"What?" I asked. "You know what a fundraiser is?"
"Yeah! I'm raising money by having an art contest. I'm charging fifty cents an entry and I've already made over thirty bucks. It's amazing how fast quarters add up."
I just gaped at her. She has more cash than I do! At that point my phone rang--AND KEPT RINGING--for the next few days. "Hello," the kids calling would say. "I need more information about the Scribe's art contest."
Once a mother even called. "Your daughter stopped by my house. Now, what is this fundraiser for?"
"Honestly, I don't know," I said. A few minutes after that, I turned to the Scribe. "What IS the fundraiser for."
"Myself," she said and walked away.
"Oh no you don't! Get back over here. You can't hold a fundraiser for yourself. What are you offering as the prize anyway?"
"That?" she asked. "Five bucks AND I told the kids they could be on the cover of your next book if they win."
I was silent for a while. Stunned really. "Why did your teacher let you make those sign-up forms?" I groaned.
"That's the great part. We've had a sub!"
Unfortunately, this didn't end well for the Scribe. Yesterday her real teacher found out and had my entrepreneur give all of the money back. I was happy about that consequence.
"Mom," the Scribe said. "Why do I always get in trouble?"
"It's because you didn't ask about the cover first. You have to ask about these things. Plus, getting money for yourself from a fundraiser, well that's against school policy."
"I'm not like anyone in this family," she said.
I smiled, remembering something I did in fifth grade. "Oh yes you are. I was always hatching crazy schemes."
"You were?"
"Yep. Do you want to hear a story about how I tricked the boys into letting me play baseball with them?"
She wiped her tears and nodded.
"All right, well one day . . ."
On a side note,
The three talks yesterday went well. I was pretty tired toward the end, but it was a great way to get the word out about the signings this Saturday. Here's where I'll be:
Saturday April 28th 12 - 3pm Playing Music & Signing at the
189 State Street
Clearfield, UT 84015
361 N. 300 W.
Salt Lake City, UT
For more info about my signing schedule, please go here:
I wish that I lived closer so that I could watch you perform! That'd be so cool :)
ReplyDeleteThe whole time I'm reading this, all I can think is, "This kid is a complete and utter genius." LOL ...your kids are a hoot. Also, congrats on the new book release (getting ready to fire up the Kindle and get mine!) and with all the siging/speaking engagements! So proud of you and happy everything is taking off!
ReplyDeleteGreat kid you have there, Elisa. Crazy schemes and all.
ReplyDeleteYou need to get someone to film ya'll playing so you can youtube it so I can see it (and everyone els, too!)
ReplyDeleteIt is good you are recording al these funny things as they happen. Someday your kids will have so much fun remembering through the things you have put don on paper! Good job, Miss Elisa!
LOL! Very clever of her. I wonder what she was going to do with her fundraising money...
ReplyDeleteThat's it! Tell the Scribe I want to hire her as my agent. She's obviously ten times the marketer I am. :)
ReplyDeleteThere's a kid who knows how to get stuff done.
Ahhh the Scribe and her scemes ;) Love your kids!
ReplyDeleteLook out Walmart, the Scribe is on her way and she is only 10. Can't wait to hear the rest of your story. Congratulations on all the opportunities you are getting to promote your writing.
ReplyDeleteWish I could be there!
ReplyDeleteYou were born to be a literary success, my talented friend!
ReplyDeleteTell The Scribe that that scheme was brilliant--but she MUST use her super brain for good instead of evil!! (Someday she may rule the world.)
That is a thousand times better than a lemonade stand! Smart thinking on her part. Only a few fatal flaws. LOL She is going to go far! Best keep a close eye on her though. :D I love this story!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Fishducky! Imagine if she decided to raise money for wells or schools in Africa or something like that! She's going to go far, that one!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see some videos of your talks, too. And hear how you tricked those boys. ;)
Your daughter sounds like so many kids I know. Too cute! But I'm glad to hear she's been set straight on what's acceptable and unacceptable regarding a "fundraiser," LOL!
ReplyDeleteI love reading about your kids! I wish I leaved nearby so I could see you perform!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, did you ever ask her what she was planning on using all that money for? You got me curious now.
ReplyDeleteI guess she wanted to buy hexbugs--whatever those are LOL! Maybe it's a good thing she didn't get to keep that money ;)
DeleteAmazing! I have a niece that turned 12 years old this year and they think like adults. Raising money is a good way for children to know how important and how hard it is to raise money. It's a learning process.
ReplyDeleteI love the mind of a smartypants girl. Awesome to behold. I hope you find ways to encourage her initiative while teaching about honesty and the rights of others :o)
ReplyDeletehaha well it was a good idea in theory. One way to get some extra cash haha, really on a roll and the cat likes the cat book store..haha
ReplyDeleteMy granddaughters sell their artwork on the sidewalk to save up to buy a "dog" for their house. One day Mommy said they will use the money to go to the pound and adopt a dog. They are five and seven years old. Children are very smart when it comes to something they want but they don't necessarily think things through all the way through to the end. Live and learn.
ReplyDeleteA smart girl.....she'll go far! She sounds a lot like her mama! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Bible Girl and am in one place you wrote that you wondered how many years people could lose to drugs. My oldest son has lost almost 27 years. The really, really sad thing is that he has two beautiful and wonderful children that he lost along with those years. I think it is the single biggest heartbreak in my life.
I'm loving the book!
Great article! Have a very safe evening and weekend!
ReplyDeleteToo cute! She's really thinking and using her brain!! (even if it was in a slightly bad way!)
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny. She sounds like she has a great mind for business. She sounds smarter than most adults!
ReplyDeleteseyma_bennett@hotmail.com
Kids, ya got to love their imagination, and their logic. lol More I love how you handled it. Firm, but and straight to the point, and yet you made her feel better to let her know she's not a loaner when it comes to mistakes. It was very Mom of you to share some of your own stories. I almost can see the love in your eyes when you looked at her and told her the scheme you did as a child. Great story - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI give an A+ for that money maker from your daughter. I can't wait to hear what innovations she develops by senior year. After being challenged by a classmate, older kid has been creating fashion accessories made out of duck tape--a hat, slippers, a belt, etc.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for him to start accepting custom orders for profit.
Nice work with the speaking Elisa--that must be tiring.
I love that age! My youngest is now 12 and I tell her...NO more fundraisers! After having... that's enough. LOL xx
ReplyDeleteNow I need to hear the rest of the story! :) Great work. My husband is just getting started writing poetry. We all love to read.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, when I first started reading this I was giving your daughter major props. Gosh, the scheme she had! LOL. Gotta give her credit for coming up with it, though!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new book release! I hope the signings go well!
-Courtney P.
www.optimisticmommy.com
www.peaceloverecipes.com
That kid is a rock star! I know I shouldn't be proud of her but I can't help it. I wish you would have let her keep the 5 I gave her though. Her fundraiser was for a good cause that I support after all. lol
ReplyDelete