No posts lately. Its been a busy few weeks.
We've been:
Spending many nights in the tent outside


Bathing

Spending time with my family

Hanging out with cousins


And taking the kids for a few spins on the Columbia River, one of whom absolutely HATES boating

What works for us

I've been thinking about this post recently since its working so well in our home, and then a friend asked what we do for chores, so here it is.
I have a plastic cup filled with these labeled tongue depressors. They have all the tasks that need to be done around the house.

The thing is, due to my exceptional housekeeping skills, not all of these need to be done everyday. And also due my exceptionally poor housekeeping skills, sometimes these chores cannot possibly be done. When half of our house is spread across the living room floor, I don't really need them to vacuum it - I need them to stay far, far from the living room.

Each morning I pick the chores that can/need to be done for the day - and always in groups of three to avoid excessive fighting make it fun. Some days there's 12 chores, sometimes only nine. Each kid picks their allotment and then reads what they've chosen. I place them face-down on the table so its their fault if they don't get what they want - not the sibling-grabbing-the-fun-chores-first - and yes there are some fun chores at the Eisenhard House of Perpetual Cleaning. The rule is that if they want to trade, and both parties can agree, then they can trade to their hearts' content.

I pay them weekly for the way they've done their work. I don't aim for perfection. There is, however, a lot of teaching going on these days about doing the job well. I pay them for their attitude, though. The rule is that they must do their chores, like it or not, and if they do so with happy attitudes they will be paid.

There are several reasons this works so well for our family. First of all, I do not need one more thing to keep track of, so I don't want a "Chore Chart" that I have to check each day. And I can pick the ones that are needed for the day. I find that I function when there's some order (but not too much :) so when the house is tidied up, life is much more pleasant around here for everyone involved. I'm hoping its teaching them something along the way, too. And when they finish, they get to ring this bell.
Now don't' think for a minute that just because I have all these little people around that I'm off the hook. I have my own list of chores, too. I'd like to say that I pick one each day, but it doesn't quite happen like that. I think I've done three......since April.

Another Game of "Guess How Much"

10 Sobe Lifewaters
1 Box of Excedrin
2 Boxes Honey Nut Cheerios
2 CoffeeMate Creamers


Grand Total: $3.96
Sobe Water: on sale 10 for $10. I had five "buy one get one free" coupons. Plus, when you buy 10 at Target you get a $5 gift card. - All 10 for Free.
Two Boxes of HNC: On sale for $1.99. Had a coupon for $1 off each. $.99 each.
Two Coffeemate Creamers: On sale for $1.99. Coupon for $1 off each. $.99 each.
Excedrin: Buy one, get one free.

I crashed a wedding last week. There was an unattended wedding runner out on the bridge above our house and I thought perhaps someone may be proposing. I ran home and got my camera and waited. The groom showed up and I got the scoop. Their photographer twisted her ankle and couldn't make it so I asked if I could take some photos for fun. He agreed, so I started clicking away.

The bride arrived by horse-drawn wagon and then walked down an aisle on this old bridge (I informed Brooklyn and Madelyn this is where they will be married.)


It was a beautiful wedding for a beautiful bride. I hope she likes the pictures.

Bendaroos

I don't know if you've heard of Bendaroos, but they are being sold on TV, apparently heavily advertised on the cartoon channels. I'd never heard of them, but they appeared at our house last night. They are wax-coated string things. They don't break and the wax stays on them, so I don't know their secret, but they are pretty cool.

So I'm sitting in the kids' room creating masterpieces when Brooklyn and Madelyn start telling me about them. In all seriousness they say "See, Mom, They can stick to a wall, and then we can remove them all! I can make a mask on plate or a gorilla that shakes! And I can even turn a plastic bottle into a fashion model!" And they kept spouting off these creative marketing lines. I've never seen the commercial, but I don't need to now.

Bendaroos. Only 19.95 plus shipping and handling. Not intended for children under three or other kids who eat toys. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Incredibly toxic chemicals used to make the wax stay on the strings. Please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery when all we really have to do is stick your address on the front and throw it in the mail. Order yours today!

Good News/Bad News

Ty was trying to be Superman Wednesday evening at our church playground.
The good news is he walked away.
The bad news is that he walked away with a broken arm - the left arm this time.
The good news is his mom is a nurse and immediately recognized that he probably broke his arm.
The bad news is his mom is a nurse and knew that they would only splint it and wrap it and then charge her an arm and a leg (haha) so she did not rush him to the hospital.
The good news is we were able to go to his pediatrician the next day which didn't cost as much.
The bad news is I think I just recently finished paying the bill from the last arm injury.
The good news is he hasn't required any pain medication.
The bad news is he couldn't have any if he wanted some because I don't even have Tylenol in the house.
The good news is he has broken both arms so this should be out of his system.
The bad news is he still has two legs.