Coldness

First - 
the Weather

When we left today we both needed sleeves and more. This is an exciting time here in Northeast Florida as we have months of days in the nineties. Both of us had light sweaters and really couldve used light jackets as it was about 50 degrees when we left the house. BRRRRRR

Feels good to put on cozy PJ's tonight. There will be no more pool time until April so that's kind of sad. Too bad we can't afford to heat the pool but our electric bill is already between $300 and $400  a month.

We are thinking we need to replace the back wall in our living room which is a 'wall of windows'. Windows from 1959 that are single paned and not at all energy efficient. Do we really want to refinance or get a home equity loan though? The rates are really low right now so this is probably a good time to do it.

2nd - 6 year old naughtiness

Now what to do about Jamie's talk talk talkiness.

She hasn't fared well in the First Grade Good Behavior department. Last yeat she had mostly 'E's or S Plus's for Excellent or Satisfactory plus behavior. This year has been alot of 'S'es and even some 'S' minuses. MOstly for talking and not focusing.

We have taken TV/Video screen priviledges which seems to really bother her. I also was going to let her get a new Abby Abominal (From Monster High) costume for Halloween if she got 10 'E's in all of September through the 3rd week of October and she managed to get 7. I almost caved and got her a different new costume at the Store closing sale this weekend.

Finally - K-Mart is going down I am afraid!

I have been telling my friends and family that K-Mart is probably going out of business if we all don't buck up and shop there once in a while. Sadly two more stores in our area are closing. This doesn't bode well for consumers. As we all know when there isn't competition there isn't enough incentive for prices to stay low. Or for stores to treat consumers as customers.

Think about shopping at the Big K at least once a month or more often if you can. We can't let the ENORMOUS W take over the world. Not just yet.

Sneakiness

I sleep with my Ipad. I have always been one to read before going to sleep. Now with my Ipad, I read a digitalized book on it rather than the old fashioned book with covers and paper pages. It's so much more comfortable, it's lit up, don't have to worry about how I hold it to the light etc etc.

So - the other night when I couldn't find my Ipad you can bet I kept looking for it...for more than an hour.
And funny thing was Jamie was still awake while I was looking for it. In fact I went in her room looking for it more than once.

Mike even stopped grading papers to join in on the hunt for at least 10 minutes. I grabbed a regular book and tried to read it...when it occurred to me that it was strange Jamie was still awake at 10pm. I had gone in there twice and she replied that she hadn't seen it.

Also it was strange that Jamie had wanted the door to be left open the last few nights with the hall light left one. We have been putting her to bed with the door closed since she came to us at four months old. All of a sudden hmmmmm....

I went into her room for a third time and she immediately said, "No mom it's not here, I don't have it." She was lying flat on her back and seemed to lean back into the bed harder.

Yup, she was lying on it...Hiding it.

She is being punished with no screen time...no Ipad, Iphone, Computer or tv for a week. Til next Thursday.

I allowed a little tv today, but only what I wanted to watch which was Haley Mills  in Pollyanna and The Parent trap.

She is jonesing for her screen time. (As I know I would)...But it feels like the right punishment for the crime.

I think so anyway...I am just so concerned about the lying and the sneakiness.

She took my money!

Jamie's school had a book fair this week. Sent home were repeated appeals for the kids to buy books daily. How it would help the school, how it would help the teacher, and how she could win daily prizes as well as the special event of leaving the classroom each day if they had money each day to buy books.

Now with me selling real estate and not getting a salary anymore, we really don't have money for extras. Buying books are extra. We go to the library almost every week and my child owns at least 100 books already. She is by no means book deprived.

She came home with a couple of books early in the week, turns out Mike had given her $4.

Then yesterday she came home with a audio book - you know the big kind with the music you can play for each page, as well as three other new books as well as forty-seven dollars and some change. WTH!

She told me Ms. Smith gave her the money...Then with further prodding she admitted she took the money from my purse.

I am at a loss. I just don't get it. She is six! This isn't the first time, she had taken twenty a couple months back.

I had her write, "I won't take money from Mommy's purse" ten times and she isn't getting money for tomorrow celebration where they are all encouraged to bring money to buy slushies.

And there may be more punishment.

I just don't know what would be appropriate and also a deterrent on her doing this again. Any feedback would be great if you can offer it.