Tyler starts school on Monday. I have mixed feelings about it. I know school is good and it beats him watching way too much tv. However, I like the care free summer days of swimming at the pools, acting like a teen at Magic Waters and being flexible with dinner and bedtime.

Zumba during the week is right at dinnertime and eating dinner together as a family is important to us but I also love zumba.

Well, I better get to bed so I wake up for zumba in the morning. 

Summer went by pretty fast as always. It's pretty much my favorite season. I love to swim and even more so love swimming outdoors under the sun. It's just so relaxing. I didn't get out as much as I would have liked but I can't complain.
Tyler got to go to summer camp for overnights twice this summer. He really has a great time. He tends to latch on to the camp counselors though. I suppose that's okay. Tad and I took a little break from cooking when he wasn't home. It was kind of nice.
Sunday, we are going to go to Magic Waters one final time before they close for the season. It should be fun. 

My vacation is over now. I went back to work yesterday. I had a pretty good week off and enjoyed the time off but now I am going to be broke. I am tired of being broke.  I been working on eating healthier and working out for quite sometime now and don't feel like I can afford it much longer. I am not the kind that can go hungry and I need low calorie foods like yogurt, string cheese and plenty of fruits to keep me within my calorie goal. I am kind of upset right now. It just seems like we can't get our act together and figure out a way to make things work with all the bills getting paid.
Today, I sent Tad off to pay 20 dollars for a dresser that needs a bad paint job and I am going to try to make it nice for Tyler. I want to make things easier for him to find things on his own and organize and label his dresser drawers. It seems like even a splurge of a dresser is really too much for us.
I would like to take Tyler to see a movie before school starts but the reality is that I just can't afford it.

Sorry for ranting on about this. I just feel like letting of some steam. I am gonna go make some orange honey muffins that I wanted to make last week but I lost the recipe.

I am on vacation as of today!!! I love my job but lately I feel like I need at least one or two vacations per year. I like to have one in the winter break and then again in the summer. It's going to be tight around here for a couple weeks because it's unpaid since I used my vacation check for Christmas shopping for my kids.

Today, we are hitting up Magic Waters. That should be fun!!!!!

I took Saturday off to give myself a 3 day weekend! It was pretty nice.  I tried to have some balance between spending time with family and just having some alone time. I had a really nice time at the pool with the boys on Saturday. We got the packet of coupons from the park district so it should be the beginning of our summer fun.

Sunday, the kids came to the Y with me and I did Zumba and the kids played raquetball with me. I like playing it but I am not very good at it. It's almost easier to play on your own cause you don't fear clobbering someone. lol  I got the chance to sign Amiah up on my Y membership and a class coming up next month. I remember taking Tyler to the same class when he was her age and I think she will enjoy it. I have to take her to the Y so they can take her picture

Today, I drove out to Rochelle to visit my friend Susie. I don't travel much so it was kind of scary but I felt like if Tad said I could do it then I could. I don't mean as in give permission but if he felt like I would be okay then I knew it was something that I could probably do.

Oh and last night, William and I watched Jack and Jill!! It was about twins and so funny!!! I loved it. I don't watch movies too often but I love redbox.  It's the next best thing to lifetime. If I could pick one cable channel it would have to be lifetime channel.

Today, Tad had some stuff to take care of so I stayed home with Amiah. Before, he actually left we went up to the donut shop and had some donuts. It's the same place that I went to as a kid but it's a different name now. It was kind of fun sitting there with Mymy and thinking of the fun times as a kid and remembering how much fun I had with my big sister before my parents lost the house.

I came home and Tad did his stuff and Mymy and I stayed outside the whole time he was gone. We blew bubbles and have some fun with that. She helped me water the plants and I must admit they are looking very good. We played in the backyard with the dogs and I noticed the nests that Tad had found. We even came in and got a carrot for the bunnies. I love how she pretends to eat something up.

I loved spending some one on one time with her. Between work and everything else I don't get to play with her as much as I would like too.

I just put in for an unpaid vacation and as much as I am nervous about the small checks I am looking forward to time with the kids. I split my vacation up between being home with the kids and then being home while they are with their Dad's. It works out though that I will have a couple more days after they get back home. So it's perfect.

I am off tomorrow and we will probably hit the pool since we got the coupons from the Rockford Park District. I have to pay for myself but it makes getting out and doing fun summer stuff a little more affordable. Plus, I did have to buy the coupons so it's kind of a push to get out there and do things so not to feel like any money was wasted. 

Ashley left town to go back to her new home. :(  I wished I could have seen her more while she was here but I guess a little is better than nothing.

Today, my client wanted to go to an event and we caught the last hour of it. It's always nice when I get to experience stuff with my clients outside of staying in the house. I almost had to pay for myself and get paid back but they let me in for free. I think any organization should waive the fee for a caregiver especially if it's just a cover charge to get in.

I babysit for the church tomorrow and I hope I get a child again. Last week, I had two kids come in but the parents stayed in. It didn't stop me from playing with them though. 

Work was pretty good day. I been noticing with my day time client that she is trying harder to do other things than just sit and read the paper. She did really good with walking this week and I am impressed. I think the hardest part of my job is trying to figure out how to make or suggest the elderly do something that they don't want to do. I am a kid in their eyes and here is this kid telling them to do this or that.

My second client is actually the one that I have been with the longest. I always enjoy her company. At times, it gets old cause of the memory issues and stuff but that's to be expected.

Today, we went for a walk and was gone for about 40 minutes. I am lucky that we didn't get lost. She kept insisting she knew a short cut and said that short cut was cutting through someones yard. I didn't think we should walk thru yards though. I love that she has a dog. It gives us more of a reason to go for a walk.

Well, I should get to sleep. Hopefully, I can sleep at least to about 9 am and maybe find something fun to do since Tyler is off for the summer. 

I love Tad!!! He is an keeper!! 

About this time a year ago, my husband suggested I adopt a cat from the shelter since it was cat adoption month. I thought I was ready to be a household without a cat. I think it took me a while to really want a cat due to Tigger passing away and how sad it was that she died in my arms.

When he suggested it. I must been ready cause I ran out of the house to get to the shelter. They did the five dollar adoption all the month of June but my cat was waiting for me.

I look at cat after cat and when I seen Bella sitting in an corner cage all on her own I knew she was the one for me. She has fit in so well. She just isn't allowed in our room because she pee'd on our new bed. Other than that she hasn't been naughty. She lets Amiah lay on her and mymy tries to copy her. It's just freaking cute.

When I think of her in kitty jail. I get sad. I wonder how someone could have left her in jail. Well, I am tired and gonna get some sleep.