And our School Photos are in

Ray and her "hiding the missing tooth" smile.

Greta and her "I have no idea who you are and why you're trying to make me smile" smile.

Things speed up and slow down...

In the last two weeks, my work day has been increasingly taken up with the Naval Ball that was held on Thursday. And my VicePMC who disregarded the rules and I had to ask for his resignation and suspend him for 30 days. He's appealing and asking for 15 days instead. That was so hard for me to do. Hurt my soul a little too. But he was great about it, and doesn't hold a grudge.

The Ball was a hoot. I don't have any photos with me in them, yet, but soon I hope. I got to see people I haven't seen in 20 years!

The girls are freaking OUT about Halloween. Of course, I was the one who did the pumpkin carving, but Ray designed hers. I screwed up Greta's, but saved it, I hope, by carving one that was barfing out his guts.

Once I'm back from church, I'll upload some photos while working on my next retail marketing assignment.

Next up at work - our first Mess Dinner in 15 years on Friday! I'm excited. And nervous because I get to run the show. Erk.

I'll do the Flex now, and just photos next time.

Sunday: church, homework, laundry

Mon: girls to school, me to work. Chiro. Ballet at night.

Tue: girls to school, me to work. Tap at night.

Wed: girls to school, me to work (no more academic days - boo).

Thu: girls to school, me to work. Insure the truck for tomorrow.

Fri: girls to work, me to work, hair chair, Mess Dinner. home late.

Sat: girls to ballet. Groceries.

And at some point I need to find my invigilator and get her to sign for my exams next month.

I wish I was two of me

because then I might be able to catch up with all my stuff I need to do.

Last night was a VERY Successful Oktoberfest at the Club. Too bad we ran out of boots. We ordered 50 and was sold out in 8 minutes! Next year I hope they order 100.

Sailor is away for another three days - back on Tuesday. Yay. Our sitter is going to be the richest kid in the Estates.

I'm hoping to hear back by Wednesday about the location for the store and the funding (ensuring the account is live) from the bank. Then I can order gowns in. Pretty exciting, really.

I have finished only my first marketing assignment. I'm in the middle of readings for assignment #2. I find it fascinating, but like much formal education, it's sucking the fun out of it for me. I really want to be switched on for it though, because it's Retail Marketing and it's important in order for me to be successful.

No picture yet. I want to take a couple more before posting them up. I got one of Ray and her missing tooth though!

This week's flex:

Sun: no-day. Did some laundry. Will watch PVRd shows and iron tonight once the girls are in bed.

Mon: Picture day at school. I'm busy at work getting stuff ready for a silent auction next week. Ballet at night.

Tue: Sailor's home. Work and school. Tap at night.

Wed: Off to the pumpkin patch with Greta and her class for the morning, then home for some work I hope.

Thu: Work and school.

Fri: Last day to make sure the silent auction stuff at the Club is ready to go. Drawing for door prizes for the Ball that morning!

Sat: Dance for the girls. Laundry and groceries.

Pictures of parties

The girls had their parties last week. What a sh*tshow. Ray spent her time melting down and Greta spent her time running around having the time of her life.

It's my birthday today. I spent my time driving between town, the spa, the house, and town. I have pretty toes though and two eyebrows instead of one. It's all good.

Ray's Cake

How Ray spent her time

Birthday photos at Sears.

Best of Ray

Not the best of Greta

Finally laughing

And Halloween Costumes are bought and on

This week's Flex:

Wed: my birthday. Bank. Spa. Bank. Kids. Chinese Take-away.

Thu: early work, CNC appreciation after work, home, change, sitter, off to girls' school for a parent info night/wine & cheese.

Fri: Sailor off work. I'm leaving early. We're heading to the bank in the afternoon to hopefully sign for a business LoC!!! Then getting the girls from school (Ray has the pumpkin patch field trip, lucky girl).

Sat: Dance for the girls.

Sun: Sailor leaves til Wednesday.

DND Photo Contest 2010

As promised, here are my entries for this year's contest:

Special Effects: Mayan Puzzle

Environment: Ice Castles

Family Life: Rolling through Summer

Open: Marching Troops have Priority

Military Life: On The Bridge

Naval Celebrations: The Wave

Portrait: Summer Sprinkler

Animal: In-Flight Refueling

Don't know how I'll do this year, but it would be nice to place again. I'll find out in November.

I know, I know

I haven't written in ages. I haven't forgotten, I've just gotten so damned busy I can't seem to make time for stuff. In fact, I'm doing this at work, and I really shouldn't be.

So, quick updates: taking 6 months Voc Rehab in Jan. End up with a release date in August to start the business. Girls' birthday parties on Sunday coming - garg! Baking, stuffing bags, etc etc. Ballet Monday nights - last week I thought my thighs were going to desert me. They didn't stop hurting til Wednesday night. So tonight I have Ballet, tomorrow first Tap of the season.

Things are busy at work with this Naval Ball thing taking up the majority of my time and coins taking a close second.

Found an old friend via Classmates this week. Amazing. Simply amazing. Still waiting to hear back from two others to see if they want to be friends or not.

I have pictures at home. I'll post some when I can. Speaking of which, I entered the photo contest for DND this year. I'll upload the photos and post them here - hopefully this week Ha!

Flex for the week:
Sailor's at sea til the 8th.
Mon: work, ballet
Tue: work, tap
Wed: off for education. Two coffee dates, finish math assignment 5/6. GOTTA finish Retail Marketing assignment 1/5.
Thu: work (maybe do a film, maybe not. find out on Tues). finish stuff for the parties.
Fri: work, pick up Ray's cake
Sat: dance for the girls, groceries. finishing touches on the food for tomorrow
Sun: church, set up for the parties, party!!, recover

September Morn

Ray was over the moon to start school again. She loved it! The teacher was super nice and had all the kids wave and say goodbye to us.

This was a momentous day for another reason too. Greta decided, after 9 months of regression, to start going to the bathroom in a toilet instead of in her pull-up. All day, from start til finish, she ran to the toilet and in the afternoon, when we picked her sister up, she even went into the toilet, locked the door, pulled off her bodysuit and tights, and then put them back on when she was done! I nearly sobbed, I was so happy.

Now we just have to work on #2.

The tailoring bill came to $89 for the blazer, a green school dress for Greta (hem) and hemming Ray's other uniform dress. The sleeves were STILL too long, so I ended up doing them myself, and I got a bag of buttons for the blazer, seeing as how Greta hid the one I had.

I have finished two assignments

from Math (83% on the first one!) and I'm in the middle of the first Retail Marketing one. The third course I wanted has gone up to over $850 including materials, but NOT including an extra $30 for a mandatory e-book, so I'm going to find another course to take instead.

Tomorrow is mine and Sailor

's 8th Anniversary. It'll be our 4th without both of us at home. I'm going to a local pub to celebrate with some girlfriends anyway, as I've found a sitter for a couple of hours.

The fund-raiser on Friday was great. I won the first raffle draw and picked a $50 gift card to the local CB&W store. Then I won the second-to last draw and got a $20 gift certificate to a local pizza place. Perfection! A great time was had by all, and we raised a lot of money for our friend. I even got to sing a song before I had to leave.

I've just finished making a raspberry dream cake and some marshmallow fondant. Seems Greta wants a Buzz Lightyear cake, so I'm practicing doing something else. I just have no idea what else to do - don't know what to put between layers, or the design over it. I've asked around for some ideas.

Yesterday I got to sing at a friend's birthday party - Beatles medley and "Hit The Road Jack". Then I went to another friend's party and we hung out fo

r a while then went home.

This week's Flex:

Mon: Greta to JK for an hour. Ray has day 3 of Grade 1!! I'm going to make a chocolate zucchini loaf and a wacky cake for the Saturday festival at the church. Going out to celebrate my 8th wedding anniversary with some of the girls. Early night back though.

Tue: The girls take the bus into school and I'm back to work. That night we're babysitting for a friend and they're staying the night.

Wed: Off for academic leave. Girls to school, then more baking (banana loaves probably), the car into the shop, the fireplace is getting maintained, meeting with the seamstress who answered my ad, oh, and some homework. Then getting the girls, picking up our veggies from the farm.

Thu: work and girls on the bus.

Fri: work, friend N is driving the girls in for me, and with luck I can get off work at 2 to get them.

Sat: First day of ballet. Ray is whining that she doesn't want to dance this year, but tough shit, she's going. Greta starts Musical Movement. Then we're to the Church's Festival where I'm singing for 30 minutes (guess I gotta practice this week too, eh?), then we're going home to our usual weekend stuff: laundry, groceries, etc etc.

And now onto the pictures:

Day 1 of Grade 1: