Opus 230 - Nanny Kate Rocks!

I have to say that having a nanny just plain rocks. Seriously, it's awesome. We decided to go with a nanny for several reasons: 1) the kids are able to stay home, where they are comfortable and can stay on schedule 2) we don't have to get a second car until the weather gets colder since Jason doesn't have to drive the kids to daycare - this gives us a little more time to save up (Jason drives a scooter to work, but will need a second car once it gets cold since I drive the minivan at work) 3) frankly, it's just a lot less complicated and much easier to have someone come here instead of having to pack up kids and all of their gear to go to daycare 4) the price is incredibly reasonable compared to the daycares we looked at (seriously, pretty much the exact same).

Nanny Kate* has worked two days now and it has been great. The kids have really warmed up to her and seem to enjoy being with her. Lissa, who has been clingy lately, even hugged Kate goodbye the day she came over to meet them. They give her hugs at the end of the day and like to watch her from the window as she leaves. Oh, and they eat like champions with her.

You know what else I love about Nanny Kate? She cleans! I don't just mean cleans up after the kids, I mean CLEANS! The first day I came home to a freshly vacuumed carpet and a clean kitchen (she even cleaned the window sill... I don't even want to think about the last time I did that; it's so hard to reach!). Today the downstairs bathroom was clean, the nursery was dusted and organized, and the laundry room was the cleanest I've seen it in ages! It was completely reorganized and I can actually *get* to the washer without climbing over the toolbox! I'm in heaven. Really, heaven.

Thank you Nanny Kate, we love you!

Oh, by the way, yes I'm surviving school. It's been very crazy trying to put a band program together in such a short time, but it's happening. There's been so much to do administratively, I feel more like a secretary than a band director right now, but we start playing on Friday so that'll be nice. Friday also happens to be the day of the first football game and yes, we're playing. Let's just say that I'm a little nervous that I'll hear my students for the first time on the same day they're performing in a very public place. We have to learn some pep band tunes on the same day we're performing day. Eek! We're going to play VERY easy songs that the older kids played last year. Only four - Hey Baby, Louie Louie (I HATE that song but it's easy and they played it last year), the Fight Song, and the School Song (Who has a fight song AND a school song? They're both fast, peppy songs too. Interesting). Wish us luck!


*I have a cousin who's daughter's name is Kate. She comes over for playdates so the kids know her well. We call her Cousin Kate, so now we have Nanny Kate too. (Got to keep those Kate's straight!)

Opus 229 - Update

I have quite a few posts that need to be done, but it may be awhile before I get to them. As many of you have heard, I have great news - I got a job! I'm the new band director at Springville High School. I got the call yesterday and will start working on Monday. Crazy! I have a ton to do before school starts in a week and a half and have a lot to figure out. This is a "half time" job - I use the quotes because it'll be more than half time since I'm doing marching and pep band outside of the regular school day. I teach every other day, which is nice. But it means I need to find someone to watch the kids for a few hours on the days that I teach since Jason leaves for work at 12:45 and I won't get home until 3:15ish. And then there's football and basketball games, concerts, festivals,... There's a lot of logictics to sort out and I'm already feeling crazy busy, but I'm sooooo glad to have a job that I don't care! :)

Opus 228 - Happy Anniversary Joshua!

Today marks one year since Joshua has been wireless. What an exciting day that was! We finally had TWO wireless babies! Oh, how it made life so much easier. Jason and I were reminiscing last night... remembering the days of wired babies. Everything was so much more complicated then. Just giving them a bath was crazy - it made me realize that even now, as crazy as it can get, it's still easier than bathing two wired babies. We had to take off the oxygen (leaving the tabs because they were so painful to remove), turn off the monitor, take off the leads, get new leads ready, bath the kids (the easy part), put on new leads - using painful IV tape on Joshua because his oily skin made the leads slip and alarms go off constantly, put the oxygen back on, turn on the monitors... Oh, and there's the getting the bath ready, getting new diapers and clothes, getting towels, diapering and dressing the kids after the bath; you know, the stuff that normal parents do. It's good to remember those times so we can remind ourselves now that it may be crazy, but it's not as crazy as it used to be!

"Little" Joshie, you are my buddy, my favorite little boy. I am so grateful that you are part of our family! I love you!!!