Wow..has it really been over a month since I last wrote? It's been such a busy time.

We made an offer on a house (that was accepted), sold our house and went on vacation...then the kids started school!

I initially enrolled them in our year-round charter school, but within a week I sent them back to the public schools. Nothing really was wrong..it's just that the kids were not happy. My oldest son wanted desperately to move on to the middle school to be with his friends. He wanted to join the band and take part in the knowledge bowl. My daughter hated wearing uniforms and just didn't feel like she was connecting with the kids/teacher. This was magnified by the fact that school didn't get out until 3.30pm and we didn't end up making it home until about 4.15pm.

Making the decision to switch back was tough...and I've regretted it from time to time...but at the end of the day, the kids are all happier. The thing that sold me on it at the end was that a good friend of mine teaches 1st grade in the new elementary school that our children are slated for with the new house. She agreed to take my 1st grader in her class and to handpick a teacher for my daughter. Then she helped us get a wonderful 5th grade teacher for my freshly minted middle-schooler.

It's working out pretty well. My oldest is now playing the saxophone and is doing well socially. Things (crossing my fingers) seem to be going well.

I'm adjusting prett well to not working this semester. I thought I would end up feeling badly or missing it. Instead, I just feel relief. I have time to focus on writing and just generally taking care of my little guy.

Surprisingly, I feel very peaceful about things. I'm glad that I'm not at the U dealing with kids who feel entitled to their A because they paid tuition (even if they need a calculator to multiply!). I am going to use this time to focus on writing and deciding what I will do in years to come.