The Crunchy Mommy

This afternoon, Harmony was looking at cheerleading videos and came across the Titans website. She saw that the Titans cheerleaders host a clinic for kids each year and that she was old enough to be included in it. She immediately asked me if it was something that she could be a part of.

I looked through the site and found out when the deadline was, which is right on top of us, and how much it was and told her I thought it was awesome, but she'd probably have to miss a game or two (or three!) from her cheering schedule this year because the clinics on Saturdays and that she'd have to ask her daddy.

She sat and thought about it for a while and came back to talk to me.

"Mom," she says, "I don't want to ask Daddy for $300. That's a lot of money and he might say no! Maybe I can just save my money and go next year!" (The deposit that's due is only $100 with the remainder due in September but she wasn't hearing the $100 after she read the $300! Josh told me after she went to change clothes this evening that he most certainly would have said yes but since she wants to earn it, he was gonna let her!)

"That's a good idea, Harmony! I bet that will make Daddy proud when you tell him the plan you came up with and I'm sure he'll agree!"

So she goes and decorates herself a "Jr. Titans Cheerleading Fund" jar out of a jumbo sized pickle jar (cause "that's a lot of quarters!"), empties her piggy bank into it, and sits to think about it some more.

(There may or may not have been an episode or two of Phineas and Ferb in there-lol!)

She comes back to talk to me.

"Mom- how many pennies are in $300?"

And I tell her.

"Well, how many quarters are in $300?"

So I tell her that too.

"That'll take me forever to save!" she says.

I try to reassure her that she has almost an entire year to save it and I'm sure that she can do it, but it doesn't do very much to comfort her. She starts trying to come up with ideas of how to make money. First is raising mice (which she told me this evening she 'hadn't ruled out yet!' although she's decided she'd rather raise rabbits than mice so the snakes don't eat them), then selling old toys on ebay (but she got discouraged when I told her how much she'd spend on shipping for the toys she was thinking about selling, even after I told her other people would pay for the shipping).

Then Jude walks up and hits her with a necklace.

"MOM! I can sell necklaces! I can make them too! Kyla taught me how!!"

I told her that was a great idea and we talked about it for a few minutes. She's thought of a business name (hence the 'Harmony's Sparkles'), 'borrowed' $27 from her dad (to which she said "I don't want to keep it, Daddy. I want to spend it and make money and pay you back!"), bought all her supplies (and spent exactly $27) and made her first necklace and bracelet tonight all by herself! (Ok, her dad helped her tie the clasps on, but she did all the bead-work!)

We went to the drive-in where she took her newly made jewelry into the concession stand and walked out a few minutes later beaming because she'd sold her first two pieces. :) (Which btw, were really pretty and I tried to talk her into giving to me, but she wasn't having it unless I paid for them- the little stinker!)

So for everyone who asked (including me since apparently I don't qualify for a free sample!), I've been instructed to tell you all that Harmony will sell her jewelry for the following prices:

Necklaces- $5

Bracelets- $4

Rings- $3

Complete Sets (matching necklace, bracelet, and ring)- $10

(I can't make up my mind whether she's charging exorbitant prices, or undercharging but that's what she says she wants to sell them for so that's what I'm telling you!) In all fairness, she's very good at making them and all the patterns are her own originals she's designed and you can't really even buy comparative jewelry at a flea market for those prices!)

So, if you're interested, just send me a message or call me and let me know and I will pass it on and she will get to work on it for you!