If she had the proper words to say,

My kiddos are really great, ya know? Nothing in particular, they just make me very proud. Oh sure, they have lots of squabbling moments with each other, but on the whole? Good boys.

Today, the memories that make my heart tug and swell:

- As soon as I woke up this morning, Jack was by my side, asking if I had to work. When I told him that yes, I was subbing for someone today, he looked very sad and said, "But Mom, you've been working so much now. I didn't even get to *see* you yesterday! (And it made me teary-eyed because it was true.)

- A.J. found a turkey feather at Catherine's party at Gifford Farm today, and he graciously gave it to her as a gift. He kept re-finding it after she would drop it (two-year-olds are easily distracted, especially at birthday parties), and then he would give it to her once again.

- Jack entertained a group of tiny boys by chasing them around a sign and playing Peek-A-Boo. It kept the tykes laughing, and it gave all of their mommas a few more minutes of chatting time. He did it on his own, and it was sweet of him to play with the "babies" like that.

- A.J. and I whispered secrets back and forth to one another behind our menus at dinner. Of the two of them, he's definitely got my sense of humor.

- The two of them have spent the last hour hatching farm animals from "growable" capsules (as Jack calls them). We keep checking on their progress, and in the meantime, the two of them are listening to a "Draco & the Malfoys" CD in A.J.'s room while playing with Pantominos together.

I'm so very lucky. :-)

I called my bank to see if, by chance, there were any "unclaimed deposits" floating in their little financial cyberspace. There weren't. They gave me instructions on what information to get from my payroll department, and I thanked them and hung up.

I then called Carmelle at work and explained to her the situation. She misunderstood me at first (Her: "This week? We don't get paid this weekend." Me: "I know. I didn't get paid this PAST weekend like you did, and therein lies the PROBLEM.") and it took a few explanations to get it right. She then wasn't sure who I should call, so she gave me a number to the corporate Human Resources office, to a man named Ron B.

I called up Ron - no answer, so I left a message for him explaining what I needed and asking him to call me back sooner rather than later. A few hours pass, and no phone call. I finally called back and asked to speak to someone else, only to find out that Ron is out on vacation this week. (Isn't that the way it ALWAYS happens?! The person you need is always conveniently on vacation!)

The new gal listened to me and then told me the new company's procedures. If you are a termination (which under their definition, I am, even though I technically "resigned" rather than was "terminated"), your last check is issued by mail. However, to get this check, you have to let your manager know whether you'd like to pick up your check at the store or have it mailed to your home. I think we all know which option I would have picked... HAD ANYONE ASKED ME ABOUT IT!

So she was like, "Oh, gee. Do you want your paycheck now?"

*headdesk*

Then she told me that if I wanted it mailed to my home, I needed to sign a certain piece of paperwork. She asked me if I had a fax machine close by, and I sighed heavily. I told her that I really didn't want to go back into the store, and since she already knew who I was (ie. "the girl who was robbed... twice"), she told me that she'd get the manager's approval to cut the check without the paperwork. They are going to overnight mail it to me tomorrow morning, and I should have it by Saturday morning at 10:30am.

*sigh*

It's coming. Who knew I'd have to ASK for my last paycheck?!

I took down the garden fence today and raked up the leaves that had begun to line the perimeter. I also raked up about half of the mulch from the garden, but then it started sprinkling, and I came inside. Jack and A.J. had been playing on the swingset, and both of them would rather have gotten wet than come in from the rain. Silly boys.

I made Barbecued Chicken Pizza and broccoli tonight for dinner. We'd not had the pizza in a long, long time, but I had a new Pampered Chef® stone that I needed to season, and that's the recipe I like to make first on a stone. It was yummy, as always. :-)

Speaking of Pampered Chef, my boss Carmelle had placed an order on my party. She bought some Christmas gifts for her friend, and I'd offered to gift-wrap them for her. My show actually arrived last week, but I just wrapped her gifts tonight. I'll be honest and say that I hadn't yet done it because I'm just not really looking forward to going to the store to give them to her. Still, it needed to be done, and I did it tonight. I did some of the best wrapping and decorating that I've ever done, too - I hope she likes them. While I'm there, I'm also going to turn in my store keys, which I forgot to give her when I quit, and she hasn't called me yet to ask me to bring back in.

It's not like I'm expecting her to say anything bad or mean or something... it's just that I'd rather not go back to the store at all. I don't know why - it doesn't make much sense. Still, after I've done these two things, I truly shouldn't have any reason to ever go back there again. *sigh*

In exciting news, there is now officially less than a month until Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire hits theaters! Heather gave me my Slytherin robe last night, and it fits perfectly! Of course, I had to make the "Dementor spirit fingers of doom" when I tried it on. ;-D It's fully lined in a lovely shade of green, and I'm just so excited about it. She's still working on her Ravenclaw robe - what a pal, as she made mine first. :-)

What happened yesterday at the store:

A crew of workers had been busy on the new McDonalds next door practically all day. They have been for weeks and weeks now, and I feel infinitely safer with them there. However, yesterday they packed all up and went home around 4:30-4:40pm. I noticed this as I was vacuuming the store's front room. Still, I was really just fine.

Just minutes before 5:30, I'd already made calls to each of the five checks I had left for the day. I'd not been able to reach a single one of them, so I'd left all the appropriate messages. The store never really has any *new* business right there at the end of the day - the only folks we usually see are the ones I just called and gently "reminded" that they had a check due. Since I'd not reached anyone, it was okay for me to go ahead and start the closing procedures. The store has a new 10-minute safe, and I entered my code and set the timer. I then made my calls in the back office, but I took my five checks out to the front counter to grab a paperclip and clip them together. I was probably only in the front for about 10 seconds altogether at that point. In that time, I also grabbed a sticky note off the counter, stuck it over the clip on the checks, and was in the process of writing "PTP" on the note-

The door chimed then, and I jumped pretty badly. I messed up the final 'P' in my notation, even. I jumped because I'd *just* walked out there, and I knew there were no cars in the parking lot... meaning no customers that should be approaching the door right about then. It was just a split-second after I jumped that I looked up.

And saw the black mask again. And knew. Knew it was all happening again.

The man walked from the front door straight to the counter in front of me. He pulled a white Wal*Mart plastic bag out of his pocket and told me he wanted all the money. I did not see a weapon at all this time, but I still didn't hesitate to give him what he wanted. He told me to be faster about it, asked me what was taking so long, but I was already shaking as I grabbed the stacks straight from the cash drawer. I knew that the safe was still ticking away the 10 minutes at my feet. As soon as I'd put the money in the bag he was leaning over the counter, he pulled it back to himself. At that moment, he kinda leaned down to his left, and I took that SECOND that he wasn't looking to shut the cabinet doors in front of me knees to cover the safe, hoping that if he didn't see it, he wouldn't think about it. He straightened up and then proceeded to walk around the front counter towards me.

I knew it hadn't worked. I guessed that he knew the safe was located there, and he was going to want the money in it. I was already anticipating an awful reaction when I had to tell him he'd have little choice but to spend the next 6 minutes or so sitting on the floor with me, waiting for it to give me the all-clear to open. I was terrified just thinking of that scenario.

But thankfully, I was wrong. Instead, the robber walked right past me and the safe, straight to the doorway which connects the front to the back of the store. He yelled at me to get in the back room, and it only took a few steps to do as he demanded. He pointed and told me to sit in "that chair," and I started bawling - it was the exact same chair I'd already been taped to once before. It took me just four or five steps to get to the chair to sit, but the robber - instead of following me to the chair - used that time to walk straight to the back door, unlatch the lock, go out and then slam the door shut. In fact, the exact moment I sat down and turned around, I saw his foot go out the door.

For a second, I was stunned. That was it. It was over. Then I jumped up. I knew that the back door had no handle on the outside, no way for it to be opened without a crowbar or something, so there was no point in my sitting there. I grabbed my keys out of my purse and then RAN to the front of the store and locked that door. I snatched the phone off the counter and dialed '911' next.

Minutes later, the police began responding. It was all over... again.

---

I don't gamble, but I'm telling you now - I would BET MONEY that it was the EXACT SAME GUY. The man had the same build, the same voice (as best I can remember - I realize it's hard to be certain there). He wore the same ski-mask/toboggan thing over his entire face and hair. He used a white plastic Wal*Mart bag to carry off his loot again. He knew where to point to the chair for me to sit before he'd even quite entered the back office. He knew exactly how to exit the store.

It had to be the same guy. In fact, I'd even bet money that it was the same guy that was on the phone just a few weeks ago. (Didn't we all kinda think so?) I even think that the guy probably tried the back door before coming around to the front. Unfortunately, the store wasn't really any more protected than the last time.

I also think that the guy had been watching me again. For example, since the first robbery, I now lock up the doors before I even *START* to count the closing cash and stuff. I usually do it around 5:45, sometimes even at 5:40. I think he knew he couldn't wait until 6pm anymore, so I think he came as soon as he dared after waiting for all the McDonalds crew to leave. And thinking/surmising THAT probably freaks me out the most - knowing that I've probably been watched all these many weeks where I was finally feeling "safe" again.

Of course, I cried for a good while last night. Again, poor Annie was at home with the boys and hated that she couldn't come up to be with me. Again, Heather came up to the store to be with me. The officers found bootprints in the dirt outside the back door this time, so they blocked off the entire lot, and Heather had to hang out at Arby's down the hill for a while before they gave me permission to have her come on up. Not one of the officers last night was the same from the first robbery, nor were any of them the same officer who had responded to the phone call weeks ago.

When the police initially responded, I had locked myself in the store and was waiting for them in the front room, still trying to catch sight of ANYTHING out the windows. I'd heard their sirens quickly but didn't actually see them for a few more minutes. They scanned all the back lot first, since I'd told the dispatch that the robber had gone out the back again. The officer tapped on the glass door as I was looking the other way, and I just about jumped out of my skin! I unlocked the door for him, and he immediately had me come outside instead.

I needed to call Carmelle, but her number was on the speed dial on the phone inside the store. I had her home number programmed into my cell phone, but she wasn't home, and I'm sure I left her a fairly unintelligible message. I called Annie then, and she had a clear head about her and reminded me that I had Carmelle's cell number written on my fridge. She gave it to me, and I hung up and called Carmelle then. I didn't reach her, but she arrived just then anyway. As it turns out, she'd called the store about 5 minutes before, and when I didn't answer, she became worried and jumped right in her car and headed to me. She *never* calls me at closing, so I can only guess why she would have last night... (we'd had a bad morning working together, as you can go back and read about in this backdated post HERE). Regardless, it turned out to be a good thing that she had tried to call and was alarmed and had headed to the store. She gave me a stiffer-than-usual hug (we were both still kinda mad at each other, I'm sure - I know I kinda was), but this time the police really wouldn't allow her to talk to me much at all. They really kept me separated from everyone.

After an hour or so, the detective took only me back inside the store, and he had me stop the tape and rewind it for him. That was different - last time, the robbery itself wasn't on tape since it all happened in the back room, but a tape of the suspected suspect was released to CrimeStoppers of the man the day before in the store. I've still not seen the other tape, but I've now watched the one from last night about 5 times. The detective had me talk him through my statement and the tape a few times, and he was asking me specifics about coloring and stuff - since our video surveillance is only black-and-white. And this time, the actual robbery is on tape.

Who knew that I'd be connected to CrimeStoppers twice this year?

*sigh*

The police eventually left, and Heather and I left just moments later. Carmelle finished up the store, and I have no idea how long she might've been there. She did tell me before I left that she'd "be the first one to respect [my] decision not to come back."

---

On the emotional front, I'm much better - at least - I *feel* that I'm much better off this time. Lots of things were the same with the robbery, but some very key things were different. The robber didn't punch me from behind. In fact, he never really touched me at all this time. He didn't appear to have a weapon at all (of course, a tiny part of me wonders if a weapon might've been revealed if I'd refused to give him the money this time BECAUSE I wasn't seeing anything). He didn't mention my car or my keys, nor did he grab at anything else (purse, etc). He didn't tape me up to a chair. He didn't threaten me not to call the police. It was just all so FAST this time.

Of course, I cried. But by the time I finally left the store, I was just about done with the tears. I was more MAD than anything else. Mad that really nothing had changed from the first robbery. Mad that this guy found it so easy that he had no problems doing it again. Just MAD.

I called Janiece on the way home, and she came right over. I called Jamie as well, but she was having a rough day of her own. :-( Still, Annie, Heather, Janiece and I talked on the couches until after midnight - we talked about the robbery some, naturally, but after that, we just turned into an impromptu "girlie night" - Chinese food and everything. It was good to get away from the ugliness of earlier. Unfortunately, being my friend can be quite exhausting and stressful for them: as it turns out, all three of the chicks who spent the evening with me woke up feeling awful today and having horrible headaches. :-(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA!

I hope you are having a great Saturday birthday, dear taryns_mom! :-D

---

I'm at work today. There are tons of people next door working on McDonald's right now, and I'm so glad to see them. I want that McD's back up and open for business again so bad - the traffic they bring in will really help to put me at ease while I'm working here...

The zoo field trip was during the day yesterday, and then at 6pm we were back at the school for the annual PTA carnival. We didn't make it to the school carnival in either of A.J.'s first two school years, so last night was the first time. I spent $20 on tickets (80). The pizza, nachos and popcorn had to be bought with tickets as well, but even so, we had plenty. Heather had brought in 50 box tops for tickets, plus she also bought some and gave them to the boys for games. The boys did the first 5 games or so together, and then Jack just wanted to play on the playground while A.J. tried everything else. They received little prizes at each booth, but Heather and I were the most excited when A.J. won a small whoopie cushion in the 'Toilet Toss.' He played a few games 2 or 3 times, and we all shared some cotton candy (though Jack was still playing away). We still had tickets leftover, so the boys tried the 'Lollipop Draw' a few more times, in hopes of winning Heather a big pixi stick. A.J. won one for her, and then it was time to get going - all the booths were packing up. It was a fun time, and the popcorn was much too salty, but hey - that's what school carnivals are supposed to be like, right? ;-)

I cleaned up the kitchen and gave the boys a bath and put them to bed when we got home. I continued filing papers in the office, and I cleaned several things off of the kitchen counter. I wanted to get lots of things done last night in preparation for my Pampered Chef show on Sunday afternoon, knowing that I'd be at work all day today.

I slept so soundly last night. I didn't stay up too late, and I crawled into bed just a few minutes after midnight. My feet were so tired by the end of the day. I swear, I must have really wimpy feet. :-P

I think I may have accidentally hung up on Philip this week. Possibly twice, even. See, he tries to email me beforehand that he's going to call on a certain day or at a certain time, and I do everything I can to be there for that phone call. But earlier this week, the phone rang at some point, and after I answered it, there was a forever long pause. I decided that the person/machine wasn't going to answer back, so I clicked the 'off' button as I moved to put the phone back up. In that millisecond of time before the connection was actually cut off, I heard a voice that sounded a lot like Philip's say "Hello?" It was too late, though - I'd already pushed the button.

And then the same basic thing happened again yesterday morning. Again, I wasn't expecting a call from him, and we were in a rush to get out the door and get to the zoo. I answered, waited a bit and then hung up. Again, just a split-second before the phone went off, I heard a "Hello?"

I hope I didn't hang up on him - especially twice - but I do worry that I did. :-/

I had to do a bank run to US Bank this morning, and the closest branch is located in the Baker's grocery store a few blocks down the street. Since I was in a grocery store already, I picked up a frozen dinner for my lunch today. When lunchtime rolled around though, I realized that I didn't have a utensil to eat my meal with.

Normally, this wouldn't have been a problem - as McDonald's was located directly next door, I'd just walk over and grab some flatware. But McDonald's isn't yet rebuilt, so the only option left was to have a go at the two straws and try chopsticking it... or to eat with my hands. And turkey and dressing by hand? Not a good idea, I think.

Just as the timer on the microwave went off to indicate that my meal had finished cooking, a couple of customers walked through the front door. They actually weren't customers, though - they just wanted to know where the nearest Western Union was located. I directed them to the place with WU, and as they were walking out the door, I jokingly asked, "You don't happen to have a fork with you, do you?"

The man stopped, turned around and smiled at me, "Actually, honey, we do. Do you need a fork?" I couldn't believe them - how coincidental that they had a fork in their car! I followed them outside, and not only did the woman give me a fork, but she also filled up an entire PLATE full of fresh, yummy fruit salad and gave it to me! They had just come from a wedding reception, and they had all kinds of food and utensils in a cooler in the back of their car, but they were headed on a long drive and wanted to give it away if possible.

Such good timing. I couldn't help them, but they were able to help me, and I was ever so grateful. :-)

Whew! At work today, I finished editing and coding five editorials for MuggleNet, and I just now put them all up. I usually add editorials just one at a time, but since I had five ready to go, I put them all up at once. So far, it's the only update of any kind for the site today (and the day is almost over). :-)

When I got home tonight, Annie and I made a huge fried chicken dinner. It was so good and so worth the trouble, but I am SO full now. It's been about an hour and a half since we finished eating, and I still feel like I'm going to burst! And I didn't eat near as much as Annie did! ;-)

I think I'm ready for bed tonight. No, it's not yet midnight, but I didn't sleep too well last night, so I'm tired today. Baby kept trying to bat at my back all night, and I woke up 3 or 4 times an hour. I don't know why - she's never acted that way before. I hope she got it all out of her systeem though, and that tonight's rest is a good one. Zzzzzzzzzz...

I'm at work today, and I've got the cell phone with me. It's a good thing too, as Philip tried to call me. Unfortunately, the line was dropped on us. He tried calling back again, but the same thing happened. *sigh*

It was a fairly busy morning, but now there are very few checks left for the day. I brought the portable DVD player to work with me, and I've got The Majestic and The Hot Chick - both from Netflix - to watch. Marissa came over last night, and we watched Ice Princess together, plus pieces of both The Cutting Edge and Bounce. And the evening before, I watched The Bulletproof Monk and The Replacement Killers - I must've been in a Chow Yun Fat mood as I was queuing up Netflix several months ago. ;-)

The weather has been pleasant these past few days. Even today, it's hot, but there's a nice breeze. I don't think it's going to last, though - I think it's supposed to get very hot again this week. We've got a 'Parents at Home' picnic to attend tomorrow after church at Halleck Park, so hopefully there will be some nice shade trees somewhere.

Jack's party is going to move up to Friday, the 5th. That's coming up so fast! I need to order his balloons Monday, and I also need to change the date with the Wal*Mart bakery. Tonight I'll be finishing up the invitations, but I'll probably deliver them all - there's not really enough time to mail them. I began wrapping all the boys' birthday gifts last night, but I ran out of tape after finishing most of A.J.'s presents. Stupid me - I should have done Jack's first since his birthday is closer.

Well, I'm off to watch a movie (and get paid for doing so!). :-)

I woke up this morning to Jack poking me in the arm with something. He was singing, "I'm going to put these in my piggy baaa-aaaaaaaannnnkkk!" and dancing around. When I opened my eyes, I saw what he had. Apparently, when he woke up this morning, he'd pulled out his baby album/scrapbook, and he'd pulled out the Christmas tree coin card that my Aunt Edith and Pawpaw made for him a few years ago. He was dancing around my bed, singing of how he was going to put the coins in his piggy bank.

:-)

I took the boys with me to work to finish up some paperwork. Our store has been bought by another chain, so I had to fill out and sign lots of stuff for the new company. It didn't take too long, and then we went to La Mesa for lunch. Now we're home, and the boys are trying to make sense of the toys all over the living room floor. ;-)

I walked to Subway today to pick up a sandwich for lunch while I was at work. It was freezing in the store, so I appreciated the blast of warm air as I stepped outside. It was a pleasant little jaunt down the street to Subway, passing five other establishments in the process.

It *was* a pleasant jaunt. Notice the little word 'down' in the sentence above? Yeah. What goes down must also come up.

Ye gads, I didn't realize there was that much of a hill involved in that short stretch of road. My shins and calves are KILLING me tonight, though!