Tax Dodgers

I went to use some Kohl's "cash" yesterday (which is a huge scam, but that's another post for another day), but ended up with a $2 balance.  I decided I could pay the $2 with cash, rather than using the credit card.  We've had a pro-credit card philosophy for years which includes charging whenever possible; never carrying a balance; and reaping the benefits of whatever bonus plan our credit card uses.  This is why we own a lot of Sony products and I never know where the checkbook is.  Also, not carrying cash means I'm less tempted to buy things like.... say.... a mocha at Starbucks.

But increasingly, I'm visiting the ATM for cash.  Summer is farm market season; and many stalls don't take plastic.  So, that's a big money sink each week.  Then there are babysitters.  This weekend we had a sitter last night and another this afternoon.  It will probably total 12 hours of babysitting (which is a little unusual, but the kids can now stay home for short periods on their own - the only time we get sitters is when we'll be out late or gone long.... which equals more $$).

And finally, there are the tax dodgers.  Our cleaning lady prefers to be paid in cash because "if she deposits too many checks in one month, she has to pay a fee" which may in fact be true; but I don't think it's the primary reason she wants cash.  In September, Jacob will switch to another new piano teacher (current one opted not to renew lease on her studio) who prefers payment in cash as well.

If I had a better plan; I'd get all the necessary cash once a month and then divvy it up in envelopes so that it stayed out of my wallet and therefore out of Starbucks coffers.  But I don't have that much forethought, and so it's back to the ATM.

A follow up to Tuesday's post...

Jacob's team did win their game last night.  He had another good game; 4 for 4 (he says he hit the first pitch each time.... Brian and I don't recall but I think he's right), 3 singles and a triple.

So they got a spot in the tournament and next week they play until they lose, starting Monday.  So - good luck to them!

We did spend yesterday afternoon at the pool with a gaggle of children.  My friend was in charge of her children plus their cousins from Connecticut, Finland, and Italy.  It meant that there was always someone who wanted to share a tube on the waterslide. Plus, it was a little cooler, so the pool was not crowded at all.

Way to go Jacob!

I have pictures - but in this fading light it's best that I not try to transfer them to computer and end up with a camera memory card in the DVD slot..... again.

Jacob had a great baseball game tonight to start off the pool play week to make the city tournament.  He was 3 for 3 (all doubles) with a total of 4 RBI's.  He also made a double play to end the game by catching a pop fly then tagging 2nd base (the runner had taken off).

Tomorrow they play a much tougher opponent.  That team won their first pool play game 20-1.  Jacob's team did beat the team they play tomorrow in the regular season, but only by 1 run, and there were more than enough close calls / missed calls / narrow escapes that the game could have gone either way.  So.... let's hope Jacob has as good a game tomorrow as he had tonight. 

Of course, we're spending the afternoon at the swimming pool with friends so..... probably not.  lol.

I will say (again) that I'm very happy that we played Jacob in the machine pitch league again this year.  What's kindof cool is that there is nothing particularly remarkable about their team.  They have one "really good" all-around player.  But most of the kids are just.... pretty good.  They've learned to play together as a team.  They've learned how to back up plays and who to throw to.  They've learned how to hit the ball relatively consistently.  They've been coached well by coaches who are also very good but also not outstanding. 

Last year's team was filled with "superstars" who thought they were better than everyone else out there.  Superstars who never got better because they never learned to play together.  Well, they had no practices once the season started in May - so most of them didn't learn anything.  The grapevine (facebook) indicates that more than one of those kids is now ready to quit baseball because they weren't "good" this year.

Jacob's team this year is definitely better than the sum of its parts.  I hope they make it into the tournament, even if their chances of 'winning it all' might be slim.  But even if tomorrow is the end of the road; I'm still really glad this was the season he had. 

Idyllic Summer

So.  I clearly haven't posted in a month because I don't want to make you all jealous at how idyllic our summer is - just like everyone else's.

There's been fruit picking, swimming pools, sprinklers in the yard, and ice cream.  The children have been playing non-stop outside in the sun.... so tired from their 1970's-style fun that they go right to bed at the late hour of 8:30pm.  There have been crafts (Pinterest!), homemade baked goods, and I cannot believe that the children are getting along so well!

There have in no way been tears over mom's strict electonics policy. 

There has certainly not been a girl up at all hours of the night because she's tired of taking melatonin at bedtime.

The cat certainly doesn't smell like Hades due to the sulfur baths.

And if you happen to hear yelling outside the windows - trust me - it's not the kids yelling at each other or me yelling at them - it's this awesome new game we invented to make fun of all the "less idyllic" families out there.

And the USDA recently rewrote the food pyramid to make potato chips a food group, right?

Finally, thank goodness I have the summer "off."  Because there is absolutely no way I'm sitting in front of the computer for hours trying to meet totally arbitrary deadlines for course developments and papers required for tenure.

So there!  This summer rocks!  I knew you'd be jealous!