Today is the first official day of summer vacation.  I know that school ended on Thursday June 27th, but we’ve been busy since then.  I actually thought that summer vacation was starting yesterday, and then I was relieved from the pressure for one more day.

As much as I love the idea of a break, O. MY. GOODNESS! - summer vacation just re-inforces the notion that I AM NOT A HOMESCHOOL MOM.  Don’t get me wrong!  I love my kids, and sometimes I even feel a little bit guilty for feeling this way; but I love to be able to send my kids to school so that I get a break they can leave our little world and expand their horizons under the care of other loving people who lead them and guide them in their quest for ever-useful knowledge that they will use when they grow up to be adults.

Seriously, how many of you have used the Pythagorean Theorum to figure out something in regards to your laundry or baking.  That was one of the more useful bits of info that I gleaned from my two years of Grade 10 math.  Yah, I had to repeat it in order to be able to gradute ’cause my teacher was apparently not overwhelmed by my beauty or my amazing singing voice, and he wouldn’t pass me the first time.  Apparently, I got to him on the second time around, and I think he just didn’t want to deal with me again, and so - I passed!  Yah Me!

I apologize to all you nerdy smart types who have actually used the Pythagorean Theorum in some capacity or another.  Good on you!  I’m really not mocking you, seriously, I’m not! 

Moving on, ’cause that’s going no where! 

So, how am I surviving this first morning of Summer Vacation.  I think it’s going pretty well.  I slept in until 9:30am while my kids woke up between 7am and 9am, and foraged in the kitchen and fended for themselves.  Jon got up around - well, to be honest I have no idea when he got up, I just know that when I woke up, he was already in the office, and the coffee was made!  Bless Him!  Ain’t he wonderful?

Now, my kids are perched in front of the TV being cared for by the nanny, and I am having coffee with you.  Life is wonderful.

On a financial note, just to keep you all in the loop.  I am AMAZING!  Hear me??? I AM FREAKING AMAZING!  Not that I’m blowing my own horn or anything, ’cause I’m not, but (can I use and more comma’s - ha ha ha)  I have done so well with the money thing!  Yup! 

All of my freaking out about not knowing if I could even do it, or figuring that we’d be eating pasta everynight for dinner.  Nope!  Healthy meals, and all with in budget.  TWO MONTHS IN A ROW!  Yah!  I’m excited!  Can you tell?  I thought I was being pretty subtle about it all - not so much, ‘eh?

This month presents a whole new challenge - gotta love ‘em challenges.  I now have only $400 to do our groceries on.  Hmmm!  5 people (2 adults and 3 kids ) on $400 dollars.  See, we have some meat in our freezer from a meat deal that saved us money when we got it ’cause without it we were doing the take out thing which is more expensive.  So we ordered a 6 month meat package, and we’re so happy that we were saving money - now that I’m on an actual “spending plan” - We’re supposed to call it a spending plan, ’cause that is supposed to be more freeing than calling it a budget - not sure that it makes that much difference to me, ’cause I still only have a limited amount of money to deal with, and I could call it a “Magic Show” ’cause that’s how it feels sometimes, like trying to make magic, and it really doesn’t make a difference to me.  Doesn’t make me feel any better or any worse!  Hmmmm!

So, $400 - ‘this is our last month of the meat order, so next month - I’ll actually get $500!  Wow, then I’ll be responsible for everything!  Can I handle the pressure?  I think I can!  I think I can I think I can!  Just call me “Little Toot” - Ha Ha that could have a whole ‘nuther set of connotations to it, and if you asked Jon, they might not be all that off!  Let’s just leave it at, “I ate something the other day that didn’t agree with me……..”

Well, in the hopes of not having this turn into a freaking book - which I think it already is, I’ll leave you now, and come back later with more brain farts!