Insert Witty Title Here

Let's see, in a nut shell, here's what's happened since last I posted:


1)  PTA Audit is over.  According to PTA guidelines, you can be in a board position for 2 years.  You may return to that position but only after a year has passed.  I can say with all honesty that I will NOT return to the Treasurer position for Sunshine's final year at *superawesomeschool*.   PTA Executive Board members are volunteers.  Aside from the occasional lunch, there is no reimbursement.  They put in long, long hours to make sure the fun things at school run smoothly.  And that's just the hours that you see them at school.  There are countless hours they put in once the school day is done.  The Treasurer's position is one of those positions.  I'm so hoping for Secretary next year as I can take notes, type them up & submit them.  It wouldn't lessen my time spent at school, but it's certainly a good deal less work at home!

2)  Fall Festival is upon us.  Granted, it's 2 1/2 weeks away but everyone is in full prep mode already.  My friend K who is our PTA President & Co-Chair of FF is losing her mind.  I love her dearly but holy cow, I thought I was bad when it came to Book Fair?  She's even worse than I am!  Deep down I'm praying for October 26th at 9pm to come quickly.  And painlessly.  K may need a major girls night after she recovers.

3)  A major rite of passage occurred here over the past weekend.  Sunshine got her ears pierced.  When she was 5, we told her that she could get them done but she'd put it off.  "When I start 1st grade" she'd say.  When 1st grade was in full swing, she'd say "When I turn 7"  The 7th birthday came & went.  No pierced ears.  Fast forward to last month.  She'd ask me questions about whether it hurt,  how was it done?  Would she get to wear the pearl earrings that Hunter bought her during one of his overseas tours?  So, we agreed on a date to have them done & asked one of her friends to come along for moral support.   Only my child would have an entourage tag along for an ear piercing!  Hunter was asked to come along as he would "help me be brave", as well as her friend H.  H's mom & grandmother came as they brought her straight from the soccer field.  There were a few tears, partly from nerves & in the end she was all smiles.  Of course she chose the birthstone earrings---faux diamonds for April.  I'm in trouble with this one! ;)

4)  Back to PTA "stuff"---we're doing research on the benefits from dissolving our PTA & going the PTO route.  Last year we paid over $1000 do the local & state PTA councils.  The benefits aren't that great to be truthful.   Yes, we receive a discount at Office Depot or some other office supply store, but it's never promoted.  Yes, we have lobbyists but we're a public school---lobbyists aren't that helpful when you're already government run.  So far I've done some online research on the hows & whys as well as exchanged emails with another local school's PTA president.  They made the switch last year & are very pleased with it.  We have a decent size budget for our school but an additional $1000 can go a long way---it would pay for buses for 2-3 field trips or could go for additional teacher grant money.

5) I've become addicted to Almond Joy coffee creamer.    I love my Starbucks but can't always make it there in the morning so I'll make coffee at home.  A little dash of this creamer in my Starbucks Vanilla coffee, 2 sweet'n lows later & I'm in heaven.

6)  I'm nearing the end of the baby blanket that I started three years ago.  You know, for the baby who was born in Germany (where his dad was stationed), moved back to the US & is now on his way back to Germany.  I've decided that I'm going to donate it to the hospital on post.  After I finish, I need to work on my UFO socks to complete my UFOs from years past.

7) I'm so proud of the girl I'm mentoring---she's the niece of the SuperAwesome bookatarian & is honestly one of the sweetest kids ever.  She learned to knit in June & is doing so well!  Her first project with a pattern was a dishcloth---a picture cloth of a turtle.  I'm not kidding when I say I made her rip it out three times.  The first time, she had holes from dropped stitches.  The second happened when there were errors with her purling.  The third, honestly I've kind of blocked because at that point, I felt like the meanest task master ever.  The upshot was the dishcloth turned out PERFECT!  Her stockinette stitches are beautiful & oh-so-even!  I felt like Rex Harrison--by jove, she's got it!!  She completed a scarf on her own--complete with switching colors, weaving in ends & everything!  I'm so excited about her progress & can't wait to see what else she creates!

8)  Today is Early Release Day for elementary schools in our district.  Sunshine gets out 2 hours earlier than normal.  Usually I try to plan something fun for ER days.  Last month, we were in Book Fair & had to go back in the evening for a PTA meeting (where we voted on the annual budget) & Family Night at the BF so I was trying to rest up during the afternoon.  We went to see Hotel Transylvania on opening weekend & Sunshine has no interest in Frankenweenie so I think we're going to Barnes & Noble to pick up the 3rd book in the AG Caroline series (A Surprise For Caroline), run by Zaxby's to get Sunshine a birthday cake shake & then home to play before starting homework.  

We've been enjoying a few days of more seasonal temperatures which has been wonderful!  It's been nice to wake up to temps in the low 60s/high 50s & daily highs in the mid 70s.  Keep it coming!  This girl wants cold weather!!