Bank of America VS Community America Credit Union

We hate Bank of America. Period. Don't try and talk us out of it. We've had WAAAAY too many bad experiences there to change our minds. Take the most recent experience I had where I tried to cash a check (drawn from BOA) there without having an account for example. After making me go inside the branch, putting my thumbprint on the check, and then writing all over it, the cranky teller informed me that it would be $5 to cash the darn thing. Needless to say I was more than a little annoyed. So I took my check and left to go to my own bank, Community America Credit Union (CACU). There I told the very nice teller my BOA woes, namely, "I HATE Bank of America". He responded, "You're the third person to say that today."

Therefore, Bank of America = Stupid

Last friday was the 2nd annual members meeting for CACU. We went last year and literally had a ball. It's held at the CACU Ballpark in Kansas, where the T-Bones play. The kids counted down the days in June till as Rome put it, "baseball player day". It's totally free, including food, crafts, inflatables, playground equipment, face painting, running the bases, bingo, and giveaways. This year they also had a drumline from a local school and they were AWESOME. There were kids of every age, down to about Capri's size playing the drums and also cheering/dancing. At the end there's a huge fireworks show. It was a beautiful day, cooler then they have been and the air smelled so clean as the sun went down. Just like last year.

Therefore, Community America Credit Union = Smart

I fully expect to get angry comments from people saying how wonderful BOA is. But I have to ask you this. . .
Has Bank of America ever given you anything other than a lollipop and a checking account fee?

3 Things Helping to Ease the Crank

1. A good dentist visit for me - NO cavities. I don't wanna brag or anything but I've never had a cavity in my life. It always makes me happy to keep the streak going.

2. I posted a box of craft stuff on KCfreecycle and got 5 responses within about 20 minutes from people wanting to come pick it up tomorrow. This makes me happy because I love crafts and I love seeing that other people obviously love them too. The box is going to a lady who works with special needs kids and uses crafts for therapy.

3. My sister-in-law came today bearing a wonderful gift. A Little Tykes picnic table she found for $3.50 at a garage sale. She's such a sweetie-pie and remembered I've been wanting one. The kids already LOVE it. They insisted they had to eat their dessert at it tonight, even with the mosquitos lurking about. Thank you so much Regina, you made our day!

A Dozen Things Conspiring to Make Me Crankier Than I've Been . . . Ever.

1. Still not feeling well.

2. 14 million bruises on my legs. Ok, so maybe 13 million.

3. Melasma on my upper lip (translation: dark spots that make me CRAZY).

4. Jeff's recent trip to the dentist.

5. The amount of time it's taking me to re-organize my house.

6. Getting pulled over for speeding. Apparently being a cop's wife doesn't get you the kind of treatment you might think it does. What it gets you is a "lesser fine" for not wearing your seat belt, even though you WERE wearing your seatbelt, but you should be "happy" that you aren't getting the speeding ticket, wink, wink. It wasn't a KC cop, but still.

7. The heat. After a VERY long winter I'm already ready for summer to be gone.

8. Being overrun by questions from a 3 and 4 year old.

9. Being overrun by "I want" from a 3 and 4 year old.

10. A 10 month old with 4, count them, 4 teeth coming in.

11. A 10 month old with a desperate need to destroy my house.

12. Being cranky. This makes me mad at myself, which makes me crankier, which makes me mad at myself, which makes me even crankier. It's a vicious cycle really.

Today I actually said to Capri, "Don't ask me another question. . .for the rest of your life." Now if that's not cranky, I don't know what is.

Dads

Aren't they the greatest? I know so many awesome Dads, but today I'm choosing to write about just two of them.

Jeff

I've never met a man that loves babies more than Jeff. If I was physically able to, we'd have about 12 of them (perhaps more). I am not kidding. Before we had Capri, Jeff and I would stalk whatever baby was nearby, usually be at church. We'd wait for our chance to pounce and try to wrangle the baby out of it's mother's hands. Usually Jeff would send me to do the dirty work saying, "Go get me that baby". Which I would, because I love them just as much.
There are a lot of reasons why I love Jeff, but I'd have to say that his patience with and love for children is at the very top of the list. I've learned a LOT about being a good mother by watching him be a good father.

My Dad, Dan Callister

If you know my Dad at all then you can see how this picture is pretty much him in a nutshell. It's a perfect Dan Callister shot. Can't you just hear it? "What do you need kid?" Or maybe, "What's up beautiful?"
My Dad is the kind of guy that WILL and usually CAN help you in whatever problem or situation you are facing. I don't say this lightly, I mean it. And he doesn't just do it for his kids. He is a Dad to SO many, kids and adults alike. If you go to my Dad and say, "I need help" he will help you. Therefore, he has in his lifetime helped more people than I can count. For this, I have a great and lasting love and respect for my Dad. I know, and I've ALWAYS known that my Dad will be there for me no matter what.

I feel more than lucky to have these two Dads in my life. For some reason I've been blessed to know, be guided, and loved by these two amazing men. I've also been blessed by knowing my awesome brothers (who aren't fathers yet, but if I have any say in it WILL be someday), upstanding and loving brothers-in-law, and a gentle and kind father-in-law (who captures every picture I manage to miss).
Thank you guys, for all you do. I couldn't be who I am, without you all.

June Crop

Saturday was the "June Crop" at Archivers. Jeff had signed me up for my Mother's Day present. I specifically asked him to, and I'm so glad I did!
It was a 12 hour crop but I couldn't get there till about 2:30 and then had to leave at 7:45 because Jeff had to sleep from working the night before, and then had to work again that night. I actually didn't think that most people would stay the full 12 hours but I was so wrong - in fact they were shocked I was leaving early. I was also the last to arrive. Now, after doing it, I can totally understand why people stay for the whole time - it's so much fun! I was VERY bummed to have to leave but at least I got an entire album made.
At the crop they provided lunch and dinner, plus snacks and drinks and CANDY (Mom, I ate some chocolate but only a little!). They also give you a little free project to do (you also bring all your scrapbooking stuff and work on whatever you want at your own workstation), they have prizes, product demos, a free gift (a really cute scrapper tool tote) and you just scrap to your hearts content! I definately want to go to the next one and will somehow work it out so I can stay the whole 12 hours. I already told Jeff so there won't be any surprises, or protests.
Oh and Mom, we HAVE to go to one together some time - you would LOVE it!!
Here's the album I did, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
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I chose these pictures to make an entire album out of because it will forever be one of my very favorite and most memorable times spent with the kids. We had headed outside after church because the weather was finally permitting, it was April and the air was cool and crisp. It smelled SO good outside and the colors were brighter than I can describe. It was before both Rome and Capri got their haircuts and lost their long locks (silent sob). We blew bubbles, and sat in the sun. I pushed them all in the swings and then watched Capri and Rome play games and have dialogues that only Capri and her vivid imagination can produce. Simply put, it was a splendid afternoon. I will never forget it.

Funny Rome

This is for you Mom!

(Morning, Jeff just got home from work and Rome is hanging out in the basement with him while he checks his e-mail).

Rome: Daddy. . . you're crazy like a grandma.

What a Beaut!

Capri got a haircut, from none other than the very same lady that chopped off my bangs the day of Jeff's graduation and left me hating my hair till just a couple of weeks ago (they were THAT short). Luckily, this time the end result was super cute and Capri was super happy.
The hair lady did feel the need to go ON and ON, however, about how fine Capri's hair was and how "she just doesn't have any hair". I almost said to her, "She's sitting right here ya know! She may be only 4, but she's not stupid, and she KNOWS you are talking about her!". Instead, I held my tongue again (I'm getting pretty good at this lately), and just ignored her.
After she was all done, she pulled me aside to tell me, "Don't worry, it'll grow in as she gets older." Thanks hair lady, I was OH SO worried about it, seeing as my hair was EXACTLY the same! And, to this day, every single time I've gotten my hair cut the hairdresser tells me how super fine my hair is. Fortunately they don't say, "You just don't have any hair!"

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