Giving Wal-Mart some serious credit

Wal-Mart gets some bad press once in a while, but after this year's Shareholders' Week, we have to give it some serious props. This is a most important employee benefit in our family. In the span of three days earlier this month, we saw some major concert attractions...and all for free. Let's take roll, shall we?

Tuesday: Taylor Swift and Lifehouse
Wednesday: One Republic, All-American Rejects, and Journey, baby!
Thursday: Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban

So let's do the real math here. With anywhere from 2-5 people in my family attending each night, probably $50 per ticket PER PERSON PER INDIVUDUAL CONCERT had we had to pay admission for each one...it's too much work to do all that math.

And figuring that this is the ninth year we've attended the Shareholders' concerts, seeing several major recording artists each year, that's quite a savings.

What's Wal-Mart's new slogan? Oh yeah... "Save Money. Live Better." Check. They got that one right!

Thanks, Wal-Mart! And for those who missed it, please enjoy this photo I took at the JOURNEY concert! It won't win any photography awards, but it's proof that I was at the concert I've wanted to see all my life...

What time is it? SUMMERTIME!

Oh yeah, last day of school! I came back from girls' camp for a couple of hours this morning to participate in the last-day-of-school activities for the girls.

For Lindsay, it was the fourth-grade final walk-through the elementary school halls, the awards assembly where she cleaned up with four awards, and then party time, including popsicles in the classroom.

For Rebekah, it was the first-grade year-end party, with games and pizza outside, and a little face painting on the side.

It's hard to believe the school year is over. And only six more weeks until Rebekah starts it all over again...but not Lindsay! Moving to middle school next year means moving to the traditional calendar. Two extra weeks of summer!

Sign of Summer

It's Colin's unofficial last day of school (he doesn't have to go Monday, which is the real last day, because his finals are all done). It's the start of a gorgeous looks-like-summer weekend. The grill is all fired up for the summer BBQ season. Why not have a celebration on the back patio?

So it was time for some too-tall burgers with absolutely everything on them, my famous (seriously) macaroni salad, and our family's favorite baked beans, along with other tasty concoctions. And this is one sure sign that summer is on its way...