The Quick Lube Liar!

Oh I am sooooo mad right now that I can't see straight! I went to the Quick Lube in town to get my oil changed. Usually Larry does it for me at home. So I pull into the local Quick Lube, get out of my car and the first thing I ask is "How much will an oil change be?" The guy said something like $35 or $37. Plus I had a $3 off coupon to use. I thought, 'Okay I can do that. That is comparable to Wal-Mart'. So I tell him that my husband wants 10W 40 Quaker State Full Synthetic oil only. The guy says that I should go with 10W 30 instead. I say "ok". So 15 mins later they're finished with my car and I go to the counter to pay. I hand them my $3 off coupon and they tell me what my charge is...$61 dollars! $61 dollars! I said, "The guy told me it would $35-$37." Then the guy who told me that price walks up. I repeat this to him and he said, "Well you wanted full synthetic." I said, "I know I told you I wanted full synthetic and you told me the oil change would be $35-$37. If I had know you would charge me this ridiculous price I NEVER would have come here." I ended up paying $61. Nobody told me they were sorry/wrong or offered anything to try to make me happy. Nothing. Where was the customer service here?! I informed them that I would never come back to their shop again. Oh I am soooo mad. I feel cheated, lied too and taken advantage of! I am so mad that I am shaking. Larry and I will be going back to the shop to speak to a manager. Oh I am so mad!

Listening Ears

When I taught Sunday school and my kids weren't listening I would just close my mouth and stand there and stare at them. I wasn't about to try to talk over them. It was always entertaining to me (although I had to giggle inside so they didn't see my amusement) to watch their faces once they've noticed that I had stopped teaching and was just standing there with my arms folded and starring at them. Some of them would say, "Shhhh! Ms. Ashlyne isn't happy." Others would say, "Shhhh or bossy teacher will come out." Bossy teacher was some sort of nickname that the kids or some of the adults in the church would call me...I was the 'no-nonsense teahcer'. I had to be otherwise my class would have me duct taped tot he ceiling! So when the kids weren't listening I would ask them if they had their listing ears on, then tell them to reach into their pockets and pull out those listening ears and put them on. All of the kids would reach deep into their pockets (including me), pull out their imaginary listening ears and put them on. Once that was done they were ready to listen...most of the time.

When Mylan was younger I would do this with him at home too when he wasn't listening. Now that he is getting older it isn't quite as effective. So that's the challenge these days...listening and following directions. Oh the joys of parenthood! Now let me first say that as a step-mother I am very, very lucky because I have got the worlds best step-son! Generally he listens very well and does what he is told no questions asked. However, being that mother nature requires our children to grow up and go through all those normal growing pains he has reached that age to where he wants to do things his way and in his time. *Sigh* So that's my current challenge, trying to get Mylan to do as he is told when he is told. It always seems to me that when we are in a hurry that his listening ears shut down on me. *Sigh* However, most of the time if I just stop and take a breathe and explain to him the reasons behind what I am asking of him, he will comply. Hey, I can't fault the kid for being a kid! Gotta love him!

My finished curtain project!

Well I am finally finished with my FIRST BIG SEWING PROJECT! I am so proud of myself!

The problem...

The solution.

The finished project: the dinning room...

The kitchen. I made some for the kitchen with left over material.

Even the boys approved!

Now that's a good team mate!

Last night at Mylan's foot ball practice I saw Mylan being a good team mate! I was so proud of him! At the end of every practice the boys are required to sprint together as a team. The coach has them start and finish the sprint a specific way...as a team. they have to keep doing it until they do it right...as a team. Are you seeing the pattern yet? Sports are all about being a team. You know the old saying, "There is no "I" in "Team"." There is one boy in particular who doesn't run fast at all. He is always the last one to finish. Coach says there is nothing wrong with that as he was shouting encouragement to this kid, "If that's you're pace, that's fine but you keep moving! You keep going and don't slow down! You finish it all the way!" So during the boys final sprint I saw Mylan pat this kid on the shoulder and say something. Then Mylan ran along side this kid all the way to the finish. It felt great to see my kid doing this. Mylan knows that he can run faster but instead he encouraged his team mate and ran right along side him til the end. I am so proud of Mylan!

Wedding Anniversary

Today is mine and Larry's 4th wedding anniversary!

Woo-Hoo!
I am so excited!
Bring it on year 5!

This is the card Larry gave me.
I loved it because it fit us exactly!

Football Practice: The Blackshirts

This is our little football player! Practice jersey #53. Don't underestimate these little Derby Junior Football Players because they mean business! The boys practice three days a week for 2 hours a night. Those boys work hard. I am so proud of Mylan! He said he is having a lot of fun! You wouldn't think so by the amount of sweat those boys produce.

Here are a few random pics I took during practice.

Funny story about the kid in black. That kid seemed to be afraid to do this drill with Mylan because he kept pushing other kids up in the line to tackle Mylan instead. It appeared as if this kid didn't want to tackle Mylan. That kid had already done the drill with every kid but Mylan. In the end he had no choice because the other kids would push him back in line to do the drill with Mylan. The funny thing is that this kid was a lot more intimidating than Mylan was and yet at the end of the drill I think Mylan did better.

Mylan's big ol' feet! He wears a size 7 1/2 in men's!

Here are some pics I took of Mylan playing around before practice started.
Look how much he's grown!

My first BIG sewing project

This AM I went on the hunt for some curtains for the dining room. We've lived in our house for 4 yrs and I am just now getting around to dressing the bay window in the dining room. It was 2 yrs before Larry finally took me, kicking and screaming, to JCPenny's to pick out living room curtains. You see, I really don't like to go shopping. I guess you can say I am not your typical woman. I was looking around for several hours and went to Gordman's, Target, Sears, Dillard's, JCPenny's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Hancock Fabric and TJ Max.

So this is the bay window in the dining room. One wall is red and the rest of the walls are a golden yellow.

I ended up back a Hancock Fabric where I found this material. It got it tax free and 40% off for $35. My budget was $30 but I went $5 over.

I'll post pics when I am finished with the project. Who knows when that'll be though.