Music to someone's ears

Oh, the ice cream truck. I hear the music coming, in the distance, and do anything LOUD I can to ensure my kids DON'T hear it. That music is one of the sure signs of summer, I suppose. My kids have always known that the music represents ice cream, so last summer we took the advice of a friend and told them that when you can hear music playing, the truck is out of ice cream and needs to go fill up again. This summer Emma is too smart for that. The truck started coming around last week, and Emma even witnessed two of her friends exchanging money and ice cream with the driver - darn! She often asks if we can get some; it's not that paying $5 one time for a lame popsicle is a huge deal, but I'm worried it will become something she looks forward to and expects. So...my sweet, resourceful Emma has been collecting money. Not that old PAPER money, since everyone knows that's useless (I'm ok if they continue to think that). She's been collecting quarters, pennies, and dimes. She just brought me her stash and told me that next time we hear the truck, she is going to use her own money to buy something. How can I turn that down?

So now my ears are grudgingly open for that awful music, so we can run out and satisfy the only desire of a frugal 4-year old. And of course I'll have to sacrifice my own money for Tyler's benefit since I know he'll want one too. Too bad he's not yet as resourceful as his sister. All things considered, he may never be as resourceful...she's a tough act to follow. Can I blame Emma for being frugal? I like to think she gets it from me.

I guess if we get to spend lots of time outside in the sun, running around and trying to catch moths, picking flowers, and enjoying ourselves, we're entitled to spend a lot of money on some yummy, cold goodness every once in a while. (I can thank my sweet grandma who just gave us each $1 inside of our belated Easter eggs.) It IS that time of year for ice cream. And my kids deserve it. Packing is not their idea of fun. Ice cream is.

(Is the ice cream truck everywhere? Or just in our state?)

**Update: This just in - I just witnessed Tyler putting a loose dollar bill into his pocket "to buy something at Target." I guess things are taking a turn around here...