Well, my credit union is giving away $300k for their 75-year anniversary. They have 600,000 members and are giving away about 160 prizes (varying from $100 to $20k).

So, send me positive vibes. I want to win me $20k. ! LOL. I mean, you actually have to do a crossword puzzle and get it right for an entry, so I don't expect every member to enter the contest. Since the puzzle is hard - LOL - I think I have good odds. Well, if we can figure it out.

Likewise, we got a winner of a home video last night. LM was seriously eating in his sleep. After their birthday party, he was just so exhausted. & yet SO stubborn. He actually ate his pizza and then asked for more. But while I Was heating up some more food he was looking REALLY sleepy. Of course to suggest so much really set him off. So he starts eating and I notice he is chewing with his eyes closed. I was actually kind of worried he would choke, but every time I tried to remove him from the table (or suggest he may be tired) he would FREAK out.

So, dh got out the camera and we got a winner of a video. I mean it's just the exact kind of video what wins on "Funniest Home Videos" all the time. The kids always win and this was about the most hilarious thing I have ever seen.

Yes, you can eat in your sleep, if you are stubborn enough. LOL.

So send me vibes there. Send me $100k grand prize vibes.

He actually did fall asleep with a little food in his mouth. So he was scaring the crap out of me the whole time. Yeesh.

Anyway, eventually, well after the video was taken, I was able to remove him from the table. & to move the food away from him.

Yeesh!

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Yes, for now, these are my more immediate plans for wealth. LOL. Though I still have my slow and steady backup plan.

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Yesterday we had the kids' party and it was a blast.

Items of note:

*Spent about $160 on pizza, favors, party supplies, and FOOD! But for the pizzas we went mostly home cooked though.

My mom slipped me $40 for the pizzas, so guess we really spent $120. Not bad for a WONDERFUL party. Had about 25 people.

*This was the first year it wasn't in the realm of 100-110 degrees so we actually let the kids and their best friend run around in the back yard for a couple of hours after the party thinned out. Was GREAT. Put on the sprinklers and they had a blast.

Usually too hot to go that route. So we really enjoyed that luxury.

*I asked for no gifts from all the friends and neighbors, which is usually hit and miss. Last year no one respected those wishes and they received a small toy store. Which is why I ask for no gifts. Ugh!

So, this year I could have not asked for it to be more perfect. MIL got here first and gave the kids their gifts. LM got this pirate ship thing that completely mesmerized the pile of kids for 2-3 hours. Couldn't have been better. (Particularly since no one RSVPed and I thought there would be no kids. UGH!)

Anyway, a family member renewed their gift magazine subscription (Highlights - High Five - WONDERFUL gift).

My mom got them an UNO game. Their cousins got them some gifts. A neighbor made a hand made little card. (LOVED it!!!!!!). & a couple of people brought nothing (YAY!). Their best friend brought them a couple of hot wheels.

I was VERY pleased. I certainly don't mind them getting gifts/toys. I just don't see why they need a small toy store every July. LOL. But I guess I enjoy it when people get creative.

Great grandma gave them each $20 to "do something fun." We were thinking of taking them bowling. & maybe to San Francisco zoo. (It's very cheap but $20 will cover some of the gas. )

Grandma spoiled them as usual. $2k to the college fund. (Since she retired I didn't entirely expect. Then again, I know her). She also got BM a pile of uniform clothes for school, and said she wants to pay for a year of piano lessons.

On top of the pile of toys, is precisely why we didn't want much more. She is most definitely a gift hog. My mom doesn't even get the kids anything half the time because she knows that they just get WAY too much from that side of the family.

Oh yes, and their great-grandfather sent them each $20, so we will put $1020 each to their UGMA funds.

*No one RSVPed. BAH! We have a "kid" McDs thing today and I really thought no one would show up. Now I am scared 10 people will show up.

Sure, one person forgetting to RSVP? Whatever. But we had 2 adults and 4 kids show up without RSVPing yesterday. Though I was glad they could make it, I was rather annoyed all the same. When no one RSVPs, it creates quite a nuisance. They were the only non-family, non-best friend invitees so I thought it was going to be WAY more low key and didn't have any activities planned.

Well, it worked out.

I am trying to remember how many kids I invited for today (McDs) and how many will show up. LOL. Was mostly preschool kids so I don't know. I don't remember. I know 3 kids are coming. (2 families). & NOW I am worried 6 will show. Not sure if we are prepared.

I actually thought I went overboard on the party favors, but I only have 3 left for today! !!

*Beyond all that, it just went really well. I think we all had a great time.

& I probably couldn't feel more spoiled. Piano lessons is something we have been toying with. But it is expensive and VERY hard to justify because I am quite capable of teaching the kids. But there is much to be said for a schedule, a routine, and another perspective. So I think that is a VERY lovely gift. & kind of solves a personal conundrum we have had.

I admit MIL seriously has a knack for reading our mind sometimes. I am pretty sure it is not something we have discussed with her. She just told me she always wished she had done that with her kids and since we had a piano...

MIL admittedly likes to use her money as a power trip of sorts. No denying it. She is a control freak and she has tried to get us in the past to do things we do not want to do, with her money. BUT I think we are good at setting our boundaries. She REALLY wanted to put BM in a structured preschool and we politely refused (though we had to refuse something like 10 times. LOL). But most of the time she comes up with something we really want for our kids. So we lucked out this round. Something we wanted but couldn't really justify financially TODAY. Though we probably could in a year or 2. So gets us a head start.

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Well, wish me luck today. This is one exhausting weekend. LOL. The expense of today's party depends on how many kids show up and how many Happy Meals I am obliged to buy. Other than that, I am simply bringing leftover cupcakes. I guess the Happy Meal toys could be ample party favors if too may kids show up.

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Next week is BM's last week of preschool.

WOW!

They are having birthday parties there and a good-bye party. So it is just party party party over here. !! I wonder if she will separate the birthday parties from the good-bye party. Knowing her, probably. They are only going 2 days, so will probably be 2 days of parties.

So the kids will probably get like four parties in the course of a week. Lucky ducks!