Happy New Year

Its been way too long! I haven't posted in over a month. I promise I'm not blog-fading, LOL. Just been extremely busy. We bought our house, I packed, cleaned, painted, cleaned some more, packed some more, moved the Friday before Christmas! Jason called a few days before we were moving and announced he was getting a so-called "free" vacation. He was able to come home from the Saturday before Christmas(the 21st?) until Jan. 2nd. We had a wonderful Christmas together as a family. My mom, dad, sister and 2 of my nephews came over Christmas Eve for a little while, then we went to my in-laws for a couple hours. I came home and got two cranky tired boys in bed. I feel horrible because I very badly wanted to go to Mass and didn't make it Christmas Eve or Christmas day! I am angry with myself about it because it was a priority that got shoved aside in the midst of everything. I know if Jason hadn't been home, we probably would have gone. It's almost easier making it to Mass when he isn't here, because if he doesn't want to go, and he says, leave the boys with me, then they cry and throw a fit(they are only 5 and 2, well Ethan actually usually will go with me anyway!) and then it makes me not even want to go. That's horrible, isn't it? So I almost always end up missing Mass when Jason is at home at least once or twice:( But I did make it the following Sunday! Oh and Christmas day we got up, the boys opened their gifts, we went across the street to my in-laws to open gifts and then went to my parents for gifts and presents with my sis and her 2 boys (the two that came over on Christmas Eve are my other sister's kids but she is in Florida so they came over with my mom and dad).
Jason and I celebrated our 7th anniversary, by doing absolutely nothing, LOL! New Year's Eve was nice though, we went out to dinner with Jason's brother, his fiance and Jason's friend and his wife. We had a really good time and then we went to a party right down the street from our house. Jason's 11 1/2 yr old sister and her friend babysat the boys(its nice that they live right across the street so his mom can come over in an emergency!). I actually had a few beers for the first time in I don't know how long, and played some pool, which was tons of fun.

We are finally almost completely settled into the new house, I have a few boxes left to unpack(mainly office and playroom) but its feeling more like home. The only thing missing is Jason. It was wonderful to have him home and now that he's back in Louisiana, I'm lonely, especially after the boys go to bed and all is quiet. The house noises freak me out a bit, if you know what I mean. The way our house is set up there is the main part of the house which is 1 1/2 story, the boys room and play room are upstairs, kind of like a dormer. Downstairs is the living room, small bedroom turned office, kitchen/dining room and bathroom. Then off the kitchen is the addition with our bedroom off the hallway and the side door to the driveway. At the end of the hallway is a stairway to the workshop turned laundry room. It is attached to the 1 1/2 car garage. So our bedroom is downstairs far away from the boys room and I have major anxiety about that, LOL! I am one of those people that had to go in and check on the boys when they were babies several times a night, when they weren't crying! Needless to say, I am using the baby monitor again, and sometimes when I have that eerie uncomfortable feeling, I will crash on the couch. I know, I am paranoid just a wee bit ;)
Anyway, I wanted to post about what a quick month it has been. Ethan started his new school last Friday and I am just not too thrilled with it already. The kids have to wait outside if they are there before 8:45 and when I went to take him his first day, I did not see any adult supervision! Then they told me the transportation department will not do door-to-door pickup and drop off, even for kindergarten, and I would have to walk with the boys down to the corner which sits about 3 houses away from the corner of a very busy road. Also the cars are supposed to go 25 when they turn on our road but we're lucky if they go 40 most times. Needless to say, I will be driving him back and forth each day. Then when I picked him up, he seemed lost as to what he was supposed to do. They call the buses over the intercom to dismiss and also walkers and riders. Well at his old school he had a fifth grade bus buddy that came and got him from his classroom and helped him find their bus. Now at this school all the kids are expected to find their own bus or parents, which would be fine, but he's FIVE!!! Also going from a half day to full day now is a big change. He has to pack his lunch and that first day he came home with his entire lunch still in his bag not touched. His teacher never even took his papers out! I thought it was weird that they expect a five yr old to use a hanger for their coat instead of a hook and then to put their book bag in a bin marked boys or girls but whatever, right? Well I asked him what he ate for lunch and he told me his teacher told him to get in line, and that he had mac and cheese, peas, bread and juice. Then he told me he didn't eat the peas(yuck!) and the mac and cheese was too hot so he couldn't eat it!!! All he ate was a piece of bread and drank some orange juice.
That's not all either. I picked him up yesterday, and he peeked out and went back in his classroom. Then two seconds later(before dismissal) started walking to me. I told him to wait till he was told to go and he said that "someone" told him to go to me. I thought the teacher did so he came to me, I told him not to run and the principal looked at me and then him and said something about him being in the hall, that none of the kids had been dismissed, really snotty-like! I told her that he was told to come to me, and his teacher's name. Then she said well maybe she saw you then but still its not allowed(which I understand). So I asked Ethan if it was his teacher or another kid in his class and he proceeds to tell me it was another kid. I send him back to class just as his teacher comes out looking for him and of course he's crying and all upset thinking I am going to leave even though I explained to wait till he heard "walkers and riders dismissed". I asked another mom if the principal is always like that, just very demeaning, grumpy, etc. I haven't seen her smile any of the three days that he's gone so far and the mom concurred that, yes she is ALWAYS like that. Oh great, so one more thing to add to my list of dislikes of the Toledo Public School system!!!!! I am so ready to take him out and transfer him to the Catholic elementary school my sis-in-law goes too. She really wants him to go there anyway, she can be his "lookout" so to speak. Plus my mother-in-law would drive them both to school(which means Alex could sleep in) and then I would pick them up. Its a plus/plus situation. Also this school has one of the lowest tuitions for private or Catholic schools in the area. Only $1750 a yr for the first child and if you pay for 2 students(I could give my in-laws the money and they pay for both of them) you can get a discount, and so on. Which would be nice, plus this year it would only be half a year. and then sis-in-law has 2 more years, and then Ethan would be in 3rd grade and Alex would start Kindergarten.
Well, I'm off to fold some laundry.