HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Try not to overstuff yourself on Turkey like we always end up doing. :-)

Tis the Season

This time of the year I always get a little sentimental. Of course with this emotion comes questions. Why does it take this time of the year to realize how important family is? We all love our families and wish we could spend more time with them, but that isn't always possible. It is funny that even if we see our extended family throughout the year our heart aches to be with them over the holidays. There is no more lonely time of the year than to be without the ones you love over the holidays.

I was very lucky that even though my parents divorced I got to spend holidays with all of my family. Until moving to Germany I never knew what it would be like to be without my parents and grandparents. Do not get me wrong I am very thankful for my husband and children and would never choose to be away from them, but I still wish it were easier to spend holidays with them and the rest of the family.

Call me old fashioned but nothing makes me happier than having a house full of family and a big dinner to share with everyone.

When I start to think of these things, I realize just how lucky I am. I hug my children a little tighter, hold my husband a little closer, and realize that there are people out there who are not as lucky as I am. Happy Thanksgiving and when saying your fmaily blessing this year, please say a little prayer for those who are less fortunate than you.

Stupid little pet peeves...

We all have them, whether we admit it or not.

Jason and I are polar opposites on this issue, so I would like to know where others stand. I believe that I pay for childcare (not anymore but I used to) for somewhere for my children to go while I can't be with them. If I am not working or am home that I am not taking them to daycare. Maybe it is because I work in the field that I feel this way, but I really do enjoy being around my kids (when they aren't fighting). Jason, however; feels since we pay for it we might as well use it.

I work at a child development center and the rule is no child may be there for more than 10 hours per day unless they have a letter from their commander (which isn't so easy to get). I understand childcare is expensive but does that mean that our children need to be a pawn in a game of "getting your money's worth?"

Now I am certainly not talking about leaving your kids at daycare for an extra hour or so one day a week to get the grocery shopping done in peace. But seriously, I have seen parents waiting for the building to open at 0615 and will not pick their kids up until 1630 or later.

It has to be like a Childcare "Murphy's Law" that the children that listen and are easier to care for are always the ones who are dropped off later and picked up earlier. The children who are a little more challenging to care for are dropped off at opening and usually stay until closing.

Can you tell I am a little frustrated from work today? LOL

Who said dogs don't remember?

I used to believe it. Lately though I am thinking it is less than true. Either that or I have extremely intelligent dogs. Generally when my dogs do something such as chewing something up or having an accident we say to the "What did you do?" They give us a look like 'I'm sorry'.

Leyna recently confirmed our suspicions. Lastnight we were outside on the deck and Jason took them down to go potty. This may be TMI (as Kaitlin would say) but after a Bowel Movement our dogs have an extreme amount of energy. (Wish that was true for us).

So they come back up to the deck and are running around like they have been in their kennel for hours. They are playing and running and Leyna heads for the house, only she doesn't realize the screen door is closed.She slams into it with such force that she almost bends it in half. She cowers and just lays there for a moment until we all burst out in alughter because it was hilarious and what else could we do at this point?

Jason bent it back into shape and we were still outside, but we left the screen open. For the next half hour or so she would run over to the opening where the door would be and stop, stick her nose out to see if there was something there. Once she realized it was open she would go in.

So, to the person who says dogs don't remember... Bullshit!

So what is up with this?

I have seen it so often and yet it stillnever ceases to amaze me. Simply because I can't understand it. Have you ever looked at something that grossed you out so you looked away but had to look back to see just one more time?

What is with men who grow out one or more of their fingernails? The funny part is that most of these men that I have seen are in the military, so while it is not impossible that drugs are a reason I find it less likely than in the civilian sector.

Does anyone know the answer to this question?

Customer Service

To elaborate more upon my earlier post...

So, Dalton being a 10 year old boy has broken his glasses 1 too many times. This time they just were not fixable. We had went to Roseville to get the fabric I needed for our classroom curtains. We thought hey since we are here let's run to LensCrafters to get him some new glasses. What a fiasco that turned out to be.

I have been to America's Best and thought it was along the same line. Maybe it is but I will go back to America's Best, I will never go back to LensCrafters!

We walked in and signed in and started browsing the glasses. A sales lady walked up to us and we told her that Dalton has broken his glasses and he needed a new perscription as well as new glasses. She said well our children's lenses and frames are 50% off. I think right on! NOT!

She showed me the lenses that you "MUST" get for children. Either this one or that one. Jason and I talked about it and said he needs them, what choice do we have?

So we go back for the beginning of his eye exam. He had an eye exam not too long ago and our insurance will pay for an exam but we didn't have enough time during the week to get him in so we thought what the hey let's just get it done with. So we opt for the basic exam. Evidentally, this didn't please them very much because they do the prescreening (some of the tests multiple times). Then we wait to see the eye doctor. We waited for about 30 minutes.

We get in to see the doctor and I don't remember eye exams being this difficult. We told him it would be real quick then we will grab something to eat while we wait for his glasses. How wrong we were! The doctor was having a hard time checking the pressure in his eyes and Dalton had had enough! Then she said that she wanted part of the prescreening done again! I said 1 more time and then he is done. Really he was done about 30 minutes ago!

While we wait to get this prescreening done for the third time. We go out to the lobby to pay for his glasses while we wait. It was at this time they bend you over and give it to you! He tells me what our lens options are and the prices are much higher than what we were originall told. I was beyond irritated at this point. Jason could tell too and he tries to bring the issue out right in the lobby. Which irritated me even more. I do not like to make a scene in public and we were really beginning to.

So while I am paying way too much for a pair of glasses for a 10 year old the doctor pulls Jason into the back room and proceeds to talk to him. I have to look around are we buying a used car or a pair of glasses?

They tell us to come back in 1 hour for the glasses. I gladly leave the store! During this whole process I never once felt appreciated as a customer, I felt like they were irritated that we didn't spend any more money. Well they don't need to worry about me coming back into their store.

The worst part is that Jason found out AFTERWARDS that we can get 2 pairs of glasses at Travis AFB for half the price we paid for one! ARGGHH....

What is up with Customer Service?

I am so sick and tired of poor customer service that I think customer service should be a mandatory course in high school!

I will elaborate later, for right now I am still too irritated!