lawmummy

You cry at your three year old’s “graduation” because you realize that she will someday graduate from high school and move out.

You already know that I am not a fan of big banks. But my current bank (Citizens) is pretty decent as behemoths go… They took over my little neighborhood bank a few years ago and have managed to retain the small bank feel nonetheless.

So imagine my surprise when they acted like a big bank on yesterday.

I went to out to lunch on yesterday and decided to pay with my debit card. We went to a local restaurant where we go tons of times. The owner of the restaurant came out and said, “Um, Kelly, your card came back ‘Declined’.” I took the card back and gave her another card.

I knew there was plenty of money in the account so I called to verify the balance. The automated system said that my account number and PIN did not match. In full panic mode now (I have twice had accounts cleared out by thieves), I went to the office to verify the balance over the internet. There were more than sufficient funds to cover the charge.

I called the bank to find out what, if anything was going on. They couldn’t see anything wrong with the account and called the card services folks for me.

As it turns out, my information had been “compromised” - someone else had access to my card number and expiration date. They believe that a purchase had been attempted but was not successful. The card had been canceled and a new one overnighted to me.

Which is kind of nice in theory - that they were so proactive. But no notice? What if, instead of down the street, I had been out of town? That would have meant no access to my account via my debit card AND no way of picking up the new card (this has happened to me before when I was in Rome).

But that didn’t happen.

At the end of the day, no harm, no foul. But it does bother me that it happened. MasterCard needs to get on the stick about protecting its information better!

From Parents United for Public Education:

Call-in campaign Thursday, May 29, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Want to avoid steep school budget cuts this fall?

Let your state legislators know you need them to support the Governor’s education budget.

Parents United for Public Education endorses the Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign, which advocates for a better funding formula for schools. This month we have a historic opportunity to improve school funding for Philadelphia (as well as statewide). Our schools are counting on more than $87 million in new state money if the Governor’s budget passes in its entirety.

Join us on Thursday, May 29 as we campaign for our schools - call your Philadelphia State Representative and Senator!

Follow these steps:
introduce yourself;
give your address;
request that your elected official support the Governor’s budget;
request that your elected official support the six-year plan.

Every office needs to receive at least 10 calls! All Philadelphia legislators’ numbers are listed below. Don’t know who in the General Assembly represents you? It’s easy to find out by typing your zip code and address into CAPWIZ!

Senators

Vincent J. Fumo 215.468.3866
Vincent J. Hughes (19146) 215.471.0490
Shirley M. Kitchen 215.227.6161
Michael J. Stack (19154) 215.281.2539
Christine M. Tartaglione 215.533.0440

LeAnna Washington 215.242.0472
Anthony H. Williams 215.492.2980

Representatives
Thomas W. Blackwell 215.748.7808

Mark B. Cohen 215.924.0895
Angel Cruz 215.291.5643
Lawrence Curry 215.572.5210
Robert C. Donatucci 215.468.1515
Dwight Evans 215.549.0220
Harold James 215.462.3308
Babette Josephs 215.893.1515
William F. Keller 215.271.9190
George T. Kenney, Jr. 215.934.5144
Kathy M. Manderino 215.482.8726
Michael P. McGeehan 215.333.9760

John Myers 215.849.6896
Dennis O’Brien (Speaker) 215.632.5150

Michael H. O’Brien 215.503.3245

Frank L. Oliver 215.684.3738
Cherelle L. Parker 215.242.7300
Tony Payton, Jr. 215.744.7901
John M. Perzel 215.331.2600
James R. Roebuck, Jr. 215.724.2227

John P. Sabatina, Jr. 215.342.6204
John J. Taylor 215.425.0901
W. Curtis Thomas 215.232.1210
Ronald G. Waters 215.748.6712
Jewell Williams 215.763.2559
Louise Williams Bishop 215.879.6625
Rosita C. Youngblood 215.849.6426

“There is no more important priority this spring than for the General Assembly to enact a permanent school funding formula and fully fund it in no more than six years.” -The Pennsylvania School Funding Campaign

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(Hat Tip: Jay Cohen)

When I stepped on the scale this morning (yes, we have one now, blame the hubby), I got an ERR message. So I got off, got back on. Still.

I flipped over the scale where I got this message:

“ERR” indicates the maximum capacity of 330 lbs/150 kgs has been exceeded. Remove the weight immediately to prevent damage to the scale.

Okay, I know some of you have been arguing that my failed weight loss was due to muscle gain… but c’mon. 330 lbs? Yowza.

Methinks that Taylor Precision Products (scale maker) is not nearly as precise as they think they are.

** For those of you who have never met me in person, while I will admit to weighing more than I should, you can safely assume that I do not, in fact, weigh anywhere near 330 lbs. Hence my confusion. And alarm.

I don’t know when it happened but I have apparently developed the sense of a humor of a 12 year old boy.

This evening, I was reading Our Solar System to Charlie, a wonderful book by the folks at the Smithsonian. And I got to this part:

Uranus is a ringed planet made up mostly of gases… If Uranus were hollow, about fifty planet Earths could fit inside.

And then:

The rings are made of chunks of an unknown black material that spins around Uranus like lumps of coal on a merry-go-round.

And I laughed and laughed the whole time. I literally couldn’t read it.

Yes, I am that immature.

Sooo… I am planning to have a combined birthday party again for the girls. I realize that, as they get older, this may not be feasible but for now, it’s working.

And in a surprising show of solidarity, the girls have already agreed on a theme: Fancy Nancy.

Yes, Sally, you can come.

Enjoy your day! I’m taking the weekend off to spend time with the fam - more on the recap later.

Soooo, today I ran 5k. It was on the treadmill, which I know isn’t quite the same as on trails or roads, but I did alternate with 1% and 2% vertical height to adjust for the lack of wind resistance.

But it was 5k! No stopping! I was sooo excited when I got off the treadmill, I cheered. Yes, at the Y.

And I’m not embarrassed to say that I did the last bit while listening to Ashlee Simpson. Okay, I am embarrassed to say. But that darn “La La” song is just so catchy and fun to run to…

Hey beginners! Run with me! Let me know how you’re doing…

I knew the days would come when my kids wanted expensive gadgets to fit in with their friends. I just didn’t think it would happen in kindergarten. Oh yeah, kindergarten.

Katie came home recently and asked me if she could have a cell phone. A real cell phone.

“Nope,” I told her.

“Why not?” she demanded.

“Because you’re too young to have a cell phone.”

“But Jaelynn has one,” she protested.

“I don’t care that Jaelynn has one.”

“Her mom gave her one when she was 6. Can I have one when I am 6?”

“No.”

“Why not? Jaelynn’s mom gave her one.”

“I don’t care that Jaelynn’s mom gave her one. I think 6 is too young for a cell phone.”

She thought for a minute. “What about 7?”

“No.”

“8?”

“No.”

“10?”

The answer to that, I assure you is also no. But I got tired of the discussion. So instead I said, “You can ask your dad that one - but I’m pretty sure that he’s going to say no.”

“It’s not fair!!” she whined.

Oh Katie, you have no idea. Get used to it, kiddo.

Last night, we had friends over for dinner. Charlie was mostly silent as he chowed down on chicken tacos but Katie more than made up for it by regaling all of us with tales of her multiple boyfriends. She now apparently has four - but has only attempted to kiss one. She is five years old. Her father, as you can imagine, is not excited about this turn of events.

Her boyfriend, Tyson, has multiple girlfriends. My friend asked Katie whether it was okay for boys to have lots of girlfriends, to which two year old Charlie pipes up, “Oh yeahhhhhh!”

Hysterical laughter ensued.