Cocoa Beans and Sugar

I adore having a big family.

I was an only child until I was almost 16, and so was my husband. We had no idea what we were missing until we had kids of our own.

Ashlyn and Sarah wanted money for their birthdays instead of toys, crafts, or books. They wanted to choose how to spend their own money.

In our house, this can only come from having Madison and Daniel as role models.

Both Madison and Daniel have earned money before. Madison does so every summer, pet sitting, and occasionally for babysitting her siblings. Let me say, I never knew pet sitting paid as well as it does!

The girls are as eager for Madison (or Daniel, whoever may have earned the money) to spend her money as she is! They point out things they would consider worth the money and are confused when she passes it by.

So both girls stated adamantly that they wanted cold hard cash for their birthdays.

D and I gave them each a single twenty dollar bill, knowing when you are 5 and 6 that is like going to Vegas and hitting the jackpot!

Sarah's reaction was SO classic of a 5 year old getting ready to enter Kindergarten. "I got a dolluh!"

Ashlyn, who has completed Kindergarten and understands there is more than ONE denomination of money, knew she had twenty dollars. Ashlyn is contemplative. She will really weigh the pros and cons before she makes her purchase. At least, that is what I assume, with her personality. She has never had money to spend, so we will see!

I keep the money for them, so it does not get lost. Sarah came and asked me for her dollar and let me know how she was prepared to spend it.

"Choc-o-late and gum!"

I asked what about a doll or paints.

"Choc-o-late. But if I had two or three dolluhs, maybe a doll. But I LOVE Choc-o-late!"

It took me back to several Easters ago in Germany. D was in Iraq, and the kids and I went to our Pastor's house for Easter dinner and egg hunts. It had been ages since I had had an adult conversation.

We had the egg hunt, which included eggs brimming with every candy imaginable. Everyone had full baskets and full bellies from the yummy dinner. So I proceeded to get caught up in good adult conversation.

Meanwhile, Sarah ate every single piece of candy in her basket. Then she went to other baskets to scavenge for candy.

When we realized what was going on, her eyes were glazed over and she was covered in chocolate.

I quickly gathered up the candy and said no more today. You have had enough.

"But, I wuv choc-wat."

Or last year, when we went to Hershey's Chocolate Factory in PA. Every single weekend for one year she asked to go back and go on the free ride inside the factory. It takes you around and shows how they make M&Ms from a cocoa bean, the entire process. It was cool, but here is the secret as to why she wanted to go back and specifically ride that ride:

At the end, they give you a small, snack size bag of chocolate. We got the Kissables, and I do not know if it changes periodically. But it does not matter, because it would be chocolate, and that would be fine with Sarah.

It seems like she has been waiting all these years to have her own money to spend on some chocolate goodness.

Now I'm trying to decide if I should inform her she does have twenty dollars, or if I should just dole it out occasionally. I'm thinking she may want to use it all on her beloved chocolate, which over time, not so bad. All at once, glazed eyes and sugar shock!