R.I.P. Nanny

CROWTHER Jessie Flaws Crowther, age 103 of Bridgeport, died Monday, December 21, 2009 at the North-Bridge Health Care Center, Bridgeport. Mrs. Crowther was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and was an area resident most of her life. She was a retired employee for the Bridgeport Hospital. She was a former member of the Bridgeport Lawn Bowling Association. She was the widow of Jack Crowther. Survivors include five grandchildren, Jeanine Jansen, James, John and Joseph Barnes and Janice Barnes Murray. Several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Friends may call on Monday, December 28, 2009 at the Larson Funeral Home, 2496 North Avenue, Bridgeport from 4 to 7 p.m. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family.

Dear Toys 'R Us,

I am a mother of three children. I am the PTA president at my children's elementary school. I used to frequent your establishment often. That is until my most recent experience with your return policy.

You see it's Christmas time. My children received a board game as a gift from my cousin. When we went to put it together we could not find some of the pieces. This made the game unable to be played and useless to my children. So I went to my local Toys 'R Us in hopes of exchanging it for the exact same game. I did not want something else. I did not want money. I did not want something for nothing. What I wanted was a game that my children could play with.

I was greeted with a very rude without a receipt we cannot exchange your item. I explained it was a gift and I was told I needed a gift receipt. I explained that the gift giver did not give me a gift receipt and all I wanted to do was get an item that works. After all, you can return the broken item to the manufacturer and get reimbursed. What would your company be out by doing this? Nothing!

So I left in a huff with my children in tow and have vowed to never set foot in one of your stores again. Not until something is done about your terrible return policy. And now Toys 'R Us, this is on the internet for all to see and know what your practice is. And I would also like to remind you of those three children that I alone have with birthdays and holidays to buy for. And all of their friends birthdays and holidays that I will no longer buy toys for at Toys 'R Us. And lets not forget I am the PTA president at my childrens school and every year I purchase two bikes for our top sellers in our spring fundraiser. I used to get them at your store, but now I will find a new place to buy these bikes because I wouldn't want anyone else to have a problem exchanging an item that was broken and did not work for one that did.

And just so you know I went down the road to Target. Where this item was not purchased. They had the same policy posted about requiring a receipt or gift receipt for all returns and exchanges. However, when I explained the situation to the employee at the courtesy desk she apologized to me for the toy not having all of its pieces and told me I could go get another one to exchange it with. So that's exactly what I did. No problem. My children ended up receiving the game after all. In spite of a return policy which requires a receipt when I did not have a receipt. So thank you Target for accepting the exchange when Toys 'R Us would not. I guess Target has gained a new customer while Toys 'R Us has lost one. Thanks for nothing Toys 'R Us!

Sincerely,
mother of 3 small children

Week In Review: December 20 - December 26, 2009

Here is this weeks Week In Review for December 20 - December 26, 2009

Sunday: Got up to lots of snow on the ground. Joe wasn't feeling well either. He did get ready for work and went to work. I called my parents to find out what time they were bringing the girls home. They said around 3. I gave CJ some lunch and put him down for a nap. While he slept I ended up dozing on the couch instead of doing the things I should have. Got up and made a mad rush to get dressed and clean up around the house a little. My parents brought the girls home on time. CJ got up from his nap. My parents stayed for a while. Even after Joe got home from work. They left and we had dinner. Got the kids ready for bed and sent them to bed. Joe and I just relaxed before going to bed ourselves.

Monday: Got up and got the kids ready for school. I brought the girls to school while Joe stayed home with CJ. I had to help out with the schools Mugs and Mittens where parents could come in to get a free brand new coat and boots for their child. So I helped set that up and came home. Joe was making himself something to eat and some lunch for CJ. We put CJ down for a nap and then went through what we had for the kids for Christmas. There were a few things that needed exchanging. So I left to do some of that. Went to Walmart and then Kohl's and came home. My friend was going to pick the girls up from school for me. Joe was dozing on the couch when I came home until his phone rang. It was his sister telling him their grandmother passed away. Joe got off the phone with her and made some phone calls. Then decided not to go to work. He called out and lost it. I called my friend and told her we'd pick up the girls and then we went to the school to get the girls. I talked to their teachers to let them know what was going on and then we headed down to Bridgeport so everyone could say their goodbyes. We then went over Joe's sisters house to try to figure out what to do next. We didn't get many answers. We hung out there though. It was good for the kids to play with their cousins. We left pretty late and had to stop for something to eat and then headed home. The kids got to bed late. So did Joe and I.

Tuesday: Got up and got the kids ready for school. Joe brought the girls in while I stayed home and cleaned up a little and put together a cookie tin for CJ's PAT (Parents As Teachers) teacher. We had CJ's PAT visit and then we brought Joe to work. Came home and CJ had lunch and I put him down for a nap. I did some stuff around the house and before I knew it it was time to get the girls from school. A friend of mine called asking me to pick her kids up from school. I said no problem. Then she called back and said never mind she couldn't do what she had to do because her keys were locked in her van. So I told her I'll go pick her up and bring her and the kids home. So I did that. CJ threw a fit in the gym. That was unlike him. We got all of the kids. I talked to the girl's teachers to find out how they were. They did fine. We brought my friend and her kids home and then we came home. I cleaned up the kitchen and started dinner. We ate and then we went to pick Joe up from work. Came home and put the kids to bed. Joe and I watched some TV and then I put together a cookie tray for tomorrow and the kids teacher's cookie tins and a couple other tins too. Had to make some more cookies too. Finally finished all of that very late and needed a shower. Showered and went to bed.

Wednesday: Got up early and brought Joe to work. Came back home and fed the kids breakfast. Then I finished the cookie tray and got everything loaded in the car. Got the kids in the car and brought them to school with all the treats. Went down to the FRC to talk to them. Went to the grocery store for a few things and then came home. I washed dishes and baked more cookies. Girls got out of school early so I went to pick them up. Fed everyone lunch and then put CJ down for a nap. Got CJ up from his nap and went to get the girls haircut. A friend picked Joe up from work. Came home and we brought the kids over our friend's house and Joe and I finished up our shopping. Picked the kids up and brought them home and got them ready for bed. Then Joe and I got ready for bed too and went to bed.

Thursday: Joe got up early and went to work. I ended up sleeping in and so did the kids. I made some more cookies. Fed the kids. Did some stuff around the house. Gave the kids lunch. Gave CJ a bath. Put CJ down for a nap. Wrapped presents. Sent the girls for their shower. Then I went and took a shower. Got everyone dressed, hair done, and ready to go. As soon as Joe got home from work we left to go to my Aunt's house for our Christmas celebration. Had a nice time there and then came home and put the kids to bed. Joe and I stayed up late wrapping presents and getting everything ready. Then we went to bed.

Friday: Woke up before the kids. Realized we forgot to wrap some gifts. Did that quick. Got the kids up. Opened Christmas presents. I made breakfast. The kids played. Put CJ down for a nap. When he got up we got everyone dressed and ready to go see Alvin and the Chipmunks. After that we went over to the new apartment to paint. That didn't end up going over too well. We didn't finish. Came home and fed the kids. Made the girls clean up their toys which they were upset about. I wasn't feeling well. Got CJ ready for bed and sent him to bed. Let the girls stay up to watch TV with us. Then sent them to bed. Joe and I stayed up a little while later before going to bed ourselves.

Saturday: Got up and did some stuff on the computer. Got my parents gifts wrapped. Got a bunch of stuff together. Took a shower. Got dressed and got the kids dressed. Went to exchange some stuff. That took longer than expected and we didn't get to exchange something. We had to go over my parents for dinner. Headed down there in all this crazy traffic. Got there within the time we said we'd be there. Had dinner and a Christmas celebration with them and then headed home. Sent the kids to bed. I went through CJ's toys and put all of the girls stuff by the door for them to put away in the morning. Went through a drawer in the bathroom and got everything ready to be packed up. Then went to bed.

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Dear Santa...

Can you read the letter to Santa? What the girls wrote to go with the cookies? No? How about now...

Yup, that's right they actually said, "Sorry if we misbehaved this year." I got a kick out of that. But anyways, I guess Santa thought they behaved because here's what he left behind...


And these were the gifts from us to the kids and from the kids to each other...


Here they are after they finally got up to check it out. Before they ripped into everything...

Merry Christmas from the Barnes Bunch!

Jessie Flaws Crowther: August 20, 1906 - December 21, 2009

Nanny 1906-2009

Another soul went on to heaven yesterday. Joe's grandmother passed away on December 21st. She was an amazing 103 years young. A wonderful woman. I remember when Joe first brought me to meet her at her house on Central Ave in Bridgeport, CT. She was in her early 90's then. I remember thinking wow she's very active for her age. She took care of the house she had lived in for sixty plus years of her life. She got out every week to get her hair done. What a great woman. So sweet.

Everyone called her Nanny. She lived a long life that wasn't always so good to her. Her husband died young leaving her with a child to raise on her own. And then her daughter died way too young. She lost a brother and a sister and then a granddaughter and great granddaughter before her.

She has an amazing story though. She was born in Scotland in 1906. She married an English man and had one child with him before he passed away when their daughter was just a baby. She took her daughter at a very young age from England over to the United States to give her a better life. When she came over she worked at Bridgeport Hospital for many years before finally retiring. She raised her daughter all on her own. Her daughter went on and had six children. Those six children went on to produce 24 great grandchildren for her and then there were even 3 great great grandchildren. So she has left a lot of people to remember her and carry her story on. And she has lots of souls to love her in heaven.

So Nanny, we know you are in good hands with your daughter Jean and granddaughter Joanne and great granddaughter Celeste. May they guide you and keep you safe. We love you and miss you.

Nanny with a 3 year old Natalie and a 4 month old Kaitlyn after Kaitlyn's baptism

Week In Review: December 13 - December 19, 2009

Here is this weeks Week In Review for December 13 - December 19, 2009


Sunday: Got up and fed the kids. Didn't do too much else to start the day. Joe went to work. I hung around. Fed the kids some lunch. Put CJ down for a nap. Then I figured I had better do some baking. So I started on some of my cookies. Joe came home from work. We figured out something for dinner. Ate. I baked some more. Gave CJ a bath. Sent the girls for a shower. Put the kids to bed. Then I baked some more. Watched a little TV. Went and took a shower and then went to bed.

Monday: Got up early. Got the kids ready for school. Took them to school and waited around for someone to pick up their fundraiser. They did not show. Came back home. Got Joe and we went to the bank and then to do some shopping. We got some paint for our new apartment and a few other things. Went to Walmart and got a few Christmas gifts. The Job Lots to get some platters for my cookie trays. Then to the dollar store and got some stocking stuffers and finally to the grocery store to get a few things I ran out of for my baking. Then we had gotten a call from the FRC that there was some stuff for us there that we needed to pick up so we went to the school to get that. Came home and put everything away and put CJ down for a nap. Then I went back to the school to pick up the girls and hand out another fundraiser. I stood around chatting with some friends. Good thing too because the person for the fundraiser was about 20 minutes late. Gave him the fundraiser and then went home. Helped the kids with homework and started on my baking. Got dinner on the table and as we were eating Joe discovered that one of the gerbils was missing. We found it under all of the bedding dead :(. Figured out who's it was. It was Natalie's, but Kaitlyn took it harder. We cleaned out the cage and put Lucky back in. The girls said goodbye to their gerbil and wanted to go get a new one. So we went to the pet store and did that. We have two gerbils again, but they don't get along so they are in separate cages. The kids got ready for bed and went to bed. I did more baking. I finally finished for the night and went to bed.

Tuesday: Got up really early. Joe was in work early and he was storming around for some reason. Usually he's much more considerate. So since I couldn't sleep anymore I got up. Did some stuff on the computer. Got the kids ready for school. Put dishes away. Cleaned out the fridge. Walked the girls to school. Came back home. Washed the dishes. Gave CJ something to eat. Started on my baking again. Took a break because he was into everything. Best to wait till he's sleeping. Fed him lunch and put him down for a nap and then I worked on my cookies. Joe came home from work and I continued working. Then I went to pick the girls up from school. Waited around for someone to pick up a fundraiser and she was a no show. So rushed home expecting to have to go meet our new landlord to sign the lease. He pushed back the time so I did more baking. Got a cookie finished before we had to leave. Went to the apartment, but he forgot the lease. Ugh, so we went to the store so I could get more flour and then back home where I continued to bake. Joe cooked dinner. We sat down to eat and then I baked some more. I finally finished around 11:30 at night. Then I went to take a shower and went to bed.

Wednesday: Got up to start making a cookie tray. Cleaned up the kitchen and pulled everything out and went to work. Got the kids ready for school. Then we went to the school for the playgroup Christmas party. Had a good time at that and then we helped Kaitlyn's class make gingerbread houses. A fun day. After all of that we went to meet up with our new landlord again and signed the lease. Then we came home for lunch and to put CJ down for a nap. Then it was time to pick the girls up from school. So we went and got them and went to the new apartment to check around a little and measure some stuff. Then we went to Walmart to get a few things and finally home. The girls did their homework and then we went back out to get something to eat. Home to eat and then the kids got ready for bed and went to bed. I did laundry When that was done I went to bed.

Thursday: Got up a little late and the kids weren't up. Had to wake them up and get them ready for school. We brought them to school and came back to the house and packed up the car with some stuff we were moving over to the new apartment. Went over there with everything and tried out the new paint in the kitchen. I think it will work out okay. Then we came home and I called a bunch of the services to switch them over to the new address. Joe fed CJ and put him down for a nap. Had to get him up early to bring Joe to work though. Brought him in and then came back home and hung around. Made a few more phone calls and then went to pick Kaitlyn up at school. Natalie had to stay after for drama. So I came home with CJ and Kaitlyn and helped Kaitlyn with her homework. Then we went back to the school to pick Natalie up. Came home for her to do her homework and washed dishes and started dinner. Then we went to pick Joe up from work. Came back home and I finished making dinner and we ate. Got the kids ready for bed and sent them to bed. Did more laundry. Took a shower. Went to bed.

Friday: Got up early and got ready for the FRC breakfast and popping popcorn. Went to the school and got the kids settled at the breakfast. Got a little something for CJ to eat and went back to help Joe with popcorn. Got finished with that pretty early. Came home. Gave CJ a little something to eat. Got some ebay auctions ready to be shipped. Loaded them in the car. Brought Joe to work. Came back home and put CJ down for a nap. Then I relaxed for a little while. Did some more laundry. Got CJ up from his nap and went to pick the girls up from school. Came home and finally got my kitchen table cleaned off. Cleaned up the living room did a little more laundry. Checked to make sure the girls were packed for their weekend with Grandma and Grandpa. My dad came over to pick up the girls. I chatted with him for a few and then he left with the girls. CJ and I hung around the house for a little while. Then we left to pick Joe up from work. Got him and went to the post office at the grocery store to mail those packages. Then we headed to Borders to get a DVD we had put on hold for Natalie. Then we went to Chili's for some dinner. Then to Walmart to get a few more gifts. We haven't gotten a whole lot for CJ so we found a couple of things there for him. Then we came home and put CJ to bed very late. I stayed up playing around on the computer and then went to bed.

Saturday: Got to sleep in. Joe was up early for work. CJ slept late because he had gong to bed so late. That was nice. I got up before he did. Just enjoyed the peace and quiet. When he got up I fed him breakfast. Then I washed some dishes and made some frosting for one of my cookies. Frosted the cookies. Made plans with my friend to take CJ later in the afternoon so Joe and I could do some painting at the new apartment. Did some blogging. Got dressed. Got CJ dressed. Joe came home from work and we brought CJ over to our friend's house. Then we went to the new place to get some heat going in there. Then across the street to the store to get something to drink and some stuff for us to have for dinner. Then back to the new place to paint. When we had gotten the kitchen painted we went back to pick CJ up at our friend's house. Came home put CJ to bed and ate our dinner. Then we spent the night watching TV and the snow fall.

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Are you Naughty or Nice

Do you wanna know if you made it on Santa's Naughty or Nice list this year? Then click here to find out. See how we did with our behavior this year. Always room for improvement I guess.

Me: Nice, but with a few naughty marks. Neatness needs improvement. Behavior has been good sometimes, not so good other times. Manners could still use some attention. Was very nice last Monday.
I don't know what it was I did last Monday, but I'm sure glad I did it. My neatness is very lacking this month I'm afraid.

Joe: Nice, with a few exceptions. Needs to be nice to everyone not just friends. Could try a little harder when things are tough. Good sense of humor. Made list last year. Needs to be good all December.
Ahhh, so Joe. Way nicer to friends than strangers. Better shape up Joe or you'll make it on the naughty list.

Natalie: Nice, but has naughty lapses. High marks in the good deeds department. Better than average manners. Hopefully, thoughtfulness will continue to be as good as last month. Neatness needs improvement!
Yes Natalie, no locking your sister in the closet this month.

Kaitlyn: Has been nice most of the year (not just near Christmas)! Makes others happy. Could share a little more, however. Politeness is sometimes very good. Can be great listener.
Not so sure about the listening. I guess maybe in school she's a great listener, or so they seem to think.

Christopher: Overall, niceness outweighs naughtiness. Was good a lot last month! Politeness often good, but has room for improvement. Could help around house more instead of watching so much TV. Expected to move even higher up "nice" list.
This didn't sound much like CJ. After all he doesn't watch much TV. How can he, he's 2? So I thought maybe Santa didn't realize that Christopher is CJ. So I tried with his nickname instead and here's what I got...

CJ: Has been nice most of the year (not just near Christmas)! Makes others happy. Could share a little more, however. Politeness is sometimes very good. Can be great listener.
Now that sounds more like him. He definitely could share more than he does. He is 2 after all. But he can be very polite. With the "peas" and "thanky" often.