Carter Quote of the Week

**Disclaimer** If you don't want to read a conversation about poop don't read below.  I have boys in my house so poop is a frequent topic of conversation :)

Hubby was overseeing potty time for Carter before bed.  I overheard the following conversation...

Carter: Dad, I have to poop!
Chris: Ok bud, just go
Carter does his business and has to check it out in the toilet
Carter: Dad! It's floating
Chris: Uh...yeah I guess it is...
Carter: Well, boats float...
Chris: Yeah, they do...
Carter: So....it's like a poop boat!

I can just picture him processing this information and putting all the pieces together. Haha :)

Confession

I have to get something off my chest that has been bothering me for about 3 years.... I DON'T KEEP ALL OF MY CHILDS ART PROJECTS  ::Gasp:: I know! I'm a horrible Mom! Lock me up now!

So, before you judge me, and I know some will, but that's ok- let me explain.  Carter goes to daycare.  Everday. From 8-5.  That's a LOT of time for crafty little projects.  If I kept ALL of his pieces of paper with a little scribble on them I would be swimming in papers and my husband just might file for divorce...maybe...ok probably not but you get the point right?
I do keep some of them.  Usually the ones that has some sort of body part imprint on them like hands or feet.  I like to see how he grows over the years. Sometimes we will hang something on the fridge that he's made for a week or 2 and then in the garbage it goes.  Does anyone have an alternative though besides the garbage or keeping everything? How do you decide what stays and what goes?  I've heard of some people that take pictures of the project and then make an album or scrapbook of the pictures.  I could try that route.
My Mom kept a lot of my projects but I don't know if she kept ALL of them (Mom  you can weigh in on this because I know you're probably reading it!)  I just found a bunch of stuff in storage that my Mom kept for me and it was a lot of fun to look through, but now what?  Do I get it out every few years and say "Oh I remember that?" I'm pretty sure Carter won't care to look at a picture that his Mom drew when she was 12. That's the thing with boys too, Is he really going to care if I keep this stuff for him when he is 26? I'm thinking not.
So Mom's out there weigh in on this for me.  Do you keep everything your child/ren make and what do you do with it?  Non-Moms,  do you have stuff that your parents kept for you? Do you care that they kept it and do you think you will keep your kids stuff if you plan to have children?

Okay, commence the judging...I'm ready for it. I think. :)

More Journal Entries

I'm getting a little behind on my journal entries so here are days 5 and 6.  Some are more interesting than others, so I apologize if I bore you a little!

This one is about some of my favorite blogs.  If you can't read any off the web addresses and want to check them out just let me know and I'll post the link.  Some of them are listed on my blog in my favorites!

I'll admit, I was not so into this journal post so I went with the literal translation.  I made a clock pointing to the time it was when I was working on the page and just some other things that were on my mind.

Carter Quote of the Week

My son Carter is 3 years old and LOVES to talk.  He talks very well for his age and says the funniest things.  I thought I would start a weekly post of something that he has said that I want to remember.  I am also planning on making a journal of these little things as well.

The other night the 3 of us were out at a restaurant.  Carter always likes to get a quarter or 2 after dinner to use in the little candy/trinket machines that you find in the waiting area. So he had his 2 quarters ready to go and was growing impatient that the waitress hadn't brought our check.  As we were waiting he told us "I will pay".  Chris and I looked at each other and said "Great!" At that moment the waitress brought our check and right on cue Carter looked at the waitress, the check, his 2 quarters and then his Dad and said "Uh, Dad you can pay and I will keep my quarters." We all busted up laughing.  It just amazes me at how much his 3 year old brain processes!

Journal prompts day 3 and 4

Here are my journal pages for days 3 and 4 of the 30 day journal challenge.

Day 3 was write a letter or draw a picture about the person you love or admire.  I, of course chose my husband.

Day 4 was show your heart.  So I drew this colorful design and added word that describe what is in my heart!

Remember it's not to late to join in!

photo contest

I just entered this photo into a contest over at Skinned Knees blog.

I think Carter was about 15 months here.  The topic was "silly" and I think this fits that to a T!

Click here to play along!

30 Day Journal Challenge

Since I've had some free time on my hands I have started to follow a lot of blogs. Let me tell you, there are some talented and inspirational ladies out there! I came across a blogger who is challenging her readers to a 30 day journal challenge. You can click the link to the right to check her out. She posts a topic each day and that's what you journal or draw or do whatever comes to you. I'm not much of an artist so you will probably see a lot of words and pictures in my journal. I LOVE this idea. I was a big into journaling when I was in high school and then some how it always gets away from me. I've tried to pick it up a few times since then and the notebook always ends up hiding in a random drawer some where. So I've accepted the challenge and I will post my pages on my blog. I was a couple days late on starting, so here are day's 1 and 2.

Day 1 was to create a full page design to introduce yourself. I chose words to describe myself, things I like to do and people and dates that are important to me.

Day 2 was What is the best part of your day.

I will be working on today's journal topic a little later today. I will try to post it sometime today. I'm working on a cookie order for some fathers day cookies and I need to get them finished up by tomorrow. I will post pics of the final product!

Customer Service

I have worked in customer service since I was in high school. Unfortunately good customer service seems hard to find these days. I am often surprised when I go into a retail store and feel like I am inconveniencing the staff by shopping in their store. Heaven forbid I want to give them some of my money.

Anyways, I'm not here to talk about my poor customer service experience. I recently had a very GOOD experience in the most unexpected place... while getting my oil changed.

I don't normally handle the oil changes in our family but since I'm not working I had the time to take the car and we were getting ready to head out of town and it needed to be done. I've gotten my oil changed before, many years ago and I always felt awkward about it. Would they try and rip me off with all these pricey "add-ons"? or talk to me like I'm stupid because I'm a woman? Both of these have happened to me before.

As soon as I pulled in one of the guys came and opened my door for me and lead me to the waiting area. While I was waiting, the manager came in to tell me what they were doing and to see what kind of oil I wanted. Every time he addressed me it was "Mrs. Timmons" and he explained thoroughly what would be best for my type of vehicle. He thanked me several times during my visit for doing business with them. He enrolled me in a discount program that would save me money on future visits. When the car was done another man escorted me out to my car, thanked me again and shut my door for me.

Overall it was a very positive experience and unfortunately one I do not see enough of these days. Anyone who works in customer service or owns their own business SHOULD be thanking their customers and going above and beyond to make the experience memorable...even if it is just getting an oil change. After all it's our customers money that is putting the roof over our heads, and feeding our children.

Snail Mail

Remember the days before e-mail and facebook? Pretty soon the younger generations won't have any memory of snail mail, with everything being available online. Now days you can pay your bills on-line, shop on-line and heck you can even order a pizza with out ever having to speak to anyone!

Well I stumbled across a blogger today who's taking us back to the days of snail mail! I signed up so I'll let you know if/when I get anything in the mail.

I LOVE this idea. I used to have pen pals when I was younger. I think we had to for a class but then my cousin and I were pen pals over the years. I think it's so great to stay connected to people this way. It's much more personal than e-mail, and I think it makes us take time to stop and think about what you really want to say to that person.

So I'm going to give this a try as well. If you would like some snail mail from ME, just a little something to brighten your day, shoot me an email at jltimmons@gmail.com with your mailing address and "Snail Mail" as the subject, and then check your mailbox the following week. I won't give your personal information to anyone and since I think only family and friends read this you know I'm not a crazy person who will stalk you :)