Copper River

I wanted to share with my lunch experience at Copper River in Boling Springs today... I went with the group I work with and we were all excited about going and getting their wonderful salad... Well, the waitress came and I ask her could I get the Copper River salad w/out the ham and turkey but instead of grilled chicken and she said sure you can do that so that is what I order. Well when I got my check it was for you ready for this...... $18.40... yep I said it $18.40 for a grilled chicken salad and a water... Is that crazy or what????? So, I made a comment to the waitress you go the manager over there and here is how everything went down.....

Me- I have done this before and I have never been charge extra, only when I added to the smal salad and they told me they would.
Mgr- I don't think so, cause they could not come out of the kitchen w/out them charging you for it. You must be mistaken
Me- No, I am pretty sure this is not the first time I have order this but it is the first time I had to pay them this much.
Mgr- Let me go and check
Mgr comes back- well our policy is that if you add chicken to your salad then you are charge for it
co-worker- well, did you take off for the ham and turkey she didn't want
mgr- no we didn't the salad comes with it
me- well I told I could sub them out
mgr-no mam you can't (only time he was somewhat polite)
me- well you need to info the waitress that they need to let people know of extra charges cause if I had known I would not had gotten the chicken or maybe even the salad cause the chicken was not worth $5
mgr (here is where it gets good)... the owner is happy w/ the ticket
me- I bet he is happy w/ it, but I'm not so you have a great day

You know if I was quick witted I would have ask for my ham and turkey since I paid full price for them and then paid also for a piece of burnt tough chicken....

Then as we are leaving on of the girls ticket was $11.03 and she just left $11 they chase her out the door for 3 cents, I mean for 3 cents.... The tip was already inclueded in on the check take 3 cents out adn pay the check...

Is $4.98 that big of deal??? I mean when did we stop making the customer happy and become smartys to our customers? I work in retail alot and our motto was the customer was always right and make them happy... I mean there were 9 of us that saw and witness this whole thing, mine was not good but when they chase her down for 3 cents that went a little way beyond for me...

So, if you know of anywhere to get a great salad let us know cause our Copper River days might just be over, I know mine is...

Tyler b'day Party

Tyler turn 6 on Aug 22nd and we celebrated with a b'day party at Pump It Up (pretty cool when you have a kid that works there)... We could have up to 25 kids so between our friends kid and all the kids in his daycare class, with that we just had 16 so we invited some other people we knew with kids his age so they could play. I hate doing that cause I don't want people thinking we are looking for a gift, it was more of an invite for them to come play and celebrate his b'day with him... I think if we ever have to do that again I might just say we rented out and want you to come and play... Tyler is a type of kid that present is not a big thing to him yet, he doesn't realize you get presents for your b'day and boy did he really take his time and enjoy each gift.. The only downfall to the night was it was a school night and those little ones had to get home so we had to rush the cake part and people left while he was opening gifts.. All in all it was a good night...

Tyler's 1st day of School

Well, Tyler is off to school and I have no more babies at home... It was so bad that first week or 2 that I was even asking Eric if we could have another one but I am slowly getting over that thought but at the same time if the Lord bless us with another child I would be thrill... Tyler has Mrs. Poteat this year and she is seem very nice so I am hoping for a good year. Eric went w/ me on his first 2 days to walk him in and then I walk him the next 2 and every since then he has gone off on his own which his teachers encourage. My saddest part is sometimes he will give me a kiss goodbye but alot of the times he will wipe it off, he is to young to be embrass by that I think.. We did go to parent meeting the other week and I swear Tyler was the only one that had a frown face on his desk but she says he wasn't but guess what my child is getting in trouble for.... TALKING... of course his daddy says he takes that after me but I am ok w/ that.. I think being sociable is a great thing but we are working on finding him a happy medium. He is doing great all week but on Friday he is coming home off of purple so this week we are going to try going to bed 30 mins earlier on Thursday night to see if that help... He has made a best friend name Nathan and I believe I get to meet him this week at a b'day party through mutal friends (I will post about this in another blog) and he think Maci is pretty and says she is his girlfriend.. Funny thing on this one is that I didn't know who Maci was but her brother is in our youth group at church and my friend Kim told me that they were in the same class.. I did get to meet Maci one day at church and her mother, she is a cute little girl... But he really seems to be enjoying school and his teacher and friends... Lets just pray he controls the talking.. I will post pic later I didn't upload them yet... yikes...

Where have I been???

Well, it has been a while since I posted a blog on here but it is cause I have been busy... Tyler started school, had a b'day party, I help plan and do a women's retreat at church, help plan a 16th surprise party for Ryan and 2 other kids and on top of this have work my tail off.... So, that is why I have not posted anything lately and plus everytime I try to at home and I go to save it wipes everything clean and loses what I wanted to post so I am doing this on my lunch or after work for right now.... Anybody know of anybody that can work on a modem?????

A Reminder Weekend

This past week our church hosted a wonderful speaker Gary Almon to come in and speak the youth and children leaders and also with the parents and families. Gary was actually our speaker on our last year retreat for the leaders and let me tell ya you want go to sleep listening to him. He is very passionate about his calling and about telling others about Christ. He has 5 daughters that all their names begin with a M and I am not even going to go there and even try to remember them and his wife is just as sweet. You can tell they are a unite family and you can see the love and respect they have for each other. To hear him tell the stories of his family and of youth he has work we it really interesting.

Friday Night the youth leaders meet at Ryan's and this is what I learn there....

Faithfulness--- Commitment, Consistency and art of showing up to Grow.

We have to show up cause our work is essential but also at the same time we need to "smell" of Christ. We are to be so saturated in Christ that when people are around us they should smell us 2 Cor 2:14-16

For us to be able to "smell" like Jesus we need to show up in 4 places

1. Our daily quite times- we need to get to know who God is and to spend time with him just like he is our best friend.

2. Telling others about Christ- it our job as Christians to tell other about Him. If we truly believe that He died for us and saved us from Hell then why would not tell others about Him?

3. Praise- As it is said in Esp 5:15-21esp v 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.. I am not a singer but I love to sing praise to Him, I truly can worship through songs...

4. Worship- Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--- this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

If we are showing up in these 4 places then we are going to have that sweet aroma of Jesus Christ all over us...

On Saturday night we went and heard him speak to the families at our CLC and this is what I learn...

Do you know that there was a survey done and most families say they are wish they could spend more time with each other but also at the same time that if a more lucrative or prestige job came up they would take it... can you believe that....

We are to find our children gift and we are to push them to what God is calling them to do, not what we want them to do but what God wants them to do...

Here are the gifts he gave out..

Perceiver- can literally walk into a situation and tell right from wrong, they want to do the right thing

Server- these are people who really like to serve. Don't like to be a leader or step up to talk in front of people but are more willing to help to do anything.

Teacher- people who like to teach communicate God's truth.

Encourager- a motivator, one who instills confidence, hope and peace to accomplish the diff cult

Giver- loves to give of finances, time any resource

Leader- someone who can lead to manage others, gives vision and direction.. Good organizer

Mercy- cute, lovable, accepting of everything and willing to forgive anybody, tries to understand the pain.

Which one is your child?

Then on Sunday in service this is what he taught on..

7 things we need to do as parents

1. Our walk with the Lord... if can't take someone where you have not been,

2. Love your spouse and respect them just as Christ loves the church. Esp 5:22

3. Blessing them- lay hands on our children and bless them each day. This is something that Gary said he and his wife learn at a Gary Smally Love Is A Decision retreat and they do it every night to their 5 girls

4. Discuss their gift and encourage them to follow even if it means instead of pro football player they are in the mission field.

5. Teach the Bible doctrine to them- mothers are to teach the Bible and dad is to teach the application

6. Eat and fellowship with them- when you eat together you stay connect

7. Teach through challenges- learn the Scripture so you know what to use when needed.

Pick one of these and commit to pray about it and focus on your teaching Christ to our children and becoming a unite family that smells of Christ...

Have a wonderful and bless day!!!!!!!!

Tyler's Birthday

Today is Tyler's 6th B'day and I want to wish him the happiest of days. I am a little sad again today cause he is out spending the day with his daddy and it is something that the 3 of us have always done we have done..

1st gone and got his first real hair cut at the kid place that had all kind of toys and fun

2nd we went to Chuckie Cheese for the day, I did work this one too but only a half a day.

3rd we went to Cleveland Park and Greenville Zoo in Greenville

4th we went to Columbia Zoo

5th to Carowinds and the excitement of that day is that Dora and Boots sang Happy B'day to him

So you see I am missing out on the fun today but with school registration for the last 2 Friday's I had to take off to go and get all the boys register.. So, here I am at work while they are out playing. Eric came by and brought me lunch and so far today they

have gone to Krispy Kreme (glad I missed that one, the waist line does not need a donut)

the bank

by Eric's work

Cleveland Park and rode the train

McDonald's

and Tyler was napping when they came by here but they were about to go see Star War Clone Wars movie so they are having a very busy day. Tonight Eric is taking him and Stephen to CiCi their place to go when Ryan and I are not around. I want be home until later on tonight but Eric promise not to make him go to bed so I can have some Tyler time.

This is our Unite Weekend at church and tonight is the youth leaders meeting part of it. I am really excited about going and hearing from Gary and getting some tips esp since I am moving up to work with the 10th - 12th grade girls this year. I will post later about the weekend.

Here are some pics from today...

A Sad Day :(

My littlest one Tyler starts K-5 this year, he should have really started last year but his birthday is 8/22 and the cut off for school is 9/1 so we opted to hold him back a year. His school does that where they only come one day the first week so the kids can get to know the school and the teachers and the teachers can get to know them. Well his day was yesterday and Eric and I took him walked him down the hall and drop him off with his teacher and I did exactly what I thought I wouldn't.... I cried like a baby, I had to bite my lip not to like wailing out loud and breaking down. You have to remember I have done this 3 times already and I should be a pro at this but I'm not, I realize my baby is not a baby anymore...

This is him w/ his daddy on his 4th b'day at Columbia Zoo, one night at Bronco's and then when he was almost 2 at the beach.. I miss that size in him and in me...lol... Then him and his brothers this year at Christmas. I will post his first day school pictures later...

Back to my day... so I sat at work all day looking at the clock watching to see when it would be time for him to get out and so I could call and make sure that Ms. Peggy picked him and took him to daycare, well of course my day got crazy and I lost track of time and before I knew Eric was calling me and he had already picked Tyler up, 2nd upset for the day I did call to check on my baby.... Well I left work rush home to pick up the rest of the family to go to Awana's Family fun night and on the way all I heard out of the conversation was that they said Tyler must had loved school cause he came right in and show all his papers and told all about his day (this is Eric telling me what his daycare teacher said) so this is #3 upset of the day, happy that he loved it but unhappy cause I missed that excitement. Well we get to church and since he is moving from Cubbie to Spark's and will be in the gym this year with his daddy instead at the church he is totally excited and I was just as happy for him but I had something hit me I don't really know who he plays with at church and who his friends are I spend alot of time with the older 2 and help with the youth which I believe is where I need to be but at the same time I felt I have neglected Tyler some so that is upset #4. Well Eric and the boys head home and I head over to the church to meet about the ladies retreat in September and didn't get home until 9:45 and on most nights Tyler would be up and down and making excuses to get up but on this night he was sound asleep and I didn't get to sit with him and hear all about his first day in k-5.. So, if you are keeping count you now this is upset #5 and I believe the flood gates open... I did learn something in this one day... It is time to give up somethings and it is also time to start investing more into Tyler big boy life. I am excited about this weekend Unite Weekend Family Dinner and I pray to get some good tips on balancing our life and also bringing our family closer together... I am ok today. His real day of school is Monday so I will make it all up then... Have a great day!!!