What's New?

So life is just as crazy as ever and about to get even crazier. We have a never-ending list of things that need to be done around the house. I am happy to say that Stephen is officially finished with his classes at church, but his full-time job 12-9, video business, and online classes still make for little family time. He has actually had to turn down several video jobs recently and has 5 weddings between now and the end of June. I have asked a babysitter to come be my "Nanny" on those days.

I am 35 weeks and 4 days pregnant and trying to stay positive about getting to 37 weeks. I pray that Spencer will be the healthiest baby of all and won't have any bilirubin/jaundice issues. I am grateful that he didn't come during or just before Lauren's recital last night, but there are several events this week that we hope to make.

So looking forward, I am getting excited about Spencer's arrival and Stephen being home for at least a week. After that he will be able to work a normal 8-5 schedule throughout the summer and I hope we can have a "normal" family schedule until school starts again.

So that's it in a nutshell! Hopefully I'll post a little more often when Spencer is born so I can journal his milestones.

Kids doing chores

I posted earlier about starting a "bead system" to get my kids to help out. I am amazed at how much they really can do, even my 2 year old. They love to earn beads and sometimes offer ideas to me like today when Lauren (5) washed her hands and used the towel to wipe the faucet, handles, and behind the faucet. She wanted beads. Why not?

I bought some little beads (a little bigger than a pea) in the floral section at Hobby Lobby and they put them in 4 oz baby milk bottles. The older kids have to fill up to the 4 oz line to get $5, the 2 year old doesn't have to get as many.

So here are just some of the ways they earn beads or get them taken away:

Earn beads:
3 for putting laundry in washing machine (front loading)
1 more for taking the laundry bag back to the sorter
3 for emptying the dryer into a basket
3 for taking their own plates to the counter after each meal (2 year olds can do this)
3 for putting silverware away after I have taken all sharp objects
3 for putting shoes in shoe cubbies when we get home
2 for letting the dog in/out
3 for putting water in dog's bowl
3 (or more) for helping others without being asked to
5 for making their bed without being asked ...note..once my daughter made all the beds just for beads
3 for making bed after being asked
1 for each chair they wipe with a wet wipe
4 for bringing in junk from the van
behaving in church
1 for wiping bathroom counter
doing something helpful without being asked


Beads get taken away for
arguing
not picking up toys when asked
pushing, hitting, kicking (not really a problem in our home)
clothes on the floor
being silly during prayers
not picking up toys in the tub
leaving cups/dishes outside

This list is growing....I love how it works. Not only does it teach the kids responsibility and respect for the home, it helps me do things that are really hard since I am 34 weeks pregnant. I think the older kids could possibly empty more dishes and stand on chairs to put them away, but the 2 year old would want to too and I am not ready for that.

To this day I HATE doing dishes because my mom always screamed (and I mean screamed) at me about the way I did dishes. That is not the way I want to teach my kids. I want them to realize that if we all work together to take care of OUR home, Mommy and Daddy will have more time to spend with them.

Happy Birthday, Caleb!

20062007 2008

2009

My baby boy is 4 today! I really can't believe it.

Right now Caleb STILL loves Thomas the Train and can not only get on the internet by himself, but he can find Thomas videos on YouTube! He quickly learns the songs and sings along. He spends hours putting his tracks together and watching his trains run along. He loves going to the nursery at church because they have a wooden track. He also begs to go play with the train table at Barnes and Noble.He not only knows his alphabet (upper and lowercase) but he uses them to spell out his name. He can also identify numerals and counts to at least 20.

Caleb, Mommy and Daddy love you so much. Your sisters do too. You bring so much joy to our lives. We can't wait to see how you grow these next 4 years.

Feb 21-March 15, 2008 Scrapbook pages

I just learned how to do collage pages. I don't want to use them often but they come in handy for those occasions where I have tons of great pictures and don't want to do more than one layout. The program I used is soooo easy. All you do is click on the pictures you want to use and choose from 2 collage layouts and the program does the rest. It recognizes the people in the pics and crops all by itself!

A friend figured out how to get the paper behind the picture collage.

Then I decided to add some embellishments.

Aha! I just figured out how to add a picture that I don't want and then when I put the collage into Scrapbook Max, I put a paper scrap over it and use it for a title or journaling. I always date my pages.

Jan. 6- Feb. 20, 2008 Scrapbook pages

January 2008 Lauren 3 years, 5 months, Caleb 21 months, Abby not even 1 month.

February

Kids and Chores

Last summer I made the coolest chore cards ever for Lauren and Caleb. I even took a picture of them doing each chore so that my husband could make a sticker out of them and we could put them on the chore chart. If they did 6 out of 7 chores each day, I gave them a coin, After 7 coins, they could choose from the treasure box. It worked wonderfully. Until school started! Maybe that's my husband's fault because he is home with them in the mornings and just doesn't discipline himself to follow through.

A friend was telling me what she does instead of a chore chart and I think I like it. Each child has a plastic jar that they have decorated. When they do good things/chores, they earn lima beans.....more beans for harder chores, less beans for simple chores. When the children do not obey, they get beans taken away. When their containers are full, they get to pick from their prize box.

So right now I am trying to make up the conversion chart. So far I have the following ways to earn "beans":
-taking your own dishes to the counter (even my 2 year old can do this)
-hanging up coats and putting shoes in shoe cubbies
-making the bed without being told =5
-making the bed after being reminded =2
-taking your toys upstairs the first time I ask = 3
-pick up toys outside before coming in = 3
-pick up toys in bathtub = 2
-put away toys on the floor before bed = 5
-clean up playroom before bed = 3
-wiping bathroom counter = 2
-bring junk out of the van = 4
-sharing your special toy = 5
-saying prayers nicely without being silly = 3
-being quiet in church = 7
-setting the table= 5



How "beans" get taken away:
-arguing =5
-leaving clothes on the floor =1
-not picking up after arts and crafts =3
-Pushing = 4
-Hitting = 4

As the kids get older, the list will change but I don't have to hang 3 huge posters and this list can be for all the kids no matter what their age.

I am adding to this list as we speak.

2009 is finished and posted

I completed the last 2 pages last night. I added one layout in August (Lauren's Shamu party) and one more in May (first swim and Ring Around the Rosie). Now I am excited about starting 2008.

My newest layout post

I have finally scrapped Caleb's 3rd birthday party. Check it out here. I waited until the end to do this one because I could not find a layout that I liked and I knew I would have to make my own. Plus, there were so many pics that I HAD to use. Birthdays are very important and I want the kids to have lots of pics of each of their special days and all those who made it special. I think the layouts turned out perfect. Just 2 layouts left....or is it 3? Then I can get a book made and begin scrapping 2008.

Catching up....

I have completed 2009 with just a few gaps. I am currently working on filling in those gaps so it may be awhile before it looks like I have a new post but scroll down...I've just added a layout in April, May, and November. Don't forget to click on pictures to enlarge.

December 2009

Christmas

Lauren's Christmas Party

Misc. Girl Scout Events

Playing in the Leaves

Carnival November 21