The cost of Kindergarten

Besides the $1,056.97 of my property taxes that went to the Davis School District here is what I have paid in addition...

$10 to join the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization)

$15 for the giving tree supplies (I was duped into buying additional supplies for the class because 'without the help of the parents, Kindergarten just doesn't happen') of foam hand soap, paper plates, and Clorox wipes

$20 PTO Fall Festival

$25 Entertaining Book Fund Raiser (and being asked to annoy all our family, friends, and neighbors to also purchase one,) so any of you that wants one, we are selling them until Sept. 28th

$35 Extra Snacks (extra being the key word because I already gave snacks for the whole class as a part of her "school supplies") for the whole class because they don't get one unless it's donated

That's a total of $105. IT'S ONLY SEPTEMBER 16th!! Today Winter's teacher sent out an email requesting donations for their fall field trip to the pumpkin patch. They need money so that everyone can get a pumpkin and rent a bus to transport them there and back. SERIOUSLY?! School is only 2.5 hours long each day so I am sure this is going to take up the whole class time. AND what parent doesn't already have plans to go get pumpkins? Why not just ask all the parents to bring their child to the pumpkin patch for school that day and buy a pumpkin? Seems like it would be easier to me and way more worth my money. 

ALSO, I was asked to volunteer for at least one job to help Winter's class. I volunteered for two! I have a little bit of time during the day so I figured since 'without the help of the parents, Kindergarten just doesn't happen' I should give it to my daughter's class. I am fine giving some of my time to help her and her class. There are 65 volunteer positions Winter's teacher is asking to be filled to help her class.

65! Wow, I am beginning to think Kindergarten isn't going to happen.

 

Winter's homework is a skill set book that she knows how to do everything in already. Letter, their sounds, numbers, her phone number, shapes, colors, etc. etc. I am supposed to help her with these things...teach them to her if she doesn't already know them. Then a volunteer checks them off in class. So what is the teacher doing? I got a lovely nursery rhymes book from the past three weeks of school. It had 5 songs in it and a 2x2 inch colored image at the bottom of each page. All that in only three weeks. Ahhh!!

Starting to wonder if I will always be this neurotic about her schooling or if I should just find something else to sacrifice in life so she can go to a private school.

I am glad Winter likes Kindergartern because I HATE IT! 

How much are you willing to pay for public schooling? Is it worth it?

Our dog Roman

Roman can be a bit of a naughty boy. Mostly he is aptly named because he loves to roam. He finds ways out of our fenced in backyard to meets the neighbors, pee on everything, and sometimes invites himself in an opened door. Now that he can't seem to find a whole in the fence I don't hate him. I actually remember why we love having him in our family. He is a good boy. Even though this is totally ruining our furniture to allow the dogs to sleep up there, I just don't have the heart to make them get off the couch. Look how he sleeps!

Kindergarten - First Day - Winter

I have been asked by several people, "are you going to cry when she starts school?" Ha ha just look at her beautiful face! How could I cry when she is sooo HAPPY?!
Besides, she has already gone to pre-school for a year and a half, plus Kindergarter is only like 2.5 hours a day. Hardly time for me to do anything before she is ready to be picked up.

I tried to get her to not smile sooo big, but it was useless. She was so excited and has been excited for months. She already loves her teacher and is ready to take on Kindergarten. I have met a few other mother's of girls in her class and I am so thrilled with everything so far.Now she is getting annoyed that I won't let her just run down the hall to start her class.
Ha ha Ledger so badly wanted to stand by Winter to at least get in on all the attention she was getting. Winter, not pleased to share the spotlight.
Waiting to go into class. I am not sure why we wait outside on the backside of the building but that's our spot until 8:45am when the bell rings. So much to learn!
8:45am the bell RINGS! Into class finally! We had been there a whole 5 minutes before she got to go into her class and begin her day.
Good luck baby girl. Enjoy the next 17 years of schooling, may you be as happy and excited as you were today everyday.

Cucumber Dragon

The cucumber wanted to be the dragon. Like the great David statue was released from the marble, Cory released the Dragon from the cucumber.

No good deed goes unpunished

I recently heard the saying "no good deed goes unpunished." I have heard it before but never really thought much of it. It began to ring true in my work life more and more. While I have nothing against doing something nice for free, or charity, I am not a fan of being taken advantage of. I am not going to get into it, because this is not that kind of blog, but just know, I am working on changing how I run my business.

Moving on. With that saying in mind, I set forth to make sure anyone in my life who did a 'good deed' toward me or my family was punished. We punish in garden goodies! For the past month or so I have been looking for a way to take our kiddos to Lagoon to ride some rides and enjoy the park. There was no way in H-E- double hockey sticks I was going to pay full price for a couple of hours of mostly standing in line for my children to go on 5 or 6 rides, get wet in a fountain, and pay for an way over priced soda and cotton candy. For those that don't know how expensive Lagoon can be let me paint you a picture... $43.95x3, yes Winter is a full price ticket even though she is too short to go on anything but the rides in Kiddie Land + Ledger costs $27.95. So for $160 we could enter the park and enjoy Kiddie Land which has approx. 8-10 rides, most of which are the same ride with different cars, planes, boats, etc. I can not go on any rides because I am pregnant. Ok ok Lagoon is fun, but I could not justify spending that much. $160 can buy a lot of bouncing at Kangaroo Zoo, movie passes, trips to the pool, yada yada.

Now for the good deed. Our neighbor was kind and generous enough to give our family her family's bounce back passes. She has a connection so she is also able to get her family discounted passes. WIN WIN! For her good deed I made sure she was aptly punished. This basket of veggies, a jar of homemade raspberry jam, and a big container of fresh blackberries woke her the morning after our Lagoon outing.
Thanks Heather! Enjoy your punishment, you deserve it.