Crown me

I went to the dentist today to get the permanent crowns on the two teeth that have been causing me so many problems all year. It took me nine appointments over five or six months to completely finish the work. I originally went in for one crown and a filling and ended up with gum surgery and two crowns.

But today the whole ordeal is over and the dentist even sprung for some fancy schmancy crown material that is apparently indestructible because even he doesn't want to revisit this whole mess. I've got two bionic teeth back there now, lol.

So, good. Done. I can stop stressing out about it. Onward and upward.

Next on the agenda is getting Josh back to school tomorrow. We've been school shopping, we got him registered, gave him a teenage makeover, and he's ready to start 8th grade. He seems excited to go back this year but a little nervous because he has a ton on his plate this year. Between yearbook, film club, honor society and two honors classes, plus working on getting his Eagle scout, he's going to be really busy. He can handle it though. He's always been a goal oriented kid. He likes lists and schedules and he likes being busy. I think he'll do great.

I'm looking forward to getting back on a school schedule. Things run a bit more orderly during the school year and we all do better on a schedule. Clarissa is looking forward to going back to preschool in September and I'm looking forward to gaining a bit of free time again.

It has got me thinking about what I want to do next year when she starts Kindergarten and I'm home alone during the day. I know myself and I need to find something to keep myself busy. There was a year before Clarissa came home that I was home alone all day when the boys were both in school. But back then I was super busy with adoption stuff. Remember that? I was blogging back then. Remember all those months I waited for the phone to ring and drove you all crazy with the whining? Lol

Anyway, in another year I'm going to be back to being alone during the day and I'm already planning what I'm going to do. First of all, I want to learn a new hobby. Sometime in this next year I think I'm going to buy a piano and start taking piano lessons when Clarissa starts Kindergarten. I actually played the piano as a kid. My mom made me take lessons for years and I hated it and she always told me that some day I would regret it if I gave up. That day is here, and my mother was right, I do regret it. Now I really wish I could play the piano. So I'm going to buy a piano and relearn to play. At one point I could play the piano, but it's been so long that I'm not sure how much I'm going to have to start from scratch. I'm up for it. Playing the piano sounds like fun to me now. I might sign Clarissa up for lessons too.

I'm also kicking around taking some college classes. That is something I've wanted to do forever but I still can't quite decide what I want to be when I grow up, so so far I haven't pursued it too much.

But I still have another year to figure all that out. This year I'm just going to enjoy having Clarissa home for this last year. I still can't believe she's almost in elementary school! Didn't we just bring her home yesterday?! She's doing awesome these days, by the way. She still obsessed with cooking. Her favorite thing in the world is watching cooking shows and she knows all the terminology. When I'm making something and I get out butter she'll say "are you using one stick of butter?" And when I go to measure something she'll say "are you measuring out one cup of liquid?". It cracks me up every time. She loves to stand on a chair and watch me make dinner and I let her help me measure and pour. She's a good little helper in the kitchen. I think Santa is going to need to bring her her own special apron and an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. :)

 But for now I'm off to find something to eat with my new bionic teeth and get Josh's backpack ready for tomorrow. Stay turned for first day of school photos!