T's feeling better!

T went to school today! She is finally feeling better after the strep bug. God is good! I am also feeling better and the sun is shining today! I have a ton of things to do ,as the week has already passed ,and we all have been feeling bad, so back to the grind I go!!! I've been looking online today and trying to plan our summer..or at least T's summer. She has so many things that she wants to do, so I have decided to take her to some neat places, at least once a month, so that we can keep it interesting. We did not get to do much last summer as we were looking for a house, etc., so I plan to make up for it this summer. Atlanta has a lot of things to do, so I think a few visits to the aquarium, world of coke, and the zoo should be worth a few days, and then maybe to Stone Mountain and the beach in Tybee might be fun. Also, I am going to sign her up for piano lessons and swim team. She wanted to do soccer, but I did not get the form in on time, so maybe next year! She also informed me that she wanted an American Girl birthday party. I was hoping that she had grown out of this expensive doll thing, but I guess I will get her one more and let it be. They have a new American Girl store in Alpharetta now, so that is alot closer than Chicago or New York, so I guess a couple of friends bringing their dolls and having a tea party is alot quieter than having a bunch of girls over for a slumber party!! It will be a little tough on the wallet though, so I will have to limit her to 3 friends, plus my great nieces, of course!! Maybe I can talk her out of a new doll since she has four already, and only plays with one that she named Cameron! She has no siblings here, (two half sisters, but they are not around, and much older)so I guess the doll is her pretend sister. She takes Cameron everywhere and makes her clothes, etc. It kind of reminds me of my doll "John the Baptist" when I was a kid..I took that doll everywhere until I was about 8 years old. She is still taking her doll everywhere at age 11, but I think it is because they make the books and clothes and make it an interesting thing for kids today. She also loves the American Girl movies. I think it is a good thing, so I have gotten her a few over the years, but now, I am a little tired of paying so much for dolls..it was ok when it was just once a year, but the accessories now cost as much as I would spend on clothes for her, so I think it is a little much!! I could buy a plane ticket on Airtran for what one of the dolls cost..ha! When I have discussed that with T, she gets all defensive and says that the dolls are special and will be worth a lot more in a few years??? Maybe she is going to cash in when she is older? Is she really that much of a business woman at age 11??? Maybe I am just a sucker to her scams..ha!! Or maybe her dad has worn off on her! He is constantly trying to teach her the value of a dollar. He lets her talk to the pizza man, etc. and teaches her to bargain..ha! It is hilarious to watch. If she doesn't get the price she wants, she tells it is too much and she will call so and so, they have a better deal!! I won't go shopping with D because it is embarrassing to me to be around him when he is in the negotiating mode. I mean, I can see doing that with a car purchase, etc., but I refuse to do it at the grocery store, etc. He has no shame..but his thing is that everything is on sale. Why that might be a turn on to some, it gets old to watch and takes forever. He jokes with me and says that I see an item on sale and tell the cashier to mark it up so I can buy it? ha!! He is teaching Taylor his tactics, so watch out world! I guess I will be shopping alone because I won't be able to take her anywhere either! The other day in Walgreen's she had the cashier call a manager up to dispute the cost of poster board because the shelf price was marked incorrectly..they actually gave it to her at her price and then she was able to get some markers too with the five dollars I gave her! I could have been swallowed by the floor! HA! I prefer to wait for sales and then there is no negotiating, and the shopping trip is less stressful, etc. She sees the slow economy as a way to get everything she wants at a good price..and she is ruthless until she gets what she wants!! She is a product of her dad's "jewisism" as I call it!! I think I will stick with my tactics, but maybe I will let her deal with the party people at American Girl..I will just sit in the car!!! HA!!!!! Maybe I will use that situation as a test to see how good she really is, and to see if she really wants that doll for her birthday! That sounds like a good plan to keep my cash in my wallet!! you think???