"i'm so proud of myself"

yesterday i had to stop to fill my car up with gas.  that particular gas station has a dunkin' donuts inside the station.  the boys immediately started asking for donuts and hot chocolate.  instead of my usual "not today" - i took out a $20 and said "ok - go inside and get 4 donuts (for my niece and nephew too) and your hot chocolate"  the boys went inside while i pumped gas.  i was dying to go inside with them - just to see how cute they must have looked - but i restrained myself and hung back.  after a little bit - they came out with their bags filled to the brim.  now i'm not sure what exactly happened inside but i'm assuming the owners were tickled by the big brother/little brother combo ordering food that he added a whole bunch of extra goodies....

my oldest came out with a huge grin and proclaimed "i am so proud of myself for going inside and buying food without you nearby!" he gave me back the bills - told me he left the $.86 in the tip jar - and said i could give the cinnamon stick to the "guys in the office".  it was such a great moment. 

this isn't the first time he's gotten in a line to purchase something - but for whatever reason this is one that stood out the most.  maybe it was b/c he was in charge of his little brother - maybe it was b/c he was in a line of adults.......who knows - but whatever it was it was good.

late sunday night my oldest tells me he needs a costume for school.  he is doing a presentation on russia and wants to dress as a WWII russian soldier.  the costume needs to be ready to bring into school this morning.  i work mondays then we have dinner at my parents house.  we usually get home late and then homework starts.  so at 9 i walk into my craft room and try and figure out how to make a russian soldier costume.  thankfully we have some army jackets that he can use.  but now we need a hat.  i google some images for ideas - find one he likes - and off i go.

now the jacket was easy enough b/c all i had to do was make a star large enough to cover the US Army emblem.  its the hat that i'm most proud of.  i happened to have a tiny bit of faux fur in my stash.  he wanted a red top and i had that felt lying around too....and in less than an hour i had a costume all ready to go.

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now this wasn't the first time i had made a costume under pressure.  it wasn't even the first time i made a cool looking hat...but for whatever reason i couldn't stop patting myself on the back for a job well done.  like my son - this was the one that stood out the most.  maybe it was b/c i actually had faux fur ready to use - or maybe it was b/c i didn't have any type of pattern...but whatever it was - it was all good.