money, honey

I don't really remember how old I was when I realized money had to be earned and people just weren't standing on the street corner handing it out.

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The other night....

Me: Dylan, what do you want for your birthday? Its coming up you know, you should make a small list.

D: (rattles off some high dollar items that all involve the Wii of course, and some kind of Nerf paraphernalia and some other random stuff I've never even heard of)

Me: Well, you know maybe you should pick the one or two things you really, really want the most and put them on the top of your list.

D: Why Mom?

Me: Those things all cost a lot of money, we can't buy them all.

D: Why Mom?

Me: Well, there's only so much money to go around.

D: Well, why can't we just get more?

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Last night, 30 minutes before I was going to start cooking dinner, Logan goes to the pantry (UGH, the dreaded PANTRY he's in every 10 minutes. We put a lock on the outside but I always forget to lock it and there he is again, fingering the fruit leathers and graham crackers.). So anyway, I'm sitting on the floor playing something with Dylan, and Logan brings me the box of Nilla Wafers.

Me: Oh no, no, we're not having a snack now. I'm cooking dinner soon, you need to eat dinner before you can have those.

L: Cookies!! Cookies Mom! Yes! Yes!

Me: No honey, we need to put those away until after dinner. (and I go to reach for the box)

L: NO MOM! Mine! These are MINE COOKIES! (we're hearing this a lot these days)

Me: Oh really? Did you buy them with your money? Because I'm pretty sure those are my cookies that I bought with my money.

L: (Runs over the the loveseat, puts his hand between two cushions, and pulls out two fake little plastic $50 bills that he must have stuffed down there who knows when and brings them me.)

Me:

L: Mine cookies Mom.