Homeschool Mother's Journal, June 17th, 2011

The Homeschool Mother's Journal: Summer Edition, a link-up with The Homeschool Chick.

In my life this week…

My husband and I had a nice "date night" on Wednesday evening.  We got gussied up, dropped the kids off with my in-laws and went out to a nice restaurant that my mother-in-law gave us a Groupon for.  We talked, ate delicious food, then walked around Half Price Books (a real treat sans kids!).

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

My dad was on vacation this week, and since they were staying home to work on things in their backyard and didn't really plan on leaving the house, they let me borrow one of their cars!  It felt so liberating to be able to go run errands in the middle of the day!  We took advantage of it, and ran around pretty much every day. We hit up the library a couple of times, Borders and Barnes & Noble to turn in Preston's Summer Reading lists (he got two free books!).  I also took the boys to the Splash Factory here in Grand Prairie yesterday morning!

I’m reading…

A book called Growing Up Amish by Ira Wagler.  I have always enjoyed reading Amish fiction (think: Beverly Lewis), so I am enjoying this true story!

I’m grateful for…

My parents allowing me to borrow the car for the week.  My husband who is working hard at his two jobs, and getting very little rest.  The incredibly encouraging homeschool mom community I've joined through 31 Days to Clean on facebook.  An amazing God who always provides!

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…  

During dinner last nite, Callen must have decided his alligator friend was hungry.  He was trying to feed him pieces of hamburger, and at one point, managed to get a piece of corn in it's mouth.  He was pretty satisfied with himself!

Little Things He Does...

So, last nite I had a bit of a meltdown.  Same 'ole song and dance, really.  Finances, frustration about certain things going nowhere, etc.  The pot just has to boil over every so often.  I hadn't cried in a while... I was due.

Then this morning I took the boys to the Splash Factory so they could have a good time and exert some energy.  Oh yeah, my sweet parents are letting me borrow their car while my dad is home on vacation this week.  The boys and I have enjoyed having the freedom to run to the library, go to the grocery store in the middle of the day... and precious stuff like that.  You don't realize how great those options are, until you lose them.  Anyway, we went to the Splash Factory, and when I got home the Fed Ex guy rung the doorbell.  I was expecting some things in the mail and from UPS (I ordered stuff from Amazon with credit I earned from surveys), not Fed Ex.  It ended up being a prize I won from Twizzlers (for simply writing this post).

 It's a beach bag, beach towel and some packages of Twizzlers, of course!  Just about an hour prior to opening that package, I was like... "uh, I thought I had a beach or mesh bag that we could put stuff in to take the water park, oh well."  Then, here I was "hello, beach/mesh bag!"  Lol.

Then, this afternoon I took the boys to the library, post office and bank (oh yes, enjoying the heck out of having a car at my disposal!) and when I got back, I checked my email.  I received an email from one of the Word-Of-Mouth Street Team things I do.  I won a prize for telling people about Grouptune (see this post)!

$50 credit to buy Christian music... I'm down with that!

Now, the meltdown I had last nite involved worrying about money... and the next day, I was handed two prizes.  Of course, neither of these prizes help pay the bills.  They aren't necessities that will help us stretch our dollars farther.  But, I am grateful, because, as silly as it sounds, these littles prizes (the beach bag, the candy, the credit for music, the stuff I'm getting for free from Amazon, the car I've been allowed to borrow for a week!) are TOTALLY from God.  His little way of saying, "Hey, look... I got you covered!"  Thanks, God.  I know You do.

Prestonism on Not Feeling Like Himself...

Me: Hey, Pres, you want a banana with your breakfast?

Preston: No, thank you.

Me: How come you never want to eat bananas anymore?  You used to always eat them like a monkey!  What happened to Mr Banana Man?

Preston: He's on vacation, I'm his replacement.

Me: Oh, I see.

The Case of the Missing Laminator...

Back in December, I bought myself a laminator for Christmas. Got it on Amazon, on sale for $16.99, and since I had Amazon credit... I paid a whopping 2cents for it!  I was thrilled.  Only, I didn't really use it but maybe three times, when in early April... I killed it.  I was laminating a project that Preston was doing for Easter, and the laminating pouch rolled up inside the machine.  I called 3M to see if they had any suggestions, and was told... nope, it's dead.  The project and the machine were done for.  I killed it good!  Since I had it longer than the manufacturer's warranty allowed for, I figured... well, I lost 2cents, I'll just have to buy another one.  But, the nice lady at 3M was all "Send your machine in so we can check it out.  If it can be fixed, we'll fix it and send it back... if not, THIS ONE TIME, we'll send you a replacement."  Yay!

Fast foward one month (to May 25th), and I still hadn't heard anything about my machine or received a replacement.  Preston's Kindergarten is complete, and I want to start working on stuff for First Grade.  Stuff that involves laminating!  I call up 3M to get a status update, and the lady is confused... "we shipped that out on May 6th... you still haven't received it?"  Me: "Uhhh, no."  So, she got the tracking number, and we both looked it up.  According to UPS it was delivered on May 11th, signed for by our neighbor.  Hmm, ok.  I walked next door to our sweet neighbors that sign for and bring over our packages quite often.  They have been remodeling their home, so I'm thinking it just got misplaced in the shuffle.  Nope, she didn't have any idea about a package that was delivered two weeks before... and they usually bring our stuff over right away, or leave it by their front door for us.  I believe them, obviously, they've been great neighbors for 8 years!  

So, I called 3M back, and they said they'll do some further digging, get UPS to track it some more, etc.  Meanwhile, I do my own investigation.  I suddenly remembered that our homeschool curriculum box came around that time.  I looked up the tracking info on that, and yes... it was delivered the same day, the tracking info was exactly the same (delivered on this day, at this time, signed by our neighbor)!  And our neighbors brought that over as soon as we got home that evening... why wouldn't they have brought over the laminator at the same time?  See, wasn't their fault!  I'm thinking the UPS man delivered the curriculum and they signed for it, and the signature was posted for both items even though he only delivered one.  Meaning the laminator was obviously lost at some point.

Another call to 3M to see if UPS tracking found any additional info... and they didn't.  Just said our neighbor signed for it, so they must have it.  But, the lovely folks at 3M are sending me ANOTHER machine anyway.  I totally wasn't expecting that... figured they'd tell me to take it up with my neighbor (though I truly believe there is nothing going on there!) and that'd be the end of it.  But, no... again, they went above and beyond.  Thank you, 3M!!!  She even said she'd overnight it, to make sure it got here quickly.  Well, that didn't happen, 'cause I waited a week (most of it was because of the holiday weekend, but it definitely didn't get overnighted)... but that's ok.  Because it's here.  And I can laminate again!  Good thing too, 'cause I had all these things laying around ready for lamination!  What?!  I'm a homeschool mom!  Lol!

I have no idea where that missing laminator got to... I mean, you'd think the UPS Man would have found it left on his truck at the end of the day or whatever.  I'm not sure how all that works, but seems simple enough to just bring it to me the next day.  But... nope, it's gone.  Maybe someone got a free laminator (perhaps Mr. UPS Man is a big fan of doing laminating projects?!?), maybe it got trashed, maybe it'll show up someday randomly and I can add to this post.  Haha!