Do Over, Please?

Have you ever had a moment in your life that you wish you could do over? And if you could do it over you would definitely do it a lot different? Well, that was me yesterday. Here is how my day went.
I came home from running errands with the little one in tow. He slept for about 30 minutes in the car, so there went the nap when we got home. I was hurrying around town trying to get all the things done that I needed to do. I pushed lunch back a little and made us both cranky. I stopped and got happy meals for both of us for the way home thinking if he ate in the car he would soon fall asleep and I could carry him to his bed and put him down. Then I could get my work at home done. NO. He was awake when I got home. I Carried my things in and returned to the car to get him, then we went to get the mail together. He loves to help get the mail. He always hollers, "NO!" when I step into the street. At least he is learning. But yes, I still have to holler it at him when we go out to play. Anyway...when I got inside I opened my Discover Card bill. Not expecting but a little bit on it (should only be Netflix since we don't use credit cards) I almost fell out when there were two purchases on the same day in two different states.

FREAKIN OUT!

So i called Stephen since one of the purchases was a jewelry place to make sure Stephen hadn't done some early Christmas shopping for me or something and forgot to tell me he used a card. And Stephen never does early Christmas shopping, but I wanted to make sure before I called the credit card company. So I called, went through all the security questions, explained my problem and they directed me straight to security.

I thought to myself, "Great, this will be fixed in no time and I can finish all the things I wanted to before Stephen gets home from work!"

"Ma'am, this is an authorized use. YOU swiped the card and there is nothing we can do."

I hit the roof!

"WHAT?!? Are you kidding me? You are telling me that I was in two different states on the same day, a school day at that, when I have a small child and a job? I am good but I am not that good? Can you please explain to me how I could have done that?"

She then proceeded to argue with me and told me that I DID do this. She told me I would need to call the stores that I made the purchases at. Then I told her I didn't have the numbers since I had never been there. I told her I didn't have time to argue with her about this. She apparently had computer problems and my card had been compromised. If she couldn't help me then close the account and I would start calling the companies and try to get it worked out myself. (By this time I am yelling at the top of my lungs and my child is just staring at me not sure what to think.) So she tells me she will transfer me to another department to close my account. I sat there as if she had put me on hold listening and I could still here all the noise in the background from when she was on the line talking to me. And then CLICK. She hung up on me!

So I call information to get the phone numbers of the places that I apparently shopped at.

"There is no such listing in Jackson's Gap, Alabama. Do you have another listing?

Oh...I am LIVID!

Now I have shopped somewhere I have never heard of and now they don't even exist!

The next one I give the operator is a good number (a supermarket in Louisiana) and I call the number. I have never been to Louisiana, but whatever, right? So the lady at this grocery store answers and I start telling her my problem. I asked her if they had video cameras and that I needed to prove that I didn't drive to Louisiana to by $45.00 in groceries.

"Oh! This isn't a grocery store! We go to craft shows around the south! Have you been to a craft show in Florida or Alabama in the last few months?"

Oh yeah. Oops. Sure did. Remember that post where I was bragging about getting Christmas presents for four family members and two teachers? Yeah. That was it.

So I call Stephen at work to tell him. One thing I left out here is that I called him after the woman at Discover hung up on me. So he didn't answer his phone. I called the store and Chris told me he was on the phone with Discover.
"Tell him to hang up! "

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

Yeah...Stephen was giving them a piece of his mind. Then stopped and told the guy, "Oh! Never mind! My wife figured it out. Sorry!"

Then he told me I should be more careful! I was careful! Not many people would notice that they were not in two different states on the same day. I guess I was being too careful.

And yes, I did call the card company back to apologize. And this is what I got.

"I can't connect you with the person you talked to."

Great! Now they have in the computer system, next to my name, "Crazy woman! Danger! Approach carefully!"

How in the stinkin' world did they do that so fast?

Then she told me she couldn't connect me because the lady was in a different state and a different department. That's better. But just for the record, I apologized to the woman that answered that time and she laughed and said okay in a tone of voice that told me she didn't care and wanted to get me off the phone so she could go home.

Oh well. I did what I could do. But if I could have a "do over" moment, I would have not needed to call and apologize because I would have controlled myself the first time. I hope I didn't ruin her day. Maybe she is used to "crazy" people like me. I will try to do better next time. And if you are ever in this type of situation, hang up with the credit card company, cool down and then call them back. It will go much smoother!

Sara

Saturday

Last night I decided I was not going to set my alarm and just get up when I was ready. I woke up at 6:15 and it was so good to sleep in. I got up, started a pot of coffee, opened the windows and rebooted my laundry. As soon as I opened the windows it started to sprinkle but not enough to have to put them back down. The house is quiet as I am the only one awake so far. I have alot I want to get done today. I know...why am I on the computer. I have dishes so high in my sink I could barely get the water into the coffee pot. All I need to do is unload the dishwasher but I wasn't home long enough yesterday to get it done.
There are a few things I want to tell you about from yesterday. Every year a group of us girls from church go to the NEACA craft show and then go get lunch. I love to go and get ideas of crafty things I would like to do (like I will have time anyway) and this year I got started on my Christmas shopping. Yea for me! I bought for 6 people including the boys' teachers and then two things for myself. And I got something for the boys bathroom. It is so cute. It is called a wall rub. It is letters that are on this scotch tape kinda thing. You position it where you want it and then rub the letters onto the wall. It says "Mischief, giggles, fun, and love...that's what little boys are made of." Doesn't that just fit? It was only $20.00. How could I pass that up?


Now on to some even better news...and then some not so good news.

I sat down with our budget ( that yes...I do keep written on paper so I know exactly what I have to do with what) and was trying to find ways to pinch without turning off the phone and cable. I spent $1000.00 on groceries last month...and that was being careful. And of course, as everyone knows...the gas. So last Sunday I got the adds out of the paper to see what was on sale at my local grocery store, got on line and found a few websites with free recipes for the crock pot (that is another story for another day) and then I planned the next two weeks' meals around what I could do with that. I also checked the pantry and freezer so I didn't buy stuff I already had. I have to say....I did awesome!!! My budget has allowed for $700.00 in groceries in a month and obviously I blew it last month. So are you ready? I saved $63.83 with my coupons and store savings!!! For a grand total of $254.27! I am trying to think of a way to frame the receipt and hang it in the house somewhere. Just kidding. I have also started a tedious job, that will hopefully be worth it when I get done, of writing in a notebook every item that I buy and how much it was. Then I am going to go one day ALL BY MYSELF (you will understand that in a minute) and price other stores. Then I will take my highly organized notebook that is separated into categories and make another list of what I will buy where. This better pay off because it is gonna get old fast.
Now onto the not so good news. Bryson fell asleep on the way from the craft show to get lunch. So he napped while we ate at the food court in the mall and then I ordered him some lunch and he woke up as soon as I got it. Good timing right? Except for he didn't want to take a nap when we got home. So I thought to myself "Now would be a good time to go grocery shopping". I asked him if he would be nice if we went to the grocery store and he shook his head yes.

It was not.

He did good until we got to the produce department. Did I mention that was the first place I went in the store? Yeah. It went down hill that fast. He thought the cabbage was a ball. Anyone that knows Bryson knows that is his favorite thing in the world. So I would tell him that it wasn't a ball...that it was cabbage. He would say cabbage in his funny little baby way of trying to talk, and then cry for it. Well...if I gave him the cabbage he would throw it. So I didn't give it to him. So he threw his sippy cup at me. When I bent down to get it he threw his blanket over the other side. So I picked up the cup, put it in the BACK of the cart so he couldn't get it, picked up the blanket and hung it over my shoulder and then told him in a stern voice, "That is NOT NICE!" Bryson replies, "NOT NICE!" And then screams louder and then I felt like I was on that Nickelodeon slime show. Green snot went everywhere. And of course I didn't have my diaper bag which is where the Kleenexes were. So I used his blanket since we have more blankets at home. He didn't like that. So this goes on the entire time. Throw the cup, throw the blanket, I pick them up and take them away, he screams at me and then I wipe his nose with the blanket that I took away. Then he begs me for his cup so I feel bad and give it back. Then I had to get the produce guy that was mopping to use the handle of his mop and drag the cup out from under the banana display. That was all because I wouldn't let him eat one of the bananas. Then we got a loaf of bread and he cried for bread. And yes, I fed him before we went! He had eaten all day!

This is where I contemplated leaving with what I had. But I had alot of coupons I was GONNA use if it killed us both. And I had some good ones too! Besides, I had no idea when I would have time to go back. Then that would lead to eating out which would blow my budget. That is how determined I am with the budget. Anyway...

Aisle Two. Repeat above about 10 times. Then an older gentleman with a mischievous grin looks at me and says, "Are we having fun yet?" Now I could have taken that several different ways but the way I chose to view his comment was that he has grown kids and he is glad they are grown now. Then of course, since everyone was staring down every aisle I felt like I needed to tell everyone that this is so out of character for him.

Onto the end of the shopping trip.

I am now unloading the groceries onto the moving thingy and in the meantime Bryson reaches back and gets a light bulb (one of the expensive ones that are energy saving and last several years that were on sale AND I had a coupon for) and throws it. Well I can't go get another one because I have started unloading and I can't walk off. So I had to tell the guy ringing me up that my devil child just threw it and broke it and asked if someone could get me another one. I had to have two so I could get the store sale price and use the coupon. Determination. Then the best thing happened. He threw his cup onto the moving thingy and I just let him think it was leaving him for good. That's what you get when you throw your cup, right?
The young guy (Keith) who was ringing me up was so nice. Here I am literally throwing the food onto the moving thingy and he tells me in his comforting voice since I had just told him "I gotta get out of here"..."Oh don't worry Ma'am. He's fine...take your time." My response to that? "Well... I am NOT fine and I gotta get out of here FAST!" Poor guy.
Now we are leaving and I am now carrying him on my hip and pushing a cart with bad wheels filled to the brim down a slope. And I didn't hit anyone or any cars. Man...I am good. So I asked Bryson, "Where you nice in the grocery store?" And with a mischievous grin...he shakes his head no. Then tries to correct himself and shakes his head yes. And I said, "OH NO YOU WERE NOT NICE!" He said, "Not nice. Not nice. Not nice." And then I was explaining to him that if he EVER acted like that at the grocery store again he would stay home with his daddy next time. Then I asked him if he understood what I was saying and he said, "Amen." I think he was trying to say "Yes Ma'am" like his brothers!

Have a great weekend everyone and don't take a sleepy baby to the grocery store!

Now on to that kitchen sink!

Sara