Keeping Busy!

Today was a super busy day for us! I like to consolidate tasks with gas being $4.30/gallon and a truck that gets 12 mgp. We're working on ways to improve the mpg, but in the meantime, I don't go many places at all because of the sheer cost of driving and the lack of alternatives to driving in my area (biking is not safe on the roads leading to town, and there are no buses).

First was gymnastics. Rose was a little overwhelmed because it is gym camp this week, and there were lots of big girls and boys using all the equipment in the gym. They looked so awesome! Lacy and Rose's classes combined, and Lacy was the only big kid in her class today. She did so great! So did Rose-- walking on the balance beam without any help! It was a little tough to keep her under control at times, but we managed.

Next stop was feeding the truck. I managed to find it for $4.23, filled up, and then saw another gas station for $4.09. D'oh!

Then we went to Fred Meyer to talk to them about a pair of sandals that I had purchased earlier this year. One of them had totally come apart at the seams. It was no longer wearable. I think it was defective, because the other shoe was just fine. Because of the defect, I was able to exchange them across for another pair of exactly the same sandals. I was glad they had them, because I really love the way they look and feel. I am extremely picky about my sandals, so it is always a great day when I actually find a pair that meet my criteria and fit me well!

After that, we went to the free school lunch program at one of the elementary schools. We went to one in Lacey, because that's where we were today. It was fun for the girls to eat there, and it was nice to not have to worry about food. Lacy ate her entire sandwich. I was surprised and impressed. Rose ate all the cheese off hers and ate most of the meat, but that was about it, other than the apple juice! She doesn't get juice much at home, so it was quite a treat for her. Afterward, we played for a few minutes and I saw some of my old friends from Lacey and talked for a couple minutes with them (when I wasn't chasing kids, that is!).

Finally, we went to Spooner's to pick strawberries. Rose got quite dirty with juice and dirt all over her. I was certainly glad they wore pink shirts today! We managed to get out of there with about 9 pounds of berries, and probably another pound in Rose's belly. Lacy didn't eat many at all while she was picking. She was so helpful, and was very good at picking berries.

On the way home, Rose fell asleep. Lacy is now watching PBS, eating strawberries, and drinking water. She was thirsty and tired when we got home, and I didn't want to fight with her, so the TV went on today. She hasn't watched any TV at all until now, so I think it's a pretty good day. We'll probably turn it off soon so she doesn't get overloaded. Rose is still sleeping soundly, and I'm trying to come up with dinner for us. I was going to take the girls swimming again today (we went yesterday and they had a blast!) but it's already 3:30, so I don't think that's happening, unfortunately. There's always tomorrow, and that's one thing we can do that is totally 100% free-- other than the dues that we would have to pay whether or not we used the pool. It is really close so we can actually walk there.