My summer according to Instagram

This is a summary of my summer, in no particular order.... 

 My dear, wonderful friend Tara called my husband with a fantastic idea for Mother's Day. The plan was she and I would go to Jersey Boys... and we did! It was so fun singing along with the talented people on stage. I was, however, surprised that they didn't ask me to run away with them and be in the show... Maybe next time!

 I had the pleasure of running away to Banff this summer to a "secret wedding". Our neighbors got engaged about eight years ago, and decided to elope. It was such a fun weekend! If I were to do it again, I would so do it this way! Thanks Phil and Carrie for trusting me with your memories of this day.

I changed my hair up. Big time. I dyed it grey. Yep. On purpose. And I loved it! But yesterday I got it cut again, and we threw some pink in it. Again, I love it. Yay! I am so happy that I found an amazing hair dresser in Lethbridge because this gives me a reason to have a whole day to myself! 

 I learned to drive the boat. Sort of. Well... not really. It scares me. I don't know why, but it does. I don't want to hit a sand bar, or go too fast, or flip the boat (I know, I know... I won't flip the boat). But I did drive it around our lake for a bit. One day I will be able to pull Grant on his skis, but not yet.

 We crammed as much family time in as we could. With Grant working away, and summers being his busy time with forest fires, we have to take what we can get. So, we took! We went boating, and to movies, and worked in the yard (so fun.....) and just enjoyed our time together.

 I celebrated my ten year wedding anniversary. However, as I said before, Grant isn't around much in the summer, so I spent it with a bunch of girlfriends instead! It was a night full of laughs, drinks, and debauchery. (With very little debauchery.) I also started working on the plans to celebrate our anniversary together. Grant and I are going to wine country and San Fran this fall. I can't wait for some time away together, and also a chance to see the city my youngest sister says is her all time favorite!

 We camped. I know that a picture of a drink doesn't necessarily mean camping, but this is what Darcie and I did while we were camping! We spent a week in Champion's campground while our kids had swimming lessons. We had a blast. The kids got along better than they ever have, and I learned that I can camp without Grant! I was pretty proud of myself.... until I ran us out of propane. That makes for bbqing a bit harder. :/

 I read. A lot. Summer is all about relaxing and not stressing about the little things. At least it is for me. And so, I spent a lot of time behind the covers of some excellent books. The Sisters Brothers was one that I really enjoyed, and was completely surprised by. I will admit that I bought it because of the cover, (and a great review from a friend on Facebook). I really had no clue what it was about, and by the first page I realized it was a western. But I kept reading, and was pleasantly surprised that I liked it. I read six or seven other books this summer. It was quite a dent into the pile I have that need to be read, and then I bought about ten more to read, so by that equation, I need to catch up!

 I pickled. A couple of girlfriends and I got together and made a whopping 76 jars of dill pickles. It went by quite quickly considering, and I only forgot the salt for two batches..... 

 I shopped. Tara and I took the girls for a Girls' Day Out to CrossIron Mills. We had a good day spending money, and getting ready for back to school. I love that her daughter and Avery get along so well. It makes spending time together easier! (Not that it is hard.... It is just one more reason to get together!)

 I helped with harvest. It started so early this year. I don't ever remember a time that Grant was in the field in the middle of August, and this year I am happy to say that I took on the full time role of farm wife. I have never been too excited to take meals to the field or get parts, but this year it became a necessity, and I was glad to do it. Inconvenient? Yes. But it also meant that we got extra time with Grant that we wouldn't otherwise have had.

I escaped Lethbridge before the fire closed the highway! There was a major grass fire just outside of Lethbridge last week, and of course the wind was crazy that day fueling the flames, and even creating little fire tornados. The flames jumped the river, and the highway, and came very close to both Coalhurst and Lethbridge. The highway was closed and my friend Catherine was stranded in the city for hours. I made it out and was able to get these pictures when the fire was still relatively new.

This isn't the whole summer, and we certainly filled our days with swimming, and camping, and zoo trips, and Calaway Park, and more swimming and I for one am sad that summer the season is over. I am thrilled that summer the weather is still sticking it out. 

Back to School

Back to school signals the end of summer. The weather is still warm, and the kids are still wearing shorts, but our days are no longer filled with deciding whether or not we go to the pool, or the spray park. Days are now filled with waking up early, making lunches, and last minute, "I forgot I had..... for homework!" (Clearly that happened this morning three minutes before the bus.)

Avery started grade two this year, and has come home from school every day this week excited about one thing or another that happened. I am looking forward to watching her continue to learn and grow, and excel in her subject areas. She make me so very proud.

Cohen starts kindergarten this year. His first day was a half day of orientation and he was literally bouncing off the walls before we left the house. He was so excited to put on his "handsome shirt" (see below...) that he fell into the island in the kitchen while taking off his pyjamas. He came home from school with an "A" book that he has been reading to anyone who will listen, including the dog. He is so eager to please and wants to go every day and not just twice a week. 

 With both kids in school I have newfound time on my hands. I still haven't decided what I am going to do with that time though. I talk a big game. I have said I plan on painting our bedroom, I am going to do once a month cooking, I am going to organize my whole house, etc. I think the reality is that I will be so busy with my photography for the first few months of school that I will just be working. Even so, I will be working uninterrupted!

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

summer holiday pressure

Our summer holidays came to an end today as Avery went back to school and into grade two. I have been thinking back to the summer that was, and for a minute I felt guilty that we didn't do anything AMAZING, and that we stayed relatively close to home. It isn't that we didn't do anything this summer; we really did. We camped, we went to the zoo, and Calaway Park. We swam, and swam, and swam. We went to movies and had play dates. It was a great summer, but I think that because we didn't go to the cabin this summer I feel guilty.
And then I have to remind myself that the kids don't care what they do over summer holidays. I think that parents put pressure on themselves to do over the top things because that is what everyone else is doing. Or because they are trying to create memories.

When I was growing up, we would camp at Fairmont Hot Springs every summer. That was it. We had one week to camp, and we camped, and swam, and rode our bikes, and roasted hot dogs (gross). I have amazing memories of those summers. The smell of coconut "suntan lotion" still makes me think of the pool. Whenever we go back there, I immediately think of my childhood.

I worry that my kids won't have amazing summer memories, but then I asked Avery what she loved the best about this summer, and it was simple. She loved going to the pool. She said that she learned to be a better swimmer this summer and that was why she loved it.

Cohen said the same thing. He turned in to a little fish in July and now lives with his face in the water.
So. I need to release the guilt. My kids don't know that we could have done this, or gone there. They are happy with the simple things. And isn't that a lesson we can all learn?

Not ready for this...

I am not ready for summer holidays to be over. I am not ready to make lunches, or get up early, or study spelling words. I am especially not ready for Cohen to go to school two days a week. I don't know what I am going to do with that time! (I know what I should do, but don't know what I will actually do.)
My September is going to be filled with school pictures. I have three school contracts this year to photograph, and the addition of the third school more than doubles the number of images I will be taking versus years past. My October is going to be filled with getting school pictures back to the schools, as well as two weekends are booked for weddings. In addition to that, I have about four family sessions confirmed, and three more looking for tentative dates depending on the fall weather. So, although I think I won't have anything to do, I know I will be busy.
When all of that is taken care of, I plan on re-organizing my house. Who am I kidding... organizing my house.
I have been pinning ideas for organization for months, and actually already started some mini projects. Just the other day, I spent a whopping thirty minutes organizing the cupboards under the sink in the bathroom. It felt so good. I can't wait for the rest of the house.... I am sure Grant can't either.

Me vs Pollen

I will do anything for a good shot. (well, maybe not ANYTHING - I won't go into a mouse infested house or anything) I have allergies. Especially to pollen. And I think particularly to canola pollen.

However, I will still traipse into the pollen to get some pictures of my kids. The sun was BRIIIIIGHT this day. I was shooting at an f-stop of 26! That's crazy. I must say I like the sky a lot better when there are big fluffy clouds in it! 

I also love how much my kids love each other. I told them to stand beside each other, and this is how they interpreted that. Don't get me wrong... they will have a good old, knock down, drag out from time to time, but they play together, and love each other more than they fight. I am a lucky momma!

Gamble

Farming is a gamble. A HUGE gamble. A necessary gamble. If all farmers decided to give up whenever a gamble went bad, the rest of the world would surely go hungry. This year was our first year growing peas. They are a risky crop because they don't necessarily make you money, but they are great for the soil as part of crop rotation. So, Grant was more than thrilled when his pea crop was one of the best in our part of the country. He has some 7 and 8 peas per pod pods. That is a big deal. (Or so I am told).

So, you can imagine how devastating things were around here yesterday when two major hailstorms made their way through yesterday. 

 This is one of the windows on the north side of our house. There are six sets of windows along the front of our house. Five of the six are now broken. Not good.

But this is worse.

This is Grant in his pea crop. Hours before it was above his waist. Now is doesn't even cover the soles of his shoes. This is what tens of thousands of dollars that you could have had, looks like when it is ripped out of your hand. 

Grant was surprisingly cool, calm and collected when he called to tell me what had happened. This photo was taken two hours after the storm ended. He sent me the picture and said it was funny that the hail was higher than the crop was.... I didn't think it was THAT funny... :/

So, here is the gamble. Farming is all about relying on things that are completely out of your control... it is about hoping you get rain at the right time, sun at the right time, hail never, frost never, and then hope that your crops fill out, the flowers bloom, and that there is money at the end. And all of that can be wiped away in a matter of minutes. 

In an effort to save a few soon to be obsolete pennies

I live an hour from the closest Starbucks. This is a good thing for my wallet. I am not one of those people with enough disposable income to go there every day and spend $4 for a coffee. (In fact, I don't know a lot of people with this much disposable income). I do however, enjoy what they have to offer, so I have had to learn how to make my own replacements for their yummy drinks. I have perfected my own iced chai latte. I have some chai spice that I made that I use to make it just that much more chai-y (yes that is a word). I also use the Tazo Chai concentrate that they sell at Starbucks, but I buy at Costco for a fraction of the cost.
Today is the passion tea lemonade experiment. I bought the passion tea bags, and ready made lemonade. I have just steeped six bags of tea and they are chilling in the fridge. I also just made my own simple syrup.... I just have to wait for it all to cool, and the experiment will be in the testing stages! I am excited for all of the money this is going to save me!

Layer Cake - WAS

My friend Catherine and I are the only ones of our friends that like real wine. By real wine I mean not Arbor Mist, or Boones or whatever the other crap is the rest of them drink. We have also decided that we are red wine snobs. We don't have the need to drink white. So, because of that, we decided to create our own Wine Appreciation Society. Tonight, on the menu is Layer Cake. I had the Shiraz a while ago on a date night with Grant. We took a bottle of wine out to one of our fields one night, and watched the lightning to the south of us. I really enjoyed it, and immediately tasted the different layers... hence the name I guess.
Tonight is their Primitivo a.k.a. Zinfandel. I am excited to talk wine with her, but more importantly, celebrate her birthday; a day late.

10 Randoms.... Movies I have never seen.

For the longest time, my friends have been amazed that I have never seen the movie Grease. I don't get what the big deal is, but maybe that is because I haven't seen it. So, then I got to thinking about other big movies that I haven't seen. Apparently I have some catching up to do.

 Labyrinth - Fantasy doesn't do it for me.... Neither does David Bowie.

The Matrix - See above.... too sciency, too weird for me.

Thelma and Louise. I don't know why. I think it was because I don't like Geena Davis.... I know it isn't because I don't like Brad Pitt.... ;)

The Godfather - or any of the Godfather movies. I like mob stuff, so the reason for this neglect is beyond me... Maybe the next rainy day, because we have this at home.

None of the Indiana Jones ones. Not a single one. A big rolling rock and snakes don't do it for me. Neither do whips. (Impressive how much I know about it though, isn't it?)

Pretty In Pink. There are actually a whole list of 80s movies that I haven't seen, including 16 Candles, and Risky Business. I think I didn't like the idea of a redhead wearing pink. I have weird aversions. Don't get me started on meat on the bone!

Rocky. I don't like watching guys punch each other. (Hence not seeing Fight Club. Again, not because of Brad Pitt)

I HAVE seen the first Star Wars movie. The first, first movie. Not the first movie that turned into the fourth movie. I haven't seen the others. I think that we, as a people, don't deserve access to space. I think we have done a spectacular job destroying our planet, and therefore we shouldn't be allowed to go there and destroy other parts of our universe. Because of that, any space stuff turns me off. 

When Harry Met Sally. I LOVE Meg Ryan. I have no idea why I haven't seen this. I have seen the fake orgasm scene, but that is it.

So, I guess it is a pretty decent list of things I have missed. Maybe my rainy summer days will be spent catching up on all I have missed.

Some thoughts on ice cream

For me, this image reminds me of my summers working at Frosty Top. That was our local ice cream parlour and my summer job for three years. Ice cream isn't something I love, or even like for that matter. I would rather dump my calories into bag of chips, so it was a good place to work. I also liked that very rarely were people unhappy when they were eating their ice cream. Who could get a double scoop of Tiger and Maple Walnut and be angry?

But now, this image also makes me sad. I have a daughter with a severe peanut allergy and the thought of taking her out for ice cream terrifies me. Not every ice cream flavor has peanuts or nuts in it, but the potential is a real threat for a person with food allergies. It isn't the ice cream part of it. She has ice cream all the time. It is the experience. I remember going for bike rides as a family and then stopping for ice cream on the way home. We used to get ice cream after baseball games, swimming, on really hot days, sometimes on really rainy days... We just went for ice cream. That isn't something that Avery will get to experience. Is it a big deal? No. Could it be worse? Yes. But, nonetheless, it makes me sad. Because of something out of her control, she is going to miss out on a major part of childhood. We try to make things as normal as possible and to her credit, she is fantastic about missing out. She gets it. She knows that even the littlest exposure can be deadly, and she never once has complained. Maybe I need to take a lesson from her...
:)

New Approach to Laundry

This is only a slight exaggeration of what the constant chore of laundry looks like in my house. I have always been looking for a way for it to be less painful, and annoying, and something I dread. Laundry usually went in a format something like this:
I would sort both kids, mine and Grant's clothes by color, dark, whites, denims, socks and underwear, and sheets and towels. This usually meant between 7 -10 loads of laundry depending on how big the loads were, and how long it had been since the last time I did laundry. Then, I would do these loads, but not fold everything completely because I am a bit anal about how things go into the basket because I put things in the basket based on how they go into drawers and the closets. So, laundry could take me days to fully complete and get back into closets... Get why I hate it?
So, I was on pinterest and was looking for new ways to organize my life, and I came across a blog that introduced the most controversial approach to laundry I have ever heard of. The woman proposed that I don't sort...... I know, right? Anyhoo, she suggests using a 1/4 cup of vinegar to set colors and keep them bright, but not to worry about keeping lights and colors apart.
She also said that she does one load of laundry a day. From start to finish. Wash, dry, fold put away. Done. So, this is going to be my new approach. I am going to take a basket a day from either our room, or one of the kids' rooms, and go from there. I think I won't be doing as much laundry, because realistically they have enough clothes that I could probably wash their stuff once every two weeks, and the same for us. That would mean sheets and towels once a week, and other stuff as necessary...
Kind of excited. Did I just say that?
Anyhoo, as I am finishing this post, the dryer has just binged on my first attempt at not sorting. Time to fold!

Sign of the times?

In the last couple of weeks, two iconic staples in the scrapbook industry (to me) have made major announcements. The first was that the magazine Scrapbooks Etc. is stopping print. This was my all time favorite inspirational magazine, and I had a subscription to it for years up until a few years ago...  (I spend my time looking for ideas online now.) The second announcement came on Tuesday to my email that the Lethbridge location of Scrapbooker's Paradise is closing. CLOSING! Paradise is the biggest scrapbook chain in Alberta, and likely Canada. And one of their stores is closing. It really shouldn't come as a surprise. I know plenty of stores that have gone under in recent years due to several reasons, but this one was a bit of a shock. A few years ago, they moved to a smaller location, and I didn't find myself in the store as much because it didn't feel as welcoming, the stock was too inaccessible, and they didn't carry as much.
Is it me? Am I the reason the scrapbook industry is changing? I cancelled my subscription, and stopped shopping.... coincidence??? ;)
Needless to say, I got a paper rack from Paradise because they are selling their fixtures... I kinda want to go get another, but I don't have that much paper!
So I guess it is so long to an era of my life, and on to bigger and better things... like online shopping??

Summer To Do List

Is it still a "to do" if you have already done it? I am making summer plans like crazy. It is the end of May after all... ;) And May has been a horribly disappointing month weather wise, so summer can't come soon enough for this girl!
I am making plans for the days between June 29th and Labour Day.... so thing one is:
1. Plant the garden. The weather isn't looking that great, and the ground is somewhat dry, so hopefully this happens in the next day or two.

2. The pool opened last year on the first of July. It is already open and I plan on spending as much, if not more time there this year. We are so fortunate to have such an awesome opportunity in our little village. Best pool out there in my opinion!

3. When we aren't at the pool, I plan on spending time at the spray park in High River. This picture is from a few years ago... but the fun is still the same. Where else can you spend the day, have the fun we do there, and spend under $5?

4. There is something about the Red Deer Farmer's Market. I'm sure it is like most other Farmer's Markets, but I love that one. Every time I go to visit my parents, I make sure to make plans to go with my sister and her husband, or my friend Jenn. I don't go looking for veggies and fruits; I go to people watch, buy donuts, and look at all the stuff I wish I had time to make, but never get around to.

5. I also plan to take the kids to Calaway Park again this year. We went last year with Tara and her kids, and the plan is to go again this year. Maybe they will spend more time on the rides and less time in the haunted house??? Doubt it.

6. Make it to the cabin this year. We didn't go last year. The weather up there was crap, and the warmest day they had was 22 degrees. Grant and I both agreed that there was no point in driving 14 hours for crappy weather when we were having amazing weather at home. I am hoping that we are luckier this year. There is something about sitting on the deck of the cabin listening to the loons at sunset, watching the kids spend hours throwing rocks into the water, reading every book I brought, cooking outside every night.... I love the cabin.

7. Oh the penguins. Can't wait to take the kids to see them. That is all. ;)

8. This looks so fun. I can't wait to fill the tub with glow sticks and let the kids loose in the tub. I'm sure they won't want to get out!

9. Drumheller. That was another place we didn't get last year, and Avery has reminded me at least once a week... for a year..... So, we are going camping there again this year. Such a great town and so much to entertain my kids with!

10. Camping.... lots and lots of camping. I am even tempted to pull the trailer in to Champion before school is out and send Avery across the road to school from there. I surprise myself with how much I love to camp. We did it all the time when I was young, but I got to be a bit too high maintenance for a while and there was NO way I would sleep somewhere that wasn't a house or hotel. Now, I can't wait for the weekends!

Happy Mother's Day...

My kids made me my first ever breakfast in bed. It was adorable. Cohen came upstairs to tell me that I couldn't get out of bed, and that I had to wait for Avery, but she was getting me some dandelions.... Lucky me. Anyhoo, this is what I was presented. Tulips from my garden, dandelions from the yard, a pinecone Cohen found on the driveway, and a banana. That is my breakfast in bed. Served on a cake pan. Who is the luckiest mom in the world? This girl.
:)
I also received a ticket to Jersey Boys for a night out with my PBF in July. All in all, a pretty decent day thus far. Now to go and drink my chai on the deck, soak up some vitamin D, and rejoice in the fact that the lawnmower needs oil and therefore I can't mow the lawn today!

Please don't tell my husband...

I have too much scrap crap. And since getting hooked on Pinterest, other crap too... and all of that crap seems to make its way into my once organized scrapbook room. But there is too much. I have several unfinished Pinterest projects... I also have every intention to finish these projects, but I am, once again, spreading myself too thin, and am finding I lack the time to get my craft on. But I digress.
I haven't scrapped in months. MONTHS! I have lost my mojo again, and I know it is stuck somewhere in that room. So, today is supposed to be cooler and maybe a bit rainy, so I guess that means I need to tackle the task I have been dreading and ignoring, and procrastinating about.
If you never hear from me again, send help.
And a moving van.

I am a lucky, lucky girl

I don't know if it is lucky, or grateful, or a combination of both, but I am feeling pretty lucky today. I spent a good part of yesterday cleaning up our yard from the windstorms that we had this past fall and winter. I have a pile of tree branches taller than me, (not a MAJOR feat, but a feat nonetheless) in the backyard. That pile of dead branches means a fire, and wiener roast for the kids. I just need to to not be so dry and windy, and that day we will have supper roasted on the remnants of the trees in our yard. :) While I was lugging logs around the yard to make the pile I got to thinking how lucky I was. 

Lucky Number One:

I get to, and will vote tomorrow. I have voted in every election I was eligible to vote in since turning 18. I see it as a right. I see it as a privilege. I see it as a way to share my voice. This provincial election is the most important one in my lifetime, and you can bet I will be doing my part to ensure my voice is heard. I will not rant about the parties involved. I have done enough of that on Facebook and Twitter, but I will be  in line at 9 am tomorrow when the polls open, and will be planted in front of the TV tomorrow night to watch election results. And may the best man or woman win, whatever that means...

Lucky Number Two:

My brother in law is from New Zealand. New Zealand has an amazingly talented designer named Annah Stretton. And she makes Chameleon dresses. An example is pictured above. The dress can be worn in ten different ways. These dresses are pricey... Like $400 pricey. (But when you break it down to 10 dresses, each dress is only $40... ) My sister came home from NZ this past fall with one. I was JEALOUS..... such a cool concept, and design. Well...... yesterday I got a phone call from my sister saying that she won a dress on New Zealand's answer to eBay. And, even better, she was bidding on the dress for me.... and even BETTER.... she isn't going to make me pay her for it. She is going to trade me for a family sitting.... LUCKY ME!

Lucky Number Three:

I found a new, yummy, not pictured above flavor of Palm Bay. Maybe not luck, but definitely something to look forward to after helping Grant get going seeding today... And well deserved, if you ask me.

Lucky Number Four:

I went to Coldplay in Calgary on Wednesday night. They are AMAZING live. Beyond amazing. They are so talented. They know how to work the crowd, and spend every minute on stage making their audience happy. Every concert goer got a bracelet to wear during the show, and then at certain times during the night, the lights went out, and the bracelets lit up. One of the coolest things I have EVER seen at a concert. Period. And the second part of the lucky that day was going to the concert with my friend Jenn. Jenn and I were friends in high school, and then, as often happens, drifted apart. We reconnected about five years ago thanks to facebook, and we have been besties ever since! I am lucky to have a friend like her who loves the same music as I do, who makes me laugh, who reminds me of the fun we had in our teens, who GETS it. I am lucky to have her in my life again. She has reminded me of the power of true friendship. We were able to pick up exactly where we left off, and to me, that is a real friend.... <3

 

Lucky Number Five:

 I will be taking my husband on a date on Tuesday night. To see this guy. Yep... two concerts in less than a week. One was Coldplay, and the other is Elton John. LUCKY...... I can't even start to list the songs I hope to hear on Tuesday. Probably because there are so freaking many good ones, that it won't matter what he sings. The best part? I don't usually get a night out with Grant during seeding, unless the weather has gone for shit. But Tuesday night, we will get to have one of the most exciting date nights we have had in a long time..... :)

So... I am a lucky girl. Sometimes I need a reminder to slow down and look at all of the good in my life. And there is so much to be grateful for. I have great kids. They are kind to each other (most of the time), they are smart, they have good work ethics, they love me... I have a great marriage. I love the man I married more and more every day. He is one of the best providers I know. He works harder than ANYONE I know. He loves us more than we deserve, and I love him to the moon and back and to the moon again.  I have kick ass friends. You know... the really good ones. The ones who send you text messages of the mouse they caught so you know it is safe to come to work, the ones who pop over for an impromptu night of wine and movies, the ones who call you four or five times a day with nothing to say, but hours of conversation just the same. I am a lucky girl.

Hunger Games..... so good....

When the Hunger Games trilogy first came out I was very reluctant to read the books. I didn't like the concept of fighting to the death for food. It is such an uncomfortable concept. But once I read the first book, I was hooked. I really liked it. I found the second book to be just as enjoyable, but the third one I could do without.
That said, I went to the movie last night. So good. So true to the book. Best casting since Harry Potter. So good. I read the book about two years ago, so there were parts of the story that I didn't remember, but because the movie was so true to the book, it was a great reminder. I think this might be my new Titanic... I don't think I can afford fourteen trips to the theatre. Once was enough. I will definitely be getting this on DVD though....
I also loved that I got to have a night out with the girls. It has been a long time since a girls' night out, (out of my house that is...) and this time we didn't get tattoos. (Despite my request) ;).
There was yummy supper, a couple of drinks, and tons of laughs. I haven't forgotten how a night with just the girls makes me feel.... I did just have a night out a couple of weeks ago (a bunch came over and we watched movies, and drank wine), and a girls' day out at Tara's the next day.... It just felt good to be in a different town, with restaurant options, and movie tickets in hand....
The only thing that would have made this day better was going to the showing of Titanic first, and followed that with Hunger Games... ;)

So here's the plan

So I saw this on Pinterest.... imagine that, right?

Anyhoo, it is a savings plan that involves socking away a five dollar bill whenever you have one. People who are have done this have saved as much as $400 in one year. I would love to have a little extra money for whatever I feel I need. And what a great way to actually show my kids that they are not the only ones saving their money... that they will actually see me doing it. I think this will be difficult because I rarely actually have money on me. I am more of a debit card gal myself, but I also know it will be doable... If nothing else, I should have money on hand to pay the babysitter whenever we need one!