A hard decision

August 29, 2008 at 12:14 am (Uncategorized)
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It’s not the decision that’s hard…it’s carrying it out.

Payton bit Grady today. Grady’s face is a mess. He has two points where Payton’s teeth punctured his cheek & then a jagged cut where the teeth scraped along his face.

A few months ago, Grady had the same wound on his other cheek. Adam & I had gone downstairs to the basement to put Christmas decorations away. All of a sudden we heard Grady howl. It was one of those cries where you know something is really wrong. We raced upstairs & his face was cut up & bloody. It looked like a stab wound, so we thought maybe he got ahold of a kitchen knife or a pair of scissors. We have locks on those drawers, but we couldn’t think of what else could make those kind of cuts. We looked all around, however, but there were no sharp objects out.

The next morning when I looked more closely at Grady’s cuts, I told Adam, “They look like bite marks. Do you think Payton bit Grady?” It was hard to admit, but that seemed the logical explanation. But, we didn’t really know for sure & we didn’t want to make any decisions based on a suspicion.

Today, though, was different. Garrett had already gotten on the bus for school. I went to the kitchen to fix Ava & Grady’s lunch, when I heard that familiar cry from Grady. I quickly turned around & Grady ran to me holding his cheek, as blood trickled down his face. Payton was backed in a corner & barking. Ava started crying, saying that Payton bit Grady.

So, now we know for sure.

And, as hard as it is to say, we can’t keep Payton.

We’ve had him almost nine years. He was Adam’s & my first purchase after we were married. We love Payton. I had little birthday parties for him every year. (I get him a piece of chicken & put a candle in it. I know, I know…I’m nuts). But, we can’t knowingly put our kids in a situation where one of them could get hurt. Payton was never the same after I had kids. And the more I had, the more territorial he became. I feel horrible about this whole thing. Payton most likely bit Grady because he was scared. Grady put his face by Payton’s because he wanted him to lick him. Neither of them understand.

I don’t want him put to sleep. He’d be a wonderful pet for an elderly couple or someone who doesn’t have kids. We’ve called the humane society & apparently they don’t take animals whose owners have to give them up. So, today we’re exploring our options.

This is a real sad time for us. I know he’s a dog, but he is part of our family.

Christmas Eve, 2001

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That’s my boy

August 27, 2008 at 9:13 am (Uncategorized)

Garrett loves his Thomas the Train robe. He got it for his birthday a year ago. He calls it his jacket & he wears it to bed all the time.

Of my kids, Garrett is the one who makes me really laugh. He says the funniest things & he’s such a free-spirited little boy. Have you ever watched him run? Garrett doesn’t really run – he gallops!

Yesterday, I was putting him on the bus for school. As I was buckling him in, he said, “Mommy, I need a hug & a kiss.” Now, when Garrett hugs, he likes to press his cheek to your cheek. Then he’ll say, “This way..”, and he’ll press his other cheek to your other cheek. I had just finished “hugging” him & planting a kiss on his forehead. Before I uttered a word, he raised his fist, pointed to the door of the bus and said, “Now, go!” Even the bus driver busted out laughing!

That’s Garrett…in one moment he’s very sweet & tender, and in the next, he’s all impish & mischievous.

I was incredibly restless last night & didn’t sleep too well. I think I actually made an audible groan when Adam’s alarm went off this morning! The last thing I felt like doing was getting out of bed.

But alas, arise I must…

So, I made my way downstairs. Garrett came down a few minutes later. You know Garrett’s up when you hear the CRASH. That’s because he throws Buzz Lightyear, Pooh Bear & his cup down the stairs first. He walked in as I was preparing my breakfast (which means I put a PopTart in the toaster & pressed a button). I had on my pink polka-dot robe, glasses, no makeup & my hair was completely disheveled. I was leaning against the counter, eyes half-closed, just as the toaster popped. I mentally ran through my “To Do” list, when all of a sudden, Garrett wandered over to me, put his arms around my leg, looked up and said,

“Mommy looks like a princess.”

I looked down at him as tears filled my eyes. I felt like crap when I woke up & he instantly brightened my day.

I picked him up & hugged him tight. After a moment, he pulled away & looked at me with his bangs hanging in his eyes. I placed my forehead right against his, looked at him & said, “Garrett, you make Mommy so very happy.”

He smiled at me…

He moved in closer…

and then he took my PopTart.

“Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature of a boy.”
– Author Unknown

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Perfect Play

August 25, 2008 at 8:24 am (Uncategorized)
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We used to play tag all the time growing up – classic tag, freeze tag, hide and go seek tag, tv tag, icecube tag…

I have to admit, I miss those days!

Saturday evening, I watched a group of kids, including my own, play tag in our backyard. There were boys & girls alike, with ages ranging from 3 to 14. It was so cool to watch them play together!

The kids played a version of tag called, “Cherry Bomb.” I’ll tell you right now, I don’t get it. It started out like your basic hide and go seek tag. The person who was “It,” would count to 20, while the others hid. “It” then had find the kids & tag them (okay, I got all of that). So, at one point “It” was chasing the others, when all of sudden, kids started randomly jumping off the swingset, exclaiming “cherry bomb!” Then even “It” started doing it! It made no sense, but the kids had a blast.

As I sat there watching a game of tag, I knew I was witnessing something unique. How often do you see kids with that age span playing together? Not just playing as in “occupying common space,” but really playing with each other? Seriously, the oldest kid was an 8th grader and the youngest was a preschooler.

I couldn’t help but think of it as a model for how church should be.

I loved watching the kids play. The little ones were such a hoot! They’d run around screaming with delight – they were just excited to be playing! Sure, they didn’t have a clear grasp on how the game worked, but that’s what the big kids were there for. They helped them along by explaining the rules & showing them the boundaries.

There were definitely times when the big kids concentrated on tagging each other – they are after all on the same level. But, in the next moment, one of the big kids would take a little one by the hand & help them find a hiding place. They could have looked at those little ones & said, “You’re not old enough to play.”

But they didn’t.

Ever watch a big kid play tag with a little one? Notice how they’ll never run quite as fast as they could, and eventually they’ll let the little one tag them. And then watch how that little one lights up! It would be so easy for the big kid to outrun the little one & laugh at the fact that no matter hard the little kid may try; they’re just too young to run fast enough or move quick enough.

But they don’t.

They know if they did, then eventually that little one would become frustrated & give up. They’d throw their arms up, fall to the ground & declare they don’t want to play anymore because the joy of the game is gone.

Saturday night, I watched my kids look up with admiration to those big kids who played with them. They relied on them to model the game. And one day, my kids are going to teach someone younger than them how to play…because someone invested in them first.

Those big kids got it. They remembered what is was like to be that little kid.

I admire those big kids so much.

Everyone plays – and when they do, they all enjoy the game.

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Garrett’s First Day

August 22, 2008 at 7:11 am (Uncategorized)

Today, is Garrett’s first day of school. Wow – lots of excitement in the Newton house this week, huh?!

Garrett & I are having a bit of a war over his backpack.

Laat year, he had a “Little Einsteins” backpack.

I’ve taken my son to Walmart, Target & just about any other store I can think of to find him a backpack.

He wants none of the backpacks we see in the store.

Garrett Adam David wants to bring this to school instead…

This is what Garrett calls, “his bag.”

Yep, that’s right – it’s a cooler.

He keeps his toys & DVDs in there. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found half a sandwich in there too.

He wants to use the cooler as his backpack.

Believe me, if I thought the school would allow it, I’d let him use it. But, the bag has to be certain dimensions, and unfortunately, the cooler doesn’t make the cut (I can’t get his folder in there…yes, I tried!).

We’ve been going back and forth over this.

Yesterday, I pulled out his “Little Einsteins” backpack & he showed an interest in it. We even got him to bring it to orientation.

So, hopefully, when he gets on the bus today, he will be coolerless!

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Small Favor

August 22, 2008 at 12:13 am (Uncategorized)
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Hey,

I have a request for all my Facebook friends out there.

I need 10 people to confirm that I am the author of my blog. Why? I have absolutely no idea – you’d think my vote alone would suffice!

Anyway, if you have a Facebook account & can take a minute to “vote,” then I’d appreciate it.

Thanks!!

7 Comments

Kindergarten Report

August 21, 2008 at 11:41 pm (Uncategorized)

Ava had a great first day!

We’ve been watching “Finding Nemo” recently & both Ava & Garrett were running around the house yelling, “First day of school! First day of school!”, Nemo-style this morning. Ava kept asking me how many more minutes until school all morning. You should have seen the look on her face when I told her she had to wait almost 300 minutes!

We all walked her to school this afternoon. I have found my new exercise routine. I tell you, pushing my boys in the double stroller is tough – they’re heavy!

Ava stopped and picked flowers for her teacher on our way to school. Her teacher was delighted with her bouquet of dandelions & clover and was sure to tell Ava so. I love when teacher’s recognize how important those little things are to a 5 year old.

Ava was fine when we left. She’s always had a bit of an independent streak in her, so I figured she would be (btw – Adam & I did okay too). We were only allowed to stay with her in the gymnasium. The teacher walked the kids to their actual classroom. There was one little girl who was crying when her mom left, so Ava & another girl held her hand. They made a cute trio.

Ava was pretty talkative on our walk back from school. She likes her teacher & the girl she sits next too. She can’t remember the girl’s name, but she thinks she’s nice. (uh-oh…she may take after me in that department!). She is still disappointed that she is not eating lunch at school or taking a nap there. Ava hasn’t taken a nap for almost three years now. However, in her Strawberry Shortcake book, the kids eat lunch & take naps at school. So, she figured she’d do the same. I keep reminding her that she’ll bring her lunch next year. As far as napping goes, I assured her if she ever wanted to pretend her bedroom was the classroom & take a nap, then I’m all for it. She wasn’t as hip on the idea. I guess the classroom has a certain allure that her bedroom doesn’t…;)

She was excited to see the neighborhood kids all walking home at the same time. It did rain a bit on the way home & I, being the ever prepared mommy, forgot the umbrella. However, my next-door neighbor, who is much more on top of things, shared her umbrella with us. You’ll notice in the pictures below, I am holding an umbrella. That was from our walk to school & I can’t take credit for it. Adam was the prepared one!

Adam, can you believe she’s in kindergarten now? I swear, I still clearly remember reading my positive pregnancy test. I can’t believe how quickly she’s growing

Here are some pics from the day:

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Kindergarten!

August 21, 2008 at 8:02 am (Uncategorized)
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In honor of Ava’s first day…

All I Really Need To Know
I Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum

- an excerpt from the book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten

All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.
All I really need to know about how to live and what to do
and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not
at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the
sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don’t hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don’t take things that aren’t yours.

Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life – learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play
and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even
the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die.
So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books
and the first word you learned – the biggest
word of all – LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any of those items and extrapolate it into
sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your
family life or your work or your government or
your world and it holds true and clear and firm.
Think what a better world it would be if
all – the whole world – had cookies and milk about
three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with
our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments
had a basic policy to always put thing back where
they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you
are – when you go out into the world, it is best
to hold hands and stick together.

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Great finds

August 20, 2008 at 9:25 am (Uncategorized)
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I’m a busy mom who is constantly on the go (who isn’t, right?). I thought it’d be fun today to share a couple of my favorite “finds” that make my life a little easier.

Swivel Sweeper

My mom got this for me almost a year ago. I love it!! It’s lightweight & so easy to use. I keep it in my pantry so I can pick up messes right away. Now, when the crumbs end up on the floor & dirt is tracked into the house, I don’t have to haul out the vacuum every time. I just get out the my trusty Swivel & sweep away! Also, it gets right up along tight edges. The head of our vacuum is too big to get the crumbs right along the cabinets, fridge & dishwasher. I would have to use the vacuum hose or the broom to get those places. But the swivel sweeper gets right up there. Trust me, this is one you definitely want in you cleaning arsenal!

Buehler’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I had these at my friend, Maria’s, house for the first time & I’ve been addicted since! You can find these at Aldi’s. They actually have little peanut butter cups in the dough! The dough is premade & precut. You just break it apart, put on the cookie sheet & bake for 15 minutes. I keep these handy in the fridge – I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve needed to quickly throw a batch in the oven. They’re a hit every time! I’ve also tried Buehler’s Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle cookies and they rock. I just bought their Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut & I can’t wait to give that a try too!

Stain Remover Concoction

Sorry, it’s the best name I have for it. One of the reasons why I dread laundry days is because I spend so much time fighting to get those darn stains out! It all started when Ava was a baby & I was introduced to those little jars of baby food. I tell you, carrots were my arch nemesis! They not only tinted her face orange, they were a beast to get out. And, bibs didn’t always cut it, you know? Ava loved flicking the spoon with her hand, spending gloppy carrots everywhere. Of course, some always landed on me too. Anyway, I looked online for stain removers and came across this “recipe.” It’s awesome! Items I probably would have had to either throw away or turn into paint shirts have been saved by this.

Here it is:

1 cup powder dishwashing detergent (I use Cascade)

1 cup powder color safe bleach (I use Clorox 2)

Fill laundry tub as high as you need (I usually set it to small load) & let the clothes soak overnight.

In the morning, run the wash cycle as you normally would. I like to run it again using regular laundry detergent & toss them in the dryer as usual.

Here’s an example from just this morning…

Grady’s t-shirt BEFORE:

Grady’s t-shirt AFTER!

And speaking of Graders…

He’s also a great find…I highly recommend him!!

How about you?

Got any hidden gems?

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The Basket of Christ

August 19, 2008 at 4:24 am (Uncategorized)
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As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

“Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! (Matthew 14:13-21)

I first heard this story as a young child & I have always been fascinated by it. Can you just imagine the look on the disciples’ faces as they passed out the food? Wow – how amazing!

I’m a helper. I enjoy helping people. Yet, there are so many instances when I get discouraged because I feel like I can’t do enough, give enough and meet everyone’s needs. I’m only one person, and can only do so much. In those times, I want to cry out to the Lord, “Please God, let me be like that basket of loaves & fish. Let there be enough of me to help everyone.”

Just look around you – we live in a world full of needs:

  • There are physical needs that need to be met…

Every 3.6 seconds, someone dies of hunger.

  • There are emotional needs to be met…

Every 30 seconds, someone commits suicide.

  • There are spiritual needs to be met…

Nearly 2 people die every second, every day.

Of those people, how many of them are going to heaven because they confessed Jesus Christ to be Lord, believed in Him & followed Him?

I’ve been turning this idea over for a few days now. I’ve been praying, asking God, “How can I give more?”

And then I read this, this morning:

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.

So it is with the body of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 12:12

It is simply not realistic for one person to do it all. I read this sentence today & it got me looking in a new direction. God designed the body & gave each part a very specific & vital function. The body needs all of it’s parts – they are put together for a reason. The same is true of the Body of Christ. God has gifted each of us in a unique way. But, when we put our gifts together, the Body is able to reach it’s fullest redemptive potential.

Did you catch this sentence in the Old Testament section of today’s reading?

“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14

I remember my pastor, Dennis, personalizing this very line in church a while back. He asked us, “Who knows if perhaps you were made for just such a time as this?”

So, not only are each of us part of the Body of Christ, where each individual serves a very specific function. We are part of the Body here on this earth, at this exact moment, with all these other specific believers, called together for a unified purpose.

The basket of loaves and fish…

This is the way I see the potential for the Body of Christ. While a single person cannot meet everyone’s needs, a body of believers can do so much more! Together, they share in the responsibility, celebrate the joys and bind the wounds of a hurting world.

Intricately woven together, we can be that basket, that when blessed by Jesus, is able to meet the needs of the people.

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Favorite Weekend Quote

August 18, 2008 at 7:31 am (Uncategorized)

Courtesy of Garrett, my 3-year-old…

We went to Adam’s parents’ church this Sunday. We were in the middle of morning worship and there was maybe a five second pause between two of the worship songs. All of a sudden, Garrett blurts out:

“Jesus died down on the cross? No way!”

That got a little chuckle from the congregation!

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Family Weekend Getaway

August 18, 2008 at 5:30 am (Uncategorized)
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We headed in to the Rockford area on Friday for our vacation. Since we finished our basement this year, we’ve had a tight vacation budget this summer. So, we’ve been thinking of ways to still getaway without breaking the bank.

The kids love visiting our family. Ava began counting down around Day 11 & then proceeded to let everyone, including Adam & I, know how many more days until vacation.

We arrived in Rockford early Friday evening. My Grandma Rita is currently staying with my parents, so we got to enjoy time with her. Grandma & I share a passion for puzzles. I used to do puzzles quite often on our dining room table. I typically go with the 750 piece ones. However, after I had Ava, I quickly learned that puzzles & babies just don’t mix. She got on the table one day & proceeded to swipe all the pieces to the floor. It was okay, I had only spent…oh, I don’t know…maybe A WEEK(!), working on it. I haven’t done one here at the house since. So, working on the puzzle with Grandma was a rare treat & we actually finished it!

Friday night, Adam & I went out to one of our favorite restaurants, JMK Nippon’s. It’s a Japanese restaurant where the chefs cook right at your table (a la Benihana’s). We actually had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding there almost nine years ago. We ate at the Sushi bar that evening. Adam loves sushi! They say it’s very healthy for you, but I think the idea of eating raw fish is gross. He gets a variety of items such as octopus, salmon, tuna, shrimp, & eel. I was quite content with my little set of chopsticks & my big bowl of vegetable fried rice! Oh, and our dessert rocked! It was a shortbread pastry spread with a layer of Chantilly cream & topped with an assortment of blueberries, raspberries & red currants.

We spent Saturday afternoon at the pool & then chilled at my parents house. Saturday night, we went out with Adam’s siblings, Seth & Laurie, and their respective spouses, Di & Jonathan. We did it up Japanese style again, at Shogun’s, only this time we ate at the tables where the chefs actually cooked in front of you. I have to say though…I learned that from now on, I need to ask them to just prepare my food in the back kitchen. I have no problem admitting that I am high maintenance when it comes to vegetarian eating. So, when the chef slices his knife through raw meat & then instantly starts chopping up my veggies, I won’t eat them. Some of my veggies were cooked before the meat hit the skillet and I ate those. The rest though were denied access to my plate.

After dinner we went back to Seth & Di’s, and played cards until 12:30 am. It was a very fun night!

We went to Adam’s parents’ church Sunday morning & then spent the afternoon celebrating Laurie’s birthday before heading home Sunday night.

Today is the last day of our vacation. We promised the kids we’d take them to Chuck E Cheese’s, so we’re heading there for lunch.

Also, Ava has been asking all summer to set up a lemonade stand. We’ll have that running around 5, so if you are thirsty & happen to be in our area, stop on by! :)

I have to give a huge shout out to our parents. They watched the kids so Adam & I could go out. I can’t remember the last time we had two date nights in a row! The kids had a blast playing with grandmas, grandpa, papa, Uncle B & their cousins. Adam & I really appreciated the time we shared together.

School starts this Thursday & I am so thankful we got in one more weekend of summer fun!

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When I Got Home Last Night

August 15, 2008 at 11:35 am (Uncategorized)



Ava & Garrett were waiting for me.

Adam was very excited about his game & started playing it right away!

As you can see, it was very thrilling…

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Tomato Picking & a Fabulous Recipe!

August 15, 2008 at 6:02 am (Uncategorized)
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The kids & I went to my friend, Katie’s, house the other day.

She has a garden.

(sigh)

Next year we will have a garden. I think it would be so cool to grow your own food. Katie has a variety of items – tomatoes, grape tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber & even watermelon. Ava loves going to their house to pick veggies. When she heard the tomatoes were ripe she was so excited & kept on asking when we were going to their house. Katie graciously lets us empty out the garden & take the goodies home. This pic is of Ava, & Katie’s boys, Ryan & Michael.

So, last year, Katie gave me a recipe for the grape tomatoes.

It’s quick, easy, light & soooo good!

All you do is take a Boboli pizza crust, brush it with olive oil & bake it for about 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile you chop up the grape tomatoes, and sprinkle them with salt, pepper & a little basil. After the crust is finished, pour the tomatoes onto the warm crust & sprinkle with a 4 oz. container of feta cheese. I’ve used the “mediterranean” flavor of feta and the “sun-dried tomato & basil” flavor. Slice up & serve!

I loved making this last year & I couldn’t wait to do it again this year – it never disappoints!

Thanks Katie!

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What I’m doing right now

August 14, 2008 at 8:48 pm (Uncategorized)
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At this very moment I am sitting in Panera -

alone

Well, not quite alone…I am accompanied by a mug of hot chocolate & a shortbread cookie (the best!!).

Adam came home tonight & said, “Hey, do you want to get out by yourself for awhile?”

Am I married to a great guy or what?!

Anyway, he’s getting a little surprise when I get home.

I bought him Madden 09!

I’m such a nerd – I had no idea what game system he has, so I had to call his friend Dave to ask him.

Luckily, Dave is more on top of that stuff than I am!

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Oh, those crayons!

August 14, 2008 at 2:15 pm (Uncategorized)
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The good news: I found the crayons. I’d like to take this time to recognize the good people at Staples for supplying them.

The bad news: They were $3.00 a box…3 bucks for 8 crayons?! Ugh, I just spent $9.00 on 24 crayons. You know those things are going to break the second the kids use them! I’d again like to recognize the good people at Staples for ripping me off!

I read your comments after I made my purchase. I never thought to look at the Dollar Store. Good thing I kept my receipt!

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