Bryce is such a sweet boy

I am so glad to say that Tiger is loving school this year. I am sure it helps that he has a wonderful teacher!

At our school the kids do not have homework like most schools. They only have to read every day. They keep track of their reading on a little chart and after they have read for 20 days...they get a reward. We decide on the reward before they start their chart...and then they work towards it for the next 20 days. Well, last month Tiger wanted his reward to be dinner with his teacher and her family at our home! (I am smiling as I write this). His teacher is a dear friend of ours...so I was thrilled!

We finished our chart on Sunday, and wrote her an invitation to our home. He was so excited to give it to her...but VERY shy about it! If you know Tiger...you know that he is a little shy!

Once home from school, he told me he gave Mrs. Holt her invitation and that he knew what we should make her for dinner.

Tiger: Mom, I asked Mrs. Holt what kinds of things she likes to eat.

Me: Fabulous! What shall we make her for dinner?

Tiger: She said she likes chicken and fish. Mom, I have a great idea!

Me: What?

Tiger: Lets surprise her and make her chicken for dinner and fish for dessert!

How cute is that! I suggested that maybe we are make her cookies shaped like fish!

I love Tiger...such a sweet boy! He takes after his father!

Starbucks Rule...NO LONGER A MYSTERY

So, Starbucks received my question...and sent me an email to call them. I told them the story...and then she told me the refill rule. (Drum Role Please...)

If you order an iced coffee, coffee, or iced tea and you are still in the lobby after you drink it, you may refill it for .50

HOWEVER, If you ask any Starbucks to refill your drink, even if you did not drink it in their store, they may go ahead and give it to you...it is up to the store.

AND, if you purchase a gift card and register it online, then you may refill that drink for FREE.

They are also going to send me a few vouchers for free Starbucks drinks! I guess I will be going there when the vouchers arrive! (see earlier post)

I hope that clears it up for all of us!

Kicking the habit = Savings

I have decided that I am going to kick my Starbucks habit! I spend $5.60 there everyday...and think that is crazy. We need to tighten up our budget. This looks like the easiest (slight painful) way to do it. Not to mention my recent anger with their lack of customer service. (I did write to them on their site) So wish me luck! I really am going to do it!

I brewed my own coffee this am...very proud of myself! I will keep you updated on how I do! :)

Almost a perfect day at the beach

So today was a great day with my Little Guy. We packed a fun lunch last night and he wore his swim trunks to preschool today. We both were giddy all weekend about our special time that we had planned for today. I was very excited to take him to the beach...just us...with his friend and his friend's mom.

I picked him up at 11:05 and we headed down to the beach. We began to get settled into the beach atmosphere when my cell phone rang! It was one of the aids from school calling to tell me that she "thinks" Cutie is sick. So I ask if she has a fever (no) is throwing up (no)...and then ask to talk to her. She sounded a little sick...but I really wasn't sure. So, my friend kept Little Guy while I went back to the school to get Cutie. Once Cutie was in the car, I gave her some Motrin...and brought her to the beach. She was doing cartwheels and eating her lunch after 20 minutes of being there. She is fine now too!

I can't help but wonder if she just wanted to do the beach too! I guess I will never know. BUT, she is going to bed very early tonight! AND,Little Guy didn't seem to mind that sissy was there planning in her school uniform with him!

I think we will have to try again next Monday...but maybe we will keep it a secret from the rest of the family! :)

Think you can refill your Starbucks at the drive thru? Think again!

I was so irritated today at the drive thru of Starbucks. I first have to mention that I give so much of my money to Starbucks! I go there every Mon-Friday and order a latte and sometimes a green ice tea...then after I get off from work, I go back and refill my tea. I know most of the Batista's by name...and I think they can recognize the sound of my car in the drive thru line. SO....

I pull up after work today and order a tea for Little Guy and a refill for myself.

Me: I would like a refill of my Green Iced tea with three splenda and a tall passion tea please.

Barista: I am sorry mam, we don't refill drinks in the drive thru.

Me: Since when? I always come through...just did it yesterday.

Barista: Sorry, but it has ALWAYS been our policy. You are going to have to come inside.

Me: I am ordering a drink too...so can't I get a refill since I am purchasing another drink?

Barista: No

So I pull the car over and go inside. I very politely ask the cashier (not the same person from drive thru) when they changed this rule? He says, what rule are you talking about...you can refill your tea in the drive thru...let me guess Venti with 3 Splenda and shaken, right?! I said yes, but the person at the drive thru just told me I had to come inside. At this point the lovely lady from drive thru appears....she doesn't look to happy!

Barista: Mam, (I hate being called mam...I am not old) it has always been our rule. We have new management and they are enforcing all the rules. You will no longer be able to refill the tea in the drive thru. We have no way of knowing that you were here today. (Okay now I was getting mad...is she calling me a liar?) We only offer our guests that are in our lobby refills.

Me: I have my receipt if you would like me to prove that I was here today!

Barista: that isn't necessary. Just know that you can no longer refill your tea in the drive thru

Cashier: She really does come in here all the time, can't we just do it for her? She has three kids.

(you know that you go to Starbucks too often, when the employees know how many kids you have)

Barista: I can ask management about our "regulars", but I doubt it.

So, I took my drinks and left a little irritated. I guess I thought it would have been nice for them to allow me to stay in the drive thru line this time! I am not sure I understand why they couldn't just do it for me today, and then inform me of the rule. I was so irritated that I think I may not go to that particular drive thru again. There is a closer one to my work...I think I will begin giving them my money!

Oh, and the sweet cashier didn't charge me for my refill today...but he did ask me not to let the Barista know! He said he felt bad for me...being that I am regular.

What is a Monk?

At our school the children move from class to class as if they were in HS! It is amazing to me how blessed I am and my children are at this school! Anyway, I teach History to the 1-2 graders this year three times a week. We are studying the Middle Ages and yesterday we learned about Monks and how they taught the Anglo-Saxons about Christianity. I happen to start the lesson off with a question.

Me: When I say Monk, who thinks they know what I am talking about?
Student: I know! They are men that only have hair on the sides and back of their head...and a lot of it, but they don't have any hair on the top of their heads!

I tried so hard not to chuckle! Let's be honest, when I think of monks, I think the same thing! Don't you? From the looks of this picture, I think my student is justified in his stereotype of monks!

Beach days

I am just missing the days at the beach today...the whole day! School is great, but I would rather be at the beach hanging with my kids!

Marvelous Monday

Yes, you read that right! I had a wonderful day today. I am feeling refreshed and ready for the week.

I am thankful for:
*the bible and quiet time with the Lord
*am exercise
*all 3 of my kids got everything ready this am without me nagging them! (Maybe they were tired of all my nagging last week?)
*rewarding my kids with no chores for the day since the am went so smoothly
*a NEW chiropractor. She is wonderful...I feel so much better (my right leg has been numb from the knee down since Friday.)(oh, and she doesn't feel the need to come back to her 3x a week for a month...only when I feel the need to come!)
*lunch with hubby and Little Guy OUTSIDE. I love being outside
*picking up my HAPPY children from school...they love their school
*no kids fighting at the grocery store or complaining.
*the anticipation of the pedicure I am going to go get after dinner tonight!

I hope your Monday is going well too!

Am I Scarlet Ohara? Are you?

Am I the only finding it hard to get everything done lately?



Work out in the am, get the kids dressed, off to school/work, run some errands, take the kids to the park, feed everyone dinner, back in the car for extra curricular activity, bathe everyone, put them in bed, pack everyone's lunch, prep more school work, hang with hubby, off to bed and repeat in the am. (Notice here that I did not even mention housework)
It must be because school has started and I am back to work (part time). I feel like I just can't keep up. In the past when I feel this way, I stop, and look at our calendar and begin to reevaluate our priorities. Okay, so being a freak of habit, I stopped and tried to figure out what I can let go of, in order to feel calm again. I couldn't find anything.
Don't get me wrong here, I enjoy...actually thrive on being busy. However, these past two weeks feels more than busy. I just can't seem to get a groove on. The kids have something every night except Friday...and Tiger just started football on Saturday mornings. The only days I am not running my children somewhere are Friday and Sunday. When I look at their schedule, I don't see anything to cut. I want them to continue in piano and gymnastics and now, football.(They all love it so much...I just couldn't take it away from them!) So I guess I need to do a better job of organizing everything!?!

That being said, today I just threw in the towel, and packed the car and we all headed to the beach with friends. I did take an hour to pick up the house this am before we left. I knew that I should not being going...that I should stay home and begin to get things ready for the new week...but I decided I would just do that tomorrow!

Ah, there is my problem! I wait until tomorrow to find balance...and tomorrow NEVER comes!

Little Guy on getting bigger

I picked up Little Guy today and headed to Kinkos to get some things done for school. While we were there, he needed to use the bathroom.

Little Guy: Mom, look I can reach the sink in this bathroom without a step stool!

Me: Wow! Little Guy you are getting so big!

Little Guy: I only need a step stool at home in my bathroom.

Me: I guess you are growing up! I wish you could stay little forever.

Little Guy: Mom, I am not trying to get bigger! I don't know how I can reach now. I want to stay little and live with you forever...but I keep getting bigger.

Me: I know Little Guy. You can't stay little forever. God made you small and he will make you bigger too.

Little Guy: Can I still live with you when God makes me bigger!?

Me: You can always live with me!

I didn't want to tell him that he will grow up and WANT to live on his own some day. I just wanted to treasure the moment.

Recycle = $23.94

Today after school the kids and I took in all our water bottles and cans to the recycle center. I am pleased to say that today we earned $23.94. I usually split this money between the three children...to help pay out their allowance...but we did something different today...and it was so fun.

We went to Starbucks and purchased a drink for all of us. Then we put the rest on a gift card. Now, I don't have to always say, "No I am not buying you a hot chocolate." I told them when the card is gone...they will need to wait until we take another trip to the recycle center. I think it may help motivate them to pick up water bottles from the park, beach etc.

We also had fun doing our "high/low" while sipping our drinks. We usually do "high/low" at dinner. (we go around the table and everyone tells their high and their low for the day) Since school just started, I thought it would be fun to do a high/low only about school. The kids were so cute!

Tiger: My high is recess. I don't have a low...I really liked school today.

Cutie: My high is recess and snack time. I don't have a low either...today was even better than the first day of school!

Levi: My high is right now!

Obviously, my kids have their priorities in the right place...food and hanging with their friends!

My high is being with my children.

The Shack

I have had a lot of people ask me my opinion on the book "The Shack". I have to admit that the book is very easy to be drawn into and it is an easy read...but doesn't have much, if any, biblical principals. If you are reading this book, I would encourage you to have your bible next to you as you read it.

There is a wonderful site I found this evening I would encourage you to look at. http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sto_TheShack_13heresies

I can't wait to discuss this book at my book club!

Preschool Tradition

I have been slacking on my blogging lately. Mostly because my camera is broke AGAIN! I am in the process of getting it fixed. It was so sad not to have my camera to snap pictures of my kids first day of school this year. However, I have wonderful friends that snapped away for me...and as soon as I get the copies, I will post.

It has been a busy week. I have started back to work and the kids are back to school. I am so thankful to teach at the same school they attend. It is so nice to see their faces every day! I have been blessed with a really good 2nd grade class this year. We are getting another new student on Monday! The students are all thrilled!

This is the first time that I have been able to have some alone time with Little Guy EVERY DAY! It is so great. When he is done with preschool, I pick him up and we have 2 hours to ourselves. Last week we had a few play dates over...but this week we are already planning our trip to the bakery! It is kind of a tradition that I have done with all my kids. We would go to the bakery and they'd pick out a cookie...and then we'd sit and I would shoot all kinds of questions at them! I was telling Little Guy all about it and Tiger over heard us talking. He said, "Little Guy you are so lucky. Mom will even let you have juice on that day! And you get to sit there with her while she drinks her coffee just the two of you." He then turned to me and said, "I wish we still did that mom." I was so glad that he remembered those days...and reminded that I need to make it happen more often for him as well.

I am so thankful for those precious memories with my kids...just the two of us.

School is here again

One of the joys of teaching at the school that my children attend is that I get to hear all the cute things they do all day! Yesterday was their first day back to school...and my first day of teaching again!

Today when I arrived at school, Tiger's teacher brought me his handwriting book. She couldn't wait to show me what he had done! Yesterday she had told them to write some of their favorite letters. Tiger wrote "N" "Y" "L" "A". I was so touched that my Tiger wrote my name while he was in class. His teacher said, "He must have been missing you in the afternoon." I was so touched...it almost brought me to tears!