Busy End of Week

Thursday night we went to an annual family picnic for Minnesota Hands and Voices for families with deaf/hard of hearing children. I figured it'd be nice for Anna to see other kids with hearing aids. Here's a picture they took of her with Jessica in the background. They were watching a magician. They've asked if they can use this picture in promotional stuff.

Friday Jessica and I had a date at Caribou Coffee, then went garage saling. After a doctor's appointment in the afternoon, we decided to just stay home in the evening. I read more of my Harry Potter book (finished #3 now) while the girls played with their Webkinz. Saturday we went to a circus. The girls loved it and I loved watching especially Anna in her excitement. They got to ride an elephant, pony and camel.

Sunday I babysat a friend's two girls. They all had a fun playdate. I finally got caught up on all my quilt square swaps. I'm mailing them today. What a relief! I'm about a month or more behind in mailing them all out. I'll mail my August bib swaps out today as well. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get to the hairbows and secret pal/buddy items. I've got them all, but sometimes it takes awhile to package them and mail them.

I'm grappling with daycare issues. My daycare provider might not be able to do after school care now and the school's rates are utterly ridiculous. I don't know how anyone can afford them. I just know for sure that I can't. I'd lose my house and Amanda. They are more than double what I pay now and even higher than I paid when my girls were babies. School starts 2 weeks from tomorrow. I may just have to adjust hours at work. There isn't a school release day until October 18th, so I have a little time to check into what to do for those full days. I'd like to stick with my current provider, but she doesn't know what she's going to do. She told me a couple of weeks ago she got a job working 8-2, but now she doesn't know when she'll start and what her hours will be. We go camping next week, so my last day with her could be Thursday. Then again, it may all work out for after school or she may be available for school release days, I just don't know. I like the idea of not having to pay for daycare except release days, but the juggling might really wear me out.

Anyway, I wish this would get worked out so I can sleep again. I guess all I know is Amanda won't have the same provider as Jessica and Anna had, but that I pretty much expected when my current provider got down to just 2 families with kids who'll be in school all day starting in September.

It has also rained all weekend and is supposed to rain all week. I sure hope its nice "up north" next week when we go to Itasca.