My workplace sponsored a motivational day, themed around the "Amazing Race". There were 10 teams of 4, and we had to race through the lower mainland, finding clues, and completing challenges. My team came in last, but I think we had the most fun. There were teams that actually RAN the whole day...we sat and had coffee, enjoyed the views, chatted with people along the way...it was a great day and one of the ones that really makes me appreciate my job!

It was also a no spend day, so I'm adding $1.00 to my challenge money! Dh has agreed to go with the June challenge of not using our credit cards for anything other than the down payment for ds's braces...the $2200 will add up to lots of points for free groceries. I have the $2200 in our EF so it will be paid off at the end of the month, but I want the $22 in free food!

FIL won a roast beef in a meat draw at the club he belongs to and he gave it to us. This is awesome! We have all these guests this weekend,this will be perfect for dinner and I'll have enough left over to make some meals for FIL!

We were passing by a shopping centre yesterday at lunchtime and dh noticed a hot dog stand. We had 4 kids with us, I figured we could all have a hot dog and pop for about $12.00, everyone was hungry, and it would save me having to go home and forage a lunch for everyone. When we walked up to the booth, we find out it's a promotional FREE lunch for one of the stores! Free hot dogs, pop, chips and cake for the 6 of us...and $12.00 added to my challenge money! Yay!

I was at work last night and one of the customers came into my office and offered to buy me a drink for helping him out with something. Since I actually was still working, this would have been totally unacceptable, but he left the $5.00 on my desk, so I could have a drink after work...ha ha ha...that is $5.00 into my challenge money!

Yesterday was a no spend day for me. Add another $1.00 into my challenge money!

Yay! It's the May long weekend! I work tonight and tomorrow morning and then not again until Wednesday. On Tuesday, my work is having their own version of the Amazing Race. We're in teams of 4 driving all through the city...should be lots of fun!

We have my two nephews (ages 7 and 10) staying with us this weekend and some friends are coming for a visit for two nights. They live about 3 hours away, so it will be nice to see them...just crowded and loud in the house! Hoping for good, sunny weather so everyone can be outside.

I had a no spend day yesterday. It was about time for one! A regular customer at my work came in the other day and handed me an envelope. I didn't open it until later in the evening. It was a thank you card with $100 bill tucked in it! I don't take tips, although a fair amount of people do try to tip me, but I don't think this can go back to her without offending her. She's 79 years old, and has no family, but lots of friends and people who help her out if she needs it. She said it was a gift for helping her through the year...puts me in a bit of an awkward position. Opinions, anyone?

I took Ds aged 12 to the orthodontist yesterday...his braces will be going on in about 6 weeks to the tune of...are you ready for this?...six thousand, eight hundred buckaroos! OUCH!

We've signed to pay $2200.00 upfront and $200 a month for the next two years. Fortunately dd's orthodontic payments will be done in February. Yep, could be a tight summer, fall, and early winter around here!

While I'm blogging, my six year old son is doing my hair. It's been ponytailed, combed, sprayed with water, and teased with a comb. Good thing I haven't had a shower yet!

My 10 year old niece is currently staying with us as her parents have gone away on a mini holiday. She is a super picky eater, and I was expecting the worse, but she actually eats pretty much whatever I put out, or at least tastes it. My kids were astonished when her mom brought over her school lunch and it consisted of bottled water, a bun (made from white flour, we only eat whole wheat), processed ham slices, a granola bar, and cookies. The older two both said, 'No fruit or veggies!!??'. Anyways, today she packed an apple with it, ate canteloupe for breakfast, and had one of the whole wheat buns for lunch! Yay! Too bad she'll be back to her normal eating routine in a few days when she heads back home!

Ds,aged 12, desperately needed new shoes. The poor kid has orthotic inserts (he was dislocating his foot because of the way he walks), and needs really sturdy shoes. His last pair cost $150!!! I was not looking forward to this new bill. However, his feet have grown and he's into a size 7 men's...Yay! No more children's specialty shoes! The pair we bought were on sale from $80 to $44, and then when I took them up to the till, there was an additional $10 off...woohoo! I felt like I won the lottery. o.k., not quite like I won the lottery, but it was a nice surprise!

I took the day off work today! Dh wanted me to go to work with him and then take me for lunch. I said no. Best friend called to see if I wanted to go shopping with her and then go out for lunch. I said no. Dd wanted me to go with her class on their field trip. I said no...well, that one I am feeling slightly guilty about, but I have two field trips next week and I will be helping with hot lunch, so I'm not going to be too guilt ridden over it. I do lots at the school!

Yesterday was crazy busy at work and then I picked the kids up from school, filled the van up with gas, took dd to gymnastics, went grocery shopping, got home and made pita pocket sandwiches for dinner, picked dd up from the gym, went home, got the boys ready because they both had hockey pictures, went to the rink, fed everyone their dinner there while all the team pictures were taken, and then came home and helped with homework, lunches, baths, and bedtime stories. I'm tired and want a day off!

I think I'm done whining now...

My Dad and Stepmom came to visit at my brother's yesterday. I'd told my brother that my family would all come over after hockey and we could order in dinner at his house, or everyone could come to our house for dinner. He suggested that we stay at his place since I'd had a really busy day with the kids and hockey. Sounds good, right? Uh, not quite. Before I got there everyone decided that they wanted Japanese food for dinner which a) I didn't really want because we'd just had it, and b)is really expensive for 11 people. I lost. Instead of ordering in, we went out to the restaurant...So, the bill comes. Now, usually my Dad always pays. Money is not an issue for him. He has plenty and is very generous with it. Dh wanted us to pay the bill, so I took it before my Dad could get his hot little hands on it...$172.00 not including the tip! OUCH! I'm assuming that my brother will be giving me some money for his family's portion. He probably won't be happy because he is quite happy to always let my Dad treat. We might be from the same family, but I received all the money genes...

Total spent today:

$9.92 on necklace for stepmom for Mother's Day (cost to be split with my brother)

$13.38 on chocolates for stepmom for Mother's Day (cost to be split with my brother)

$5.00 on a mocha frappe for me while shopping with ds aged 12

$3.05 on a strawberry smoothie for ds aged 12 for coming shopping with me

Total Spent: $31.35

Total Cost: priceless...I got to show appreciation for a wonderful woman AND spend time with one of my all time favourite people, my 12 year old son! What a lucky day I'm having...

I haven't spent any money in the last two days. On Friday ds6 had a birthday party to go to and I was going to head over to the mall while he was there. Instead, not only did we walk to the party so I would save money on gas, I walked straight back home and had leftovers for lunch, and then walked back to pick him up.
Yesterday I worked from 8:00am-11:30pm, and so there wasn't time to spend money. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner off the buffets at work.
We'll see what happens today...

I was just thinking of my girl (now 10), and remembering cute things she did when she was smaller. When she was about 6 she found a penny and I taught her the poem, 'Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you'll have good luck. Put it in your shoe, and luck will follow all week through'. Well, for the next two months, she would put pennies in all our shoes before she went to bed, so we'd be lucky the next day! About 2 weeks into this routine, Dh got dressed in the morning, put his shoes on, looked at me, and asked,"Why do I keep finding money in my shoe? My foot hurts!"...one of those moments you don't forget. I look forward to telling it at her wedding--perfect way to show her caring nature!

My poor dh! I had to work last night from 3:00pm to 10:30. Dh had to rush home, take ds6 to his 3:00 dentist appointment, be back at 4:00 for ds12 to go to hockey, rush back, make dinner, take ds5 to hockey...ds12 stayed home and walked dd10 to Girl Guides...and then at 8:00 dh had to pick her up!!! A year ago that would have been all the stuff I would have to do on my own because he worked so much. It's funny how little we miss the money he made, and how much we appreciate the time he now has with us! He handled yesterday like a pro...I only had to repeat the schedule about 4 times, but it all went smoothly!

This weekend is really busy at work. I will be there tonight from 3:30-11:30 and then back at 8:00am Saturday until 10:00pm! Ooooh! I'll be so looking forward to Sunday when I have the day off. The only thing we have on the schedule is hockey...each boy has a game...at the same time...different rinks, of course.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

I can't believe she's 10 already! We probably (o.k., we did) go overboard on her presents, but this is the last year that she's going to ask for things like a Cabbage Patch Pony...I wanted her birthday to be special. She asked for sushi for dinner, so I'll make it instead of buying it. I'd really rather buy it because I'm feeling lazy and it's a lot of work to make, but I'll get over it! She asked for cupcakes for her class, too, so I made those yesterday. She'll have her sleepover party in a few weeks. My friend gives her kids a budget, and then they get to figure out what the party will entail...homemade cake or DQ ice cream cake? hmmm--the choices and costs are endless when you're 10!

We had dentist appointments yesterday, which, thankfully, are covered by my dental through work, and then came home, ate a quick dinner, and went to ds's hockey game (which he lost 5-4, but he scored a goal, so he was happy), and then I took him to Chapters to get a Dungeon and Dragons starter kit. That cost him $30.00. Good thing he has a paper route!