Chore Chart...

I made a chore chart for the kids today. I just bought the cute tree/squirl paper last week on clearance for .41(craft wherhouse) it was perfect!( I just cut parts out and glued it to green cardstock & then covered everything with contact paper. I added a brown ribbon at the top as well.) Every day they are in charge of 3 chores: cleaning their room, an easy chore(like organizing the movies) and 1 harder chore (like cleaning the bathroom or help folding laundry) Then each week, we will rotate the chores and if they do them with a happy attitude, they can also earn their points!

Pee & a block of cheese...

You know those moments when you're on the computer and it's super quiet, and apart of you actually thinks: Wow, my kids are being SO good? And then your older kids come into the room and say, "Mom, Grace peed on the kitchen floor!" And then you go to see the pool of pee on your recently cleaned floor, while your 3 year old is completely naked biting into a block of cheese??? Really?

New Year Goals & projects...

As a Mom, I am reminded 500 times a day of all my flaws, I don't need new Years to remind me of what needs changing, I have 4 kids and a type A personality that remind me constantly! I've needed to get better with a reward system, so when I stumbled across this idea this morning, I knew I needed to borrow/change/add to some of her idea's and implment it ASAP! I found it on www.theidearoom.blogspot.com, it's a great blog- you'll love it.
So, from now on when the kids do their chores without whinning, help each other, are kind to one another, do things without being asked- they will earn a point. At the end of the week, we'll add up points and then they can pick a treat out of the box, or as she calls it, the "store"! If they earn a super card, they'll get to pick a dinner idea, bakee a treat with Mom, stay up 10 minutes past bed time etc... If they earn a naughty card, it will cancell out one of their point cards. I loved the idea! (I was doing points with the kids and when they earned 10, they got to go to the dollar store and pick a treat- but this is nice because we can stay home and do it!)
I am working on a chore chart as well.

Sledding with friends...

Yesterday we woke up to a few inches of snow and it was the perfect day to go sledding! We took the kids to the "airplane" park, met Annikan & Angie there and let the kids go sledding for a hour. They had a lot of fun playing with each other.

Fun in the snow...

I read on line of a cute idea to do for your kids when it was snowing outside... simply fill spray bottles with water and food coloring and let them decorate the snow with fun colors. The kids enjoyed it and even tried to spray a few neighbor cats! (Shh, don't tell anyone!)

Nothing better than a sleeping baby...

In a few weeks I'll be teaching a lesson at church about Heavenly Father, and in it, it asked the question, what evidence is there that he exists?...

...this my freinds.

God is all around us- and I thank him for making himself evident in my life.

Christmans afternoon...

It was a perfect day to drive up to Idaho city. The roads were clear, the sun was out and the snow was beautiful. We had a great dinner with Ellen & Will, and the kids played all afternoon. Will & Trav took the girls sledding, while Tristin & Joshua played the Wii for hours. Ellen & I nursed baby's, ate and lounged on the couch talking. It was a nice day...

More fun...

Lots of presents...

Christmas morning...

The kids woke up about 6:50 yesterday morning and waited patiently for about 50 minutes, for G-ma & G-pa to arrive. We had a great morning filled with lots of presents. It was nice to have trav's parents over to watch the kids. We had hot chocolate and cinnimon rolls and then got ready to go up to Idaho City to spend the rest of the day with Aunt Ellen, Uncle Will & the cousins!

Happy Birthday Grace & G-ma Edith!

December 22nd was Grace's actual birthday, and she just so happens to share it with her Grandma! We went over that night to visit, have cake & play games. Earlier in the morning, Grace kept saying,in a grumpy voice " It's not my birthday, I already had my party!" I love these girls! (You would have thought I would have done her hair, huh? Apparently not!)

Willow...

Here's a few to make you smile! (I love the wide eyed one, I took 20 pictures and the flash was driving her crazy!)

A great night with friends...

Friday night we got together and met at Andrea's house for food and fun. It had been awhile and we were despretely needing "a fix". We took Papa Murphy's over and ate pizza, talked, laughed and opened presents. Christy, Gabe & "baby Bridgett" came too, it was a great night with friends!