Play Date - OR - Is your child free today/tomorrow/next week/month?

I am so proud of myself, I am the play date organising Queen of the world. Well actually, probably not since I only have two lined up for J and one lined up for W and kind of half of a maybee one for M...

I was lucky in Jerra that I did not have to work to hard for paly dates for the children since the neighbours were fabulous (I hope they are reading this and know how much I appreciate their friendship) and their children lovely friends for mine. J also had a couple of good friends and with after school activities they were quite satisfied. Coming here I decided that I would try harder to get children over to play in order to boost J, W, & M's friend making and perhaps even make a friend or two myself.

Actually it is a tricky business here since many children have Nannies so you often don't meet the parents at the classroom. The children get quite a lot of homework and both of mine have a significant amount every night (expect Friday), they both do Kumon too which has to be done everyday and more often that not there is not time in the morning. Lots of the other children have lots of after school activities (J&W just started Magic Club this term on Monday after school) and their Schedules are full.

Now, if some one asks me if J or W is free on a certain day I can pretty much say yes or no without having to come home and "check their respective schedules". Not so the children of FM elementary school! These children are so full of extra curicular activities and play dates - booked weeks on advance I might add, that trying to fit into their schedule is rather tricky.

So the fact that I have set up a play date for J with a friend of her class for the Tuesday of the shcool holidays is an achievement that I am rather proud of. The second one for her is a friend from out side of school and it is never hard to make a date with her, lovely family who are also trying to help foster our daughters relationship. J will be so excited when she learns she will be going to A's house and staying for lunch. W's date is with a lovely little boy from his class who invited W weeks ago for a play and is very busy, so fitting in with him was tricky too. I have another little boy in mind for a play but that is the one who's mum seems to be avoiding me. (perhaps I am just a little paranoid, I do live on the wrong side of the road I imagine, but we'll see).

On another note! D arrives home today, so long as airlines and airports and trains all cooperate. We are all very keen for him to get home, M was crying yesterday becasue "daddy was never ever going to come back" but he got over it quickly when I explained that daddy should be home for dinner just the very next day. It should be earlier than that but I always leave a little fudge factor just in case.

Easter is coming - what to do, I have bought nothing and would love for it to just go by without any one realising but these things are easier said than done here in the USA - holiday capital of the world. Holiday translating into "whatever halmark can create a card for and therefore make lots of money out of" think..Valentines Day, St Patricks Day, Easter, Passover (whoops wrong cronalogical order there) Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Halloween, Thanks Giving, Hanaka (sp), Christmas. I don't think I can hide the children from any of the Easter stuff going on around them. M is having an Easter party at school today, I made cupcakes (my never fail butter cake recipie with butter icing in this case coloured pink, pale blue and Pale yellow - so spring!). I was not required to provide anything for the other two.

For Valentines day though, we were provided with class lists from J and W's teachers in order to prepare a valantine for each child in the class. M had to do them too but he just had to sign them - then I forgot any way. The children still have a bag of valentines loot in the cupboard which I won't let them eat, I know, I am so very mean - but then I would have to deal with the sugar induced behaviour and it is not pretty.

I have to go now, whilst my husband is under no illusions as to the quality of my house keeping, I should at least do the dishes before he comes home!

Cheers - It is Spring!