I’m not a smart boy…I’m just cool. So is daddy. So are you, mommy. —Leo, at Punch Pizza

It was a long non-nap day. Leo was in bed early and trying to sleep when Paul came with the grownups supper pizza & Blizzard’s (it’s been a long week for us). We went to eat outside & thought he was still in bed. Somehow he got out without a sound & found his TJ blueberry cereal bars and was just about to look for us when I walked into the room with my blizzard and the rest was priceless.

“MOM WHAT did you do? Go to DQ without me? Did you leave me to get ice cream & pizza?” Still in disbelief he asked Paul, the same questions. Along with where is my ice cream cone, his standing order. Not sure he believed just Paul left to get pizza & that we had to buy just blizzard because it Miracle treat day. A day where they donate $ to kids who are really sick and at the Dr’s a lot like Papa Leslie.

10:20pm
“Mommy… Daddy… I’m awake….I’m awake!”
I start Laughing because I’m not. -Jenny

With the Holidays approaching I’ve been thinking about the values I want to teach Leo. Since I have worked many holidays in my former jobs as a news photographer, a sales associate & a farmers daughter I learned that time off is valued & something to look forward too. When I heard that major retailers where opening up on Thanksgiving I was disappointed. Now I like a good deal & I have shopped on Black Friday but to me this is too much. I believe employees still deserve a day off for Thanksgiving. We all need this time off to nourish our souls or just get a break for the day to day grind. If people wouldn’t shop, retailers wouldn’t keep pushing their opening time up. So I will not be shopping on Thanksgiving.

I also want to focus the Christmas season not on what you get or how much it cost. I do however want Leo to learn the real life values on how to give a gift & how to receive one. It’s the act that is important not the quantity or the dollar value. It’s seems a lot of folks have lost sight of that fact.

“Daddy talk.”

I just received word that Pantene Beautiful Lengths received my healthy hair donation. Oh what a great feeling! Back in April I felt the need to do something for someone else without really knowing them personally. I wasn’t sure what until I realized how long my hair had gotten. Then I was on the hunt for a great donation program. I found Pantene was the best fit for me & they where endorsed by the National Cancer Society. I then waited until August for my hair to be long enough. I chose a salon in my home town to get the donation cut at. It seemed fitting since her daughter & husband fought cancer and my mom could watch Leo while I got my cut. I was thrilled to be able to donate 5 9+inch ponytails. I now love my new hair cut & love that my hair along with others will make someone else’s life a little brighter. Check out the Pantene website to find out more about their program. Below is Leo’s first reaction to seeing mommies hair donation.

http://www.pantene.com/en-US/PanteneBeautifulLengths/Pages/default.aspx

“That’s Mommies hair. That’s gross.” Leo mom cut her hair to give to sick people to make them feel pretty. “That’s so nice.” Thanks “Now give me the hair it’s cool.”