knot-them-again: Tuesday

On track to make my goal! 3 down with only 4 more days to go. So today was a work day. Turned out to be a fairly smooth day with no lice and only a couple of gaggers and criers...the joys of a public health care provider! Actually got home earlier than anticipated and fixed a 'real' dinner instead of the proposed left overs. Then homework was wrapped up in a timely manner leaving some quality time for Julia and I to work on an upcoming school project.

I don't know about the rest of you but I really do NOT remember covering barter/trade/free market economies in 4th grade Social Studies! Not exactly sure when I learned these business concepts but it sure wasn't 4th grade. Anyhow, in an effort to present the material in a more hands on, real life manner the teacher has designed a project where by the students make 3 inexpensive and homemade crafts of their choosing. On Thursday they are having a "Market Day". Not sure how the teacher is lesson planning for the disappointed little souls whose 'crafts' are deemed 'less valuable' and/or 'desirable' but then again it is a life lesson that needs to be learned! But I am off on a tangent again...Julia and I have been batting ideas around for a week or two now. We've been discussing price of production issues as well as trade and bartering issues. The biggest concept Julia has grasped and embraced is a diversifying of ones product line as a way to hedge against possible lack of interest or inherent 'value' in her craft offerings.

She made a cute sew-free fleece scarf to appeal to the girls in the class and a Bears pillow to appeal to the boys...though with their win and up coming came with arch rival Green Bay Packers it might appeal to everyone! Both items have a net cost of ZERO!!!

Pays to have a Mom with a scrap bin the size of a bath tub (:

But her heart and soul have been invested in a 'new' product. She conceived and with very little sewing help from Mom has been working...

very intently...

with the labor of her own two hands....

on a mini-Super Heroes Bag game!!! This one has her complete emotional investment! It will be very difficult for her to actually part with this prototype but I've assured her that the technology is in hand and that more can be made ASAP! Deep in my mother's heart this one has me on the hook too. I want to think it will be a hit...aka desirable, valuable, tradable but what if it isn't?!?!? I seriously did not sign up for this part of parenting! I don't do broken hearts very well. When she sort of danced around the idea that it might not be "cool" I tried my darnedest to play Pollyanna and say, "Well , if no one wants it then you can be GLAD! That means you get to keep it for yourself!!" She kind of raised an eyebrow and said, "But I was kind of thinking we could make a horse one........" Sigh. 4th grade...she's only 10 years old...I not ready for the lesson on bankruptcy and foreclosure!!!!!!!!!!!

Update on Mairead's volleyball championships...