Well then.........

I know it has been awhile since I have blogged.  Honestly, I have no good reason as to why I haven't.  I guess I just haven't felt witty enough to post anything because as we know all my blog post are oh so witty.  I am still in shock that November is almost over with and birthday/ Christmas is right around the corner.  Seriously, where has this year gone?

On the birthday front, Payton wants a Brave birthday party.  I have everything done except the goody bags.  I thought about just getting fancy cookies that look like targets, but the place I ordered the cupcakes doesn't make cookies.  Really??  So, other than that one small detail missing, everything else is done.  Payton is really into Claire's right now.  She loves all the accessories and stuff.  She really wants a new jewelry box and jewelry for her birthday.  She loved the one Uncle Mat & Aunt Jaime gave her a couple of years ago.  However, we have lost most of the jewelry.  Therefore, I ordered her a nicer, wooden jewelry box that I think can withstand the force of a five year old.  However, all the jewelry I ordered for it is the cheap, plastic kind.  I am not ready to waste good money on more expensive, metal play jewelry that will end up missing or broken within a month.

I also have very strict restrictions on the gifts that anyone may want to give Payton for either Christmas or her birthday.  Mainly, it has to fit inside a shoe box.  I know that may sound hard core, but she has so much stuff that we are running out of room for anything big.  Payton has also been exposed to American Girl from her cousin Addison.  Payton wants American Girl for Christmas.  Specifically, she wants the exact American Girls that Addison has.  Addison has three:  Sage, Emily, and one that looks like her.  Although I think that she is a little young for American Girl, I gave in and may have had Santa order her Sage and one that looks like her for her birthday/ Santa present.  I feel a little guilty about her getting two within days of one another, but it really isn't her fault she was born within three days of Christmas.  Also, those are her big gifts from us as her parents and Santa.  It also works out because I assigned each set of grandparents a doll to buy accessories for if they wanted.  It really did make it easier because they of course want to get her what she wants and it is small.  Win/ Win.

Payton completed her soccer season and her team scored a total of 38 goals with Payton scoring 30 of them.  She loved soccer and was sad to see it end.  I really wasn't that sad because there were some pretty cold, rainy Saturday mornings.  The next soccer I can get her into is in January and it is indoors.  I am still looking for one that has the practices on the same day as the game.  I don't think we are ready to commit to two times a week for soccer.  Here she is after one of her games.

On the school front, we have changed Payton's school.  She is now going to the Spanish Schoolhouse.  We switched because the other Spanish school did not have any English instruction.  The Spanish Schoolhouse is still an immersion program, but they have a teacher that teaches 30 minutes a day in English for kindergarten prep.  We are not too worried about her being prepared for kindergarten, but we did want her to have a little more exposure to English in a school setting with reading.

Derek and I also toured/interviewed a private school for kindergarten.  We were really impressed.  It is a classical approach to learning.  I won't explain it because I won't do it justice, but google it.  Also, the school is reasonably priced and the teachers seemed great.  We actually got to go into every classroom.  Also, there is a maximum of 18 kids in kindergarten with a teacher and a teacher assistant.  Do not make the mistake like I did of referring to her as a teacher aide.  Huge mistake.  Because, as it was explained to me, she is a certified teacher with a teaching degree.  With anything in life, there are pros and cons to private vs. public as well as which private school.  I have also learned that some people have some very hot opinions regarding the same.  We still have one more place to look at before we commit totally.  Given the location and how much we can afford for school, there really are only two or three options for private schools.  Just for grins, I went to the website of the "elite" private school in Fort Worth.  I almost had a heart attack because for kindergarten is was over 18K a year.  That didn't include the uniform or extracurricular activities.  Also, like all schools, the higher the grade the more expensive.  Therefore, for high school you are paying over 28K a year.

Derek and I are still debating on how long we would want her in private school.  I think we both agree we want her there through the elementary years and then go from there.


What else...............we are going out of town for Thanksgiving.  I already have all the trees up, but only one decorated.  I feel that is somewhat of an accomplishment.  Also, we going on another ski trip after the first of the year.  This time to Salt Lake City.  We have never been to Utah and are looking forward to it.


Hopefully, I will be better about blogging all of our adventures, but who knows...............

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.