Because someone here in Georgia decided school should start on August 9th. What the heck? That’s way too early!

Scary Baby has completed her first week of middle school with flying colors. Oops, no first day of school picture because that’s what happens when you are the 4th and lastborn.

While I was away for a long weekend immediately after our beach trip, the darling twins not only got Scary Baby ready for her first day of middle school, they also got themselves ready.

EARLY.

Please understand these darling twins NEVER get ready for anything EARLY.

But when I got home, they proudly shared with me their stacks and piles of things ready to go back to college.

Small stacks…remember they are cadets at a military college and are allowed to have very little in their dorm rooms!

Are those cleaning supplies?

GASP

Yes, I’m well aware this means they are more than ready to LEAVE again. I could say this with a lump in my throat. And sometimes I do get choked up.

It seems like they just got home.

The darling twins’ summer was abbreviated since they didn’t get home from Arizona until June 25th. And now they are gone again as they headed back to college this past Sunday.

Mostly, I’m proud they want to leave.

Because it means I’ve done something right in the motherhood category.

Dear fellow moms (and dads),

They are supposed to want to leave. They are supposed to want to be independent. They are supposed to want to show you that you spent 18 years raising them up right so they can survive on their own.

This parenting gig is still so tough. Let’s lift each other up!

The Leaving and Letting Go

I think this would be a great place to share any tips or hindsight you have if you have sent or are about to send a child to college.

• What did you do right?
• What do you wish you would have done differently?
• How were the first few weeks after they left home?
• How was the first semester transition for you and them?
• What was the best tip another mom gave you?

Share your best tips or lessons learned because I promise you it will help another mom who is facing those same feelings and reading this today.

RL: Having my own room is awesome.

Me: Oh yes it is. I remember it well!! And like u, I had never had my own room…always had to share with my sister Julie.

RL: It’s kinda like living in a little apartment…

There are so many fun things about college and leaving home!

If Memorial Day weekend wasn’t memorable enough what with the puking dogs, 911 call, the nice police officer, broken glass on the driveway and being a 24 hour on call travel agent, the next week proved to be much more exciting…

My DIY Wall Status Updates

SherraLifeLesson 2nd debilitating migraine in 4 days. Neurologist of 10 years is no longer on our insurance plan. Will search for new doctor when head stops pounding.
June 6 at 3:30am

SherraLifeLesson Monday fun – migraine meds have worn off enough for me to drive to my overdue full body/skin appointment. Overdue after having a tiny place on shin turn out to be basal cell skin cancer three years ago. Worried about a new place on my forehead.
June 7 at 2:00pm

SherraLifeLesson The doctor’s office staff says “Are you sure you have an appointment? We don’t have you in the computer.”
June 7 at 2:30pm

SherraLifeLesson Took Scary Baby to Chik-Fil-A and came back to doctor’s office. So nice of them to work me in on the same day I had an appointment that disappeared in their computer.
June 7 at 2:45pm

SherraLifeLesson Doctor took one look at forehead and said “Oh, that’s totally fine…blah, blah, blah.” That’s all I heard as I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
June 7 at 3:40pm

SherraLifeLesson Until she said, “These two spots look suspicious so let’s do a biopsy on those right now. We’ll know in 1-2 weeks if they are anything to worry about & we’ll call you if we need to do anything else.”
June 7 at 3:45pm

SherraLifeLesson Reschedule annual GYN exam that was on Wednesday. Need to space my exams a little farther apart. They probably didn’t have an appointment for me anyway.
June 7 at 4:30pm

SherraLifeLesson Worrying begins now. X*nax time.
June 7 at 8:15pm

SherraLifeLesson Tuesday came and went
June 8 at 11:00pm

SherraLifeLesson 3rd migraine in SEVEN days. Worrying apparently triggers migraines and insomnia. Oh wait, I had those before the skin biopsies. I’m probably overreacting.
June 9 at 4:30am

SherraLifeLesson Working my way towards shower. The Grunter didn’t even know I was here and slept all day. He thought I had left to go to office for contract job. Or maybe he never checked and he slept all day. He’s a fabulous babysitter. Not. Poor Scary Baby.
June 9 at 5:00pm

SherraLifeLesson Text from Wizzy…”Guess what. We did convoy live fire today n I got burnt on my neck by a live round. It was great.”
June 9 at 6:31pm

SherraLifeLesson My text…” OMG r u okay? Did you see a doctor? How bad is the burn?”
June 9 at 6:48pm

SherraLifeLesson Text from Wizzy…”No I’m fine. Three of us got burned. I’m fine. Just thought it was my luck.”
June 9 at 6:55pm

SherraLifeLesson There are so many things I don’t want to know when the darling twins are so far from home. I hear PhilBillPaul tell his mom on the phone, “Oh she has luck alright – it’s just always bad.” Poor Wizzy.
June 9 at 7:30pm

SherraLifeLesson The Grunter heads out to meet friends at Christian bowling night. Do they have atheist bowling night?
June 9 at 9:00pm

SherraLifeLesson Major accomplishment – I have finally showered, re-bandaged my wounds and dressed. Yes, I do know what time it is, thank you very much.
June 9 at 9:10pm

SherraLifeLesson The Grunter calls me and says, “Momma, I’ve just been in a car accident. Some lady hit me and I spun around on Hwy 20 and hit my head but I think I’m okay.”
June 9 at 9:14pm

SherraLifeLesson He called me but not 911. I’m not sure if I’m touched or more freaked out as the three of us jump in car to drive 3 miles to where he is.
June 9 at 9:16pm

SherraLifeLesson How many days in a row constitutes a X*nax addiction as I pop one while I sit in the car with Scary Baby providing commentary to Wizzy on phone and blue lights flashing while PhilBillPaul walks to accident scene?
June 9 at 9:30pm

SherraLifeLesson The Grunter rides home with us with advice from the police officer that we watch him tonight and that he’ll probably be really sore tomorrow.
June 9 at 9:45pm

SherraLifeLesson So grateful he’s okay! Lady turned left in front of him while he was going about 50 mph. She said she thought he was going to turn even though he wasn’t in turn lane nor did he have his turn signal on. She got a ticket. We got The Grunter back home safe and sound with us!
June 9 at 10:15pm

SherraLifeLesson Feeling a little sad having to tell Grandma about his little Honda Civic. It was hers for 11 years and my dad had driven it off the Honda lot brand spanking new. It will be hard to replace.
June 9 at 10:25pm

SherraLifeLesson The Grunter’s neck is sore so he stays home from work and he makes a doctor’s appointment for Friday morning at my insistence. How many medical issues can we cram into ONE WEEK?
June 10 at 11:30am

SherraLifeLesson While driving to office (contract job), The Grunter calls and in a voice that earned him his code name on the blog (be thankful I’m translating what he said in English here) he says, “Momma, I can’t get the key to turn in Roger Leroy’s car.” Did I mention his doctor’s appointment is in 7 minutes.
June 11 at 10:23am

SherraLifeLesson He will be 21 years old in 3 months. This is one of the reasons I have always had a home business. Holy cow, his problem-solving skills frighten me. Mine are on point. I reply yell, “Call your father.”
June 11 at 10:25am

SherraLifeLesson My text to PhilBillPaul…”Did Everett get car started? Have u talked to him or is he still at doc?”
June 11 at 11:54am

SherraLifeLesson Text from PhilBillPaul…”Working close to home. I started car. Dr running late, rescheduled appt to 1:30″
June 11 at 11:59am

SherraLifeLesson My text… “OMG how did key work for u?”
June 11 at 12:04pm

SherraLifeLesson Text from PhilBillPaul… “I just used the correct key. Do not say anything 2 ev till we talk.”
June 11 at 12:08pm

SherraLifeLesson My text…”U have to be kidding me???” I think I may be narrowing down the cause of my migraines.
June 11 at 11:59am

SherraLifeLesson Phone call from my doctor’s nurse…”Biopsy did come back positive for pre-cancerous cells. Margins are not clear so we want to schedule another appointment…it’s outpatient surgery…blah, blah, blah…glad we caught it now…”
June 11 at 1:26pm

SherraLifeLesson Text from PhilBillPaul…”Ev being xray’d”
June 11 at 2:06pm

SherraLifeLesson Text from The Grunter…”Dr said my neck is pretty messed up. I got two prescriptions and was told to skip two days of work. I’m also to ice it several times per day.”
June 11 at 2:25pm

SherraLifeLesson Thank goodness for the weekend. Except that PhilBillPaul has taken Scary Baby and his girlfriend to a motorcycle rally in the Blue Ridge Mountains so I have something new to worry about.
June 12 at 1:10pm

This confirms why I don’t “do” Facebook. I’m pretty sure I would not be appropriate in my drug-induced, broken filter, state-of-being when crises happen. Lord only knows what I might type “in the moment” so I know it’s best that I stick to blogging only.

Life Lesson(s) found here? Don’t worry about what you think is odd. Worry about what isn’t.

Or better said…schedule your annual skin checkup along with your mammogram today!

In spite of the stress, we are counting our blessings.

We are all fine, fine, fine and we are grateful!

Happy Father’s Day to all those great dads out there.

I miss mine every day.

Have a wonderful weekend!

It was a lovely early Mother’s Day present.

The darling twins were less than thrilled when they learned we were letting Scary Baby and her friend stand in for them.

Wizzy: “I don’t ever remember going to a concert when I was ELEVEN!!”

She’s right.

There’s no accounting for birth order and being a twin and a mother who constantly reminds her children of our special family motto…

Life is not fair

I did text her during the concert to tell her I was snapping a few pics of the people in front of us to accompany the story of our concert experience.

Sometimes all you need is a picture or two to tell the story.

This is my concert story.

This was our view of the concert.

I thought about starting a petition to have segregated seat sections at concerts. One specifically for:

“Old people who don’t want to stand up for the entire concert and like to sit in the seat they paid for even if it was a bargain on ebay.”

Then I realized that was a little limiting since the two eleven year-olds we brought also could not see.

So I’m rethinking the petition and believe it should actually be for segregated concert sections for:

“People who want to stand up for 95% of the concert and don’t really need a seat so they can all stand together and not annoy people who want to sit.”

I might have to start another petition for:

“Friends who should not let friends wear sleeveless in public.”

And at what size should jean mini skirts NOT be made or sold?

They also took no less than 100 pictures of themselves with the flash going off in our direction. Apparently it is very important to preserve your memories when you get all dressed up in your finest sleeveless top and best denim for a night out.

PhilBillPaul and I are still recovering.

I should also tell you that the camera adding pounds is a myth. These pictures have taken at least 50 pounds each off of them. Not lying.

(Why doesn’t the camera do that for me?)

This was a glorious lesson to discuss with Scary Baby after the concert about how NOT to act in public.

Because…

A. Other people’s parents are watching you act like an idiot.
B. Some people could be taking pictures of you and blog about it.

Other concert highlights include Scary Baby making the BIG screen after waving her glow stick around for most of the concert. I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture of the screen.

Meanwhile, if you want to broaden your horizons and listen to some fine country music, here are links to my favorites of the evening…

The first one is a song from the opening act who I had not heard of – when I heard the story of the song and that it is a tribute to Pat Tillman and his service to our country…yeah, I got choked up.

Bill Gentry ~ 19

The second song made me think of the darling twins whom are getting very homesick in Arizona. I called Wizzy on my cell phone to let her hear it because I knew she loved the song way before she left and it’s on their ipods. Michael Bublé never knew it would become a country hit too.

Blake Shelton ~ Home

Two more reasons I love country music:

Luke Bryan and Martina McBride.

The show was really good.

I just wish I could have seen it.

How was your weekend?

Full Disclosure: The FTC now requires bloggers like me to let you know I am an amazon affiliate and if you click the song or CD links and actually purchase the music, I stand to earn a penny or a nickel or something close to a small fortune.

First, I want to clear up some confusion from Monday’s post about the teenagers and clean rooms. Those pictures and conversation were from several weeks ago and we did have a very nice Thanksgiving.

Mostly because I did not take pictures of their room during their Thanksgiving break.

Second, I know it is Thursday as I have now come out of my heavily medicated state from back-to-back migraines. I had to go easy on the first round of drugs because I had to drive to the airport to pick up PhilBillPaul and Scary Baby on Monday afternoon. So Tuesday is but a blur and therefore no Wednesday post.

That explanation is really just for my mom and Granny as they sometimes stress when I don’t stick to my blog “schedule.”

Now back to…

Clean Rooms

After we surprised Scary Baby with her Thanksgiving trip to Texas with Daddy, we struck a deal that when she got back, she would be cleaning out her dresser drawers and closet that were atrocious.

I have never seen clothes multiply more rapidly for one child than this one. She goes to sleep and in the morning her drawers won’t open because they are stuffed so tight. Her closet has its own issues. Seems clothes jump off the hangers and pile themselves on the floor.

In a tribute to her 10 year-old independence and my vast experience with the first three darling children, I let her tackle this on her own.

Why?

Because they have all repeatedly told me with love in their voice, “PLEASE STAY OUT MOM. I CAN HANDLE IT AND DON’T NEED YOUR HELP.”

So this time, I listened and said I would leave her alone.

For anyone wondering, I did give her clear and simple instructions.

• Clean out one drawer at a time so it’s not so overwhelming.
• Create a Give Away pile with clothes that do not fit and are not stained or torn.
• Create a Throw Away pile for clothes that are too gross for you or anyone else to wear.

I was a little annoyed when she said, “Come in and look BUT don’t worry, I’m NOT done – it’s just really funny and I want you to see it before I start.”

And yes, it was quite high until she JUMPED into the pile.

Lord help me but I didn’t see anything funny. And I crawled back into my room thankful for remnants of medication still floating in my system.

But then I summoned her back to my room and said “Here’s my camera. Take before and after pictures so you can document your progress.”

She was all excited to take pictures and asked how many she should take. Love digital…take as many as you want!

Then I fell into a deep sleep for about two hours until she was pecking on me saying, “I’m done. Want to see the pictures?”

The darling kid actually took aerial shots of inside her drawers.

FYI: She took 19 pictures. I edited that down to 5 just for y’all.

Lesson learned: Never doubt your child’s ability. They can do just about anything they put their mind to!

I’m pretty sure Scary Baby is for hire and will come and clean out your child’s room for cash. She’s always looking for ways to earn a little money.

P.S. I still have to review the Give Away bags – I have often found perfectly good clothes in them because, by the end, the darlings have a tendency to stuff anything in the bags because it is easier than folding or hanging.

I’m not caught up in the Twilight Saga.

So while everyone was watching that this weekend, I wasn’t.

I looked back and realized it’s been almost a full year since I’ve reviewed any movies. You would think I would make it a regular blog feature, maybe do it monthly since we get free movie tickets.

But that would require planning and organization which is not my strong suit right now.

Instead I’m working more on being spontaneous so PhilBillPaul and I decided to squeeze in a movie last night. As I’ve shared before, I’m kind of picky and don’t like to waste time in a mediocre movie even if it is free!

What a nice surprise to watch a movie that was funny and poignant and really makes you stop and think about the blessings all around us.

If you see just one movie this holiday season, I think this is the one to see…

The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw
It is based on a true story about a family in Tennessee who take in an amazing teenager who needs a home.
A

Scary Baby really wants to see it but we needed to see it first since it is rated PG-13. Entertaining with a message we hope all our kids will get. For me, it’s that rare movie that I will gladly sit and watch again.

Go see it and come back and tell me if you like it as much as I did!

I hope you’ll find ways to reach out and find ways to honor our military, not just on Veteran’s Day or this week, but on any day you encounter an opportunity to say “Thank You” to the amazing men and women who serve and sacrifice for all of us.

Today’s post is from an email that my cousin Sally sent me last week. I cannot miss the irony of the fact that she sent this to me 7 days ago on Wednesday, November 4th. Her email said…

“Hey! I rarely forward e-mails but this one really got to me.”

She knows very well about a Soldier’s life…she married an Army Soldier and her youngest son is a Soldier.

Maybe you’ve already seen it. Can any of us see it too much?

The email said “this is being circulated around the world – please keep it going.”

This is my little way of passing it on and if you are touched by it, I hope you will also pass it on…

*************

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME

When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard….

…to listen to his son whine about being bored.

…to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

…to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work.

…to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night’s sleep.

…to be silent when people pray to God for a new car.

…to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower.

…to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying.

…to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they’re afraid to send their kids off to summer camp.

…to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather.

…to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold.

…to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the dog.

…to be civil to people who complain about their jobs.

…to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation a year.

…to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in the house.

The only thing harder than being a Soldier…

Is loving one.

I was asked to pass this on and I will gladly do so,

Will you?

This is for those who have been interested in what they actually have to do in Basic Combat Training (BCT).

If you don’t already know this and many people don’t – the new Soldiers go through 18 specific requirements in order to graduate. I won’t list all 18 but in addition to the grueling physical fitness tests, here are just some things they must successfully complete:

• Rifle Marksmanship
• M16A2 Qualification
• Live Fire Exercise
• Hand Grenade Qualification
• Night Infiltration Course
• Long Distance Foot Marches in full battle gear

The exercise that seemed to create the most stress for our darling twins (and many others!), even before they left is formally referred to as the “NBC Confidence Chamber.” I wish NBC stood for watching the whole thing on NBC television but it actually stands for nuclear, biological, and chemical.

This website has a good description:

“The gas chamber is a room that has a controlled concentration of CS (orto-chlorobenzylidene-malononitrile) gas, more commonly known as tear gas. Tear gas is the active ingredient in Mace™ and used for self defense and for riot control by the police. Tear gas is an irritant; specifically, it irritates mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, causing tearing, sneezing, coughing, etc.”

When we got their letters this past summer and I shared my relief that they both got through “The Gas Chamber” so many people had questions that I asked Rachel if I could just reprint her letter home right here.

Bonus – you all get a picture of their platoon preparing to enter and at the end, a picture of some of them exiting and one of Rachel too.

Mom & Dad,

I almost forgot to tell you about the most recent accomplishment! We conquered the gas chamber. It sucked sooo bad. I think it sucked worse for me though. I was in the first group with Lizzie, Kirk and Campfield. The lady came and checked all of our masks to make sure there was a tight seal. Me and Campfield got approved, but Lizzie and Kirk needed more adjustment so they had to be in a different group.

Two minutes later Campfield & I were being herded into the chamber. It was a big, dark cement room. There were 4 drill sergeants walking around to help. The minute I entered my eyes started burning and watering and my throat was burning and so was my skin. It was also harder to breathe. I also began to snot, which was not very pleasant. I quickly came to the conclusion that my mask was not properly sealed.

At first, I remained calm. Deep breaths, well sort of, actually I was trying to breathe as little as possible. I raised my hands and stomped my feed. (One reason I knew my mask wasn’t sealed was because Campfield was just standing there breathing fine while I was panicking.)

When the drill sergeant came over I told him my mask wasn’t sealed. He cleared it once, and I told him it still wasn’t good. He waved his hand and said I should be fine…oh, ok, I will just sit and suffer until it’s my turn to say my name & info.

I stood there for like 2 of the longest minutes of my life with like a 2 foot string of snot hanging out of my nose. (I feel bad for the next person who would have to use my gas mask.) I could barely open my eyes after that. When it was my turn to say my name, rank and Social. I lifted my mask and got my name and rank out and coughed my Social. I had already been exposed to the gas, so I could barely talk while everyone else could.

I then put my mask down and cleared it (even though that did nothing) and waited for everyone else to finish. After everyone was done, we lined up at the door and took off our masks to say the Soldier’s Creed. By that point I was about to run out, but after about 30 seconds they finally let us out.

AIR!

I didn’t throw up though I wanted to, I just gagged, snotted and tried to open my eyes.

Overall, it was a great experience. I’m glad to have that under my belt. I will try to write again soon. Maybe I will get to call.

Love,
Rachel

She’s a wry, funny kid in case you can’t tell.

And along with her darling twin, they are both braver than I will ever be.

Next time your teen complains about being bored or how horrible it is to live at home with all your silly rules…suggest military service.

Full Disclosure: Regarding yesterday’s post, for anyone who does not get our very dry, deadpan humor…Rachel aka Roger Leroy did not and does not have gonorrhea nor did she ever have a testicle (removed or otherwise).

I have issues
Parenting wears me out
Parenting teenagers has still not driven me to drink

And if I ever do decide to take up drinking, you would also know that I would never drink and drive.

I actually made that life decision long before I became a drunk driving statistic and a severe head injury survivor.

The irony of me being the designated driver for friends who drank in high school and college and then me being hit by a drunk driver doesn’t escape me.

I vividly remember that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) campaign at the time of our crash was “Don’t call me lucky” which is a slogan I have worn out over the years. Being hit head-on by a drunk driver, living through it and having your life turned upside down is not lucky.

Don’t get me wrong – I am blessed and grateful for my recovery and I have a good life.

It has always seemed incredibly selfish to me to put other people’s lives at risk because of your bad choices. (Not to mention putting your own life at risk.)

MADD has a new campaign that I am happy to tell you about because I do believe that the “Power of Parents” is worth blogging about. If you have teenagers, the message of choices and of making the choice and commitment to not drink and drive is worth talking about.

Take their quiz or watch their video to help you get started with this important season of parenting.

The Power of Parents campaign with the tagline “It’s your influence” is an important reminder for all of us to remember we can really make a difference with our teenagers. It is our job to do our best to influence them to make good decisions.

I am a nut about driving safety as I’ve shared here before and this is certainly part of that whole process.

Remember…

I am that parent.

I hope you will be that parent too.

Full disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of MADD. A donation was made to MADD in my name to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Just so you know…the donation is lovely but I would have written this without it.

Have a fabulous and safe weekend!

They came home again.

In their tiny, shiny little elf shoes.

That hurt their feet and are too small but they would never dare complain or ask for the right size because the only authority they ever challenge is mine.

So with blisters and in their required ASU (Army Service Uniforms) they blessed us with their presence.

On Saturday.

For a whirlwind visit.

To do this.

Because she can’t text at school.*

And this.

Because she can’t use Facebook at school.*

*Not true. They can do both at school!

And to pick up their basketball shoes, a few pairs of shorts and t-shirts and head back to campus.

We did go to lunch and enjoy folded ear pasta.

Then they pet their dogs, hugged Scary Baby and said goodbye. Then Sabu jumped in their car and tried to ride drive back with them.

Did I mention that last week this is the email I received from Roger Leroy?

Note the subject line.

Because luckily I was just sitting around at home hoping I could help her.

Isn’t she precious?

The paper was on poetry which created a little bit of healthy stress for her.

I know my role here.

And luckily, she and I both know it’s not help with math.

Side note: We are actually looking forward to them coming home for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

See you soon, darling twins!

Life Lesson (LL): Parents of high school students – here’s my best tip: tour colleges about 3-5 hours driving distance from home.

Share a Life Lesson (SALL): Any good tips on how to keep them on campus and using their meal plan?

$135.94

Price we paid because I kept telling Scary Baby the only rack she was allowed to choose from was the one that said “Final Clearance $3.97″

$25.25

Note on my bed with tags and receipts after PhilBillPaul and I got home from the FREE movie…

Priceless

Disclaimer: Scanned note has been altered to use her blog code name. She does not sign her notes “Scary Baby” or “Scary” for short. I just loved that she signed it twice otherwise we wouldn’t have known who it was from.

I didn’t check her math until I was writing this, so for you math lovers out there who already know what I’m about to say…because when you see numbers, your mind is like a calculator and you added it up as you read it and know that…she’s off by $45 bucks. Which should be added to our total and brings our grand total savings to $155.19 if we had paid full retail!

Shining Moment #1

Teaching your kids how to find the sale racks, bargain shop and save money is worth the time investment. In today’s instant gratification world, it’s good to show them how to watch and wait for something to go on sale. And it doubles as a great real life, fun math review!

Shining Moment #2

Scary Baby is now officially in the home stretch of her first decade here on earth.

Here she is wearing one of her bargain shirts in honor of her birthday and Earth Day.

I can hardly believe that it was 10 years ago today that I brought that giant last baby home.

Happy Birthday monkey!

You have always shined and made our family brighter.

We all love you as big as the whole world.

Life Lesson (LL): Bargain shopping can be fun and does count as math review!

Share a Life Lesson (SALL): What are some ways you are saving money in these hard times?

P.S. Happy Birthday to my *oldest* friend Kerri! and Happy 18th Birthday to Rebecca