Taxes, Truancy, & Temptation to Scrap...

Hey there...

Taxes...

Yes - it is Tax time... We of course already did our personal taxes early on this year... but now that I run a business - I need to file for that... I actually fill out a quarterly for state taxes and up until this point, it was fairly easy because there was very little business to report... now, however, I have to attempt to read through all the paperwork and learn how to file correctly. Just the thought of it makes me tired!? Luckily, Dave is really into it and is wanting to learn more about the whole thing... Have at it, is what I say! He can be my tax man... I'm good with that!


Truancy...

Oh yes - as Darcie vaguely mentioned a few days ago... we are having issues with our daughter and excessive tardiness. Let me first say - because it may be misunderstood if I don't say so up front - we aer taking this seriously... it is a problem and we are not flippant about it at all. Secondly, my daughter is SOOOooooooo not a morning person... I actually enrolled her in afternoon kindergarten back in the day on PURPOSE... so this is not like a new issue... she was never late, not one day, to Kindergarten! First grade, second grade... she would walk into class as the tardy bell rang... but she would make it... Third grade, Fourth grade, Fifth grade... same thing - give or take a few minutes here and there. So - when we started Middle School and we knew she would have to be in class an hour earlier... we prepared ourselves for this difficult transition. However, the excitement of a new school and new friends, new teachers, new schedules caused her to awake EARLY... yes EARLY - and we did not have issues with Tardiness until about mid-October. Towards the end of October, it got colder, darker, and harder to wake her up in time. I am a stay at home Mom - and I drive my kid to school myself - so there should not be any issues of tardiness... but she is simply too big for me to pick up and put in the car now... we would go round and round... After about 10 tardies I went in to the office in December to talk with the Attendance secretary. Her advise to me was to threaten the School Bus to my daughter... after all - she wouldn't miss the school bus! (What!??!??!?!) Of course, for her to take the bus to school - she'd have to be ready a half hour EARLIER?! Made no sense to me at all... but - we did work to be better. Let me just state, 'for the record', that when she is late - this means that she is walking into class as the bell rings. It's not like she is skipping 1st period - or even 1/2 of 1st period?! Anyway - at the end of March, I received a letter from the school saying that if she continued with her tardiness, they would hand over her file to the Juvenile Court system for Truancy. ??? Yep - truancy... now - I know - being late is horrible... I recently read a book that had a quote in it that said something like Being late is selfishness... it takes no account of anyone elses' time or schedules. Ouch?! So - we are working on it! She has been late a total of 14 times this school year... Now I know that that is actually a lot... but really - it's only been 3 times since January - which should show a great improvement. So - the treat of Juvie - well - our kid is really such a great kid - gets great grades, never is in trouble at school, is very respectful and responsible, etc - well - the Juvie/being put 'in the system' sort of cracked us up!? I mean - we made a note to not be late anymore... but it was so out of character for her - she shared it with glee...?! BUT THEN I received an e-mail from the school saying that they were taking Disciplinary Action against her for being late... on the day that I got the e-mail. Which just so happened to be a day that I took her to school over 40 minutes early?! At first, my brain went back to the 80s when my sister would skip school after my Mom dropped her off at the school... but after a few minutes, I realized that this is not my kid - even though we sort of joked about her Juvie threat, she was scared too - I knew she had to have been seated when that bell rang! So - I started to type out a response... then I took a breath - deleted that one, and prayed - and started again! I went in to talk with the school when picking her up and it turns out - they don't know WHY she was marked late that day and it shouldn't have happened?! Hmmm?! Well - how many of the OTHER tardies should she not have had to deal with!? I know that we have cut it close many times - - too many times - but still?! This little eye opener makes me wonder?! Anyway - from now until June - we will be leaving the house EARLY so she has plenty of time to get settled and in her seat!


Temptation to Scrap...

I still have a stack of photo's to scrapbook! STILL!?!??!?!?!?!? I know, I know... thank you very much! No - please, sit down... it's really not that big of a deal! I have had a stack of photo's to scrap for over a week... and each time I go downstairs I see it there... just waiting for me!? But - I managed to stay out of them! I have my Scrap group tomorrow night... and then I signed up for a weekend Crop here in town... Friday night/Saturday day and night... so - ya know - I had to wait so I had something to do?!?!! I don't have the new job photo's yet - so I have to have my own projects to work on! Anyway - I have been reading a lot... and walking/exercising... I think I read five books last week!? I had to keep busy to stay out of those pictures! Now - today - I have to go and sort of 'preplan' my pages so I know what to pack! I have met three new scrappers in the past month or so... they all have all the toys... I realized that I am a bare-bones scrapper - I like all the gadgets and all - but I don't spend my money on them so much... just ask Darcie - my hands used to be bruised from that @#$( QuiKutz of hers! LOL!? Anyway - as much as I love all the extra's and tools and toys - I love that they are not necessary to create a great page! Anyway - this is my Scrap weekend... I will be scrapped OUT (and caught up!) after Saturday night!

Scrap On!
~Karrilee~