Does anyone have a spare zillion dollars to loan me? Thanks.

Remember the Year of Austerity?

Yeah, neither do I.

In the last month, here are some things that have popped up:

Lester needed work done on his car, which has close to 150,000 miles on it.  $$

The ceiling in the boys room collapsed. Yes, collapsed. We had to get it fixed with the quickness before the whole slab of plaster fell in on our sleeping darlings. $$$

Dean thought it would be an interesting experiment to see what would happen if he flushed a toy zebra down the toilet. The plumber snaked, vacuumed, tried to break it up, etc. Nothing worked. By the time he finished banging incessantly, we had to buy a new toilet. $$

Our oven has stopped working. Just doesn't come on for some reason. We have to call a repairman this week. I'm sure he'll say we need a new stove, because why wouldn't he. (projected $$$)

The railing outside the house, leading up to our porch, is wobbling - badly. This is dangerous, not to mention an insurance infraction. (projected $$)

The boys outgrew the sneakers we bought them at the BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER. And Clair's toes are hanging off of her little jellies - and the sandals we bought her at the BEGINNING OF SUMMER. We had to buy all of them new shoes. And coats for the winter. Clair still has a lot of hand-me-downs (thank goodness) but somehow mostly dresses and tops. So we had to buy her pants. The boys still have some of Russy's old clothes, but somehow mostly pants, so we had to buy them tops. We went to the mall on Saturday. We left absolutely broke.
$$$$

In addition to soccer, which starts in September for C & D, we have to figure out which activities to enroll all the kids in this fall and winter.

Here are our plans:
Music class for Clair - Sunday mornings
Tumbling class for all kids - Thursday evenings (which will mean crazy rushing after work)
Swim class for all kids - sometime starting in the winter

Can you say "mo' money, mo' money, mo' money?"
$$$$$$$$$

In other news, I'm back to my foolproof financial savings plan of playing the lottery. I'll let you know how that turns out.

I need a second job!

One thing I was not prepared for when the boys started school was the sheer volume of things we would be asked to sell, purchase, pay for, fund, raise money for etc.

Since Cary and Dean started pre-school, we have already had to bug our friends at work to buy cakes, cookies and pizza for a fundraiser. We've gotten a coupon book the school wanted us to buy (we didn't). The boys got sent home with 25 tickets to a turkey dinner that we are required to sell (which means we're just sending in a check for $25, because I'm not selling turkey dinner tickets). And we have to send in diapers and wipes every month -- a huge box to share.  That one I get, because the boys are still in diapers, but added to everything else, it all starts to get a little overwhelming.

At least twice a week, we get notes from the school like this:

• Please help the school's Certificate Program!  We need to sell $150.00 in AMC Theaters and/or Applebees to receive an additional $7.75 discount!  That may not seem like a lot, but it adds up! 
• The preschool classes will be riding their bikes for the annual Trike-a-thon to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.   Please make your donations payable to "St. Jude  Children's Research Hospital."
• Longaberger Basket Bingo - Location:  Church Hall  Cost:  $15 in advance and $20 at the door.  Food and baked goods will be on sale starting at 6 P.M.  Bingo will start at 7 P.M.  Plan to join us for this fun fundraiser that will benefit the church and the school.

And there are countless other things -- I've lost count, truly, and it's only October. I don't mind helping the school, but good grief! My head is spinning with all the requests for money!

The latest thing is a fall festival next week, where the school will have the kids make scarecrows. I assumed from the flyers they've sent home that the scarecrow part of the festival was optional, but I was told yesterday that no, we are required to buy the materials for Cary and Dean to make scarecrows.

Please keep in mind I just bought the boys a whole complement of fall things, like fleeces, hoodies and these super-cute puffer vests:

So I was none too pleased about being told I now have to buy two sets of overalls, two shirts, two sets of pantyhose, and two hats. I have two boys after all. They both will want to make scarecrows!

Their teacher said, "Oh, just go to the thrift store." But the last time I checked, the thrift store still requires actual money in exchange for their goods!

Ugh!

I know I'm being a little huffy about this, and I know it's all for a good cause. I want the school and all the kids -- not just mine -- to have the things they need to be successful. But I honestly (naively) thought that the tuition plus materials fees we paid before school started was the extent of  the cash we'd be "required" to shell out.

I suppose the boys going to school is as much an education for me as it is for them.