If the economy gives completely out and jobs can still not be found when my oldest graduates from college, I still will not fear he will be penniless. He completely understands the basics of making money: Outsourcing: In 1st grade he realized that if he paid the pooper scooper service $5 to clean up after the dogs for him, he was still walking away with $5 at the end of the week for doing absolutely nothing. Supply and Demand: In middle school the principal called and asked us to shut down his 'pencil business'. On investigation it seems he bought all the 25 cent library pencils and resold them to desperate students for $1 Providing a Service: Today, as a highschooler, he came home with a proud $1 earned. It was his 20% commission from feeding the winner of the twinkie eating contest to help him get the food in faster. He could sell thin mints to a Girl Scout. He is recession proof. ...
Simple Ways to Be of Service
Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I try to live a service oriented life and in the past I have done that by being on the Boards of several charities, starting my own charity, and playing President of the PTA. But as the kids, AND I, got older and Carter, AND I, have had more and more health issues, I find that I don't have the time or energy to do such big projects. But being of service is important to me still and I have had to find a way to be happy with doing smaller things with smaller impacts. And you know what I have found? Those simple small acts can be just as rewarding. If you are looking for ways to give back maybe some of these small things I have done can help you get started. Special Needs Parents: Tell your specialists nurse that it is OK to pass your number onto new parents every now and then. Jumping on the phone with a new mom of a special needs kids is one of the most valuable things you will do. Round up all those extra medical supplies you have and find a place to donate ...
He Dropped The Ball & Other Local Denver News
I am trying something new here...bear with me. I get invited to a lot of lovely local Denver, CO events and get lots of news that is, probably, only interesting to local readers. Statistics on this blog tell me a lot of readers are in Colorado though. I have hesitated putting up hyper local info on this blog just because there are others that do it much better: Mile High Mamas, Colorado Moms and Denver Parent to name a few. What I am thinking is starting a weekly post that is a round-up of what is going on in our area and any rambling thoughts related to it. Good idea? Let's try it a bit and see how it work. Starting off in this weeks line up headlines: Broncos QB brings new meaning to the word "He dropped the ball". Last nights game against the Raiders ended 23-20 in favor of Oakland. It was an ugly game. The fighting between the teams started less than 2 minutes in. Some pushing and shoving is expected, but down right fist fights are just stupid to watch. I know you expect a few with the Raiders but really, it got old, fast. Speaking of old, fast, why didn't they just paint the field yellow? Every time you looked at the field all you could see was yellow flags! It brought the ...
Simple Act of Bravery
Today my youngest son did something so incredibly brave that it brings tears to my eyes as I type. He cut his hair. Seems like an odd thing to call brave, I know. But through 20 something surgeries, countless nights in the hospital and more ups and downs than any person (let alone a 13 year old) should ever have to endure his hair has been something of a constant. You know the story about Samson and his hair? Well, I liken Carters hair to that. As a really young kid he would have to have it shaved for brain surgeries. And as he got older, the length of his hair sort of acted like a marker of time- time in between having his head opened up. His crazy long, beautiful curls hid so many battle scars. I hated Carters hair long. But I also knew how important is was to him. And I never, ever fought him on it. Even when I was cutting matted pieces from long stays on hospital pillows, or small dreads he would twist up when he was nervous, out. It was his thing. Whatever. As parents, we pick and choose our battles and quite frankly, this was one not worth fighting. I figured he would outgrow it. and he did.... and now I am the one crying over it. Not him. He seems to be ...
My Dad
Many of you know last February my dad passed away. It was, without a doubt, one of the single hardest times in my life. But what you may not have know was that my dad wasn't my biological father. My biological father may have passed away last week, and been the man Gretchen found in the park, or he may be alive and well picking through the trash near Union Station. I don't know. I last had contact with my biological father at the age of 13. He called to talk to me and I handed the phone to my mom, telling him I knew who he was and didn't want to talk to him. He honored my 13 year request. No one has heard from him since. I don't know what happened in the call with him or my mom, and it's not my story to tell in any case. But this part is my story. I have lots of wonderful memories of my dad. I remember the time he hid by the couch and my 4 year old self screamed Daddy at finding him there. I rememmber girl scout meetings he led and long rides in his embarrassingly beat up blue truck to let the dogs run in the dry river bottoms. I remember someone who made me scrambled eggs with cheese, ironed my jeans, and taught me to make his mothers spaghetti sauce. I remember my dad. I ...