, ABC's, colors and phonics...I want more.  I want to teach kindergarten-third grade.  So here I go, my first step towards the next chapter in my life.  I hope this is my final career chapter, because at 31 I want to find my place in life!!

Here are some old pics, that I thought would be so cute to look at..  years later..

Julie Ann March 2008 with Dustin

My kids and Matthew and Katie and the old set up...

My kids, the adorable baby S, Christina (Austin's first girl friend!)

We didn't always have a huge lunch table.  ;)

Awww.  I think this was Liam's first day.  He was seven months old.  He is now three and a half.  Losing him kills me, but his mom got a new job, and needed more flexibility with hours..and I can't put in anymore hours.. my kiddos need their mama.  Hence I decided to close, rather than start some new children and close later on this year. I am going to miss the heck out of this kid. :(

Poor Little Man

Well my Austin is the MAN.  He has gone to the doctor in the past for well visits, and asked for shots.  He watches it and enjoys it.  VERY strange.  Well, he wasn't very happy this time, but from what the nurse said he was great for his age.  He got four shots, gave blood, and got a TB... faked that he did not know the shapes for the vision test, because he wanted glasses like his best friend Vincent.  He read me a book in the room, and when the doctor came in, we loved her.  She was so sweet.  Best Dr I have ever had, and she had a cool name, Dr. Austin. :)   Here is Austin giving blood.  The whole was home he asked when he was going to get it back from the doctors.  A day later he is still saying we need to go back to the doctors so he can get his blood back.  A short video, because I saw the look in his eyes change, which meant time for a hug!!

After the doctors we went to abuelo's house. My sister and I made pasta and had a delicious dinner of home made pasta with pesto, sliced pork loin with salsa, and delicious tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, basil, oil and vinegar. :)

Look at the cat watching me make the pasta, and my kids loving their time with Auntie Sabrina in the background. :)

Pasta making time!!

Mother's Day Mayhem

Well, I work in a very high volume restaurant.. it was extremely busy.  Before my shift my friend Ryan and I let the balloons go for our moms, mine got stuck in a tree! :(  I went back out to check on it later on and it was gone, so I think she got it eventually ;)
It was a very smooth shift, everything was executed well, and people were happy.  I could have taken off, but as I spoke about before, I celebrated a day earlier, because I love to work my Sunday shift and see my friends.  I was absolutely taken back by how kind my guests were for the most part yesterday.  I got some kind thank you notes written on credit card slips, but one of my notes really made me smile.  I was so thankful to receive such kind words from strangers.  I read the note and ran back to thank them.  I didn't even count the money the guests left for the check until after they left, and they left me a great tip as well as a beautiful little note. :) It read:

They are right :-)  Only the best mom's work on mother's day, because those are the moms that need the money to spoil their little children!  Cheers to the moms that had to work on Mother's Day!  We rock :) 

Miss You Mommy and Nana!

This years balloons :)

Well, it's inevitable.  This time of year affects me more than my mom's birthday, more than the anniversary of the day she died, more than any other day of the year.  I think I get upset because I see so many people with their moms and I get so envious and wonder how things would be if she was still alive.  Well, three years ago my friend Ryan and I started a tradition.  We both work at J Alexander's, and his mom passed away as well.  There was recently something on the news about his mother, it was nice to watch, but definitely brought some tears to my eyes..  See it here  So our tradition continues tomorrow...except I also got a balloon for my Nana.  We get to work early, and go outside and let go of a balloon and send to our mothers for mother's day.  I cry a bit, and then start working one of the busiest days of the year.   Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, and all the strong people out there who have lost their mothers...stay strong.  I love you!

Mother's Day for me

Well, it's Mother's Day again!  I work allll day on Mother's Day, so I celebrate a day early..I came home from work last night to find some beautiful flowers and a card from my kids and their AMAZING babysitter, Casey.  So SWEET.  I loved it.   I loved it so much I thought it was a great idea to go and sleep in their bed and cuddle them...  loved it.. until I woke up with immense back pain this morning.  Twin beds are meant for one person.  NOT three!

So it was my day.  My mother's day.. my kids wanted to go to the Keys.  I wanted some pain killers for my back and to do nothing but be lazy.  Well, then I decided, there is no way in hell I am going to the Keys, but I would like to go to my favorite restaurant,  El Novillo in Miami Lakes.  It's my favorite restaurant because there is a server there who is so good.  He has become a family friend, and although we don't see him that often, Eysman always makes our experience incredible.  I have been going to the restaurant since high school, and I can't tell you how long Eysman has been taking care of us there, but at least five years. Lunch was great.  He took care of our bill for Mother's Day and begged us not to tip him.  He's crazy.  Jordanna doesn't play that.  Karma is my best friend. :)  Lunch was great.. I had the usual..but an extra glass of Malbec and I think I ate the whole Tres Leches.. SO Delicious.  Then we walked around there for a bit, and the kids begged me to take them to see the peacocks in the Everglades.. so we did. Took some good pics, and went home!  For dinner I made pizza and pasta and Erianna gave me another present.... a Mother's Day cake she made for me.  She even sang to me :) 

More Morning Bribery /Provider Appreciation Day

Austin and Erianna love cake pops from Starbucks.  Their favorite is the birthday cake one.  I love picking up treats, so it works for me, too.  Especially on Fridays... It is a long day, and I need a morning shot of energy.  I picked up a Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate with an Espresso Shot in it (Thanks Dee for the introduction to this heavenly drink...)  I finished it, the day care kids started arriving, and I was excited to get some cute treats for provider appreciation day, and my first treat was from Starbucks!!!  My client thought I drank a Venti Cafe Latte with three extra shots of espresso.  WOW.  I added a lot of sugar and some cocoa to it, and it was energy burst numero dos.  I used to get White Chocolate Mocha with three sugars.. easy confusion.. ha ..  either way, it was super sweet of them to think of me and made me smile.  Then I received a sweet email from a new client, and again it made me smile. I hope all my fellow childcare providers, teachers and staff feel appreciated this year!  You all do a tough job.   Especially my provider friends out there, we have these kids for years 40-50 hours a week, every week of the year. I don't know how so many of you have done this for so many years.. I am exhausted after almost four years.. I am ready for the new chapter in my life. :)

Best Friends and Morning Bribes

Vincent and Austin

Every morning, it is rough.. It is rough getting the kids ready to roll, myself ready to roll, the lunch boxes made, the dogs fed and let out, and have the energy for six hungry little toddlers to stroll in soon enough.

PHEW.  It makes me tired just thinking of it..  Austin never wants to go to school, won't get himself dressed, and is nothing short of a pain in the butt the whole time. I am not a morning person, I want to sleep more, I press snooze for at least half an hour..  So we finally get ready to roll, and the only way to ease up on the tears is a treat.  A cookie, donut, cake pop, smoothie ...WHATEVER it takes.  I try to pick up an extra treat for Austin's best friend Vincent, so they both are happy campers :) When will it get easier? :)

Stuck in the Middle

So I am stuck in the middle lately.  What do I want to do with the rest of my life?  Do I need a career change?  Do I want more kids?  The questions can go on and on...  I am going through that rough area again.  I LOVE my jobs most of the time.  I can't have one without the other. I wouldn't be able to do daycare all week, if I didn't have the adult life at J Alexander's on the weekend.  I couldn't do J Alexander's all week either.  SO I just sit here and think, and think, and think.. and apply, and apply, and apply.  As of next week I am officially a substitute teacher for Broward County Public Schools. Should I close the day care and just do that full time until I am able to secure a full time job at one of the schools I substitute for?  I really don't want to leave my full time job to substitute, so I have applied at  a few colleges for their masters programs..but they all want me to apply for a teaching certificate first, and I did that ages ago, and I am still waiting for that letter in order to register for classes... So is anyone truly happy with their job?  I feel like stress is in every job, but if I get a job outside of the home, at least I have a home to come to whenever I want to relax.  Plus, Eric's job is nuts.  He works crazy hours, and he wants to come home and sleep whenever he wants, be on the phone whenever he wants, jump in the pool whenever he wants...etc.. Being a licensed home day care, you can't do any of that.  We can't have family members visit.. We can't leave doors unlocked.  Our dogs have to be crated all day..  Our nice things feel the wrath of toddlers and get ruined.  My screened in patio has been broken three times in four months....and oh boy could I write a list.
BUT, then there are the kids.  Some of these kids have a permanent place in my heart, even when they misbehave... my job is amazing.. if only it wasn't so many hours and in my home.  I wish I had the funding to have a center.  Even if I made the same amount of money as I did now, it would be such a better situation.  Still all the perks, but none of the cons...  Ahh.. time to play the lotto.. Look at this child's face.  This is why I am stuck in the middle!!

New Day! New Blog! Had fun at my cooking class!

So today is my first official day of my "new blog."  I really enjoy taking pictures and sharing them everyday through the 365 project, but I think blogging would be a more effective way to communicate, and upload more than just one picture a day! 

A very busy day.  I was supposed to do a mystery shop for lunch, but complications got in the way and it didn't happen.  I still had some fun girly time with my friend Brianna.  We went to Sally's Beauty Supply, in an attempt to make me prettier..I am not sure if it worked.. ha.. Then Starbucks, then lunch at J Alexander's while sipping on a mimosa.  Then after lunch, I had to race to the doctors to get some shots in my head, hence the need for the glass of wine with lunch... Then a run to pick up my car which is having AC problems... then haul butt to Publix for cooking school.   The menu was great, but I really missed my classmates.  This was the 13th time I have attended a class there since January, and I must say, I need to go with friends!    Thank goodness I knew the teachers!  Normally we all make the dishes, then sit down and eat them together at the end.  Well, I sat alone and quickly hurried out..  You can check out the calendar of classes here: Click Here :) Here is what we made.  I think I will be making some pasta this weekend.. YUMMY!  

Roasted Squash with “Stained Glass” Lasagna Sheets; Spinach Ravioli Stuffed with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes in a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce; Saffron Pappardelle with Braised Veal Shank Ragu; Three Cheese Tortellini with Wild Mushroom and Sage Sauce.

NEXT! Psoriasis stinks!!

Well , Psoriasis. Psoriasis stinks!  Erianna got strep throat about two years ago from her day care which was not following rules in regards to nap time space requirements, and everyone got strep throat from each other.. then I got it.. then weeks later I had a rash on my arms.. then months later it was worse, then finally I go to the dermatologist, and it is Guttate Psoriasis.. which is caused by strep throat, which has a 20% chance of going away. so i cry, and cry and cry, it was all over my body.. i looked like i had something realllllly wrong with me.. Well here we are.. still with guttate psoriasis.. just a few embarrassing places on my body, and alllll over my head. I have tried everything.. shots in my head, this shampoo, that shampoo, that steroid, that vitamin, that random plant, banana peels on my head, vinegar, olive oil, peanut oil.. you name it.. and nothing.. just a really itchy scalp and a bathroom full of shampoo and conditioners. oh and a husband who complains non stop if i have a treatment in my hair... sorry buddy.... I don't care if it smells to you.. my happiness is worth more than the cost of your complaining.. he just told me to find another place to sleep... really?? most husbands would read their wives blogs but it's obvious he knows the least bit about my life.... and the treatment of the night actually smells kinda nice :) It's a baby oil/peanut oil combo smell. I have used much worse. At least this one doesn't have a huge CANCER warning label on it, and it won't stain my side of the bed!! AHHH anyone have any words of wisdom for me on Psoriasis or husbands? I am sick of both of them!!!!!!!

Finally!!

Finally Erianna enjoyed reading a whole book. It's like torture getting this child to read.. She wants to be outside catching lizards and frogs, not reading... but she loved this book.. and read the whole thing unassisted at Barnes and Noble the other night so I bought it for her. Hoping the love increases, because I want my Erianna to be a top student. Not a frog kisser. :)