OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH I don’t want my youngest to grow up.  Noah was always grown up.  I think part of that was he was talking so early.  He was speaking in full sentences by 16 months.  I always dressed him so well.  He looked and acted like a little man.  He had great manners and never liked anything dirty.  He would always clean himself and his area.  He was like an old man in a little boys body.   My sweet little man.

Then there is Cooper.  He is all little boy.  Thrives in dirt, eats just about anything that isn’t moving, and he doesn’t know what fear is.  He is also my sweet little baby.  OK so he is 3 now but he still has that soft baby fat skin.  You know the kind.  The soft cheeks that envelope your lips when you press a kiss on them.  Ah I hope that he keeps those cheeks for a while.

I had to fill the tanks on our two cars the other day.  Whoa that costs a lot.  Our commute is only 2.5 miles so I don’t even remember when we last filled the tank.  Gas is almost over 4.00 now.  I remember when it used to cost $20 to fill the Jeep’s tank.

We have been busy training our staff and I believe by the end of the next week everyone will know how to do every job(opening/closing etc.) and then Gregg and I can have some down time.  I don’t really want a lot of down time.  I love working the Jungle Java.  However, I also love family time.  Last night Gregg, the boys and I got to go to the swimming pool together.  It was fun for all of us to relax and have fun.  The pool is the only place other than Jungle Java that the boys like to play.

We have the Wiggles concert coming up and I tried to break the news to Cooper that Greg won’t be on the tour because he is sick.  Coop woul have none of it.  Every once in a while he comes up to me and says, “Greg’s not sick any more.  He’s coming to the concert.”  I wish I wouldn’t have said anything but I didn’t want him to spend the first 15 minutes of the concert wondering why Greg isn’t there.  I thought I was preparing him.  I wish the Wiggles shows on TV would have more without old Greg so he can get used to it.

Well it’s off to the “office.”

Things are going very well at the Jungle Java.  Today was our best day yet and it isn’t even over.  We hit what we would like to do every day today.  The ad campaign starts next week and I’m sure everyday will be like today if not better.

I love working the Jungle Java.  It is so much fun.  It’s nice to be doing something you like and knowing it pays off for you.  No more working for the man.  Instead, I work for the woman!!!!  I can’t believe we are finaly here!  It seems like it was always this thing that we working towards and now here it is!  At first it didn’t really sink in.  The climax was reached when we opened the doors the first night.  Now it is like riding a high.  I can’t believe we did it and once we get this store under our belt I look forward to building our second store.  We already have some ideas where we would like that one.  It’s almost like being pregnant.  You anticipate what it will be like.  How will it change your life.  I hope everything is OK.  And then it is here and you couldn’t imagine things any differently.  It is perfect.

It’s starting to get hot here now.  It broke 100 today but it’s not as hot as I remembered it being in the past.  I have to say I think my blood has thinned out because I think the perfect day is a nice 92 degree day.  It’s nice and warm but not too hot.  It feels good in the sun but the shade is unbelievably cool and relaxing.  I long for those days again. 

The boys are doing well.  They like their school and love coming to the JJ.  Noah acts like a tour guide to everyone who comes.  I’ve actually had some kids returning to play with Noah.  They ask where he is and when he will be coming.  LOL my little social butterfly.  We are having to “train” them not to come behind the counter and get whatever they want.  They think the JJ is their own personal vending machine.  I had to have a talk with Noah about offering cookies and milk to his friends.  He is so sweet.

I always think of tons of things to write at 4 am but now I am drawing a blank.  Perhaps one night I will actualy get out of my bed and finally post all the things I think, “that would be a good post.”  Until then I hope you all have a very nice weekend!!!!!!!!!!

I think this is so funny.  I got my first mosquito bite of the year.  Those of us from the north know that at this point in the year we would be halfway through a bottle of Calamine lotion.  For those who mocked my swallows they did a good job!  See I allowed a family of Swallows to build a nest in my front porch.  It was kind of a mess and a bit of an inconvenience but I think it paid off.  I always have bad reactions to the bug bites.  My little swallows did me proud!  I may let them come back next year.

The Jungle Java is picking up steam.  We start our ad campaign in the next week.  Yesterday I had a group of moms come in unannounced.  What a nice surprise.  We are already to the point that we are going to hire more staff.  Boy do I have a lot of applicants. 

Well today we get our sign hung so I gotta run.  I know….Gregg will post pics here.

What a week it has been!  We have had a busy week so far.  It seems it will only get busier.  We haven’t even started advertising.  I can only imagine how busy it will be once we get the word out. 

I’m sorry this is short but before I open today I want to canvas the businesses with our food to go menu.  I will promise to post pics soon.  Keep and eye on our website www.junglejavaplay.com for coupons.  WE will be posting some soon.

Time to make the donuts……………….

Well the big party was tonight and our staff did a great job considering they didn’t have much time to practice.  With our friends free party we did a great daily sales in just 2 1/2 hours.  Congrats to our staff, Melissa, Sean, Hannah, and most importantly Sandra who stayed more than 12 hours to set up.

Everything is ready to go and I believe the staff is ready to roll.

I took a bunch of photo’s but I am too tired to run upstairs and download them.  Check Shannon’s site I know she took a lot of photo’s.  Tomorrow is our big day.  I can’t wait to greet our first customer.  Sarah was our first paying customer tonight even though it was a free night.  LOL

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate

Woooooo Hooooooooo.  It’s time to open the doors.  A BIG thanks to Troy, Sarah, RAchel, Brandon, Shannon, Tom, and Gabrielle.  Also a big thanks to our staff.  We got EXTREMELY lucky finding our manager, Sandra.  She helped tremendously having formerly worked in the food industry.  Gregg and I would have been there over night putting things together if not for everyone’s help.  Tonight we have our friends party and tomorrow we open to the public.  This is such an exciting time I am truly giddy.  I can hardly contain myself or sleep.  I can’t wait til I meet our first customer on Saturday.

We couldn’t have better weather for our opening save a rain day.  The weather is suppose to be 100 or higher this weekend.  It’s only mid-July and will get even hotter in August.

I didn’t get home until 10 pm last night and forgot the camera.  I will take it today and send the pics.

Now I have to get to work.  LOL  Best Job I ever had 

Whew, today was a long day.  We got a lot accomplished but there is still so much to do.  Tomorrow is going to be our BIG day.  The cleaning crew came in today and cleaned EVERYTHING!  When I left they were waxing the floors and they looked great.  I forgot my camera but will take pics tomorrow and post them tomorrow night if I am still alive.  It’s amazing to see how the place looks all cleaned up.  We have been working in a messy area for so long but it is SUPER clean now.  They mopped it 3 times.

I can’t wait until tomorrow.  I’m going to rest now and try to relax in order to be prepared for tomorrow.

I feel like a little kid at Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s getting close.  Jungle Java is set to open to our friends on Friday and to the public on Saturday.  I even have a birthday party planned for Sunday.  Things are moving VERY fast.  It’s funny because through this whole process I have kept Gregg cool and now I am losing it.  My stomach is a giant knot.  It’s excitement mixed with “OMG I have so much to do before Friday.”  It twinges even more when a contractor turns to ask me a question.  Of course now we are finding little things that are wrong but they all tell me it will be fixed by the end of the day today.  So even though I have tons to do today I can’t wait for the end.

Tomorrow is our BIG work day.  Tomorrow we get to put everything in it’s place. I have no idea how long it will take to put everything away.  I can’t believe it is already here.  Gosh I am so excited this has been so much fun.  I am having a blast working with my staff and I think we are going to have a lot of fun working.

Speaking of working I have to get to work now.  I’ll update you with pictures later today.  THe clening crew is coming in this afternoon.

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man oh Man.  I have to say I found a new product that I LOVE.  Most of you know that when I love a product I can’t keep it to myself.  Two old time favorites are the magic eraser and that Glad Press and Seal wrap.  That wrap sticks to anything.  Love it.  My new love however is bad.  I love those Lay’s Limon potato chips.  The Chile Limon are just as good.  Now you must know that I am not a snacker.  I eat meals and that is it, not even a desert(except the chocolate thunder down under at outback).  I happened upon these one day and BAM!  The only problem is……..I really can’t eat just one.  I am going to have to kick this habit.

We have been really busy!  I haven’t had time to blog or do much of anything.  Now we have the holiday weekend.  We have BBQ’s this weekend and of course the ball game and fireworks(1/2 price beer on thursdays).  We will be spending most of the weekend at Jungle Java constructing things and putting things in their place.  Things are starting to be finalized.  As with construction things happen but I believe we are on target to open Friday, July 11th for our friends party.  We have hired our first set of staff.  I even trained them for 2 hours today and will pick up on the training Monday.  The play structure guys should be done by Saturday.  They’re Canadian so they aren’t concerned about the 4th of July.  Most of the structure is done already.  Noah and Cooper often play in the structure while we get things done.  This weekend we are going to get some of the guys together and throw a a few cases of beer in our new fridges(they were delivered today) and put together shoe bins and everything.  We can work and all the kids can play in the structure.  Sounds good to me!

The buzz about JJ has been OUTSTANDING.  We are generating 1/3 of the hits on the the JJ site and we are  even open.  I have over 6 groups coming and have one birthday party booked.  We get lots of people stopping by and looking in and just in awe.  They can’t wait til it opens.  No one is more eager than me!!

Well I need to get bak to work.  Once things settle I can get back to blogging a little more.