Nothing much going on here lately.

Hunter is starting to be a well behaved 4 year old. He's doing his best to get adjusted at the new daycare and it hasn't been too bad.

At the same time Rylie is fully into the terrible twos. I thought maybe we'd be spared some grief after Hunter and all of his climbing antics, and since Rylie is a girl I figured she'd just want to play with her baby dolls all the time. Unfortunately I was wrong. She's becoming just as bad as he was about climbing the counters. The bathroom counter, the kitchen counter, and always on the kitchen table. I just wish someone could explain the excitement of toothpaste, perfume, deoderant and hair brushes. We think she's also flushed something down one of the toilets. I'm just not that excited about dealing with all of the 2 year old nonsense.

As it gets hotter our days at work get shorter, so we have even more spare time on our hands. It seems like it's never enough to get things accomplished though, when you have kids around to "help" you do everything. Seth put down some pergo in the den because our carpet was beyond gross. It was so easy we'll probably be putting it in our bedroom and eventually the kids' rooms also.

I've been getting a pretty steady stream of orders, usually one right after another. I've also got some things that have been on the waiting list that I need to get started on. I put up a sale on my store which will run through Memorial Day. If you haven't been over there for awhile, check it out!

I finally figured it out...Mashed Potatoes!!!

Anyone in my family can tell you how much I love mashed potatoes. When I was in junior high I would always walk to my grandma's house after school. She always asked me what I wanted for a "snack" and I would usually say mashed potatoes. She. was. the best. She usually already had them peeled and ready to go on the stove.

I still like mashed potatoes a lot. I guess I would still call them my favorite food. I also have to admit that sometimes, I make a meal to go with my mashed potatoes instead of the other way around.

Since I moved to Arizona 11 years ago my family has always asked me to move back. I thought it was because I am so smart, cute and funny, you know, the life of the party.

If I moved back my mom could see her grand kids more.

My sister, well, we'd do sisterly things together. Things like fighting, shopping, pulling hair, doing each other's hair, messing up each other's house, helping each other with the kids.

I know my brother and my dad would love to go play golf with me and Seth. We'd make a great foursome on the course.

While I was peeling potatoes for dinner tonight I realized something.

They don't want me back.

They want their potato peeler back!

Out with the old....

...and in with the new.

We've had a lot of small things happen lately that have accumulated into a bunch of changes. I feel like I'm running in circles some days, drowning in paperwork, and trying to get things done.

A few weeks ago I took Hunter into the Dr. for his 4 year checkup. They asked me to pay a copay, but I explained that we've been with our insurance for 3 years and we don't pay for well child care. Then when I took Rylie for her well child visit they argued with me about it again. Having just been through it a month before I was really annoyed. This time the office manager told the receptionist to collect the copay anyway. Then a couple of minutes later she called me back to talk to her. After explaining how my insurance works, and how their billing department is so slow to refund money that is owed to me, I got my copay back. I felt really insulted because the office manager asked that I pay them in a timely manner if in fact we did owe a copay. Sort of like she thought I was going to stiff them on the bill.

The same visit Rylie was due for immunizations. The nurse said she had missed her 18 month shots. I thought that was weird because I always bring the kids for their appointments when they tell me to. I also found out that Hunter was not caught up, even though he had just been there for shots the month before. Irritating to say the least.

All of those things, combined with a new physicians assistant that my kids seem to be afraid of, contribute to my decision to take the kids to a new doctor.

Yesterday we got a letter from our daycare about tuition going up next month. We've been taking Hunter there since he was 6 weeks old. We've always had a really good arrangement with them since we work short hours we've been able to keep them on half days and we had a sibling discount. The new plan includes them getting rid of any sort of discounts, as well as half days. The result is for us to either pay more than double what we're currently paying and stay there, or move the kids to someplace else that still has half days. I gave our two week notice today.

I feel so torn about leaving the daycare. I know the teachers all love our kids, and the kids love them as well. Hunter has a friend who he talks about all the time. I'm sad that he will be leaving her behind because they've been going to school together for so long. That being said, we have to do what's right for our family. Doing what's right does not involve paying the equivalent of $14 an hour in childcare.