Lens Crafters, You So Crazy!

My optometrist's office is located inside a Lens Crafters in the mall. They are not affiliated with each other, they just kinda help each other out.  Lens Crafters, I assume, hopes that the doctor's patients will just buy their glasses there after their appointments.

Yesterday, as we're waiting for my daughter's eyes to finish dilating, I decide to get some pricing. They are one of the approved eye wear companies on my insurance company's provider list.

After picking a pair and running the numbers, the LC sales person comes at me with $223.00.  This is MY cost AFTER INSURANCE.  I said "Are you kidding me?  That's crazy! $223 and I have insurance? I don't think so."  He then proceeded to "run numbers" by removing the fancy-schmancy lenses (who even told him I wanted that?) and brought me down to $163.  Again I said "No. I can do better somewhere else."  We got up and went back to the doctor's waiting area, waiting for her eyes to be checked after dilation.  The LC sales person comes back to me and says "My manager approved another discount. We can get it down to like $145."  I replied "Ok, thanks." and continued reading what I was reading.

Today, we headed to Sam's Club Optical.  We have gotten several glasses there when our insurance has reset (we only get frames every two years; lenses every year.)  When I don't have insurance coverage available for frames, I use Zenni Optical online.  When I do have insurance, I use it locally.)  I KNOW Sam's can do better, and get this;  Sam's is NOT an Approved Insurance Provider under my policy.

We walk in, Isabel tries one pair on, I show her an adorable second pair, she loves them, we sit down with the Sam's Club Optician, hand him our prescription, etc. etc.  Now, I have to pay this out of pocket and then submit and Out-of-Network claim, so I'll only get a portion of my allowance back, via a check in the mail.

Sam's Club total?  $118.00.

Lens Crafters wanted $223, then $163, then $145.  AFTER insurance.

Sam's wanted $118, and then I get to submit a claim and get back like $75 because they are out-of-network.  I will pay $43 out of pocket.

People, run your options.  Even out-of-network can be way better than an overpriced mall store.  Yes, Lens Crafters gets them to you that day.  We can wait 5-7 days for them to arrive back at Sam's.  It's totally worth the $180.00 difference!

Oh Hey! It's September!

September?!?  UGH.  Blogging fail.

Our daughter got artist of the year at the end of her 5th grade/Elementary school year in June, as well as Honor Roll all year.

Summer was spent at home, going to the beach a couple of times, the zoo once, a few swimming lessons for the gal. Low key.

Happy First Day of Middle School to our gal!  She's not really too happy, but what can you do?  I believe I was more stressed than she was.

Oh, I celebrated TWENTY years at my work this August.  Twenty years!

Happy Lucky 13th Anniversary to Us!  This year was low-key because we're working hard to eradicate debt.  (Paid off one last flight school loan, down to one last car payment, then we tackle our one credit card bill.)  We spent $50 each on goodies (macro cell phone lens, book and Matthew West cd for me. Video game and two blu-rays for him) and went out to dinner with our gal in tow.

Next week, Happy Birthday to me!

Still working on my nail art.  LOL  Hey. I'm getting much better.


Life's been pretty low-key.  Like I said, buckling down on finances (See Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course for more info.)

Elevensies

Our little gal turned 11 this month.  Eleven!

We threw her a skating party and we had a blast. Our family from S. Florida and Tampa drove up and over to come FOR THE DAY to be with us.  For two families, that was six hours of driving/ 3 each way. Four to five for the Tampa people.

You can't understand how much I love them for that.  Isabel didn't invite a lot of classmates.  Four, to be precise.  She didn't want to invite the entire class. Just her 4 closest pals.  Two of the 4 showed up.  Having my sisters, their spouses and a combined total of 5 nieces and nephews just made the party.

Thank you sisters and brothers-in-law.  We love you so much!!

She designed this outfit and drew her shirt herself.

Attack on Titan cake.  Too hard to explain.  Japanese Anime.

Isabel and a classmate.

Sister Vicky and Lissette's husband John playing free video games.

Vicky's daughter Ava with her Aunt Lissette.

Me, Isabel, Lissette, John & their daughters Lyric & Giana.

Twenty One!

How am I the parent of a 21-year-old male??

At midnight, the new day of December 21, our son Jacob turned 21!  David asked Jake earlier on the 20th, "Are you going at midnight to buy a drink?"  I hadn't even thought of that.

Here's his midnight shot of the purchase.

Mr. Bum-21 woke around..10 a.m? on the 21st and we proceeded to give him presents.  He asked for money basically for a trip in January, but we did get him something else too.

So lazy. he didn't even want to get up to blow out the candles.

"Oooooooh!"  He just got our $100 gift.

Opening up our other gift.

The new Swans album on vinyl "To Be Kind."

Chocolate Ganache cake from Publix

That day, Jacob went to his dad's side of the family for their Christmas party. He got some more money and then came home and asked "Mom, can we go to Wal-Mart?"

Why? Because he wanted to go to their separate liquor store with me,  

I chanted to the cashier "CARD HIM! CARD HIM! CARD HIM!"  She saw the date and said "Awww, Happy Birthday!"

Happy 21st Birthday Jacob!  

Sweetness and Light

Having school-aged kids is a nerve-wracking experience. I had one sail through middle and high school with no problems. He told me later that being tall for his age, dark & brooding, made kids a little afraid of him, and no one messed with him.

Now we have a girl in fifth grade. She'll be in middle school next year, and I'm completely losing my mind over it.

Our girl is sweetness and light. Always age-appropriate in a world where kids we closely know her own age would discuss french kissing and perform gyrating dance moves, constantly confusing her.  We are active in our church. She loves the kids' church group and we try to do as much as possible with them. (Oh, these kids are not the gyrating ones. Ha ha.)

Sweeteness and light. We talk to her frankly about the changes to her body, sex, etc. and she giggles but has zero fear of asking either parent or big brother a question most would consider awkward.  I tell her she can ask us anything. She does. Boy does she ever. I enjoy the different shades her dad turns as he hears what she's asking this time.

Yesterday, I was off from work and was able to hear her walk in the side door after her bike ride home.  I ask her how her day was, and immediately hear the tone of sadness and distress when she say "Okay."

Protective Mom Gene kicks in.

I ask her what is wrong. She mumbles under her breath that it's nothing.  I try to cajole, hug, and wheedle the answer out of her.  "You can tell me anything. You know this."

For a good 10 minutes, we try to get her to spill it.  I am picturing bullies. I am already in my car, mentally, driving to school to get to the bottom of this!

She FINALLY capitulates, in tears.

She's a patrol member and there's a boy who won't follow the rules and told her "You're not the boss of me!"

That's it. I almost laughed my relief, but didn't.

"Oh honey, don't get upset over that.  You do your job and if he doesn't listen to your instructions, tell Coach and move on. The end. It's the kid's problem. He's the poop head. Just tell coach and move on. This is nothing that should even make you upset."

She is sweetness and light and wears her heart on her sleeve. She doesn't understand not following rules.

How do I toughen her up without changing her inner self?  Nerve-wracking, I tell you.

Busy September

We had a busy September.

I took my first flight EVER with my husband.

Our house

St. Augustine and the Fort, Castillo de San Marcos

Then the very next day, David flew us north to surprise relatives (I already blogged about it.)

We celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary with a lovely dinner at Ruth's Chris.

Rehearsal dinner 12 years ago

Proud to say I am 45.

My gal and I went to Cirque du Soleil's traveling show, Verekai, with tickets I won off the radio.

After that, I carved a stamp for a friend of a friend,

and got completely spoiled by my oldest nephew and his fiancee when they spent the weekend at our place.

Early Birthday gifts from my nephew Jonathan and his fiancee Jessica.

On my actual birthday, we all had the evening off in the middle of the week, and went out for a fun family dinner.

(He did that face on purpose, the goof.)

We even went shopping for a Halloween costume for our gal already!

Hmm. I think her throat is "horse."

Peanut butter & jelly smoothies

Costume sneak peek

I can't remember a more fun September.  

Savannah-Bound: Savannah First Night

Back to the Labor Day weekend vacation:

We drove over the bridge that goes from Savannah to a small island between Savannah and S. Carolina to get to our FREE hotel, the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa.

Driving over the bridge to get to our hotel.

 There was ZERO parking.  The parking lot, usually a fee-to-use lot, was wide open and there was NO WHERE to park.  Cars were double-parked, parked in fire lanes, etc.  I know it was Labor Day weekend, but what the what?  David dropped us off while he went back to circling.

We learned that there were not one, but two weddings being held this evening. Hence the free parking / no parking situation.  We ended up parking on this bridge, pictured above, until later in the evening (way later) when the wedding guests had gone.

Our view from the room!  Wedding party # 1 on the left, leaving. Wedding # 2, nit started yet, on the right.

We decided to give Isabel an hour in the pool before we jumped on the free ferry to take us across to the historic Savannah waterfront for dinner.

The waterfront of Downtown Savannah is behind us. We have to take a ferry to get there.

The hotel as seen from our deck chairs.

We went upstairs so Isabel could change and then caught the ferry over to the mainland.  It was busy. Lots of traffic, lots of people, and in my opinion, not very kid-friendly at night. I was a little disappointed at my first taste of Savannah.  

We were starving and EVERY restaurant we stopped at had over an hour-long wait.  Isabel was sagging.  It was past her bed time.  We ended up at Tubby's on the second floor of a building.  The wait was over an hour. We had no choice.  Tons of people, some getting seated way before other's who had been there longer, making people angry and leave, and then suddenly, random young staff guy walks over to us, sees Isabel lying on my lap, and whispers "Just the 3 of you?"  I nod.  He says "I got a booth, want it?"  DO I?  I get up, call David and hurry after the young man before anyone notices that we just jumped ahead of a bunch of people who are downstairs listening to live music and watching artists paint.

Two very tired ladies.

David plays games with Isabel to distract her from being so tired.

We had a good dinner. Mine was the best meal of the three of us.  Parmesan chicken alfredo over linguine with mushrooms, spinach and garlic.  SO GOOD.

The building the restaurant was in had many levels.

We walked back to the Ferry stop, took the ferry, David moved the car to a real parking space, and off to sleep we went.

Our hotel, from the ferry.