Accidents Happen

Well, it's that time of year. I can't say "again" because it's a first for us at our household. The first day of school.

Over the weekend, we first took in our recycling (hottest day of the year). So, Max and Samantha helped sort the bottles and cans. Max so wanted to put everything in the machine with the big green button, but a: the machine doesn't take everything and b: I don't want it to take his arm.)

So, after collecting $11.30 (226 nickels) for our efforts, we went to the Dollar Tree and then Walmart to pick up the remaining necessary school supplies.
Nothing like a hot, hot day and crowds of shoppers to make someone cranky, especially with a 5 year old and a little boy who insists that he's "two-half".
We got our markers, new shoes, waited (for nearly an hour!!!) to get a new booster seat and then Samantha reached into her pocket-- she'd been playing with and counting and recounting her "college money."

And then she realized it was all gone. She said "the cash" -- actually coins - thirty cents -- were still in her pocket, but the eleven dollars were gone.
I hate to say that I did lose my temper when she said, "It's okay, Mom. It's only money". Yes, in the long run, a loss of $11 is not that much. But, the whole point of this experiment is everything adds up little by little.

And after asking the one employee I could find to ask if any money had been turned in and receiving the "Are you stupid?" stare, we left. I was nearly in tears.

But, accidents happen. It's only money. And the more important part is that the cans got recycled. So, although it doesn't go toward our Five million can total, we recycled 226 cans and bottles this week.

Oh, and I will never shop at this Walmart again.
(Not that I usually shopped there anyway.)

So, Cans recycled this week: 226.
Cans that get counted towards our goal, zip.
Grand total stays at: 10,738 bottles and cans and $536.93
But, Greg just gave us a few bags of soda cans to take in. And another interesting note he made was not just "how many cans added up at my desk," but, "I can't believe I drank that much soda in a month!"