Friday, November 13, 2009

Me. Next to a Tree.

“We’re not going out for ice cream anymore,” I told Tom last night.

He looked up with a horrified expression as he spooned some dinner on his plate. (Eggs and sausage, thank you very much.) “Why?” he demanded. You’d have thought that someone had died or something.

“Because I bought this,” I said, gesturing to the refrigerator.



Tom frowned. “I’m confused. What exactly is it?” He even poked at it.

“Tommy’s art was turned into a magnet. I had to buy it. What kind of mother doesn’t buy her child’s art?” I explained. There was a whole list of different things you could buy with your child’s art on it. It ranged from a keychain all the way to a blanket.

“Well, how much was it? Two bucks?” Tom wondered.

“Six.”

Tom nearly choked on the mouthful of eggs that he put in his mouth. “SIX? For this? For something that Tommy draws all the time!”

He had a point there. Tommy seems to like to draw that same picture a lot. He says, “It’s me. Next to a tree. Do you want me to draw you me? Next to a tree?” And of course I can’t say, “No. Please no more yous next to a tree!” So I always say yes and now I’m left with a pile of Tommy. Next to a tree.

“So you spent six bucks. That’s nothing. We can still go out for ice cream,” Tom argued.

I shook my head. “Not when we’re saving for Black Friday. We agreed that we’d be extra strict until then so we could shop that day.”

Tom poked at his sausage. “It’s just six bucks,” he muttered.

“I know. But it’s the principle of the thing. Plus we have ice cream here,” I said diplomatically.

“It’s not the same,” Tom fumed. “Plus, it’s YOU that wants to have extra money to shop on Black Friday. Why should I be punished?”

I rolled my eyes. “Tom, didn’t you say that you planned on buying the shit out of Craftsman tools on Black Friday?”

Tom’s face twitched with recognition. He probably remembered his reaction when I showed him the Sears Black Friday ad. He practically drooled over the keyboard as he went down the list and saw all the Craftsman tools there. And then he said, “I’m buying the SHIT out of these tools on Black Friday!”

“I may have said that,” Tom said slowly. “But really, we can go out for ice cream...”

“We’re saving money! Why do you think we’re eating eggs? Because they’re cheap. And we’ll also be having a lot of Hamburger Helper too,” I said cheerfully.

Tom made a face and made a cross sign with his fingers. “Ugh, please no Hamburger Helper. It has a weird taste.”

“Do you or do you not want to buy the shit out of your Craftsman tools?”

Tom gave a big sigh. “Have I ever told you how mean you are? Lucky for you I love my tools so I’m going to drop it.” And then he walked out of the room, probably thinking about his shiny tools that he plans on buying in a few weeks.

I stared at Tommy’s magnet for a few seconds and Tommy sidled up next to me.

“Hey! Do you want me to draw you a picture of me? Next to a tree?” he asked.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Sure Tommy. I’d love another picture of you. Next to a tree.”

43 comments:

  1. men have spent more money on way stupider things

    i'm convinced of it

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  2. You make your choices. Some are easy. Others suck:-)

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  3. I like that he draws the same thing all the time. If it works, stick with it.

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  4. i love hamburger helper.. i am so weird...

    have a wonderful wkend!

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  5. Kids and their projects suck you in. I've spent money on things like that too.

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  6. I have a Starry Starry Night by Butter on my frig. I H.A.D. to H.A.V.E it. When he is in Junior high and won't draw you anything it will be soo worth it!

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  7. Ah Square art. I have some of that on the fridge too. A tote bag somewhere too.

    My girls all drew monsters and aliens...hmmmm

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  8. The cruelest thing is ... the tree looks like an ice cream scoop all ready to go.

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  9. At least your hubby wants tools. Mine wants a Wii.

    love the phrase---buying the shit out of those Craftsman tools. LOL!

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  10. That was the best $6 you ever spent! :)

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  11. I think its a good way to spend $6

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  12. Budget, what budget? I agree though, his artwork is worth it!

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  13. Well, it's a very nice picture of him. Next to a tree.

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  14. That is too funny. I would have bought it too.

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  15. I think a magnet with your child's art is a great use of six dollars. :)

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  16. I got that same fundraiser from my son. And last year I sent it back because I refused to pay $5 for a magnet. (They are only $5 for us.) My son was so upset that I refused to buy his art and I felt like a horrible parent. So this year I shelled out the $5 for the stinkin' magnet and sent their flyer back to school telling them to keep their crap, I don't want it.

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  17. Ok but what about the ice cream? You never really solved the ice cream problem did you? I mean, do you guys get to go out for ice cream or not? (Obviously I am a big fan of the ice to the cream!)

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  18. I almost choked LOL'ing at "buying the shit out of some Craftsman tools." That's some serious buying right thurr.

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  19. I'm with your hub on the hamburger helper. Ewww. But a "me next to a tree?" Especially in magnet form? Priceless!

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  20. Such a dilemma...ice cream or tools. I'm sure many a man has floundered over that one.

    Me. Next to a tree. When he's famous you can sell the magnet on Ebay. Or keep it. Too cute!

    ♥Spot

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  21. I bought my kids' art as magnets too. We're all suckers, aren't we? As for black Friday, I lock myself in the house and go nowhere. People are crazy on that day. I bet Tom's one of them. :)

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  22. Tommy sure can draw the shit out of himself! next to a tree!

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  23. That was a rough sacrifice, those tools or an ice cream. Kudos for standing your ground so patiently so he could buy the shit out of those tools. :)
    Rose

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  24. Well who could turn down Tommy next to a tree?

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  25. I think you'd better keep a bak account for more of these 'yous next to a tree' As he grows there will be more stuff he will be creating and you'll just want to keep them for sentimental value.

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  26. I am gonna go buy the shit out of some groceries. Oh, man, it loses something there, doesn't it?

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  27. Tom going out on Black Friday? How will he survive? There's too many crowds!

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  28. Just make sure the next picture isn't of the family staying home and not having ice cream. Although I suppose you'd be forced to put it on the fridge...

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  29. Awwwww, I love his picture! And tell your man to suck it up--Black Friday is less than 2 weeks away!

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  30. Ah, the sacrifices of parenting.

    But at least one of these ubiquitous tree tableaus is forever memorialized.

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  31. How do they always get us with those fundraisers?

    At least it's something you can give to him when he has kids, right?

    Hope your home ice cream was just as good as going out.

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  32. I don't like Hamburger Helper but I do like that magnet. I would have bought it, too.

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  33. Sienna once drewan anatomically correct picture of Jesus, at church, and gave it to the pastor.

    I'm glad we don't have a magnet of that.

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  34. Eggs and ice cream.... what could be better?

    So, I guess you're saying the repetition lasts for a long time with kids huh? My boys wear spiderman everyday. and not just clothes with spiderman on them........... the costume! =)

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  35. "Buying the shit out of craftsman!" Love this! LOL

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  36. I feel your pain - I have 500+ pictures of my daughter as a princess with a rainbow and flowers.

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  37. I love the line 'buy the shit out of...' I can see me adding this to my every day conversations.

    Thank you!
    ;)

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  38. It was money well spent. My daughter has framed artwork from when her husband was a child. It is now hanging in THEIR child's bedroom and is so cute.

    Tom may be mad now, but he'll love you on Black Friday. :)

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  39. we splurge and go for the aprons with art, then my mom gets them. i finally got huge binders filled with sheet protectors for my daughter's artwork. she saves it herself. i was tired of her offended wails each time she would find a 6 month old "piece" in the trash.

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  40. Write to the government and tell them to make icecream free

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