When I got home today there was a package waiting on our doorstep. I brought it inside and went to open it when I saw that it was addressed to Zach. At first I thought it was the long lost box from my parents, but alas, it was not. The return address said it came from Minnesota. Who does Zach know from Minnesota? Luckily, Zach practically followed me into the door. I gave him the package and he preceeded to open it. What was inside it? A glass Kool-Aid pitcher. Zach looked at me, holding up this unique gift with a look on his face saying something like "this could only come from you or your side of the family." I thought about the possibilities, a belated Wedding present, winner of a drawing of some sort, a wish granted from my fairy godmother, or . . . I knew it.

I picked up my phone and called my mother. "Hey mom, guess what I got in the mail today? A Kool-Aid pitcher."

"About time. We were wondering when you would get that."

I know many people are probably puzzled by this gift. You are not alone. When I tried explaining to Zach why I was calling my mom, he looked a little bewildered. So, here is yet another story about the Rodriguez clan. Since before my birth the Rodriguez and Alexander clan having been drinking Kool-Aid. At Gram's it was usually cherry, at our house, it depended on who was making it. Every time we made a batch we collected the points that were on the backs of the packages. We probably had at least two to three batches made a week (on account of there being 5 people in the house). And remember, we have been collecting these since before I could remember. We had a jar we placed them in. When the jar filled, we put the points into a tin in the garage and set the jar back out to be filled again. With all these points adding up you would think that we would have gotten some really cool stuff from the points catalog. Well, we would have, if we ever turned them in.

Now fast forward about ten years or so to June of 2010, when Graham (my sister's boyfriend) asked about all the points. After my family recounted the story of the infamous Kool-Aid points, they decided to go online and see if they could still redeem anything. Fortunately for them they got there just in time. The Kool-Aid company was closing their point system after June 30th. So, what do you think my crazy family did? They bought out the place. Pitchers, towels, shirts, and refrigerator holders were purchased for practically everyone in my family. And can you believe, they still had about a thousand points left! I am pretty sure our fmaily single-handedly kept the Kool-Aid company in business for the past decade or more.

So, now Zach and I are proud owners of an official Kool-Aid Pitcher. (Now I need to go out and buy some Kool-Aid. )