Kids, We are in a Recession

"We are in a recession." That's the 2008 version of "Money doesn't grow on trees," and it's the talk we had to have with Avery today. She asked "Can we go out to dinner tonight?" (She's become very big on going out to eat lately.) Her dad said "Do you have any money?" She said "Yeah, I have that money that Pa Pa gave me (about 40 pennies in a Skoal can) and I have money that Brad paid me for playing restaurant (our neighbor who gave her way too many quarters for pretending to serve him food)." I asked her if she knew where any of that money was. "Well, um, no. But I have it somewhere."


So, her dad and I proceeded to inform her that we were in a recession, and it hard times like these, we have to make sacrifices. While it would be possible for us to go out to eat tonight, we'd probably have to scratch a few things off the Christmas list. You can guess her response to that. "NO WAY! I want presents! But I still want to go out to eat."
So I came up with a plan. We would go get the money can out of the closet. You know the one...we all have some sort of can/jar/bank that holds all the loose change. If we could roll up enough money to afford dinner out, we'd go.


The bad news: These girls are pitiful at counting and rolling money. So I had to do it all.

The good news? We got $63. I let Avery pick the place. She chose Arby's. We really splurged. Everybody got their own meal. No splitting drinks, fries, etc. And we even stopped for Cold Stone ice cream on the way home. And Momma still has $25 left. Woo hoo! Party at my house. Oh, wait. Rhett needs diapers and Avery's lunch account is down to $7.65. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.