What's it Worth to You?

Sweet Emma.

She has been very excited and very eager to clear out her room for the garage sale. She started the other day in her "toy drawer". This is basically a "junk drawer". The place for Happy Meal toys, bouncy balls, forgotten party favors, and the occasional water gun.
Emma was extremely proud after she sorted through her drawer and presented me with a bag of oh, half a dozen or so trinkety toys. She had also taken the time to compile a price list.

Oh dear.

Here's how it went: (and this was after we had a discussion AND I gave the recommendation of about a dime apiece...)

Sonic race car (kid's meal prize): $2.00
whistle (the kind that comes in a set of 12 for birthday party goody bags): $1.00
key chain (more of the above): $.50
bouncy ball: $.50
toy gun: $2.00
Kung Fu Panda (Happy Meal prize): $2.00

She also told me she thinks we should price her vanity set at $90.00.

The plan is for her to man her own area the morning of the sale. This is going to be interesting.

;)

Popcorn and a Prize

As I watch the girls snacking contendedly while watching "Bug's Life", I have to make a note, hoping our simple little game stays in their sweet heads as they grow.
I started giving "popcorn with a prize". Just on a whim one day. Must have had something at the end of a box or bag and tossed it on top of their bowl of popcorn.

And so it began. :)

Now it is so funny that they squeal and shout "YES!" when I announce I'll bring them their popcorn and a prize. I think it's mostly the surprise. The "prize" is nothing big. A few mini marshmallows, M&Ms, gummi bears, and today yogurt covered pretzels. Something very simple but just the little "extra" that brings delight.
It makes me smile that they find such excitement in something so small. "Thank you thank you thank you Mama!" I love that they don't expect anything big and that they appreciate something so small.

Obviously this is about more than a few marshmallows in a bowl of popcorn. :)

Goodness

We are currently playing the "how long can we survive without going to the grocery store" game. :) Tonight for dinner we had turkey smoked sausage, ranch style beans, zuccini chips (sliced rounds of zucc. topped w/mozz cheese and broiled) and kiwi. I know-it sounds yummy, doesn't it.
Well, there wasn't anything on the plate that I was absolutely sure that Ally would eat. She's iffy on the sausage-she wasn't a fan of the zucc the last time I did it like this, she has never tried beans, and hasn't been happy about eating kiwi lately.

She ate everything! And happily! I make the HUGE mistake of saying, "Ally, I never thought we'd see the day that you would finally be a good eater!"

And then it began...from EMMA! The whining, the moaning, the crying!! Over the zuccini! This is the girl that ate a raw squash straight from the garden and told me, "Garden fresh is good, Mama!" I told her she had to eat 3 slices. O.M.Goodness!! The drama!

Finally I left the room, knowing that my patience was thinning. And she followed. I just had to tell her to leave. And I started to question my approach. Do I make her eat this? It would be one thing if I knew she didn't like it, but she's eaten it before!
So I tried that approach-

"Emma, you have eaten zuccini before. What is the big deal? It's THREE little slices! You could have been done by now!"

And through the tears, she tells me...."I just like it un-cooked!"

You have got to be kidding me. I had one zucc left on the counter. I sliced up a few pieces. She ate it. No whines. No problem.

So next time I'll skip the olive oil, the sprinkling of salt and pepper, the careful arrangement of mozzerela cheese....and just serve it raw. ;)

The Simple Life

I am overwhelmed with all the catching up I have to do! To get the ball rolling, just a quick post about the NOW...

As many of you know, we had an EXTREMELY busy week last week with our vacation at Nana and Pops house. We were go go going constantly!

Since we have been home we have not had a playdate, a swim day, nothing. Today we are getting ready for the free movie. Other than a string of errands yesterday, this will be our first time out of the house! I have not even checked the mail. Zip.
(this did result in an extra yummy chicken spaghetti dinner last night. I didn't have the usual ingredients for the sauce, so I grabbed some bell pepper, a squash, a handful of green beans, and cherry tomatoes from my garden stash and chopped those up to throw in. Yum!)

So, we've been enjoying the Simple Life. Lots of coloring and design time for the girls. Emma made a mobile of 5 or so planets for cousin C. Just got a wild hair. Ally has been practicing her people skills (drawing them!). I have spent way too much time on Facebook and negleted the blog... op!

Ok-just a quick teaser-lots more to come! Including giant ostriches, life size dinosaurs, hair-nesting birds, manatees, a man in a mouse costume, 3-D fun, pool time, tractor rides, fireworks, slip-n-slides, Dinosaurs ALIVE!, a train ride....and....oh yes! the Hokey Pokey! ;)

Stay Tuned!