Our First School Shopping Adventure (AKA: Make Mommy & Daddy Broke Adventure)

My Mother-In-Law and I took Isis school shopping today. I went into it with a plan and a budget. I gave myself $200 and we needed:

• (5) Shirts
• (5) Pants
• (10) underwear
• sneakers
• socks
• back pack
• lunch pail

We were originally going to go downstate by about 70 miles. There is a far better selection of stores there. However, when we woke up this morning it was 60 degrees and pouring rain. I just could not bring myself to get the girls in and out of the car for Target, Old Navy and Kohl's while trying to dodge the rain.

So instead we shopped locally, at our nearest mall (which is a huge joke to even call it a mall, they lose stores so quickly). They have a JCPenny, Sears, Bon-Ton and a Shoe Department. I figured for a Pre-K we'd be set with those.

We started in JCPenny's. I found three shirts, two pairs of pants and two packages of underwear. I was on a roll! I thought I had picked out several good deals. Then we got to the register: Woo boy! $83 worth of Woo boy! I was stunned. Both my Mother-In-Law and I reviewed the receipt several times to verify it was correct, and it was.

How can that be possible for a 4-year old?!

I was starting to think maybe, I just needed to turn right around and drive to Walmart. With their square shaped pants and all. I mean really what's a little 'baggy ass syndrome' in a 4-year old right? She wasn't going to care.

But instead, I trudged on to Bon-Ton where I expected to be further depleted of my hard earned money. But, we were pleasantly surprised! We found jeans that were significantly cheaper. Cheap enough to return the two pairs we had bought at JCPenny, promptly.

We came out of there with two shirts and 5 pairs of pants for $78. Much better. Phew.

In the shoe store we came upon a new surprise. Isis has moved on to a size 11 shoe. This elusive size is no longer welcomed in the toddler shoes, but not quite cool enough for the big kid section either, apparently. There was nary a pair of cool Dora, Strawberry Shortcake or light up shoes to be found in a size 11.

We were forced to move on to the boring (to a 4-year old) Nike's, Puma's, Sketchers, etc. I must have shot down 10 pairs before we found one under $30. I mean really, I found a pair of clogs I loved for $20. How could they possibly be more material then my size 9 wide!

We ended up settling on a pair of white Converse for Isis, a cute pair of off brand boys shoes for Rory (because really, for 16 month old girls there is nothing but blazing pink) and a Dora back pack/lunch pail combo. All & All it was $64 total.

So, my total cost (after returning the jeans to JCPenny's, and deducting Rory's shoes) was $177. If you add the cost of lunch ($15) then we are dangerously close to what I personally thought was a generous budget!

What am I going to do when I have two girls in highschool! We are so going to go broke.

Isis is Headed to School

I have no idea how 4 1/2 years went by so quickly, but Isis is headed off to Pre-K in another couple of weeks (September 7th). She had her screening this past Tuesday. I honestly thought for sure that she would be really timid and wouldn't cooperate if we weren't involved in the screening. But, she surprised us both and went on her merry way with the teacher without a lick of argument.

I'm a bit disappointed with the communication thus far from the school. We had to have our applications for Pre-K in by May 8th. They never sent out decisions until the middle of July. That means if she hadn't made it into Pre-K (they use a lottery system if there are too many kids, and there was) then we would have had no time to find her something else.

We are still waiting to hear who her teacher will be (they decide after screening) and we don't know yet if there will be a supply list or not. There is also no orientation (only a visitation day for the kids only). There is a 'Meet the Teachers' night two days after school starts.

I'm terrified to put her on the bus that first morning (or even the day of visitation). This really will be the first thing she's done without Jon, myself or my Mother-In-Law with her. I think my biggest fear it going to be simply that she won't get on the bus at all! I suppose we can always drive her in if we need to. They are going to harness her on the bus in a carseat. That's the one piece I was impressed about. They didn't seem to bat an eye when I asked. She's only 31lbs right now and I just don't like the idea of her being free roaming on the bus.

I'm sure she'll do fine. Right? I know she's certainly a smart cookie!

25 Random Things (as a form of re-introduction):

1. My name is Erin, as you may have guessed from the title of my blog (which, if I do say so myself, needs to be changed) and I'm 27.

2. I have a super cool husband whom I love very much, named Jon, and two cute-as-a-button girls, Isis & Aurora, who are 4 years and 16 months.

3. We live in the 'sticks' in Eastern Upstate NY. You can't get much farther North in NY. We're about 30 miles from the Canadian border (No, not Buffalo...go East).

4. I have always been somewhat of a Tom Boy. I have never been, and never will be a girly-girl. However, I do love purses and the color pink. But, remember: everything in moderation.

5. I'm a Type I Diabetic and have been for 14 years. I was 13 when I was diagnosed and I'm on an Insulin pump, which just so happens to be pink.

6. My oldest daughter Isis was born on April 23rd, on my 23rd birthday at 23:46.

7. Which reminds me: I always use military time, for everything. No, I've never been in the Military. No, thanks for asking: Neither has either of my parents.

8. My Mother and Step Father were killed by a drunk driver 5 years ago.

9. I'm blunt and I'll always tell you the truth. Sometimes that makes me hard to take. Trust me I do have tact, it just comes down to if you deserve it.

10. I'm an Operations Manager for a contact center. We do technical support. Most days I love my job. I love be a leader, and I'm a control freak, so management suits me well.

11. I use too many commas. Just getting that out of the way, so there is no need to bring it up later.

12. I love Jeeps. It's a communicable disease that I caught from my husband, Jon. I have Stage 1 Jeep-o-sis and he has full blown Stage 4. You should see some of the crap he brings home.

13. Related to #12, we love to Mud Bog, trail ride, fish and camp. It's especially cool when we convoy with others and chat on the CB's.

14. I am somewhat of a geek, but less so these days. This disease I caught before my husband and I met, but he's exacerbated it given he's a Unix/Linux System Administrator. I own a Mac and I love it, but I won't likely try to sell you on it. I'm not one of those.

15. I love to read. I read at least one book per week. It's seriously the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes.

16. I meant my closest friend online. No, not in that way. We both belong to the same forum about our Type I Diabetes. One thing led to another and well you know, it just happened. Last weekend we drove 10+ hours to see her on Friday and drove home again Tuesday. That, is love (or total craziness).

17. My children are total opposites. One has dark hair, dark eyes, is shy to a fault but has a fiery temper. The other has blond hair, blue eyes and is so happy go lucky and social she'll make you puke. One looks just like me and the other just like my husband.

18. I'm currently being tested for Melanoma. I had the first biopsy and that came back inconclusive, so yesterday I had a big patch of skin removed to re-test. If I have cancer at 27, someone is going to hear about it. I mean, really?

19. I like piercings and tattoos: On other people. I don't currently have any. I figure by now, in a professional position I may 'rock the boat' if I come in with metal somewhere in my head. A tattoo I would still consider, but I need to make sure I want it there when I'm 80. But anyway, on other people: totally sexy.

20. I love to travel. Put me in a car going nowhere fast and I'm happier then happy could be. We want to drive to Alaska someday and I'd love to go to Ireland. I think if I was single I would take a job that required me to travel all over the country (or further).

21. I'm not a Christian. Funny how I state that rather then "I'm a...(fill in the blank here)". Mostly because, I grew up as a Christian and I'm always afraid that there is someone lurking around the corner waiting to yell at me for changing my mind. I do however, read a lot of conservative Christian blogs. I like other peoples prospectives and opinions.

22. We have a dog named Piper. Sometimes I regret the day I walked into the shelter to find a 'cute puppy'. But, eventually he'll calm down. Right?

23. I always feel like when you are thinking of 25 random things about yourself you should include a hidden talent. Except, I'm pretty sure I don't have one. I used to be able to remember phone numbers really well, but the age of the cell phones killed that. Now I just use my address book like everyone else. I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue though! Wait: No I can't. Damn.

24. I'm starting to run out of things to say. Oh! A random fact about our (very) small town. The only month on record that it's never snowed? August.

25. Speaking of puke: Give me a break I did say something about puke up there somewhere. I hate it. No, that's wrong. I HATE it. Which has been a struggle with having kids. Of course you just push through it and get on with life, but really I do. It must be genetic, because so does my sister.