Storm front coming

There are many reasons why Linnea's upcoming week could be fabulous, but there are also several reasons why it could be a disaster.

Fabulous first. Linnea is extremely organized, loves list making and planning. She has been contemplating her meals and coming up with ideas to both have enough snacks and to keep people from eating them too fast. The latest I've heard involves separating servings of snacks into individual baggies -- I remember doing this once when the kids were little. It was successful, but a lot of work. Linnea is not afraid of work!

She is also a natural at budgeting. For years, she has been dividing her earnings into money she can use and her "Life" fund. I think she may be ready to buy a house by the time she is 21! I am expecting some use of coupons as well. Linnea has watched a few episodes of Extreme Couponing, and finds the idea of getting something for nothing to be quite delightful. (Likes most of us, however, she hasn't quite figured out why it might be necessary to own 100 tubes of toothpaste, even if it was $0.10 per tube!)

Here's the problem. Linnea is also a pleaser. I fully expect her response to complaints about a lack of food to be, "oh, I'm sorry! What can I get for you?" At which point, she will hop on her bike and be off to make sure everyone is happy. Too many trips like that and she will be broke by Thursday. Please understand, I don't think her generosity is a bad trait, I just worry that her need to keep people happy may backfire in this case. Leading to the next problem . . .

If Linnea is the first one to run out of money (Caroline has $31 left with two days to go), she will be devastated. She will both feel like a failure and worry that we will all be hungry for the remaining days. I can see this project being the topic of lifelong therapy sessions! Of the four children, I go into Linnea's week with the most trepidation, while also imagining great success, as I know how much she loves to cook and bake. This may be the week that we do eat muffins and cookies for dinner, or at least dessert, because I know Linnea will keep us fully supplied!

Let's all hope that Linnea's excitement can overcome her natural anxiety, otherwise there may be some tough days next week!