when is enough enough????

jeff left for new orleans and the super high stress job we took on monday. this is just the first of many to come all night long driving trying to manage both work there and here weeks that are to follow. i just hope there is enough money in it to buy me a new pair of diamond earrings.....(hint, hint). once back this weekend he will leave for fort stockton on sunday and probably be there until mid week....

annie is taking her first steps....i am torn about this, on one hand i am so excited for her (and my arm and back from carrying around this 26lb ten month old) but then again it just means she is growing up way faster than izzy did. it is amazing how different there personalities are; izzy always needs to know where you are and annie well she spends all morning playing in the living room with cartoons on not caring if anyone is around. izzy did not watch tv (or rather i did not get a break by turning on the tv until she was over a year old), annie she loves anything animated, some of her favorites are the bee movie, toy story, and curious george. what is even more amazing is she actually gets the humor because she gets so excited or even laughs at the funny parts.

so, on to my point of the day.....who are we really supposed to tip???? for instance, today i went by the dry cleaners to pick up my comforter because last week izzy upchucked on it one night and when the girl put it in the back of my truck she paused in front of my window as if looking for a hand out. i use the drive thru because well, it is just easier! not that i don't lock the girls in the truck to grab a drink inside 7/11 at the entrance of our neighborhood (i would never do this in a shady part of town) but hey one less time that i take the risk of someone saying something to me about leaving my children in the monster suv the better (and i always lock the doors and remote start the truck). anyhoo...should i be tipping these girls at the dry cleaner for bringing my stuff to my truck??? i always forget the coupons, so i end up paying full price.....and what would a tip be; ten percent, twenty?

now don't be going off and judging me a one of those super cheap people....i am a very generous tipper and have been in the service industry since i was in my teens. i know sometimes older people tip our service tech and he is always blown away, but he never expects it. i have gotten in the habit of tipping the carpet cleaner, the dish guy, the guy at the grocery store who helps with all my many bags, the people at the carwash, the cleaning ladies after a thorough cleaning, but should i tip the pest guy that comes by every quarter, what about the mailman (and he sucks by the way, we had a leak in the court forever and while the city was repairing it if the cones were in front of our mail box he would just skip us, not get out of his little vehicle and walk four steps to put it in the box or newspaper delivery person or the fed ex guy. would our trash cans be put in an upright position if i taped an envelope to the lid with a little extra for the trashmen??

another thought on tipping....at starbucks they have tip cups...i usually leave my change because well, it cost me $3.73 every morning to pick up my coffee, izzy's milk and then if we need a sandwich for the day add another $4.95. but, really, how much should i leave to sit in the line that wraps around to the walmart parking lot because if you ever tried to take my two children in and out or their seats to run in and grab our refreshments you would realize it is worth the $1.00 in gas to idle in line!

i will take any thoughts on the tipping subject and helpful hints that you may have.....because well, i just feel like everyone is looking for the extra hand and hey, my pocketbook is trying to be a little tighter these days.

annie is up and well, i think we should head of to target and spend someone else's tip money! plus, i need to break down and put clips on the cabinets around here because annie has figured out how to get into all of them....damn it, i was hoping not to until we put in the new kitchen, kinda like the microwave everyone wants but i won't buy.....