6 Months and still going

It is hard to believe it has been 6 months since we opened the resturant. We are fixing to really start advertising around the area and mixing things up. Up to this point we have relied on word of mouth and it has done us well but it is time for us to expand our audience. We are looking into newspaper and radio so far. We have also been approached by the people who put the coupons on the back of the register reciepts. I never realized just how expencive that is.

After 6 months we all have our little nitches but we have discovered we can be useful in other places and we have discovered we are not indispensible. Thomas is the fry guy but is good on the grill too. In my absence he can cover the window and is quite charming when he wants to be.
Amanda is the main cook. She deals with the grill but her joy is in planning and making the dinner menu. She will do the window but prefers to stay in the back away from it.
Robert is the all around man. He will help out in any area he is needed at the time. He is also quick with numbers so he does all the ordering and if we have a catering order he is the one we go to because he know what he paid and what we can sell it for.
As for me I avoid the kitchen as much as I can. I am not a cook so for the safety of our customers I stick to the window. I am also the bookkeeper. Sonething for which I have no training but feel I am doing a good job. We havn't bounced any checks and the bills are being paid on time. I know there is more to it than that but I am learning as I go. I like adding up the register and the safe and coming out even at the end of the night.
Kathryn and Sam are just along for the ride. sometimes when it gets busy I have them come out and back me up by making drinks or taking them next door. At the end of the night they get to split the tip jar. I have told them that if they don't do the work they don't get paid so we have an unearned tip account ( which is just an envelope in the safe) that some weeks gets lots of money added to it and some weeks gets none. We are using that money for their summer activities since money is so tight in our personal accounts.
There has been some bickering, we can it bantering, nothing big just everyday getting on each others nerves stuff but we work through that and keep going. Its funny we used to hold onto anger and hurt feelings for longer but when you work in such close proximity with the same people everyday you have to learn to forgive and forget alot quicker or you will be a jumble of nerves.
TTFN, love to all, must get ready for church.

Saturday

Ok so things did not go exactly as planned for today. But on the whole I can usually roll with the changes pretty well. Here is how the day went. Yesterday we recieved a call about a second catering job. The gentleman thought when he talked to Thomas last week that was all he had to do. He never called back to confirm, to say how much, or what time. Needless to say we were very unprepared but we rolled with the punches. Robert wound up going to Sams this morning to get what we needed which meant I had to take Thomas and amanda to Havana and then get me and the girls to the church for the babysitting.

Everything went fine there the girls and I had fun at the church. After we left I took Sam and dropped her off with a friend to spend the day with her. Kathryn and I went to Lowes to get a project to do.

Because of the 2nd catering order Kathryn and I wound up going back to the resturant to help out for a little while. It wasn't for long it it wasn't too bad. Kathryn and I came home and she is outside playing in the sprinkler right now. Her day has been a good day because that is what she wanted to do today. Nothing else mattered as long as she got to play in the water.

So even though we did not do all we had planned it turned out to be a good day off.

Day Off

We are experimenting this week with each of us having a day off. Yesterday was Amanda's day and today is Robert's. thomas gets tomorrow. The kids are loving this because they are away from the resturant 5 out of 7 days now. They love it when Thomas has a day off because he lets them get away with murder at the house. Saturday is my day this week which is good because I am babysitting for the church on Sat. The girls and I have so much fun playing with the babies when we do this.

Saturday afternoon we are going to have a movie day. We are covering up the windows so it is dark and having popcorn and such. They are going to invite over a couple of friends they have not seen this summer and have a grand time. And I am going to get to see and visit with my friends too.

Jessica and Hunter came up for a visit Sunday and Monday. The kids went to the movies and then went to Chuck e Cheese for the afternoon. They all had fun together. I miss doing things like that with them and seeing them all laughing together. I am glad they enjoyed themselves though. Sam, Kathryn, and Hunter tried riding bikes together but every bike we own either has a flat tube or the tire itself is bad. Guess we need to work on that before the next visit. They did get on the trampoline and the girls tackled Hunter. Kathryn later said that she was surprised that Hunter could jump on the Trampoline. She thought he was too old for it. I told her anybody of any age could jump if they put their minds to it. I guess she pictured mommy on there because she started giggling.

My day

My day was so slow. We did talk about each of us being able to take a day off this will keep the kids away from the resturant and busy with other things for 4 days out of the week. It will take all 4 of us on Monday and Friday but the other days we will rotate being off. I am happy about this because it will give me a chance to do some fun summer things with Kathryn that I did not think I would get to do. I must go to bed now I am so tired.

It's Sunday

Sunday is the best day of the week, in our opinion. It is our one day away from the resturant. Kathryn is becoming very possessive of Sundays. She just wants to go to church in the morning and then have the rest of the day at the house to play or watch movies. If I even suggest grocery shopping to her it is a no go she wants to stay home with daddy and veg like daddy.

At the resturant no that we are on summer break , mostly, we still do some math and reading, I am having to be more creative with things to keep her occupied. I have more crafts back int he office and she is coming out and helping me more by making the drinks and delivering them to the customers. She has fun doing it and it is a big help to me. I also let her and Hannah play in the afternoon rain yesterday. Thomas thought I had lost my mind but I had brought a change of clothes because I knew that there would be a day that it was not thundering and lightening that they could go out and play and have fun. I did have to be cautious because it is still a parking lot but they were great about staying on the sidewalk.

Must close now because we are off to church and I have to help Robert with his class today. TTFN

Kathryn's 7th Birthday

Kathryn ( turning 7 ) and Hannah ( turning 8) wanted a Build a Bear Hawaiian Slumber Party. These were their guests. Sam, Grace, and Daylin. Haddy was supposed to be here but was sick and K's other friend Grace celebrated a few days later with her. The first thing they did was to make leis out of flowers.
each one was as unique as it's owner.

Can't have a luau without a grass skirt.
After everyone was dressed for the party we had Glamour Shots. All the girls took turns in front of the murals posing. We had a great time. sometimes they did individual shots and sometimes group shots.

Here are Hear no evil, See no evil, and Speak no evil.

Danda made this totally cute cake.

Here is where the party took on a life of it's own. the early part of the evening I had planned out from here on I let the girls take it where they wanted it to go. They decided to dance...

... and play with Little Pet shop characters.

finally around midnight the last one fell asleep.

The next day we had a private party with Danda, Robert, Daddy, and Sam. The first three had been at the resturant the night before so missed all the festivities. Kathryn just enjoyed having two parties.

In the spirit of the Hawaiian theme we decided to open a coconut. I must admit it was not a great success. the milk and meat inside were spoiled and smelled awful. I do not think K will ever look at a coconut in the same way. K and H gave each other gift cards to Build a Bear so I took them to make a new friend.