Wow, today is our anniversary. 16 years, that’s a lot. I’m excited about that! I’m so thrilled to be happily married to my dear husband after all these years.
It’s also the first day of school. I’m really excited about that. I wouldn’t have been excited had the kids not been fighting like cats and dogs for the past couple of weeks. But, since they have to go to school, I’ll just have to live with it. Of course, they’re not all gone. Megan had her 7th grade day on Friday, so she gets today off, and John doesn’t go to school this year, just preschool again, so he’ll be here with me. But I hope the other three have a nice first day. We had our traditional “back to school breakfast” this morning at the bus stop, and even though it was chilly at 7:15, it was fun.
My, oh my this back to school thing is getting expensive. Between the fees ($280 for two kids in Jr. High), the supplies ($100 buck for a TI-85 graphing calculator? Cough, cough, choke!), the paper, pencils, notebooks, backpacks, markers, pencil sharpeners, scissors, pencil boxes, dividers, pens, etc. ($100 at least!), then there’s the clothes and shoes, where we plunk down another couple of hundred there, and that’s outfitting them on the cheap! And today I wrote out four checks for a month of lunches, since they tend to make lunches and then leave them in the fridge (like today), and need to have money in their accounts to buy lunches a couple of days a week, so there goes another $140. Then there’s the extra things like PTA, band at school, and the “$10 donation” for each class, and I’m up to a cool thousand out of pocket to get these kids back to school (and that’s not even counting the $700-$800 for marching band, which thankfully does several fundraisers and we’ll only end up having to pay about 1/2 of that out of our pocket, or the fees for soccer, dance or choir)! I need a “back to school bonus”, that’s for sure. I’ll just try not to think about it.
So, moving on to happier things, I have consulted Random.org and have picked a winner for our little Idina Menzel contest. Thanks to all of you who entered, and I wish you could all receive her wonderful CD, but our lucky winner is Jeanine from Ramblings from a stay at home mom is our winner today. Congratulations.
Well, I’ve got to go and enjoy the quiet. Maybe get something done today–who knows.
Well happy anniversary! Very cool for 16 years 🙂
I’m with you on the school costs. We don’t have to pay for supplies yet, but the sheer outfitting the kids has been expensive. And I did most of it on ebay! Less than $2 per shirt and less than $5 per pair of pants, but for four kids (only two in school, but still!) and it’s costly! I keep telling hubby to just be happy that they’re healthy and growing so well . . . .
I can’t wait until we start next week! I’ll have two in school and two at home. For half the day, but I’ll take what I can get. They’re so excited!
Happy Anniversary, I wish you both many more years of happiness!
Happy Anniversary! I would have called yesterday but I was swamped. Yikes! I’ve only got two kids in school right now, and I’m very grateful. Those costs are astronomical!
Happy Anniversary! Who is that skinny blond boy with all that hair in that picture you posted? LOL.
School fees–YUCK. We are up to about $700 just for the two girls without adding in the cost of any of the school clothes we bought for them. Just remember, they only get more expensive as they get older.