one for the consumer avenger!

One of my besties, JenHeadJen, calls herself the "consumer avenger," and rightfully so. She studied fashion merchandising in college, and learned all the ins and outs of the responsibilities that retailers have to us, the consumers. She has blogged many times about her experiences (good and bad), and in my opinion, hits the "nail on the head" every time! I love reading what she has to say, and you will too, so check her out at www.jenheadjen.blogspot.com. In the meantime, I HAVE to share an experience that I just had, at the all-to-wonderful (NOT!) K-mart.

Yes, I did the unthinkable. I went to K-Mart. Why? Because it is closer to my house than their competition, if you can even call Target or Wal-mart their competition. I know. Not really a good enough excuse to go there. But hey, I guess I was lazy and didn't feel like driving that far. Well, guess what I got for being lazy...nothing but HASSLE!

You see, I am currently living in a cracker box, where we pretty much have no room for anything. My husband, as most of you know, has MS, and therefore has TONS of medicine bottles. We have an ENTIRE cabinet in the kitchen that is just medicines. But that wasn't enough. So we got a "lazy susan" to put my husband's meds on, so that they were easier for him to get to. Now I am taking many herbs, supplements, and allergy medications too, so I started using the lazy susan as well. And then the kids started needing allergy meds, so, well, now we are out of room and there are pill bottles all over the counter tops. Then I had this idea: "Why not buy a little stacking shelf for the counter top so that we can all have our daily meds on the counter, without taking up so much room?!" I thought it was a good idea. So I went to K-mart to look for a counter top shelf. I found one, and there were several under the $4.99 price tag. Yes, it seemed a little odd, but there were bigger shelves around it that were priced at $19.99, so I figured it must be right. There were a couple other options, but none as cool as this $4.99 one. So I said to my girls, "Let's get this one. I'm gonna hold them to this price, too." We went to checkout and of course, it rang up $19.99. WHAAAAAAT???!!! I immediately told the cashier that it was marked $4.99. She said "Oh, no, no, no," like I was a liar. She then ran around the front end looking for an ad. When she finally returned and started thumbing through it, I told her that I did not know if it was even in the ad, but that there were several on the shelf, all under the "wrong" price tag. So she wanted me to show her. We walked all the way back to the back of the store. She then rips off the tag, and starts comparing. Then she says "The skus don't match." I think "So?" Then she calls over a stocker, who agrees that the tags don't match and that I had the wrong item. Well, too bad for them I say. I asked for the $4.99 price anyway. She then says that we have to ask a manager, so we walk clear over to the other side of the store, looking for the manager. We found her, and she said "No." I said "Well, I did not see that the tags did not match. If there was only one there, I could understand. But there were several in that spot, so I want that price." She continued to say that I could have 10% off at the most, but I wasn't going to budge. It's not my fault they can't hire competent stockers. Finally, she agreed to give me the $4.99 price. Victory! We then went back to the register, where the cashier tried to ring me up but had to then call the manager over again to verify the override. What a pain! The whole thing took over 20 minutes, but in the end, it was well worth it.

I know I was a brat, and really could have seen that the skus didn't match myself, but as the consumer avenger would say, "It's the principality of the matter." I spent way too many years of my life working in a retail situation where the customer ALWAYS got what they wanted, and I feel that is mostly how it should be. They are in business for US. Without US, they would not exist. It is not that hard to put up a price tag, or stock an item as it should be.

Of course I won't expect this to happen all the time. Most times the consumer doesn't win. And I really won't be going back to K-mart any time soon. But I had to share my little victory dance. They are, after all, few and far between.

berry pickin.

Not too long ago, we went strawberry picking. I did it when I was little, and we always see signs to do it, so we said "what the hay" one day and did it!

We had actually gone out to campus, where I was planning on studying the muscle model, or as I like to call it, the Muscle Man! (Yeah, I sing a song about it too, to the tune of "Do You Know The Muffin Man?") But when we got there, the library was closed. Stupid little state-run school. (It was a Saturday afternoon. What kind of school closes their library on a Saturday afternoon?) I was truly disappointed, because I was having a test on the Muscle Man the following Monday. So instead, we walked around campus for a bit, then waited for Terry to do some computer stuff in his building, then we left. On the way home, we saw the strawberry picking signs that we always see. We decided that since I couldn't study with my model, I might as well go strawberry picking and leave my grades up to God!





We got there 10 minutes before closing time, but they let us in anyway. The price for the berries was much higher than we thought it would be: $4.99 per pound! But we figured we were paying for the experience, not the berries. Trinity and Natalie each got a basket and Terry and I just helped them. Both girls picked berries until their baskets were full, which really didn't take very long! We ended up only having two pounds worth of berries, and on our way out I got free recipes for freezer jam and other things. So the day turned out to be a success! And that muscle test? I got an A.

bella.

This adorable face belongs to Bella. She is an orphan calf on Great-grandpa Ralph's ranch. We first met Bella on Thanksgiving day, at Uncle Sean and Aunt Sharon's house. We heard there was a calf that needed to be fed, so we hopped on the mule (along with some other folks) and went out to pasture to find her. She was super shy and didn't want to come to us, even though we had her milk. But she eventually came and drank to her heart's content.

The next time we saw Bella, she was in a little pen in the yard, where she was more easily accessible for feeding times. We were delighted to find that she was still there (sometimes cows "adopt" little orphan calves, and sometimes they die) and eager to help feed her once again. Luckily, it was time for her to eat. When we got into the pen, she wasn't as shy as before. She eagerly drank her milk, and when it was gone, she still wanted to suckle. We were all petting her and loving her, when she found one of our hands and began to suck on it! Since we aren't really country folk (though I came from some), we were a little scared as to what Bella might do, but we soon learned that it was her natural reflex (just like a human baby), and that cows don't have top teeth! Who knew?! :) For whatever reason, we were in awe with this little sucking cow, and we let her suck on us again and again and again. She even tried to suck on our clothes, but we put a stop to that!



We have had so many wonderful and unique experiences because of this ranch. I am so grateful to be a part of a family whose history is rich in agriculture. The ranch is like no place on earth that I have ever been, and in the quiet, peaceful breeze when its just you and the animals, it almost feels like heaven.

pinocchio.

Back in March, my little drama queen got her first real acting gig. She had been taking acting classes at the fancy local theater, where we learned about an audition on her last day of class. The play was "Pinocchio," and it was being put on by a traveling theater company. They pretty much let most anyone in who auditions, but you have to be really good to get a lead role.

Since it was her first audition, Trini was really shy and didn't understand what to do. I don't think she got the whole concept of how to audition. But she was cast as a toy ballerina in Gepetto's workshop! She was really excited, and so were we. I remember how awesome it felt to be on stage when I was younger, and now my little girl was going to get to experience it! She rehearsed all week long, and then the performance was on Saturday, at two different times. She got to wear a costume and get her makeup done, which I think was one of her favorite parts.

We saw the late show, along with Grammy, Gramma Katie, Gramma Hildy, and Uncle Jon and his girlfriend. It was awesome! The kids did such a great job for only one week of rehearsal. After the show we went to Chili's for dinner and to celebrate Uncle Jon's birthday.

Trini ended up LOVING being on stage!!!! Call me crazy, but ever since I have been asking her what she wants to do next-singing, more acting, dancing, etc! She told me that she wants to take dance, then singing, then cheerleading. And I am stoked. My first love was the stage, and oh yeah, I am totally going to live vicariously through my kids! hahaha

sparkles.

Introducing....SPARKLES!



Natalie and I were out running errands a couple weeks ago. One of them included buying cat food for Chase. And since Chase is the pickiest eater in the world, he will only eat Science Diet brand cat food. This brought us to the actual pet store, where everything is over-priced, yet very tempting to buy.

Whenever we go there, we always look at the pets for sale, just because we love animals. Sometimes we hold them and think, "How cute! Let's buy it!" But then we come to our senses and put the critter back. This time, however, I did a mental check-out when I entered the store. I was sick and still am, and I just wasn't thinking clearly. I blame it on the cold medicine.

Natalie asked to go look at the fish. She loves fish. Whenever we are near the river, she asks to see the "nimmows." (Minnows) We oohed and ahhed, and then saw a little Betta fish. She held its little cup that it was in, said "Hello. My name is Natalie," and asked if we could buy it. I looked at the prices of the whole set up that we would need. It was only $10.00 for everything. By far the cheapest pet ever! So I said yes.

I asked her what she wanted to name the fish, and at first she said "Nathan." That is her favorite boy name. So I said "The fish is a boy?" Then she said no, so I suggested "Roxy." She liked it for a bit, but by the time we got home, it's name was "Sparkles," and has been so ever since.

At the time, I thought that Chase would not be a problem, because the fish bowl has a little lid on it. But Chase likes to knock things off the counter, the dresser, whatever, so he has tried to do that to Sparkles a couple times. But no casualties so far. Trinity does a super-cute impression of the fish, the cat loves to sit and look at it, and I have agreed to take care of it. Hopefully Sparkles lives a long time!


(Chase checking out Sparkles.)



(Natalie reading a book to her new friend.)

going, going, gone!

February was a busy month for us in the tooth department, and so far, March seems to be following suit! Miss Trinity lost THREE, yes THREE teeth last month!!! She has been waiting for a long time to lose her first tooth. In fact, she was the only one in her class who hadn't lost one. Well, I guess she is catching up! We were all so excited for her. I am even planning on making her a little pillow with a pocket to put her teeth in while they are waiting to be collected by the Tooth Fairy.

The first tooth came out easily. She tried pulling it out and then I gave it a few tugs, and voila! Out came tooth number one. That night she put it under her pillow and the next morning she found a gold dollar, and her tooth was still there! A mistake by the Tooth Fairy? She asked. Nope. In this house, the Tooth Fairy lets kids keep their first lost tooth so that they can always remember it. (Think this is weird and gross? I also kept the pregnancy test that I peed on when I found out I was pregnant!) And by the way, the Tooth Fairy went through heck to find that gold dollar on such short notice!

The next tooth was a little harder to extract, but it came out only a few days later. This time the Tooth Fairy left a dollar bill folded into a cool triangle, but Trinity somehow lost it in her sleep! We helped her search and search, but she thought that the Tooth Fairy just didn't come. We kept insisting that she DID come, so as soon as we could, we slipped another dollar bill under her bed, and told her to check again. She found it this time and was happy. Later on, we found that cool triangle-shaped dollar bill. (One MAJOR reason why I need to make a special little pillow that has a pocket.)

The third tooth came out almost two weeks later, simply because her new grown-up teeth were so HUGE that they pushed the tooth next to it out! I wonder if this is normal, and if she is going to need braces, but it's going to be awhile before we get to the dentist. Oh, and the Tooth Fairy left another gold dollar this time, too!



So after three teeth, we thought surely we were done with this for awhile. But no, Miss Natalie must have been jealous, because just a few days ago, she lost her first tooth! And the one right next to it is loose too! We were at IRSC doing some school stuff and waiting in the car for daddy, when Nat wanted to check the status of her tooth. She tried to pulled it out, and then I asked her if she wanted me to do it. She said yes, and after a few tugs it popped out. She was ecstatic! We all jumped out of the car and took a picture, and then told daddy as soon as he came back. That night, I made her put her tooth in a baggie so that it wouldn't get lost. She knew she would get to keep her first lost tooth, and all went well, until the Tooth Fairy really did forget to come that night! AHHH! Seriously, at this rate, the cat is going to be out of the bag in no time. Oh well. Trinity was worried but Natalie wasn't phased, and we told them she may not have come because both girls were up at 5:00 AM that morning. But she did come the next night, and left a crisp one dollar bill. All's well that ends well!

valentine's day.

This year for Valentine's Day, I wasn't expecting much. In fact, I wasn't expecting anything at all. We didn't have the extra funds, and I thought it would be stupid to waste our money on the silly little holiday anyway.

Well, I was surprised. With this:



(I know, the picture doesn't do it justice.)

Yes, that is an Edible Arrangement! I have ALWAYS wanted one, and finally my dear, sweet husband made my dreams come true and bought me one for Valentine's Day! I was so happy and so surprised. The arrangement was ALL chocolate-covered strawberries(pretty much my favorite thing) and it even came in a cute little planter that I could use later. Thanks for "wooing" me, baby! I love you!