Big Boy!

Today, we chose a date for our Open House for the preschool in the New Year. This is for families to register for the fall of 2013. Registrations happen early in our community as there are more children than spaces available. Some families are even registering children who haven't been born yet! We have been very quiet in our growth and each year we have more preschoolers join in but it looks like this coming year, we'll be full for the first time. In hearing this, my daughter joked that she was not worried as Beckett has an "in" with gramma and grampa owning the preschool. I joked back that he won't have a spot if he doesn't get registered formally.

 

So Beckett filled out his own form

when we were at the preschool!

 

Now he has a spot.

 

"This registering is hard work".

Worth the wait!

Just got off the phone with our cell phone company. I was so frustrated with the promises made when our accounts were up for renewal but did not show up our on our next bill. The first individual I got was nasty and basically said "too bad, so sad, that individual was wrong, you're stuck with what she keyed in"!

 

Ah, not, I don't think so!!

 

So I asked for Customer Retention and got the most amazing young lady who listened to my concern and fixed everything, which is truly and accurately reflected on our last bill. She then pointed out we were also supposed to get a $50 rebate on both phones, making both phones totally free +  2 x $50 credits on our accounts. But we were never given nor told about the rebates. She told us to go online and retrieve them and our January bill would be next to nothing as both our plans, completely unlimited for everything are just over $100 together for the month.

 

Great plan, good service, now we're happy and set for 3 years again.

 

But today I went on to retrieve the rebates and couldn't find them. I connected to Live Chat and basically got another rude individual who told us there was a 60 day time limit on the rebates, so another "too bad, so sad" moment.

 

Hung up on Live Chat and called directly, and within minutes, they had applied the rebates directly. I'm to go on the account within the next 24 to 48 hours to confirm but have been reassured several times that all is well and not to worry.

 

We'll see.

 

I've learned from this experience it is very helpful to be good customers with an account that is always paid on time, never late and often overpaid as we like to "even" out our bills. Good customers = keeping us happy = pushing things thru that might have been denied to others.

 

Good way to end the year!

Dollhouse Sale.

We recently went to a Dollhouse Sale and couldn't believe how crowded it was! We thought we were the only ones that had taken on this task of putting an old dollhouse back together. But we were wrong. There were hundreds of people who attended and we learned quickly to buy an item you see that is just right. Mulling it over, picking it up, putting it back down may result in someone else snatching it up. We're happy with our new items for this project and will be well prepared for next year. For just a mere $80, we are pleased with our finds at the sale.

 

Here's what we came home with:

 

 

Miniature blanket and quilt.

 

 

Tools and kitchen items.



More kitchen and decorating items.



Paving stones for the garden, baskets, bicycle,

soft grass, kite, kitty and small bench.



We'll have quite the kitchen once it's done!



All things to make this sparse house cozy!

Grouchy baby ....

.... makes for a very grouchy house tonight!

 

 

Is it bedtime yet?

 

Shopping Tools.

Christmas shopping is something we start early in the year so that we can enjoy the process instead of rushing around. Once the cold weather arrives, we usually only have bits to do but what makes it a truly "Christmacy" experience is the tools we need on hand to set the scene.

 

We need snow, which we have no shortage of in our climate.

 

We need warm coats, mitts and boots. Traipsing from store to store requires warm clothing.

 

We need our list of what still needs to be purchased, a budget, our cloth shopping bags and alternate ideas in case the items we are searching for are not available.

Finally, we need this:

 

White hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream.

 

Then we need this:

Sugary goodies to keep our strength up!

 

I hope our family appreciates the work we go to for

making sure their Christmas is amazing every year!!

Eat, Pray, Love.

Can't sleep, so I'm cozied up on our family room couch, watching "Eat, Pray, Love",  Julie Roberts is one of my favorite actresses. Loved her in "Erin Brockavitch" and "Step Mom". Dh is asleep upstairs, recovering and everyone else has gone to bed.

 

Just me, the full moon and Julia!

Treasure Hunting.

A couple of days after Christmas, while the rest of my house was sleeping, I slipped out of bed, showered and ventured outside to my car, driving a few blocks away to our local charity shop. I needed to get out of the house, having been inside for the last week with the bitter cold and our Christmas celebrations. I had a couple of dollars tucked away in my pocket and immensely enjoyed being the first one in the shop that morning, exchanging good wishes with the staff for a Happy New Year. It's fun living in a smaller community and I love shopping where the "hello, it's good to see you" greetings are genuine.

 

Here's my stash for the day:

 

 

A Land's End warm sweater, light sage in color ....

for the princely sum of .50 cents!

 

 

As we restore one large house, the appeal of this small house was to good to pass up. A smaller project while we wait for supplies for the large house to arrive. Price? $2.50.

 

Hallmark Christmas Decoration for .50 cents.

 

Bunnies By The Bay book for $3.00

The bonus is that there are quilt patterns inside

and one that I've already chosen for my next project.

 

Trio of lace doilies for .25 cents.

 

Roll of wired lilac ribbon for .25 cents.

 

 

Not a bad trip out. The weather was starting to get warmer

and I enjoyed the "alone" time.

 

When I came home, just 40 minutes later,
everyone was still asleep.
 

I wasn't even missed!



Aaaahhh!!

Woke up to a sick husband today. Feel so bad for him. And so disappointed that in our house, where illness rarely visits, we seem to be on a path of constant trips to the clinic the last few weeks.

 

I'm overdosing myself with Vitamin C and D. Staying away from the sickees and keeping my fingers crossed that everyone will be well tomorrow when our oldest son comes to celebrate Christmas with us. He lives about 3 hours away and could not come on the 25th, so we're having another celebration.

 

Fingers crossed that all is well tomorrow!