That's right. School starts at 8 am sharp and I'm wide awake. Go figure. Guess its the anticipation, the excitement of a new year. What is in store for the new year? What kind of student's will I have? What changes can I make to make this year better?
After church this morning the girls and I went to purchase last minute school stuff. Did I mention shoe shopping? For my 8 year old this is a fun, exciting trip. For the 12 year it is a different story. Two melt downs later she finally found some tennis shoes that fit. I forgot to mention she is 12 and wears a size 11 shoe! You read that right, size 11. Afraid she is going to be really tall. The 8 year purchased 2 pairs of tennis shoes, heck it was a sale.
And did I mention belt shopping? Yes, belt shopping. Apparently jr high girls have to wear belts with their shirts tucked in. Here we go again, another melt down. Dang, why does she have to be so dog gone emotional? 5 stores later we finally found what we needed and they fit at Wal-Mart. Should have just gone there first. Do you know how difficult it is to find a solid color girl belt with no bling, bling or anything on it? VERY difficult!
So in the morning I will send a 3rd grader and a 7th grader out the door. Sure hope I wake up on time.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Lucky in love....
Meet Lucky.
We are in love.
He was one puppy out of over 540 that was seized from a puppy mill outside of town. They put out a call for volunteers and I told Mike he should go up there to help. Didn't realize we would get a puppy out of that though! That's why I didn't go!
Lucky was a very sick puppy when they brought him in at 5 weeks old. Mike helped to pump iv fluids into his little body. He was throwing up and running a fever. They told Mike they didn't think he would make it through the night.
When Mike went up there the next morning he just knew the puppy didn't make it. He walked up to his pin and the puppy jumped up and started barking at Mike. He named him Lucky, since he was lucky to be alive.
Everyday Mike went to volunteer he went to check on "his" puppy. It became well known that it was Mike's puppy. Other people fell in love with him to but they were told he was Mike's.
Once the humane society won the rights to the dogs, Mike brought Lucky home.
He is so cute and adorable! I haven't heard him bark yet. He is really quiet. He looks to be part pekinese and part pug. He walks like he owns the world, I think he should have been named Rocky Balboa because he has these little pug legs that just look so tough.
My first reaction to him was oh great another thing to take care of and feed. But I haven't had to do much for him except rub his little tummy until I'm content with puppy love....and he loves it!
So he is really "Lucky" to have made it and survived but I think we are the "Lucky" ones now. And I still want to name him Rocky Balboa, the underdog of champions, just like my puppy.
We are in love.
He was one puppy out of over 540 that was seized from a puppy mill outside of town. They put out a call for volunteers and I told Mike he should go up there to help. Didn't realize we would get a puppy out of that though! That's why I didn't go!
Lucky was a very sick puppy when they brought him in at 5 weeks old. Mike helped to pump iv fluids into his little body. He was throwing up and running a fever. They told Mike they didn't think he would make it through the night.
When Mike went up there the next morning he just knew the puppy didn't make it. He walked up to his pin and the puppy jumped up and started barking at Mike. He named him Lucky, since he was lucky to be alive.
Everyday Mike went to volunteer he went to check on "his" puppy. It became well known that it was Mike's puppy. Other people fell in love with him to but they were told he was Mike's.
Once the humane society won the rights to the dogs, Mike brought Lucky home.
He is so cute and adorable! I haven't heard him bark yet. He is really quiet. He looks to be part pekinese and part pug. He walks like he owns the world, I think he should have been named Rocky Balboa because he has these little pug legs that just look so tough.
My first reaction to him was oh great another thing to take care of and feed. But I haven't had to do much for him except rub his little tummy until I'm content with puppy love....and he loves it!
So he is really "Lucky" to have made it and survived but I think we are the "Lucky" ones now. And I still want to name him Rocky Balboa, the underdog of champions, just like my puppy.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Farewell to Summer 2009
Tuesday is my last day of summer. Back to work officially on Wednesday. I am finding myself really sad today. Not really sure why. Mike says I do this at the end of every summer. I just want to cry. I am thinking it is from all of the life changes of here late, but maybe it is just because it is the end of summer. So to summer of 09:
Farewell sleeping late. Farewell swimming until way past dark. Farewell to staycation. Farewell to listening to my kids laugh and play all day (ok maybe that should be argue all day). Farewell to hanging out with friends on week nights that now will be school nights. Farewell to cooking out at moms with friends.
Hello to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. HELLO alarm clock that I haven't missed all summer. Hello school night bed time. Hello classroom. Hello teacher friends that I haven't talked to all summer. Hello high school students.
Hello to my own new 3rd and 7th grade children. Hello dress code that the girls dislike. Hello homework. Hello stress of not wanting to do homework. Hello projects. Hello school lunches. Hello lunch money. Hello trying to get out of the door by 7:10 a.m.
Hello daycare for the 4 year old. Hello crying fit on the first day of not wanting to be dropped off. Hello new classroom and teacher. Hello nap time again. Hello daycare friends!
So farewell to summer of 2009, you will be missed. Hello new school year of 2009-2010, wonder what you will bring?
Friday, August 14, 2009
Graduation Day finally arrived!!!
Finally! Graduation day!! Let me take a moment to let this all soak in. Ok. According to Luke it was called happy gradumacation day and Paige it was gradumawaiting. However you say it, it was awesome!Last night I told Mike I wasn't very excited about it. He asked me why and I started to cry. I can't believe its over. Two long hard years and its over. I feel like I'm not finished yet. And this has been a lifelong goal of mine and now its accomplished. What now?
On the drive to Denton we decided to grab some lunch before I had to be at the line up. Sounds like I did some kind of crime or something doesn't it? No crime, just line up with all of the other graduates. On the way into Denton we drove around looking for somewhere to stop. We ended up making a HUGE complete circle around Denton. Mike turned on his GPS because we decided on El Chico. Well the GPS sent us on a goose chase. We ended up on some country road that dead ended with some distribution centers! Where in the world was El Chico???
So I pulled out the directions to the ceremony and we headed that way. Good thing we left extra early to eat. We found this really quaint sub shop on the campus called Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches. It was sooooo yummy! Everyone loved their sandwiches. Note to self, if ever in Denton, go back to eat there!
It started pouring down rain right as we started to leave the sandwich place. So we sat in the car for a while waiting for it to stop before running into the coliseum at UNT. I was REALLY early! This is NOT normal for me! I had to stand around and wait for an hour before time to go in for graduation.
Once I entered the arena and waited to be seated I could feel my eyes tearing up. I fought them back but I just wanted to cry like a baby. Wow was all I could think. Wow, I made it. Wow I did this with 3 kids, a husband and a full time job. Wow.
After walking across the stage I was still like wow! We went to eat dinner with mom and grandma and then when we got home I had two sets of flowers waiting on me! Two dozen red roses from my mother-in-law and a bouquet of pink and purple flowers from my wonderful neighbors. What a surprise!! I LOVE them and they smell oh so wonderful. They take up one whole corner of my kitchen table. I will put up a pic soon, they are on a different camera.
It is sinking in that I am finished. I am done. Stick a fork in me and turn me over.
So long satellite television...
So on my plan to cut back I called the satellite company today and had them turn it off. Now we will only have local channels. After many years of satellite tv with so many choices and stations to watch I think we might be in some shock for the next couple of days.
I have to laugh because while I was on the phone with them today and they took the stations off, both girls and Mike came running up to me yelling now hold on there momma! I had told them I was going to do it but I guess they didn't believe me. They were all three in the living room watching tv when it turned off, I didn't tell them I was calling when I called :)
Paige pouted for a while, Leah just sat on the couch like what do I do now and Mike informed me he wouldn't be home on Monday nights now, he would be at the Browning's house for football night!
But since no TV, my living room is cleaned and free of toys, we have talked and hung out more today, Mike built a new mantle for the fireplace (we have only lived here for 3 yrs now...so finally, and had a wii racing challenge. :)
I have to say it is kind of strange not having the channels we use to like anymore. I realized later in the afternoon I wouldn't be able to watch the food network or diy or hgtv or tlc or discovery channel anymore. The killer will be in the morning when there is no Disney channel, no sponge bob or noggin. I'm sure I will hear about it from Luke in the morning.
(and I went to the AT&T store and asked them to lower my monthly bill. So between the two I saved $111 a month today! woo-hoo!)
I have to laugh because while I was on the phone with them today and they took the stations off, both girls and Mike came running up to me yelling now hold on there momma! I had told them I was going to do it but I guess they didn't believe me. They were all three in the living room watching tv when it turned off, I didn't tell them I was calling when I called :)
Paige pouted for a while, Leah just sat on the couch like what do I do now and Mike informed me he wouldn't be home on Monday nights now, he would be at the Browning's house for football night!
But since no TV, my living room is cleaned and free of toys, we have talked and hung out more today, Mike built a new mantle for the fireplace (we have only lived here for 3 yrs now...so finally, and had a wii racing challenge. :)
I have to say it is kind of strange not having the channels we use to like anymore. I realized later in the afternoon I wouldn't be able to watch the food network or diy or hgtv or tlc or discovery channel anymore. The killer will be in the morning when there is no Disney channel, no sponge bob or noggin. I'm sure I will hear about it from Luke in the morning.
(and I went to the AT&T store and asked them to lower my monthly bill. So between the two I saved $111 a month today! woo-hoo!)
Monday, August 10, 2009
what a day, what a day
Officially started my last week of summer before going back to work next week. I keep thinking I need to go work in my room but heck, who wants to do that yet? I sure don't. From looking at our in-service schedule, I don't think we will get much time before school starts to work in our rooms this year. Guess that means I will go visit my room and see what all I need to work on.
So I made a commitment to myself that I would be more joyful with my life. So far so good until today. I was really tested in it today with bills and stuff. We know that God has worked in our lives and we can see him working. The hard part is being patient and understanding waiting to get out of the slump we have been in lately with the economy and real estate.
Over the weekend Mike started sending out job applications. He talked to two of his distribution buddies that run some distribution centers and they sounded hopeful that maybe they could find a spot for him. I have to say it has been so nice having him around. He gets to go to the kids schools, activities and church. Most warehousing jobs are 24/7 so who knows what kind of schedule he would end up with. We will adjust though.
Agghhh. I will NOT let this steal my joy. I just won't. It tried to be stolen today and I almost let it. Several friends replied to my request for job looking help and told me some places Mike could look at. I'm so thankful for facebook and friends! And family too. So I might be defeated on the outside but I'm going to stand up on the inside. Tomorrow just has to be a brighter day. I just know it.
And on a positive note, I received a card from my mother-in-law for my graduation. She sent me a gift to be able to purchase some new school clothes :) Thanks Anne! I appreciate it!
So I made a commitment to myself that I would be more joyful with my life. So far so good until today. I was really tested in it today with bills and stuff. We know that God has worked in our lives and we can see him working. The hard part is being patient and understanding waiting to get out of the slump we have been in lately with the economy and real estate.
Over the weekend Mike started sending out job applications. He talked to two of his distribution buddies that run some distribution centers and they sounded hopeful that maybe they could find a spot for him. I have to say it has been so nice having him around. He gets to go to the kids schools, activities and church. Most warehousing jobs are 24/7 so who knows what kind of schedule he would end up with. We will adjust though.
Agghhh. I will NOT let this steal my joy. I just won't. It tried to be stolen today and I almost let it. Several friends replied to my request for job looking help and told me some places Mike could look at. I'm so thankful for facebook and friends! And family too. So I might be defeated on the outside but I'm going to stand up on the inside. Tomorrow just has to be a brighter day. I just know it.
And on a positive note, I received a card from my mother-in-law for my graduation. She sent me a gift to be able to purchase some new school clothes :) Thanks Anne! I appreciate it!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
A house full of girls
Poor Luke. He was so out numbered today. Leah had two friends spend the night last night to go to church with us this morning. Today was their first day to be a part of the youth group. They are so grown up now....they think anyway.
After church they came back over and spent the afternoon. They went outside to play and a little later when I called them in for lunch they had found another friend! So three almost teenage girls plus my own, Paige and Luke made for a house full of kids today. And you know what? I loved every minute of it.
But you know how I wrote last night about my house being messy and how I was extremely embarrassed for some people to see it. Well that part happened today. When one of the moms came to pick up her daughter I invited her in since we hadn't met yet. She had met Mike but we hadn't had a chance to meet. I was so embarrassed by my living room! Its a mess in there and totally looks like a bomb went off. Ugh. But oh well. Like I said last night I'm trying really hard to just let it go and enjoy life a little bit more. And I did today. I really enjoyed the kids being here and I enjoyed watching my children interact with their friends. They even let Paige play with them and Lukeman too. He just thought he was too cute with all of their attention. He told Leah last night he didn't like the "grills" (the way he says girls) being here because she didn't pay attention to him. Hum, someones a little jealous of his sisters time.
So who needs to nap on Sunday afternoons anymore? I guess I don't because I'm hoping the grills as Lukeman calls them will be able to entertain more friends over. Luke wants a friend over too. He just thinks he is so big now as he likes to tell me. Whatever, your 4, you will have your time little man....I promise.
After church they came back over and spent the afternoon. They went outside to play and a little later when I called them in for lunch they had found another friend! So three almost teenage girls plus my own, Paige and Luke made for a house full of kids today. And you know what? I loved every minute of it.
But you know how I wrote last night about my house being messy and how I was extremely embarrassed for some people to see it. Well that part happened today. When one of the moms came to pick up her daughter I invited her in since we hadn't met yet. She had met Mike but we hadn't had a chance to meet. I was so embarrassed by my living room! Its a mess in there and totally looks like a bomb went off. Ugh. But oh well. Like I said last night I'm trying really hard to just let it go and enjoy life a little bit more. And I did today. I really enjoyed the kids being here and I enjoyed watching my children interact with their friends. They even let Paige play with them and Lukeman too. He just thought he was too cute with all of their attention. He told Leah last night he didn't like the "grills" (the way he says girls) being here because she didn't pay attention to him. Hum, someones a little jealous of his sisters time.
So who needs to nap on Sunday afternoons anymore? I guess I don't because I'm hoping the grills as Lukeman calls them will be able to entertain more friends over. Luke wants a friend over too. He just thinks he is so big now as he likes to tell me. Whatever, your 4, you will have your time little man....I promise.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Lovin Saturdays
Ahh today was another one of those lazy summer days. I have been craving a day of nothing to do and nowhere to go. Today was just that day.
We did some house work this morning. And after that it pretty much was a lazy day. Next weekend is my official last weekend "off". Not that I don't get weekends off because I do but they change once I go back to school. Once I go back to work weekends are for catching up on housework, going grocery shopping, church, and anything else that comes into play there. Not much time for just lazying around the house just doing whatever I dog gone feel like. And I'm usually so drained from the week that doing most of these items during the weekend is more like a chore than anything else. Like one more thing to do and ugh.
I know by looking at my house sometimes it looks as if I "never" do anything around here. But I do. This summer I have been able to get caught up on some projects and clean out all 3 kids rooms, closets, dressers, toys and the forbidden under the bed area! Hopefully once school starts we can keep it straightened up. When we moved into this house three years ago I had a 3 month old baby and then started back to graduate school the next summer so there really hasn't been much time to worry about things around this house to much.
I realized something a few weeks back that I was holding back on allowing the kids to have friends over because of my embarrassment of how the house looked. I talked to the girls and told them that I didn't mind if they had friends over but they needed to step up to the plate and help to keep things picked up. They always ask if they can have friends over and before I have pretty much said no. So much so that Leah quit asking if she could have friends over because she already knew the answer. She hadn't asked to have a friend over since 2nd grade and she is going into 7th grade in a few weeks. How sad is that? Very sad if you ask me.
Well tonight we have two extra friends of Leah's over. Talk about an overwhelmness of estrogen in this house tonight! I told the girls if they didn't care what the house looked like then I would try my best to not worry about what their friends would think of a cluttered, messy house. When I have friends over I always tell them "put your blinders on!" to pretend like they don't see the messes. And usually the only friends I have over are the ones that I wouldn't care what they think about it anyway. Now there are some that come over that I worry extremely about what they will think about my home. I know I shouldn't worry about it but I do. I hate the anxiety and worry over if my house is perfect enough and what comments will be said about it. I'm trying to get better about not letting it get to me but hey, I'm only human right? I do get my feelings hurt over silliness like this. I'm not a perfect mom nor a perfect house keeper but I have relatively happy kids and a happy husband and that's all that matters.
So bring on the friends kids, momma will relax a little bit. Welcome to our home kids. Its messy. Its cluttered. Its a fun place to be. We have a little bit of everything you would want to do or play with in this home. It is well loved....and lived in for that matter.
We did some house work this morning. And after that it pretty much was a lazy day. Next weekend is my official last weekend "off". Not that I don't get weekends off because I do but they change once I go back to school. Once I go back to work weekends are for catching up on housework, going grocery shopping, church, and anything else that comes into play there. Not much time for just lazying around the house just doing whatever I dog gone feel like. And I'm usually so drained from the week that doing most of these items during the weekend is more like a chore than anything else. Like one more thing to do and ugh.
I know by looking at my house sometimes it looks as if I "never" do anything around here. But I do. This summer I have been able to get caught up on some projects and clean out all 3 kids rooms, closets, dressers, toys and the forbidden under the bed area! Hopefully once school starts we can keep it straightened up. When we moved into this house three years ago I had a 3 month old baby and then started back to graduate school the next summer so there really hasn't been much time to worry about things around this house to much.
I realized something a few weeks back that I was holding back on allowing the kids to have friends over because of my embarrassment of how the house looked. I talked to the girls and told them that I didn't mind if they had friends over but they needed to step up to the plate and help to keep things picked up. They always ask if they can have friends over and before I have pretty much said no. So much so that Leah quit asking if she could have friends over because she already knew the answer. She hadn't asked to have a friend over since 2nd grade and she is going into 7th grade in a few weeks. How sad is that? Very sad if you ask me.
Well tonight we have two extra friends of Leah's over. Talk about an overwhelmness of estrogen in this house tonight! I told the girls if they didn't care what the house looked like then I would try my best to not worry about what their friends would think of a cluttered, messy house. When I have friends over I always tell them "put your blinders on!" to pretend like they don't see the messes. And usually the only friends I have over are the ones that I wouldn't care what they think about it anyway. Now there are some that come over that I worry extremely about what they will think about my home. I know I shouldn't worry about it but I do. I hate the anxiety and worry over if my house is perfect enough and what comments will be said about it. I'm trying to get better about not letting it get to me but hey, I'm only human right? I do get my feelings hurt over silliness like this. I'm not a perfect mom nor a perfect house keeper but I have relatively happy kids and a happy husband and that's all that matters.
So bring on the friends kids, momma will relax a little bit. Welcome to our home kids. Its messy. Its cluttered. Its a fun place to be. We have a little bit of everything you would want to do or play with in this home. It is well loved....and lived in for that matter.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Making $100 go a long way....
I got home last night from my teachers conference and I told the girls we would go shopping for school clothes when I got home. I meant some time after I got home but they just knew I meant the day I got home.
So we went out to shop for some new school clothes this afternoon. After Mike looked at our checking account I could only spend a little bit until he has his next closing. Ugh. So ready for closings to start coming in on a regular basis. So I gave the girls $100 a piece to buy clothes with. I told them that was all they got and when it was gone it was gone. They will get to have more once the closing is done because originally we had the yard sale and Mike's mom sent the girls money too. So that would allow them $200 a piece. They were good sports about it though and understood. I didn't say they liked the idea mind you.
We started by stopping at a friends yard sale and Leah found the cutest bag to use as her book bag for only $1. Yes one dollar! Great deal! Way to start off our school clothes shopping! Mom has already taken them to get school supplies so our mission today was clothes, socks, undies, shoes, etc. NOT bags, purses or jewelry! But for a dollar she couldn't pass it up. I reminded them what our mission was for the day. We had Avery with us so I called Stephanie (Avery's mom) and asked her if she wanted to go shopping too. So we kidnapped her for the day as well. Shopping is more fun with friends anyway!
Our first stop was a late lunch at Steak and Shake. This was a new place for me and it was good. I didn't realize it was a sit down and order kind of place. Interesting. Order hamburgers and a shake at your table with a waiter. Our waiter needed a little more training on how to be a waiter. Next stop Target. I had seen in the Sunday sales ad they had plain t-shirts and Polo's on sale so we made this our first stop for our mission. Paige made it out of there spending $60 of her money. 6 shirts, pair of shoes, undies, a package of gum and a Sunkist. Leah made it out of there with $50 left. New shoes, three shirts and I think that was all....oh a drink from the snack bar. I would have bought the girls the drinks but they didn't ask. Older girls stuff tends to cost more than little girls stuff.
Next place on our agenda, Bath and Body Works to return something. Old Navy was next door so two stops in one. Paige hit the jack pot on pants there. A skirt and 2 pairs of jean Capri's and another a pair of navy Capri's...oh and another pair of shoes! She is my shoe lover and Leah is my purse lover. Leah made it out of there with 2 more shirts. Paige had like $9 left leaving there and Leah had $40 left.
Our next store was Kohl's. I had told Paige she had done really well with her money so she could pick something out that she wanted. Want to know what that child bought? A package of socks! I was so proud of her. Now they are funky fun knee high socks but hey they are socks. Leah tried on a dozen pair of jeans until we found the right ones. She only was able to buy two pairs and went into debt at this store. She now will only be receiving $80 for her next shopping spree.
At every store we went to people were so impressed that my children were paying for their own stuff and with cash. What do people not pay with cash anymore? I laughed at Stephanie at Old Navy because the young lady asked her if she would like to apply for the Old Navy card and earn blue points....or something like this...and Stephanie blurted out no thanks, credit is evil. I busted out laughing. What? I though it was funny because for us they are! The look on that girls face was priceless. She didn't know what to say. And she looked as if she couldn't imagine her life without credit cards. I wanted to ask her if she was on her own yet but didn't. I figure she will find out one day that credit cards are evil! She was like you earn points and Stephanie said yes but you have to pay all the interest with it too, No thanks.
Two check out folks told me they wished their parents had made them learn about money at a young age too so they could know how to work with money now. I was very impressed with how our girls spent their money today. Stephanie gave Avery the same amount of money and Avery had to figure out what to spend her money on as well. I almost forgot to mention the melt downs we had over all of this in the store. Paige had one in Target, Leah had one there to and one at Old Navy. Seems its not so fun when mom isn't footing the bill and they have no clue what they are spending. It's hard to figure out what you can buy with a certain amount of money and what you have to put back because you don't have enough. But when we got home they couldn't wait to show daddy what all they bought and how they spent their money.
Paige had bought a pair of converse tennis shoes at Target and after going to Old Navy she found another pair of pink tennis shoes with white polka dots. She fell in love with them. She asked if she could exchange the other pair for the newer ones she found. I said ok. She was so excited. She borrowed ten dollars from Leah and we went back into the store to buy them. Once back at Target she walked right up to the customer service desk and told the lady she wanted a refund. Then she went to the shoes and picked out another pair of zebra striped flat shoes for $12 and purchased those. She handed Leah back the ten dollars and she was so proud of herself because now instead of only one pair of shoes she had two! She is quite the bargain shopper.
Our last two stops for the night were PetSmart and Dollar Tree. It was so funny in PetSmart. We had to get crickets for the lizards and while the lady was counting them out one jumped out of the bag and landed on Avery's shoe. That girl jumped out of that shoe faster than lightening and ran down the aisle screaming like a little bitty girl! It was hilarious. Another priceless look on a face today. I laughed and laughed. And our last bargain for the night was 5 for 5 Arby's sandwiches on the way home. What a bargain shopping day we had today! Next shopping outing will be for tennis shoes for p.e. and athletics. I figure that trip will take a big chunk of the girl's money.
So we went out to shop for some new school clothes this afternoon. After Mike looked at our checking account I could only spend a little bit until he has his next closing. Ugh. So ready for closings to start coming in on a regular basis. So I gave the girls $100 a piece to buy clothes with. I told them that was all they got and when it was gone it was gone. They will get to have more once the closing is done because originally we had the yard sale and Mike's mom sent the girls money too. So that would allow them $200 a piece. They were good sports about it though and understood. I didn't say they liked the idea mind you.
We started by stopping at a friends yard sale and Leah found the cutest bag to use as her book bag for only $1. Yes one dollar! Great deal! Way to start off our school clothes shopping! Mom has already taken them to get school supplies so our mission today was clothes, socks, undies, shoes, etc. NOT bags, purses or jewelry! But for a dollar she couldn't pass it up. I reminded them what our mission was for the day. We had Avery with us so I called Stephanie (Avery's mom) and asked her if she wanted to go shopping too. So we kidnapped her for the day as well. Shopping is more fun with friends anyway!
Our first stop was a late lunch at Steak and Shake. This was a new place for me and it was good. I didn't realize it was a sit down and order kind of place. Interesting. Order hamburgers and a shake at your table with a waiter. Our waiter needed a little more training on how to be a waiter. Next stop Target. I had seen in the Sunday sales ad they had plain t-shirts and Polo's on sale so we made this our first stop for our mission. Paige made it out of there spending $60 of her money. 6 shirts, pair of shoes, undies, a package of gum and a Sunkist. Leah made it out of there with $50 left. New shoes, three shirts and I think that was all....oh a drink from the snack bar. I would have bought the girls the drinks but they didn't ask. Older girls stuff tends to cost more than little girls stuff.
Next place on our agenda, Bath and Body Works to return something. Old Navy was next door so two stops in one. Paige hit the jack pot on pants there. A skirt and 2 pairs of jean Capri's and another a pair of navy Capri's...oh and another pair of shoes! She is my shoe lover and Leah is my purse lover. Leah made it out of there with 2 more shirts. Paige had like $9 left leaving there and Leah had $40 left.
Our next store was Kohl's. I had told Paige she had done really well with her money so she could pick something out that she wanted. Want to know what that child bought? A package of socks! I was so proud of her. Now they are funky fun knee high socks but hey they are socks. Leah tried on a dozen pair of jeans until we found the right ones. She only was able to buy two pairs and went into debt at this store. She now will only be receiving $80 for her next shopping spree.
At every store we went to people were so impressed that my children were paying for their own stuff and with cash. What do people not pay with cash anymore? I laughed at Stephanie at Old Navy because the young lady asked her if she would like to apply for the Old Navy card and earn blue points....or something like this...and Stephanie blurted out no thanks, credit is evil. I busted out laughing. What? I though it was funny because for us they are! The look on that girls face was priceless. She didn't know what to say. And she looked as if she couldn't imagine her life without credit cards. I wanted to ask her if she was on her own yet but didn't. I figure she will find out one day that credit cards are evil! She was like you earn points and Stephanie said yes but you have to pay all the interest with it too, No thanks.
Two check out folks told me they wished their parents had made them learn about money at a young age too so they could know how to work with money now. I was very impressed with how our girls spent their money today. Stephanie gave Avery the same amount of money and Avery had to figure out what to spend her money on as well. I almost forgot to mention the melt downs we had over all of this in the store. Paige had one in Target, Leah had one there to and one at Old Navy. Seems its not so fun when mom isn't footing the bill and they have no clue what they are spending. It's hard to figure out what you can buy with a certain amount of money and what you have to put back because you don't have enough. But when we got home they couldn't wait to show daddy what all they bought and how they spent their money.
Paige had bought a pair of converse tennis shoes at Target and after going to Old Navy she found another pair of pink tennis shoes with white polka dots. She fell in love with them. She asked if she could exchange the other pair for the newer ones she found. I said ok. She was so excited. She borrowed ten dollars from Leah and we went back into the store to buy them. Once back at Target she walked right up to the customer service desk and told the lady she wanted a refund. Then she went to the shoes and picked out another pair of zebra striped flat shoes for $12 and purchased those. She handed Leah back the ten dollars and she was so proud of herself because now instead of only one pair of shoes she had two! She is quite the bargain shopper.
Our last two stops for the night were PetSmart and Dollar Tree. It was so funny in PetSmart. We had to get crickets for the lizards and while the lady was counting them out one jumped out of the bag and landed on Avery's shoe. That girl jumped out of that shoe faster than lightening and ran down the aisle screaming like a little bitty girl! It was hilarious. Another priceless look on a face today. I laughed and laughed. And our last bargain for the night was 5 for 5 Arby's sandwiches on the way home. What a bargain shopping day we had today! Next shopping outing will be for tennis shoes for p.e. and athletics. I figure that trip will take a big chunk of the girl's money.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Barbie doll dream world and the revival...
Last week when I cleaned up Paige's room I dressed her barbie dolls. They were all naked! So now one of the perks to Paige having a clean room, I can go in and sit down on the floor and play with her instead of feeling like I have to get up to clean her room!
Yesterday Paige asked me if I would play barbies with her. Neither one of my girls have ever been that too interested in playing with barbies and that has been ok with me. I loved playing baby dolls instead with them. I don't know but barbie just seems to put a damper on my life. And here is why.
When I was little I always thought I would grow up and have "The Barbie Doll Dream World" life. Barbie could do anything and she always looked pretty doing it. She had the best of the best. And I thought that was how life was when I was ten years old. I think I was around 27 when I realized I wasn't going to have the barbie doll dream world that I had imagined when I was around 10 or 12 years old. So this is ok with me if my girls don't want to absorb themselves into barbie. Guess when I was a kid their wasn't much other options to play with like there are today.
See my grandma's whole entire family lived on one street when I was a kid (dad's mom). Grandpa Walker use to pick Matt and I up from school every afternoon. Our school was on the same street that my grandparents lived on which made it all the more of a merry world. My great-grandmother lived next door. Aunt Ruby and Uncle Homer lived across the street and Uncle Richard and Aunt Bonnie lived down the street a few blocks. I spent countless hours on that street. I just thought that was how life was suppose to be. We lived a few blocks away and my other grandmother lived on the other side of town not to far away as did one of my aunts. All of my cousins were right there to play with every afternoon and the world was a safer place to us back then. We ran the street.
When I was 10 we moved away to another town way out in the country. I hated it! I didn't have anyone to play with and I couldn't go see my grandparents like I did every day. Crashing of my barbie doll reality. So I thought when I grew up I would have all of my family living on the same street with me again. I just knew my brother was going to live across the street and Darren was going to live next door and we would just live happily ever after. So NOT reality! First of all I'm the only one that had children! And second of all they don't live here anymore. Matt moved away to New Hampshire with his wife and her family. He doesn't come home anymore. Darren just moves around to different places.
Playing barbie dolls with Paige brought back this flood of memories yesterday! Although this may sound like a sad memory, it's really not. It brings back wonderful memories of growing up on that street with my grandparents. I can still taste Aunt Ruby's sweet tea. Man alive that tea would knock the socks off you today. Just take red diamond sweet tea and add a whole content bag of sugar to it and you had Aunt Ruby's tea. Making black eye peas and sugar cookies reminds me of Grandma Copeland's house. Many smells take me back to that street. I do wish my children could have this type of special street too.
I had another special sweet memory at church this morning. Our church kicked off a summer revival this morning and brought in a barbershop quintet and a really old time preacher. One of the hell fire and brim stone kind. Now mind you our preacher is not this way at all. So I was expecting some real hard hitting pulpit preaching this morning but it wasn't to bad. He was really good. But the quintet was amazing! I remembered how much I loved the old gospel hymns and especially the way they sung them.
So the special memory I have is of my grandpa again. He wasn't much of a church going kind of man. He loved the Lord though. There was a church on the corner into their neighborhood and every time they had a revival he was there. And he would usually take us with him since we spent a lot of time with him. Grandma John didn't go with him usually just him and us. That man got baptized at every revival!! That's what was cracking me up this morning. As an adult now I know that you only need to be baptized one time and you are re-born and forgiven of all of your past sins. Some how my grandpa felt like he had to really be re-born! I wonder now what all he felt like he had to be forgiven of! This brought a smile to my face this morning and made me laugh out loud. Funny how things from my childhood keep creeping up on me like that here lately.
So back to the barbie doll dream world. When I was 27 I hit rock bottom. Was ready to run away from life and then totally crashed at 31 and wanted to end my life. I spent a year in counseling and that image of the barbie doll dream world came up. Now I have had to re-create what I think my world is and you know what, its better then the barbie doll dream world I use to have. Because when I was little my barbie dolls didn't have a crash 'em up bang 'em kind of roll over car wreck like ours did yesterday on their way to the Hannah Montana concert in Paige's bedroom. It was such a sad wreck to. Hannah Montana had to cancel her show because she was hit by a flying ball across the room and our barbies had to go to the movies instead. Guess that's what happens when you have a 4 year old little brother come trying to invade in barbie land.
Yesterday Paige asked me if I would play barbies with her. Neither one of my girls have ever been that too interested in playing with barbies and that has been ok with me. I loved playing baby dolls instead with them. I don't know but barbie just seems to put a damper on my life. And here is why.
When I was little I always thought I would grow up and have "The Barbie Doll Dream World" life. Barbie could do anything and she always looked pretty doing it. She had the best of the best. And I thought that was how life was when I was ten years old. I think I was around 27 when I realized I wasn't going to have the barbie doll dream world that I had imagined when I was around 10 or 12 years old. So this is ok with me if my girls don't want to absorb themselves into barbie. Guess when I was a kid their wasn't much other options to play with like there are today.
See my grandma's whole entire family lived on one street when I was a kid (dad's mom). Grandpa Walker use to pick Matt and I up from school every afternoon. Our school was on the same street that my grandparents lived on which made it all the more of a merry world. My great-grandmother lived next door. Aunt Ruby and Uncle Homer lived across the street and Uncle Richard and Aunt Bonnie lived down the street a few blocks. I spent countless hours on that street. I just thought that was how life was suppose to be. We lived a few blocks away and my other grandmother lived on the other side of town not to far away as did one of my aunts. All of my cousins were right there to play with every afternoon and the world was a safer place to us back then. We ran the street.
When I was 10 we moved away to another town way out in the country. I hated it! I didn't have anyone to play with and I couldn't go see my grandparents like I did every day. Crashing of my barbie doll reality. So I thought when I grew up I would have all of my family living on the same street with me again. I just knew my brother was going to live across the street and Darren was going to live next door and we would just live happily ever after. So NOT reality! First of all I'm the only one that had children! And second of all they don't live here anymore. Matt moved away to New Hampshire with his wife and her family. He doesn't come home anymore. Darren just moves around to different places.
Playing barbie dolls with Paige brought back this flood of memories yesterday! Although this may sound like a sad memory, it's really not. It brings back wonderful memories of growing up on that street with my grandparents. I can still taste Aunt Ruby's sweet tea. Man alive that tea would knock the socks off you today. Just take red diamond sweet tea and add a whole content bag of sugar to it and you had Aunt Ruby's tea. Making black eye peas and sugar cookies reminds me of Grandma Copeland's house. Many smells take me back to that street. I do wish my children could have this type of special street too.
I had another special sweet memory at church this morning. Our church kicked off a summer revival this morning and brought in a barbershop quintet and a really old time preacher. One of the hell fire and brim stone kind. Now mind you our preacher is not this way at all. So I was expecting some real hard hitting pulpit preaching this morning but it wasn't to bad. He was really good. But the quintet was amazing! I remembered how much I loved the old gospel hymns and especially the way they sung them.
So the special memory I have is of my grandpa again. He wasn't much of a church going kind of man. He loved the Lord though. There was a church on the corner into their neighborhood and every time they had a revival he was there. And he would usually take us with him since we spent a lot of time with him. Grandma John didn't go with him usually just him and us. That man got baptized at every revival!! That's what was cracking me up this morning. As an adult now I know that you only need to be baptized one time and you are re-born and forgiven of all of your past sins. Some how my grandpa felt like he had to really be re-born! I wonder now what all he felt like he had to be forgiven of! This brought a smile to my face this morning and made me laugh out loud. Funny how things from my childhood keep creeping up on me like that here lately.
So back to the barbie doll dream world. When I was 27 I hit rock bottom. Was ready to run away from life and then totally crashed at 31 and wanted to end my life. I spent a year in counseling and that image of the barbie doll dream world came up. Now I have had to re-create what I think my world is and you know what, its better then the barbie doll dream world I use to have. Because when I was little my barbie dolls didn't have a crash 'em up bang 'em kind of roll over car wreck like ours did yesterday on their way to the Hannah Montana concert in Paige's bedroom. It was such a sad wreck to. Hannah Montana had to cancel her show because she was hit by a flying ball across the room and our barbies had to go to the movies instead. Guess that's what happens when you have a 4 year old little brother come trying to invade in barbie land.
Paige getting the barbies ready to go to the concert.
Leah washing the barbies hair.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Yard Sale....Or Maybe Just A JUNK Yard!
After talking to Mike Thursday morning about our checking account we decided at the last minute to have a yard sale. Did you know checking accounts can talk to you? Well ours did and said it was very, very grim! I have had three boxes in the garage collecting junk in them for the last six months or so. Amazing how much junk you can collect in just six short months. Back in January I hauled off tons of junk to the Salvation Army here in town and cleaned out the garage. I had just planned on donating again when the pile got big. Well it was big and I hadn't donate stuff yet. Thank goodness because we needed it.
The girls and I spent all evening Thursday going through the closets and cleaning stuff out. Mike went through the garage and took stuff out he didn't want anymore. I cleaned Paige's bedroom last week and re-arranged it while she was at camp and had tons and tons of stuff from her room also and from Leah's room since we re-did her room also.
I was up until about 2 am pricing stuff and getting everything ready. Around 8ish we started throwing it in the front yard. I don't like to have one in the back anymore. Just too personal back there and I don't like having people we don't know in our back yard checking everything out. Around 9ish I went and put signs up in town and we were flooded with people all day long. The girls loved seeing that they could earn money for selling their stuff and Luke just loved being outside all day. He was in hog heaven out there. I looked over one time and he was laying in all of the toys just lounging and playing. He was having a great time. I think he could just live life right there and be perfectly fine. He kept going around yelling "gard" sale come in.
Finally around 2:30 it slowed down and we decided to call it a day. I went into the living room after it was all done and fell on the floor under the ceiling fan to cool off and fell asleep for a little bit. Mike and the kids woke me up to go swimming at mom's and let me tell you that was the best swim all summer!
Saturday morning started bright and early. I went to put our signs back up and the city enforcer stopped me. He said I had to have "written" permission to hang up my signs. Well I knew the people who yard I was putting it in but it didn't matter, I didn't have "written" permission and they weren't home. He took the one I had in front of the laundry mat. Now anyone that knows me knows that I am pretty much a rule follower for the most part...I said for the most part :) On the form I signed with the city while getting my permit states that you have to have permission. It does NOT state that you have to have written permission. When I went back home I put one on our corner and the enforcer guy just sat there and watched me the whole time. I told Mike what was going on and he was furious. Next thing I know he is leaving and going to track him down. He almost got arrested. Imagine that, my husband almost getting arrested!
Afterwards I thought I will show this man. I went and bought some fancy signs from Ace Hardware and took one to a business on Washington street. I asked the lady if it was ok and asked for her "written" permission. I wrote it out on the back of my yard sale stickers page and she signed it. Next I went to try to find someone else's yard I could put my sign in. Mike called and said come home it was fixing to start raining. Ugh. I get home and it starts sprinkling. Before I know it, the flood gates opened and it started pouring. We hurried up and packed everything up but it was pretty much wet by this point. We all looked like wet puppy dogs when we were finished.
Ahh, now its over and I have a cleaned out garage again, a clean front yard and a destroyed house that looks like a bomb went off in here. In the process of pulling stuff out, not everything got put back up in its place and now I get to work on that next. Its just a never ending process around here. We did make a little bit of money off of all of that junk. Enough to buy school supplies and maybe some tennis shoes for each girl to start school with. Thank goodness grand parents can help out because we would be in a world of hurt.
The girls and I spent all evening Thursday going through the closets and cleaning stuff out. Mike went through the garage and took stuff out he didn't want anymore. I cleaned Paige's bedroom last week and re-arranged it while she was at camp and had tons and tons of stuff from her room also and from Leah's room since we re-did her room also.
I was up until about 2 am pricing stuff and getting everything ready. Around 8ish we started throwing it in the front yard. I don't like to have one in the back anymore. Just too personal back there and I don't like having people we don't know in our back yard checking everything out. Around 9ish I went and put signs up in town and we were flooded with people all day long. The girls loved seeing that they could earn money for selling their stuff and Luke just loved being outside all day. He was in hog heaven out there. I looked over one time and he was laying in all of the toys just lounging and playing. He was having a great time. I think he could just live life right there and be perfectly fine. He kept going around yelling "gard" sale come in.
Finally around 2:30 it slowed down and we decided to call it a day. I went into the living room after it was all done and fell on the floor under the ceiling fan to cool off and fell asleep for a little bit. Mike and the kids woke me up to go swimming at mom's and let me tell you that was the best swim all summer!
Saturday morning started bright and early. I went to put our signs back up and the city enforcer stopped me. He said I had to have "written" permission to hang up my signs. Well I knew the people who yard I was putting it in but it didn't matter, I didn't have "written" permission and they weren't home. He took the one I had in front of the laundry mat. Now anyone that knows me knows that I am pretty much a rule follower for the most part...I said for the most part :) On the form I signed with the city while getting my permit states that you have to have permission. It does NOT state that you have to have written permission. When I went back home I put one on our corner and the enforcer guy just sat there and watched me the whole time. I told Mike what was going on and he was furious. Next thing I know he is leaving and going to track him down. He almost got arrested. Imagine that, my husband almost getting arrested!
Afterwards I thought I will show this man. I went and bought some fancy signs from Ace Hardware and took one to a business on Washington street. I asked the lady if it was ok and asked for her "written" permission. I wrote it out on the back of my yard sale stickers page and she signed it. Next I went to try to find someone else's yard I could put my sign in. Mike called and said come home it was fixing to start raining. Ugh. I get home and it starts sprinkling. Before I know it, the flood gates opened and it started pouring. We hurried up and packed everything up but it was pretty much wet by this point. We all looked like wet puppy dogs when we were finished.
Ahh, now its over and I have a cleaned out garage again, a clean front yard and a destroyed house that looks like a bomb went off in here. In the process of pulling stuff out, not everything got put back up in its place and now I get to work on that next. Its just a never ending process around here. We did make a little bit of money off of all of that junk. Enough to buy school supplies and maybe some tennis shoes for each girl to start school with. Thank goodness grand parents can help out because we would be in a world of hurt.
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