The Picture

Here's what I came up with. I decided not to make fence-shaped cookies, because I didn't have a fence-shaped cookie cutter. If anyone knows where I can get one, I'd still like to... Anyway. I did have a fence stamp, though. So I made the card in the shape of a house, and put the fence across the bottom. It can open up to read the rest of the letter. I decided on chocolate chip cookies because everyone likes chocolate chip cookies, right? They do look good, don't they? Mmmmm... Hopefully it's enough of a peace offering. I know, I went totally out of my way. But it was kinda fun to make everything. I haven't had much time to be crafty lately. Feel free to click the picture to see the words. And yes, they both say different things at one point. One of our neighbors has an in-ground trampoline and a treehouse-type play area with a slide, and the other one has a pond with a bunch of goldfish in it. Hence, the fence. We don't want any tragic drowning accidents this summer with four little ones who don't know how dangerous water really is. What do you think?

Lame.

I have been a lame visiting teacher lately. It's not often that I find myself having to make apologies and excuses for why I haven't fulfilled an obligation. Usually, I'm hard pressed to call someone to fill in for me, or to stay home from a meeting or obligation. However, in the month of February, I neglected to do my visiting teaching. It was the first time in probably 6 months I didn't physically go visit my sisters. That's pretty good considering we only moved into the ward 7 months prior, and I started going the first month I had an assignment. All boasting aside, I did not make it out in February. I felt badly, and still felt the need to at least drop by a little note. Here's what it said (and I wish I had a picture of the little card I put it on, because it was actually kind of cute):

"Because this month has been insane,
We know we have been really lame.

We didn't come to visit you,
Although we had intended to.

We hope this message helps you start
To find forgiveness in your heart.

We promise now, to never more
Neglect to show up at your door.

Please accept our apology,
And do enjoy this yummy treat!

Love, Your Visiting Teachers"

I pasted a snipit of the VT message to the back of the card, and left a cute little bundle of heart-shaped Rice Krispy treats in red wrapping on each of my ladies' doorsteps. At least I could invoke a smile, right? Even though I wasn't completely fulfilling my responsibility? Feel free to copy the idea if you ever need to apologize for missing an obligation.

Now. On to another challenge that needs similarly addressed. We've decided to put up a fence in our back yard. From the moment we moved in, we were fully aware that both our neighbors disliked the idea of us having one. I think they like the openness of the three yards, and the freedom of not having a boundary in view. However, I have some serious justifiable reasons for wanting one in, not limited to the fact that I have four small children who neglect to follow the rules of staying in our yard on their own. There is a pond in one of my neighbors' back yards. 14 inches deep. Not fenced. The other neighbor has a too-tall makeshift treehouse with no railings and way-too-steep slide right next to their in-ground trampoline. That same neighbor also has an outdoor cat that tends to make our yard it's litterbox (don't even get me started on how unsanitary that is around young children), and a dog that is seldom attached to it's tie that is supposed to keep it in it's own yard. She also finds it fascinating to relieve herself in someone else's yard or driveway (mine). Less bothersome, yet still compelling reasons for getting a fence, would be privacy, containment of children and property, and being able to grant more complete access to the yard for a dog. Plus, we plan to plant a garden this spring, and having one of the sides of our yard fenced would provide perfect and non-awkward, out of the way bed placement. So, any great suggestions similar to my visiting teaching poem/treat for a peace-offering to break the news that we're going to be putting an eyesore in our neighbors' yards?

Greedy Corporate Insanity

As if I needed another reason besides poor customer service, lack of items in stock, "accidental" overcharging, lack of cleanliness, inconsiderate demographics, corporate greed, and presumed empiricism to strongly dislike Walmart, they have given me yet another. There is not much that I enjoy about Walmart. I believe that their non-consumable goods are commonly of inferior quality. I don't usually enjoy my shopping experience in the store because of countless frustrations encountered upon every visit. The other customers I come into contact with inside the store are usually not the most friendly or considerate. Of the few things I do find beneficial about Walmart, their lower prices on certain staples as well as their willingness to price-match other competitors' ads have been the bulk of the rationale for me to continue frequenting it's premises. As my wise neighbor-friend once told me, "If it keeps me a stay-at-home mom..." Without consciously realizing it, this has been one of my main motivations for continuing to shop Walmart. It has indeed helped me save money on every day items so that I can stretch our family income without having to provide a second one just so I don't have to shop "that place." I'm not that proud, anyway. I complain, yet saving money and finding the best deal is by far a more important allocation of my time and energy in taking care of and helping provide for my family. So... the new reason for hatred? It may just be a rumor. More probably it's another way for the corporate giant to "stick it" to the consumer in this downward spiraling economy because as yet another wise person said in reference to "safe" stock investments today, "People will not stop shopping at Walmart because they think it's the cheapest place to buy." I have been told that Walmart is shortly going to be doing away with it's price-matching policy. Nice! So maybe I really will stop shopping there now. I'll just have to plan my trips better and utilize my friends' shopping trips when they're going somewhere I'm not. Personally, I think it's a poor decision on Walmart's part. I think they'll lose business over it because a lot of people, including myself, have been using Walmart's price matching for the convenience of a one-stop shop. But it's only slightly less convenient, and not at all gas-inefficient for me to make more than one stop. Especially if I'm going to Walmart because those other stores are all closer than they are to me anyway. Go figure. This only reaffirms my growing beef with one of the biggest corporate giants of America.