Wow, that daycare bill is staggering.

Emmett's pre-school and kindergarten costs were equivalent to an extra rent payment. About $800/month. Before that it was cheaper, but I lucked out with a job that had its own subsidized daycare. So it was only $400 a month.

But we get to talk to Mr. Vartan while waiting on line for coffee.

Dude. I am not paying enough rent!

Emmett's pre-school and kindergarten costs were equivalent to an extra rent payment. About $800/month.

I thought that was around normal. I only looked back in Colorado, but at the time, I remember thinking that around 10K per year was average.

That's the other cool thing about the bales, that you can shape and mold them as you please. They can be rounded off, shelves and niches can be built in (picture my new library with floor to ceiling bookshelves, but built into the wall itself, so totally in with the house scheme). You can build in seating areas. Oh, and because the walls are so thick, there are almost automatically window seats or thick display windowsills everywhere.

And did I mention, cheap? Especially with reclaimed materials, and ongoing, with little heating/cooling costs.

I am not paying enough rent!

There's an easy fix for that...

Man, the childcare costs are freaking me out. We've been (finally) talking about the subject, but I dunno if I can handle it in general, least of all the finances.

YOU CANT AVOID THE GIRLSCOUT COOKIE MAFIA!

Not when they bring the youngest girls to your desk, who then look at you with bigbig eyes and say, all in one breath, "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies they're made with real Girl Scouts". Word has gotten out through the Girl Scout Mafia: quote Addams Family at the scary people in black clothes, and they'll buy boxes of Thin Mints.

But we get to talk to Mr. Vartan while waiting on line for coffee.

We get to grocery shop with Eric McCormack and Chad Michael Murray and buy pet food with the T2 guy. whoo.

And we haven't even gotten to the weather thing.

Which, the thing where it's coastal fog alla time? Have you gotten more used to the cold?

That's the other cool thing about the bales, that you can shape and mold them as you please.

This is one of the coolest parts of my parents' house. Basically, the house is one big and one small octagon. The walls are all sort of rounded with huge window ledges. It makes for really cool spaces. My mom is a big fan of The Not So Big House . Straw bale is a form that is pretty conducive to the ideas in the book.

Hee! I have not been gotten by the Girl Scout Mafia. Hopefully the SO will pick some up when he hits the supermarket today and the cute little girls are standing outside in the rain looking all pitiful and sweet.