Counting coins.

After gathering up everyone who wanted to make the trek to the bank in town, I found myself with all the little kids and no big helpers. No matter. I can handle those babies just fine. One problem, the jar weighed over 30 pounds I'm guessing. It was much heavier than Ralph!

We parked at the bank, prayed together, and then I got out the double stroller. Ralph in the front, Ruby in the back. Thomas pushed it. I carried the loaded jar. Rose and Leroy opened the doors. What a sight!

We could only dump about half of the coins into the machine at one time. I was nervous to press the start button. I guess I was afraid it would make lots of noise, but mostly it just jingled like change in your pocket. Halfway through, the coin counter stopped because a bag inside was full. A lady came to replace it and we started counting again.

A digital display indicated the running total in dollars. It was fun to watch the money add up! We poured the rest of the coins in and watched the total approach $100. We all cheered when we hit $100 and the counting continued.

Then...I bumped the jar. Yes, it fell to the floor...smashed! After all the care that I took to carry it carefully while it was heavy and full, I had to bump it and smash it now that it was empty. *sigh*

Of course, I was not allowed to clean up my own mess. Liability and all. The counting continued. A few coins were spit out and I threw them back in! The grand total? Way more than I expected:

• 2514 pennies
• 281 nickels
• 477 dimes
• 203 quarters
• 1 half dollar
• 1 dollar!

That adds up to $139.14 in coins. There were also some foreign pennies and assorted bills in the jar making the total somewhere around $180. (I'm rounding up!) I was really hoping for about half that much.

I've brought out a new jar. A friend sent this jar to me full of potato soup after Ralphie was born. We have already begun our 2010 coin collection, starting with the mother lode that I found in daddy's trunk!!