It is FRIGID in the office dungeon this morning. If I ever own my own business and rent office space I will NEVER take a space on the lower level. I miss windows, sunlight, and WARMTH.

Millie the pug is sick today. I'm hoping it is nothing too serious. I am thinking her issue is constipation. I'm buying her canned pumpkin today. A while back she had this issue and the vet shared the pumpkin idea with us. Remarkably, it does the trick.

This week I plan to sign my kids up for their summer swim (and maybe golf). Hubby loved the soccer coach stuff he got for Father's Day. I'm so glad! I wanted to not be a sucky wife this time around. I finally feel like I did an okay job for him on a holiday.

Christmas and his birthday were lost to two separate golf items that didn't pan out. Both were greens, one indoor and one outdoor. Neither panned out and I had enormous guilt. We didn't have the money to build the putting green in the back yard due to his lack of pay. The other thing was a putting green for the indoors, but the special order never came in and he decided he didn't want it anymore. So both times there was build up for the good gift, but no follow through. This time I went really simple with things he'd need as a soccer coach and he loved it. I'm so glad!

Today my sitter starts. Susie just finished her freshman year in college and is going into elementary education. I told her she should get pre student teaching hours for her work this summer because we have a math workbook that she's going to do with the kids all summer. She is also in charge of ensuring they write in their journals -- one page per day. They must also read a minimum of 15 minutes per day. Susie was happy to have some structure this year. I'm working up a weekly schedule for them. Today they enjoy freedom. My only goal for her (besides the learning stuff) was to wear my kids out! They are wearing me out so she needs to wear them out.

I'm so glad to have Susie full time this summer. Last summer she split the duties with my sister. I'm excited not to have my sister watching my kids because last year seemed like one year too many. She is more into her house and her time off that she is her niece and nephew. That's fine, just don't take the sitting job and then put nothing into it. If you have the kids for the summer you should try to do something with them vs. dragging them on your errands.

Susie realizes that the kids are her job. I'm fine with her reading and studying while they are at lessons, but she knows her job is to wear them out. She wants them to have a FUN summer and that is what I want their sitter to want. She is great at caring for them and keeping them safe. She is nearly as paranoid as me, and that is a good thing in my book!

Hopefully Millie the pug does not get any sicker today.