Happy Halloween!

The first grade "harvest" party was today...it was fun.

Of course all of the parents contribute to the party. I bought plates and napkins on sale last year, so I don't honestly remember now how much I spent...I think I'll put $5 into the spreadsheet, though. That's pretty conservative. I've also added our bookfair expenditures - which we enjoyed on parent/teacher conference day and the subsequent holidays from school!

As IF......!

This 5th grade D.A.R.E. dinner is really milking us: Now, AS IF buying candy and tickets to the event weren't enough, we can also buy raffle tickets! I won't be surprised if we get a note tomorrow asking for raffle donations!

I have added a running total to the spreadsheet. It is pretty interesting to note that we could have easily spent $1000 on AD during the first two months of this school year. And somewhat disturbing to note that we have already spent over $350.

Where has this month gone?!

Tonight when my outraged friend asked, "Can you believe all of the notes from school we've gotten lately, asking for money?" I knew it was way past time for me to post...

I've updated the spreadsheet.

In old business:
We spent only $9.61 at McDonald's night. On just the kids. I'm guessing I spent more on gasoline waiting in the drive-thru than the school actually got back from our purchase. But we were there, in solidarity with all of the other Green Tree devotees!

AD didn't go to the movie night, so I moved that $5 from the accepted to the rejected column.

The class field trip was windy and cold, but so fun. The little bro and I drove separately from the school buses and spent $11 on ferry rides across the river(s) to get to the orchard. Money well spent, though. Made some memories...priceless. (That money will NOT appear in the spreadsheet, fyi.)

That 5th grade D.A.R.E. function is becoming a regular backpack filler. Now they are asking for donations to create the party that we will later pay to attend. First grade families are to provide a bag of candy for them to give out as prizes for the games the kids will play.

And new business:
The computer class is sending home "book-order" forms for computer software. If we expose our child to computers and other technology at home, we will give them an advantage in today's increasingly high-tech world...according to the note. It looks like most of the games cost about $29.95, so that is how much I am rejecting at this time. (We have a computer, we have some games, we have the Internet. Honestly, does he need more?) Notes came home twice on this one, it must be important.

Then school will be out for a couple of days this week and next. We have the opportunity to enroll our child in a school-day program, which was designed for working parents, at the great rate of $25 per day, per child. I'll just take the day off this time.

Oh, and I must not forget that the fall Book Fair is currently underway. I guess most parents just send the kids to school with some money for this. I plan to be there, monitoring his choices, though. We'll do this shopping together this week.

And finally, the SECOND fall fund raiser. I spent $34. And that after this weekend's sermon on simplicity. But the cover of the catalog clearly states: Solutions to Simplify Your Life. HA!

October 5

Friday's backpack was SO full!

I'm finding this difficult to digest, but we have ANOTHER fundraiser. I'll post how much, if anything, I spend on this one when I do it. This time, we are selling gift wrap and gift items, just like last year.

We also have the opportunity to spend another $15 for a Wentzville parks & rec class. It sounds interesting...it's a science class with lots of experiments.

In November, there is a D.A.R.E. dinner sponsored by the 5th graders. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Other than that, there were just lots of reminders about all of the other ways we can spend our money to support our school and/or our child and his free public education.

October 3

SO BUSY!!!!

This morning, I quickly wrote out a $6 check for a field trip. I'm really looking forward to this one. We are going apple-picking and to a pumpkin patch. Money well spent, I hope.

I also edited the spreadsheet with the following: $10 for basketball clinic, and book orders were changed from $16.90 to $3.95. I decided at the last minute to just order one book. We will have this opportunity every month, after all!