New Blog Look

I figure that most of you read this blog on Google reader - or something like that - but I wanted to write a note to say drop by my blog to see the new layout. I still have some changes I want to make, but the basics are there. I made everything from scratch using a DS kit. So click on over...

Chore Charts

Ok, so we tried ever since school got out last May to set-up a chore system and well...this summer it didn't happen. So with the new school year we vowed to get it done! With a little extra time on my hands (I'm no longer on the entertainment committee or referee at home - and I'm not as involved here as I was in Katy) I created a chore chart.

We wanted to have some paid chores (Chaz begs to be able to earn $$), but some chores they just do because they live here, eat here, and have it pretty good. Here is the result (since I didn't know how to post a Word doc [if that is even possible] I made them into a JPEG)! The blank spots to the left of Feed Winnie, Family Rm, Dust, Vacuum are for the kids' names. They will rotate those tasks every week (in hopes they won't get bored).

I printed both pages and laminated them front/back (I LOVE my laminator). This way the kids can use a viz-a-viz marker to keep track of their stuff and if they have any questions about the job they can look on the back (I will have to read it for the little ones).

In the morning and evenings we use the Children's Miracle Music system my mom gave to us a couple months back. Again, we waited for school to start with this, but my kids LOVE it and I'm not having to "strongly encourage" (translation - yell) at them to get them to get ready on time for school or to get in bed. My kids dance around like crazy people to the songs, and they get done the task at hand.

I had to reorder the morning CD since my kids don't get dressed until after breakfast (they tend to get whatever they are eating all down their shirts), but I just put the CD on iTunes, reordered the songs and burned a new one. Easy!

I haven't been able to find the points chart since the move so I created my own. I needed the morning one downstairs and the evening one upstairs - so I created one for each. This program is purely points based, so no money, but instead of just offering a "date" (the suggested "prize") we offer DS/Wii games, meals at McDonald's, happy hour at Sonic, etc. as "prizes" giving each a point value for the kids to work towards. We will see how all of this goes, but I am encouraged.

Yesterday was the first day the "Opportunity Chart" was in play and I told the kids they have to do their Everyday Jobs before the TV or Wii came on or they could play outside. They did a good job. I had to help Gavin and Aedan a bit, but they were efficient and got the job done in good time.

Off to pick up the kids from day 3 of school!!

P.S. If you are interested in a pdf of any of my charts I would happy to email them out! :)

There's a snake in my....house?

We came home from errands on Saturday and when Aedan walked in from the garage she yelled, "there's a snake". I came around and looked, but couldn't see anything - so we unloaded the van and went on with the day. Then around 2:30 the kids were coming down from quiet time upstairs and she said, "mom come look, there's a snake". Since this was the second time she talked about it I decided to look - and yep...there was a snake! Coby was on an errand so I called him and he was just about home so he came in and we caught it in a box. Took some shots and then he went out and dumped it over the fence. We think it's a bull snake, but not sure...any guesses? I know the pix is fuzzy and the shiney stuff is just something that was in the bottom of the box, not from the snake!

School Dayz

And their off...
Chaz and Aedan start today, Gavin on Sept. 8th!

Catching Up - the condensed version

Coby has posted, but I've been silent for quite a while. I would like to blame it on the move, but I think a better excuse would be a general lack of motivation. This move has been hard (I guess in retrospect all the moves have been a challenge in one form or another)! After 6 months we have: moved into our house, made it a home; the kids finished one school year and are about to start another; become a force for good in our small ward; learned that the nearest Super Walmart is 30 minutes away (in Pampa) and my parents are about 3 1/2 hours away (a quick drive); reconnected with friends from college; found out Coby LOVES what he does (lucky man) and has a good management team behind him; been told the next project is probably cancelled so we will be moving again; discovered the ABQ zoo is AWESOME; gotten a dog from the pound and named her Princess Winnie the Pujols (the princess part was Aedan's idea, the rest was from Coby); had a VERY successful garage sale (made over $400); just tried to make this small town a place we belong.

Borger has been very hard for me because although in this small town everyone is friendly, no one wants to actually be a friend. I have gotten involved on a committee for the school district and I'm PTO treasurer at one of the kids' school (all pre-K and K in one school, 1 & 2 in another, 3 & 4 in another; 5 in another; 6-8 another - then HS - CRAZY) and love being Gospel Doctrine teacher at church (I guess you could say I "campaigned" for the calling and got it [the Bishop asked what callings I liked and I told him my favorite...] - although I LOVED being in the RS Pres too). I also play the piano for RS (this isn't an official calling and it isn't very good - even using the super easy hymns book I ordered from Church Dist), but it is better than the acapella we were singing when I first got here.

The kids and I tried to stay busy this summer, but there isn't a ton to do here. No playdates could be found (people don't even go to birthday parties here, it is strange!), etc. Luckily we went on a 10 day trip to Durango, Co and Farmington, NM in July for a family reunion and reunion with great friends and in August went to Gpa & Gma's for a week. That helped! Although Chaz won't admit it, they are ALL ready to head to school tomorrow morning and I have to admit I am MORE THAN READY!

Chaz will be in 1st, Aedan in K, and Gavin in preschool 2 mornings a week. What will I do with all that alone time??? :)