My big boy turned FIVE today! I can't believe it! He really wanted a Bumblebee transformer and was thrilled when he unwrapped it! Unfortunately he woke up with a fever this morning and has been lethargic and complaining of a headache. I hope this doesn't last too long!

Please don't grow up so fast!

Being a working mother is so hard....as all of you reading this already know! Last week I found out (not from our daycare provider mind you but because her mother-in-law accidentally let it slip!!) that our babysitter was quitting and starting her own business. It wasn't until yesterday that Christy (the babysitter) told us that she is quitting. So I've been fretting (and crying!) over this for a whole week now wondering what I am going to do. Oh, and she's given me a whopping 2 weeks notice which with the Thanksgiving holiday is really just one week. So what am I supposed to do? I've called my R.S. President to see if she knows of anyone doing daycare in their home but she wasn't able to give me many leads. My sister Janeen gave me three promising leads but I have only been able to get ahold of one of them (the other two never answer their phones). Christy did provide me with a list of daycare providers in the WJ area but that doesn't really help me since I need someone in Diamond Summit neighborhood so that Tyler can continue to attend preschool. The three ladies I have talked to who actually have openings and live within the area that I need can't take my kids because Trevor is considered an infant until he turns two (March) because the state regulations won't allow more than 2 kids under the age of 2 per provider. So basically I'm screwed! Brad and I both have parents who work so they are not options, our sisters either work and/or live too far away to tend. I feel like these are my options:

• Quit my job (which I happen to love and is my dream job) and stay home with the boys until we lose our house and have to live in a cardboard box under the overgrown trees along the Jordan River parkway.
• Quit my job and work a different job at night (post office doing data entry anyone? proof operator again?) so that I can be home during the day with the kids and Brad can be home at night with the kids thus eliminating the need for childcare but also eliminating the time that Brad and I actually get to see each other.
• Take Tyler out of preschool and just choose whichever daycare provider I can find who I feel comfortable with, is reasonably priced and available. This isn't fair to Tyler who has developed friendships at school.
• Find people to tend the kids until March at which time I can get on with a regular sitter.
• Pray hard that something in my life goes well for once and I find the right situation. Nothing has been going my way lately but we won't even go there or we'll have to re-name this blog "Jamie's Crapshoot of a Life".

OK, confession time. Every Monday and Tuesday night I watch Dancing With The Stars on ABC. I got hooked last season when Apolo Anton Ohno was a participant and won. There is just something about it that captivates me...maybe it's because I wish I could dance like that! Anyway, this past week there was a huge upset when the couple most thought would win was eliminated. For those of you who don't know how the show works there is a celebrity who is paired with a professional dancer and each week they learn a new dance (Rumba, Samba, Viennese Waltz, etc.) that is choreographed by the professional dancer. After they dance live on Monday the three judges give them a score of 1-10 and some feedback and then the viewers can call in, text or vote online for who they want to see continue. A lot of it is a popularity contest but some of us really do vote for who is good at dancing! Then on Tuesday night they have the results show and the couple with the lowest combined score from the judges and viewers is eliminated. The theory is that this past week a lot of the viewers at home thought "Sabrina is so good she's got this in the bag so I'm going to vote for someone else who isn't as good"- you know like a sympathy vote. So now a lot of loyal DWTS viewers are all up in arms over this. I'm not too upset because the person I think should win is Indy 500 driver Helio Castroneves and his dance partner Julianne Hough. Still, this season DWTS has been crazy with Jane Seymour's mother passing away during one of the shows and then Marie Osmond fainting after her performance and anything could happen. So, if you watch DWTS but don't have a preference as to who should win vote for Helio by calling 1-800-868-3409 (Monday nights between 7:30-8:15) or online at abc.com (Monday night until Tuesday at noon). If he doesn't win (and let's hope I am not struck down for saying this) I want Mel B from the Spice Girls to win! Yikes!

Halloween was a lot of fun this year with the boys. Tyler dressed up as Luke Skywalker and Trevor as Yoda (with Brad as their Dad did you expect anything else?!?). They scored tons of candy- maybe cuz they are so cute- and I'm sure my waist size will increase as a result. I would have to say that this Halloween season was the busiest one yet since having kids and although it was fun Brad and I are exhausted!

Trevor was just amazed that there was CANDY in his pail!

OK so I've decided to give this blogging thing a try. There are several blogs that I read every day and lots of people that I try to keep up-to-date on the happenings of the Newman Clan but sometimes I just can't keep up with the emails and phone calls so.... I'm rolling out the Newman News. Bear with me while I learn the ins and outs of the blogging world.