Marble Breakfast

During the school year, we started giving marbles as a reward.  I asked my friends on Facebook for suggestions on motivating students.  I especially wanted help with motivating Luke with his penmanship.  Luke is VERY busy and has a VERY short attention span!  He'd rather get the penmanship done and go outside than have his work look neat.  Well, that wasn't working for me!  So, one friend suggested putting a marble in a jar each day his penmanship is neat.  Tim also wanted to join so I gave him a marble if his work was done by noon.  He's our pokey fella (just like Jordan was at his age).  :)    All school year we've been doing this.  On some Monday's, I'd announce it was double marble day and they'd get 2.  One time I even gave 5 if they got them all correct on their spelling test.  Whoo-hooo!    The reward was going to be breakfast at Beemans.  (A local family restaurant that has a great breakfast buffet).  

Well, today was the Saturday I picked to go since I got tired of being reminded their jars were full.  Mark, Jordan, Brendan and Hunter had to go do a house's windows and then go to softball practice, so I took the youngest 5.  

We were seated at a very big round table.  As I was getting Titus seated, a couple behind us asked if they were ALL my boys.  Many things went through my head,, "Do you know how many times I'm asked that?" or "No, they're not all mine"  not a lie since ALL mine weren't with me :)  or "Do you think I'd take this many boys out if they weren't mine?"  but they seemed sincere in their interest and rather nice.  (I've gotten many snotty comments about how many we have!!!)  So, I said "Yes, but these aren't all mine, 3 more are with my husband."   "Are those boys too???" the wife asked.    I smiled and said "yes."   They commented on how well behaved they were and such nice boys. I explained how we home school and told them briefly of the marble reward.    We got our MANY plates of food (I think Luke ate 13 sausages!!!) as I could hear the couple commenting about the boys.  

After we were finally done, the waitress came over said our bill was covered and to have a good day!  That couple behind us had already left and I saw the man speaking to the waitress before he left, so I am assuming it was them.  What a wonderfully kind couple!  The boys were so impressed and pleased that someone was being so kind to us!  What a neat time and memory.  Made the sad ending of being done, nice as we were surprised by not having to pay!