My day yesterday:

6:42am: Wake up an hour later than usual, because I forgot to set the alarm.
11am: Leave work to drop George off at his friend's.
1pm: George is still waiting for friend, so I take off to pick up Rachel from school.
2pm: Pick up Rachel, meet George, and we have lunch
3:30pm: I get back to work.
5pm: Rachel takes a nap.
6pm: I leave work.
6:05pm: My car doesn't start.
6:15pm: I pay for my lapsed AAA membership.
6:30pm: I call for a tow truck
7pm: Tow truck arrives. It barely fits in the parking structure. My battery must really be dead, because the tow truck cannot jump it. We wait for another truck to bring the portable charger. Works like a charm.
7:30pm: Finally leave work.
8pm: Go out to eat with starving family.
11pm: Finally put well-rested child to bed. Mom promptly falls alseep.
11:30pm: Well-rested child says she's hungry, send her to Dad.
Midnight: Now cranky child starts crying that she misses the purple coat she sold at the yard sale two weeks ago. Crying child falls asleep in mother's arms. Mother thinks she fell alseep 2 seconds later.

Confessions of a Public School Parent

It's probably no secret that public school was not our first choice for Rachel. Don't get me wrong, before 5 years ago, I was very pro-public school. If we all abandon public schools what will be left? However, with this No Child Left Behind (NCLB) crapola, things are going from bad to worse. AND when I got laid off, I joined a group of homeschoolers and discovered they are really cool people. Shocker. :-) But we thought long and hard and decided that we couldn't afford private school and even entertained the thought of starting our own school. However, the best thing for our family was for Rachel to go to public school.

And I have been pleasantly surprised. Yes, Rachel has already learned that she is rewarded for being quiet. Sigh. But her teacher has been an angel as the transition has been a bit rocky. Mrs. J lets Rachel hang out with her at recess and lets Rachel draw when she is feeling sad. Rachel's reading has just exploded. She wants to write all the time and tries to sound out everything. It really is wonderful to watch.