Okay - I know I have said it before, I LOVE cake. I really do, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE vanilla cakes with vanilla frosting from Safeway (a grocery store here in Canada). It is a sick obsession, honestly it is...someone close to me must come to my house and save me from myself. I accidentally bought to much cake and it not as much was eaten as I had predicted (there was two kinds) and I was left with alot.
...So, I had cake last night, then I had cake at midnight, then a bit more when I woke up at 2 am, then cake at breakfast, then a bit more for a morning snack...some at lunch too, and a bit more for afternoon snack too and maybe some for supper and well, maybe some after supper as well...and there is still more left!!!!
My very good son took a large piece to help me out when he saw I was going back for more and I even sent some home with my mom today - but help me!!!! I have no ability to walk away from the cake!!!! It is a sickness, I can't even help myself! I actually wrestled my son to shove a piece whole into my mouth!!
The sugar level has reached toxic levels, I actually wrestled my son when he tried to stop me and shoved a whole piece into my mouth!!! It is a sickness, I can't help myself! I need reinforcements! I need backup, so please, please come help me!!
Showing posts with label My family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My family. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Summer
During June I am dreaming of long, lazy days spent basking in the sun. Warm skin, cool drinks and the shrieks of happy kids playing. I am dreaming of doing nothing and having to go nowhere. Yet summer is over in a blink of an eye. The end of summer is looming ahead of us and the back to school shopping and preparing will soon begin.
My summer days passed with not a whole lot to show for them. I have totally put aside all goals of learning for easy reading historical romance books, all the while doing the bare minimum around the house, which is basically laundry and dishes, and I don't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight or got up before 10. But that is what summer is - a break from all the mundane, everyday tasks, chores and demands that occupies my time during the school year, yet, I have to admit that I am a bit ashamed that I am not using my time a bit more effectively.
Over the next three weeks my Jesse and Tia's days will be filled with back to school prep (Justin is away for all of August). Tia will be have two weeks dedicated to getting ready for fall dance classes and will spend most of her days at the dance studio preparing for fall exams. Tia's final week will be spent in a volleyball camp getting ready for fall tryouts. Jesse on the other hand will fill his final summer days with First Aid and lifeguard training, with some extra time spent lane swimming as he wants to increase his strength and speed. Plus, Jesse wants to prepare for his driving learners test and do a bit of driving training - hmmm, we will have to see about that one.
With two of my kids buckling down and ready to work hard towards their goals, I too will resume working on goals from my Ten Year Plan. The first thing I am going to re-focus on is studying sign language. I know I will want to use it during volleyball season with Tia, so I need to study hard and then practice with Tia so that she will have some practice too (although she reattains it far better then I seem to).
I will also clean my house on Monday - I mean REALLY clean my house. The kids will be out of the house all day and I am going to do both my weekly and monthly clean jobs - both of which have been largely neglected as of late. I will then move on to the yard work. Jesse, Justin and I have been keeping up with the yard work, but I think that some extra time spent weeding and fertilizing may be needed. Plus, it seems like a endless pile of flip flops and runners is growing on my front porch and balls seem to be laying everywhere - soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, and kick balls. So before the rain hits - and it will - all those balls will need to be picked up and put back into the bin in the garage. All in all - I think my cleaning will take me all day Monday and some of Tuesday.
Summer is coming to a close and days filled with nothingness is definitely over...but it was nice while it lasted!
Christine
My summer days passed with not a whole lot to show for them. I have totally put aside all goals of learning for easy reading historical romance books, all the while doing the bare minimum around the house, which is basically laundry and dishes, and I don't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight or got up before 10. But that is what summer is - a break from all the mundane, everyday tasks, chores and demands that occupies my time during the school year, yet, I have to admit that I am a bit ashamed that I am not using my time a bit more effectively.
Over the next three weeks my Jesse and Tia's days will be filled with back to school prep (Justin is away for all of August). Tia will be have two weeks dedicated to getting ready for fall dance classes and will spend most of her days at the dance studio preparing for fall exams. Tia's final week will be spent in a volleyball camp getting ready for fall tryouts. Jesse on the other hand will fill his final summer days with First Aid and lifeguard training, with some extra time spent lane swimming as he wants to increase his strength and speed. Plus, Jesse wants to prepare for his driving learners test and do a bit of driving training - hmmm, we will have to see about that one.
With two of my kids buckling down and ready to work hard towards their goals, I too will resume working on goals from my Ten Year Plan. The first thing I am going to re-focus on is studying sign language. I know I will want to use it during volleyball season with Tia, so I need to study hard and then practice with Tia so that she will have some practice too (although she reattains it far better then I seem to).
I will also clean my house on Monday - I mean REALLY clean my house. The kids will be out of the house all day and I am going to do both my weekly and monthly clean jobs - both of which have been largely neglected as of late. I will then move on to the yard work. Jesse, Justin and I have been keeping up with the yard work, but I think that some extra time spent weeding and fertilizing may be needed. Plus, it seems like a endless pile of flip flops and runners is growing on my front porch and balls seem to be laying everywhere - soccer balls, volleyballs, basketballs, and kick balls. So before the rain hits - and it will - all those balls will need to be picked up and put back into the bin in the garage. All in all - I think my cleaning will take me all day Monday and some of Tuesday.
Summer is coming to a close and days filled with nothingness is definitely over...but it was nice while it lasted!
Christine
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Growing Up and Moving Out
It feels quiet around my house as of late. It is very different then when I had four young kids running around my house. When my kids where young there was a constant clatter of noise that made me feel like I would sell my right arm for a bit of piece and quiet. Something was always happening - fighting, crying, banging of toy trucks, the bossing a small, but determined little princess...
Quiet was only reserved for night time when everyone was gloriously all asleep or when the kids were being particularly naughty, like making a magic potion out of laundry detergent or causing a great flood like in Noah's time in the bathroom with small men and animals. Quiet time was basically unheard of.
Yet things do change - one day I woke up and realised that things have definitely changed around here! Now quiet seems to be the norm. Sleeping in and taking naps is loved by all and quiet reading or watching movies is a favorite activity. Every now and again I hear music coming from my daughters room and some pounding on the floor and I know that Tia is once again practicing her ballet, or I hear the kids make plans to go into the field to play soccer or someone bangs around in the kitchen to put together a sandwich, but all in all, it is eerily quiet around here.
This summer also came with another big change. I helped my eldest son pack up his stuff and move out. His once VERY messy room now stands clean and empty and his spot at the dinner table now sits empty.
It is a weird feeling, mixed with happiness and relief of not having the argument to clean his room or having to do his laundry, along with the terror of not having my child under my watchful eye, and knowing that it is totally up to HIM to make good choices now, not me.
As I watch my eldest son work his first full time job and take on the responsibilities of bills and rent I have to admit that I feel a mixture of pride and fear, all mixed up in a tangle of emotions. Questions and thoughts have swirled around in my mind of what I did right...what I did wrong...what is my role now...what does he still need from me?
Even though there is some relief when your kids move out, it is hard to let go. Now, when I look into the eyes of my adult child I remind myself that he will never be too old or outgrow his need for the love, guiding and understanding of his mother and I am reminded that the argument over a messy room will not last forever!
Christine
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Hmmmmm....
Did you know that 12 year old girls can be KILLED by giant worms????
Also, that when chased with a worm by a teenage boy and a father who is acting like a teenage boy that the same 12 year old girl can scream loud enough for the whole neighbourhood to hear and wonder who is being being killed?
Hmmmm...she was almost KILLED by the giant worm!!!!!!!!!
Also, that when chased with a worm by a teenage boy and a father who is acting like a teenage boy that the same 12 year old girl can scream loud enough for the whole neighbourhood to hear and wonder who is being being killed?
Hmmmm...she was almost KILLED by the giant worm!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Vancouver Island
We are going to Vancouver Island over spring break this year. We have a friend who has a vacation house in Campbell River who has graciously offered to let us use it so we will be packing up and driving the 16 plus hours to spend a glorious week on the Island.
My husband has driven out a few times (he has family in Vancouver) with the boys, but Tia has never been, and I have not been out since 1997. Wow, that was a long time ago!
I have never much cared for the city of Vancouver (sorry all those from there!), too much traffic, too big and it definitely encroached on my space issues - but the Island was another story. I loved it there! My husband and boys spent two weeks in Campbell River in August and my son Jesse fell hard. He phoned me and said that he felt that he belonged there, like it was part of him and that he never wanted to leave. He was ready to leave all things in Alberta behind and move.
My husband, knowing our love for the Island, is a wee bit concerned that Jesse and I will revolt at the end of our trip and refuse to come home, so he is currently working on updating his resume, researching local airports, and planning appointments with possible employers - but also storing extra ropes in the trunk in case he needs to take Jesse and I back to Alberta by force!
He knows that Jesse and I want to move, and being the good husband that he is, and wanting to make us happy, he is attempting to find work on the Island - not easy for a pilot without a float endorsement. But who knows, maybe at the end of 10 days the only reason we will be coming back to Alberta is to put our house on the market and pack!
I am currently planning out our trip - trying to pack as much sightseeing and fun into that week as possible! If anyone has any suggestions of "must see/do" activities I am all ears!
Blessings,
Christine
My husband has driven out a few times (he has family in Vancouver) with the boys, but Tia has never been, and I have not been out since 1997. Wow, that was a long time ago!
I have never much cared for the city of Vancouver (sorry all those from there!), too much traffic, too big and it definitely encroached on my space issues - but the Island was another story. I loved it there! My husband and boys spent two weeks in Campbell River in August and my son Jesse fell hard. He phoned me and said that he felt that he belonged there, like it was part of him and that he never wanted to leave. He was ready to leave all things in Alberta behind and move.
My husband, knowing our love for the Island, is a wee bit concerned that Jesse and I will revolt at the end of our trip and refuse to come home, so he is currently working on updating his resume, researching local airports, and planning appointments with possible employers - but also storing extra ropes in the trunk in case he needs to take Jesse and I back to Alberta by force!
He knows that Jesse and I want to move, and being the good husband that he is, and wanting to make us happy, he is attempting to find work on the Island - not easy for a pilot without a float endorsement. But who knows, maybe at the end of 10 days the only reason we will be coming back to Alberta is to put our house on the market and pack!
I am currently planning out our trip - trying to pack as much sightseeing and fun into that week as possible! If anyone has any suggestions of "must see/do" activities I am all ears!
Blessings,
Christine
Friday, January 29, 2010
Ten Year Plan??
So my dear sister was up thinking about goals last night and it got me to thinking. What exactly are my goals of what I want to do? I am always telling my husband and kids that if they need a plan of what they want and how to get there. I admit, I love lists, I especially love writing other people lists, although the feedback that I have gotten is that others do not especially love my lists, hmmmm.
So as my birthday is coming up, and as my dear son Jesse informed me, soon I will be closer to 40 then I am to 30 (lovely son eh?) and therefore am running out of years to get things done in my 30’s. Besides that, I have big plans for when all these kids are adults ,and seeing that I will be a mere 40 when my youngest turns 18, I think that I will make my list a ten year list.
Things I want to do over the next 10 years:
1. Buy a boat – I am not sure what type of boat I want, but at this point I would be happy with anything from a kayak to a motorboat.
2. Take up skiing – I have always regretted not knowing how to ski, but I am a bit clumsy and I have always worried that I would severely injure or kill myself. Plus, it is an expensive hobby, one that we have not been able to afford to indulge.
3. Go to England and drink tea and eat crumpets - well I would actually do more than that, but that would be a good place to start.
4. Run a marathon – well at least a half marathon. Actually writing that as a goal seems kind of scary.
5. Learn sign language – Tia started to teach me, but I am old and forget things fast that I don’t use. I need to take the class I think.
6. Learn how to play chess - I do “know” how to play chess, but I think a bright monkey may be able to beat me. I need to know how to play to win.
7. Learn my geography! It is embarrassing that I seem to have no ability to retain where things are in this great world we live in. I am going to buy a HUGE map to mount in my family room as a good start.
8. Read at least 20 “classics” and form my own opinions of them.
9. Go to the symphony.
10. Get my first face lift – he, he, he. Okay, very vain, shallow and frivolous, but hey, it is still a goal :)
11. See at least one of my children get married and have the gift of my first grandchild. Okay, I realize that this is not within my control – but maybe I could put it on their 10 year plan???
12. Go on an Alaskan cruise.
13. Read the entire Bible (I have to admit that I have skipped some of it).
14. Go to Italy with Jerry and Dar.
15. Learn how to drive a motorcycle and drive across Canada with my hubby.
16. See the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island).
17. See the Grand Canyon.
18. Go skydiving (maybe…).
19. See a whale in the wild.
20. Travel the Southern States and try “Southern food”.
21. Go somewhere tropical on vacation, somewhere with long, hot, white beaches where they serve liquored drinks with little umbrellas in them.
22. Be a tourist in New York for a weekend.
I guess we will see how much of this list I get done...I want to do alot of traveling, there were lots of other places I could have added, but I rained myself in a bit.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Christine
So as my birthday is coming up, and as my dear son Jesse informed me, soon I will be closer to 40 then I am to 30 (lovely son eh?) and therefore am running out of years to get things done in my 30’s. Besides that, I have big plans for when all these kids are adults ,and seeing that I will be a mere 40 when my youngest turns 18, I think that I will make my list a ten year list.
Things I want to do over the next 10 years:
1. Buy a boat – I am not sure what type of boat I want, but at this point I would be happy with anything from a kayak to a motorboat.
2. Take up skiing – I have always regretted not knowing how to ski, but I am a bit clumsy and I have always worried that I would severely injure or kill myself. Plus, it is an expensive hobby, one that we have not been able to afford to indulge.
3. Go to England and drink tea and eat crumpets - well I would actually do more than that, but that would be a good place to start.
4. Run a marathon – well at least a half marathon. Actually writing that as a goal seems kind of scary.
5. Learn sign language – Tia started to teach me, but I am old and forget things fast that I don’t use. I need to take the class I think.
6. Learn how to play chess - I do “know” how to play chess, but I think a bright monkey may be able to beat me. I need to know how to play to win.
7. Learn my geography! It is embarrassing that I seem to have no ability to retain where things are in this great world we live in. I am going to buy a HUGE map to mount in my family room as a good start.
8. Read at least 20 “classics” and form my own opinions of them.
9. Go to the symphony.
10. Get my first face lift – he, he, he. Okay, very vain, shallow and frivolous, but hey, it is still a goal :)
11. See at least one of my children get married and have the gift of my first grandchild. Okay, I realize that this is not within my control – but maybe I could put it on their 10 year plan???
12. Go on an Alaskan cruise.
13. Read the entire Bible (I have to admit that I have skipped some of it).
14. Go to Italy with Jerry and Dar.
15. Learn how to drive a motorcycle and drive across Canada with my hubby.
16. See the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island).
17. See the Grand Canyon.
18. Go skydiving (maybe…).
19. See a whale in the wild.
20. Travel the Southern States and try “Southern food”.
21. Go somewhere tropical on vacation, somewhere with long, hot, white beaches where they serve liquored drinks with little umbrellas in them.
22. Be a tourist in New York for a weekend.
I guess we will see how much of this list I get done...I want to do alot of traveling, there were lots of other places I could have added, but I rained myself in a bit.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Christine
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Happy Birthday Brandon!!
Today is my eldest son's 17th birthday...how time flies by!
On the menu tonight:
Marinated bbq steak
Garlic mashed potatoes
Roasted tomatoes
Cesar salad
Crab stuffed jalapeno peppers
Homemade icecream cake
Happy Birthday Brandon!!
On the menu tonight:
Marinated bbq steak
Garlic mashed potatoes
Roasted tomatoes
Cesar salad
Crab stuffed jalapeno peppers
Homemade icecream cake
Happy Birthday Brandon!!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
My 100th Post
.
Here is what my daughter thought I did to my hair back in the 80's - pretty close eh? All I need is some blue eyeshadow, black mascara and hot pink lipstick and I may just pull it off! Time has flown by here in blogger world, and for my 100th post I will do something that I have enjoyed reading from others...
100 Things You May Not Know About Me:
1. I always have my toenails polished, and have since I have been 13 or 14. The longest I have gone without polish on my toes is maybe 4 hours and it drove me crazy!
2. I love to dance around my house - the fact that it drives my kids crazy is an added bonus :)
3. I am a bit of a sci-fi freak...I love the Star Wars movies, the Star Gate Series, the Matrix movies. My husband and eldest son like sci-fi movies, I must have got it from them!
4. I love musicals - Annie, Sound of Music, Oliver and Disney movies like the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast are a few of my favorites.
5. I am a cookie freak - and have been known to down up to a dozen homemade cookies, fresh from the oven in no time flat.
6. I serve cake for breakfast...this one is my dad's fault, he would always let my sister and I have cake for breakfast the day after our birthdays and the habit just sort of stuck. Soooo good with a cup of coffee.
7. I hate gardening - there is not much worse of a chore to me then weeding!
8. I love to read romance novels - my heart just melts.
9. I would rather get practical gifts than romantic ones - I would take a new vacuum over a piece of jewelry any day!
10. I got a new frying pan for Mother's day and was over the moon.
11. I drink coffee till 10:30ish then switch to tea for the rest of the day.
12. I was raised with alot of British roots - tea and scones anyone?
13. My favorite people to hang out with are my kids :)
14. I love watching my middle boys together, they remind me of my sister and I, watching them together soothes my soul on those over hectic days - a blessing strait from God!
15. My middle boys, Jesse and Justin, are step-brothers - Jesse was almost named Justin.
16. Although I love talking and being with others, I love my own company and hanging by myself.
17. I spend way too much time agonizing about the wrinkles on my forehead - very silly, very vain, I know.
18. When I walk I like to do so with purpose - walk like you are going somewhere!
19. I turned 34 this February.
20. I am a bit of a clean freak.
21. Piles make me go a little bit batty.
22. When I am upset my kids tell me I remind them of Storm off the X-men.
23. I have a very bad temper, which through Gods grace I can normally control.
24. Maybe my hair should be red?
25. I have a tendency to be a bit over dramatic.
26. Two of my children have gotten this trait from me - the three of us drive the other three crazy!
27. My first love language is Acts of Service.
28. When my sister comes to visit she always makes me my bedtime tea (cause she loves me so).
29. Everyone in my family are great cooks, but I am the only one who loves to bake.
30. I love going to the Rocky mountains - I can feel God's presence wash over me.
31. I am not naturally organized - I must work hard at it.
32. I was a hyperactive child.
33. I was a total dare devil and drove my parents batty!
34. I got a child just like me, now he is driving me batty!
35. I tend to lean on the side of being an over protective parent.
36. I am glad I had my kids young (all four by the time I was 22), I was more easy going and went with the flow more back in my 20's.
37. By the time I am 40 my youngest child will be 18 and my eldest will be 23.
38. I am going to look fabulous when I am 40 so no one thinks that those kids could be mine!
39. Some of eldest son, Brandon, friends saw us walking together one evening and teased him at school the next day thinking I was his girlfriend - he was mortified and traumatized by the entire event!
40. I have a precious little girl named after me - Megan Christine - she is soo much like me.
41. When my feelings get hurt I normally act angry.
42. I love double espresso lattes sprinkled with cinnamon.
43. I love to make homemade soup, but I don't enjoy eating it.
44. I didn't like meat till I was pregnant with my first child.
45. My sister did not like veggies and so her and I would switch my meat for her veggies when my parents were not looking.
46. When I was around 10 or 11 I put on a pair of my mother's pantyhose and ran up and down the street with them on - I felt guilty for years about doing it, still kind of do!
47. I have lived in the same city since I have been 5, but I was born in Ottawa, Ontario and then moved to the North West Territories, then to Florida before moving to Alberta.
48. I grew up with only girls around me, my parents friends had all girls too, my first experience with boys were my own - needless to say I was a bit shocked!
49. When my boys where little I thought they might kill me they were so naughty and busy!
50. All of my boys have broken a bone - two needed surgery to fix it!
51. My daughter is alot like me and it scares the heck out of me!
52. I have a psychology degree with a minor is sociology.
53. I met my BFF in college.
54. My husband and I met when I was 14 - he was 17 so I lied about my age and told him I was 16, I confessed a couple of days later.
55. I was a rebellious teenager and still sometimes have to fight a rebellious spirit.
56. I love that my husband grows a beard.
57. I love to go for walks or hikes.
58. I am pretty good at checkers, but all my boys can beat me at chess.
59. My kids think I am the best cook in the world!
60. I am not good at taking pictures.
61. I love taking day trips.
62. I love visiting historical sites, reading historical novels, and basically daydreaming about historical times.
63. When electronics do not work for me I tend to smack or hit them in order in an attempt to make them work - this causes my husband and eldest son great trauma.
64. I don't like the cold and the snow, but I don't think I could live somewhere that doesn't get snow.
65. When I get overwhelmed or down I dream of running off to an island where there is nobody else there.
66. I'm a screamer - I startle easy and scream in my shock. I do this in movies alot and have scared the pants off those around me and embarrassed my poor kids (he, he, he). When I saw Narnia and the fox jumped out I scream so loud and jumped so high I startled the entire theater!
67. I don't like black pens.
68. I LOVE being a mom!
69. Even though I got pregnant very young, I was overjoyed and took to motherhood right away.
70. Learning to become a good wife has not come as easily.
71. I still have a hard time convincing myself there is nothing "under my bed".
72. One of my favorite foods are hamburgers with mayo, pickles, hot peppers and Tabasco sauce.
73. I click my nails when I am upset or stressed.
74. My favorite Christmas treat is butter tarts right out of the oven (yum).
75. My favorite cake is vanilla with vanilla frosting.
76. I clean when I am irritated or cranky.
77. Sometimes my house is REALLY clean!
78. I like to write boring research papers (don't know why).
79. We have two dogs - but I am really more of a cat person.
80. I get really motion sick - in cars, planes and amusement rides.
81. The older I get the worse it is - even watching others twirl around now can make me sick!
82. I love getting back rubs.
83. I love looking through old cookbooks -the older the better.
84. The only thing I don't like tossing out or getting rid of is books.
85. I have always wanted a small library in my house with one of those moving ladders like off of Beauty and the Beast.
86. I have always love taking long showers, I find it more relaxing then a bath.
87. I have always wanted to live on a rocky cliff overlooking the ocean so I could hear the crashing of the waves.
88. I have always wanted to visit Scotland and Ireland...maybe when the kids are grown.
89. When I was younger everyone told me I should become a lawyer.
90. I love laying in the sun and napping...aaahhh.
91. I love laying in my bed in the morning and always find it hard to get up.
92. I think old cars and trucks are cool.
93. I can't carry a tune very well, but have always loved singing when no one is listening :)
94. My daughter knows how to use my phone better than I do - and she is 11.
95. I often dream of what it would be like to win lots the lottery (but I have never bought a ticket before, imagine that!).
96. When I was little I told my parents that I must have been switched at the hospital and my real family was rich and would eventually find me.
97. I am still a bit afraid of open back stairs - I watched People Under the Stairs in my youth and it scared the wits out of me!
98. I make melt in your mouth cheesecake (honest !!) - my favorite is eggnog cheesecake at Christmas (chocolate swirl and mocha are my families favorites).
99. I still love to climb and would love to go mountain climbing with my family.
100. Some of my favorite memories with my kids are turning the music up real loud and dancing around the kitchen with cleaning up after dinner.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Christine
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Homemaking
I love being a homemaker and I feel completely fulfilled and satisfied, yet I have noticed that many women feel that if they "just stay home", that some how their job is just not as important as when they worked outside of the home and I often hear that they feel that they are just “not good at it”. On top of this, many women feel the pressure of their family (and friends) to contribute financially, especially in recent times when prices seem to only rise and incomes stay the same, jobs security is low and unemployment is rising.
I remember when I was younger thinking that to be considered strong, hard working and confident I would have to have a high paying and respected job. Well, I sure didn’t get it, much to the disappointment of some; yet in many ways I believe my job, although low paying, and in many ways, not respected, is the foundation of not just my family, but also my community.
There have been times in my life, when I have taken contract work that has caused me to put in 8 hour days outside of the home for weeks (or months at a time), and although the financial pressure did ease, other pressures increased 10 fold. Now don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for mothers that work full-time outside of the home. There are definitely some women whose God-given talents lead them into a variety of important jobs and there are some single-mothers that don’t even have the option, but there are also a huge group of mothers out in the workforce, who are there only because society as a whole puts so much pressure on families financially – having new cars, taking vacations, putting your children in extra-curricular sports, having hobbies are all expensive - almost all seemingly unobtainable on a single income. Yet, in the process of trying to keep up with the norm, much is being sacrificed. The breakdown of families and youth tells a sad story and shows that children and families are taking the brunt of everyone just trying to keep up.
Look back 50 years when a typical family lived on only one income – things were very different. Most families would have only one car, meaning you would only need to pay for one registration and insurance. Now, many families not only have vehicles for both adults and one (or two or three) for the older children in the home as well – often bought and insured by the parents. Homes were smaller on average, according to the National Association of Home Builders (Housing Facts, Figures and Trends for 2006) an average home in the 1950’s was 983 sq ft, by 1970 it was up to 1,500 sq ft, in 1990 2,080 sq ft and in 2004 a whopping 2,349 sq ft! The average house size has more than doubled! The concept of children sharing a bedroom or often even sharing a bathroom is no longer the norm, in many families each person not only has their own bedroom and bathroom, but also their own television set, dvd (or blue ray) and laptop and/or computer.
All of this has started me thinking about all the stuff I have, especially about all the stuff I want and if what we spend our money on, and what we have, really lines up with what our families priorities are. Keeping up with the norm on one income is not really achievable - but should it even be a goal anyways? In most cases I would say probably not, yet it is so easy to slide into a "wanting it all" mentality without even realizing it. To start thinking about newer and nicer vehicles, a bigger home with a perfect kitchen and lots of bathrooms that is out of town, nice vacations, new clothes, more lessons for the children and on and on and on.
So am I willing to give up some of that?
I guess for me, it really comes down to the fact that time with my children can just never be replaced, once time is gone that is it. I spent the first several years of their lives chasing societies dreams, enhancing my education, striving for a prestigious position in society, and not a day goes by that I do not look back and wish that I had done lots of it differently. I can not change the past, but I do have control over the present, and I believe that one of the best gifts my husband and our children is me staying home.
Being a homemaker, to me, is about making our house into a home. Making the lives of my family comfortable, and have them feel well cared for and well loved. I may not have a lot of formal job experience, but my life experiences are rich and I thank God everyday that I have been given this opportunity.
Blessings,
Christine
I remember when I was younger thinking that to be considered strong, hard working and confident I would have to have a high paying and respected job. Well, I sure didn’t get it, much to the disappointment of some; yet in many ways I believe my job, although low paying, and in many ways, not respected, is the foundation of not just my family, but also my community.
There have been times in my life, when I have taken contract work that has caused me to put in 8 hour days outside of the home for weeks (or months at a time), and although the financial pressure did ease, other pressures increased 10 fold. Now don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for mothers that work full-time outside of the home. There are definitely some women whose God-given talents lead them into a variety of important jobs and there are some single-mothers that don’t even have the option, but there are also a huge group of mothers out in the workforce, who are there only because society as a whole puts so much pressure on families financially – having new cars, taking vacations, putting your children in extra-curricular sports, having hobbies are all expensive - almost all seemingly unobtainable on a single income. Yet, in the process of trying to keep up with the norm, much is being sacrificed. The breakdown of families and youth tells a sad story and shows that children and families are taking the brunt of everyone just trying to keep up.
Look back 50 years when a typical family lived on only one income – things were very different. Most families would have only one car, meaning you would only need to pay for one registration and insurance. Now, many families not only have vehicles for both adults and one (or two or three) for the older children in the home as well – often bought and insured by the parents. Homes were smaller on average, according to the National Association of Home Builders (Housing Facts, Figures and Trends for 2006) an average home in the 1950’s was 983 sq ft, by 1970 it was up to 1,500 sq ft, in 1990 2,080 sq ft and in 2004 a whopping 2,349 sq ft! The average house size has more than doubled! The concept of children sharing a bedroom or often even sharing a bathroom is no longer the norm, in many families each person not only has their own bedroom and bathroom, but also their own television set, dvd (or blue ray) and laptop and/or computer.
All of this has started me thinking about all the stuff I have, especially about all the stuff I want and if what we spend our money on, and what we have, really lines up with what our families priorities are. Keeping up with the norm on one income is not really achievable - but should it even be a goal anyways? In most cases I would say probably not, yet it is so easy to slide into a "wanting it all" mentality without even realizing it. To start thinking about newer and nicer vehicles, a bigger home with a perfect kitchen and lots of bathrooms that is out of town, nice vacations, new clothes, more lessons for the children and on and on and on.
So am I willing to give up some of that?
I guess for me, it really comes down to the fact that time with my children can just never be replaced, once time is gone that is it. I spent the first several years of their lives chasing societies dreams, enhancing my education, striving for a prestigious position in society, and not a day goes by that I do not look back and wish that I had done lots of it differently. I can not change the past, but I do have control over the present, and I believe that one of the best gifts my husband and our children is me staying home.
Being a homemaker, to me, is about making our house into a home. Making the lives of my family comfortable, and have them feel well cared for and well loved. I may not have a lot of formal job experience, but my life experiences are rich and I thank God everyday that I have been given this opportunity.
Blessings,
Christine
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Burn Fat – Not Oil
I saw that on some guy’s shirt the other day and thought that it pretty much described my life right now and it made me giggle.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that we were having vehicle trouble. My poor van is not doing so well, it has high kilometers and things are just breaking down. Even if my husband had time to fix what is wrong with it, it would still cost more to fix it than what the van is ultimately worth (fixed). With registration and insurance due, we decided to park the van for the summer and try and figure out what to do in August for the school year. We looked at lots of vehicles, but never really found a great deal, or the perfect vehicle, nor did we really ever have any peace over any of the purchases we were considering, so in hopes of saving money over the summer, we decided the best thing to do was wait.
So the kids and I (Brandon - 16, Jesse - 14, Justin - 14, and Tia - 11) will need to burn fat, not oil, if we want to get somewhere!
I realized some things very quickly:
1. That my husbands jeep that seats 5 does not fit 6 people, no matter how hard you try push them in!
2. Jesse can get even hungrier than he already was.
3. Jesse can actually eat more than he already was!
4. That the likelihood of actually saving any money is slim, I am just using all of the saved money to feed Jesse!
5. Tia can bike slower than she can walk, so slow in fact that I can barely keep my bike upright.
6. Walking in runners after my daughter used them and stretched them out causes blisters.
7. That if I don’t want my daughter to “borrow” my shoes I must hid them.
8. That when your water bottle leaks, just be thankful that you were not carrying it and that your son looks like he wet his pants, not you (sorry Jes).
9. That Brandon can actually walk faster than everyone else and when he has a designation in mind he is very capable of walking there.
10. Tia has less energy walking somewhere than she does walking home afterwards - after walking over 10 kms she seems to complain less!
11. That peaceful walking requires earplugs or music to drown out the children’s bickering, complaining and questioning.
12. That so far (since July 1st) we have walked, biked or roller bladed: 46 kms (or 20.9 miles)
13. That this may be a very long summer!!!
For more Frugal summer tips check out Frugal Friday!
Christine
In an earlier post, I mentioned that we were having vehicle trouble. My poor van is not doing so well, it has high kilometers and things are just breaking down. Even if my husband had time to fix what is wrong with it, it would still cost more to fix it than what the van is ultimately worth (fixed). With registration and insurance due, we decided to park the van for the summer and try and figure out what to do in August for the school year. We looked at lots of vehicles, but never really found a great deal, or the perfect vehicle, nor did we really ever have any peace over any of the purchases we were considering, so in hopes of saving money over the summer, we decided the best thing to do was wait.
So the kids and I (Brandon - 16, Jesse - 14, Justin - 14, and Tia - 11) will need to burn fat, not oil, if we want to get somewhere!
I realized some things very quickly:
1. That my husbands jeep that seats 5 does not fit 6 people, no matter how hard you try push them in!
2. Jesse can get even hungrier than he already was.
3. Jesse can actually eat more than he already was!
4. That the likelihood of actually saving any money is slim, I am just using all of the saved money to feed Jesse!
5. Tia can bike slower than she can walk, so slow in fact that I can barely keep my bike upright.
6. Walking in runners after my daughter used them and stretched them out causes blisters.
7. That if I don’t want my daughter to “borrow” my shoes I must hid them.
8. That when your water bottle leaks, just be thankful that you were not carrying it and that your son looks like he wet his pants, not you (sorry Jes).
9. That Brandon can actually walk faster than everyone else and when he has a designation in mind he is very capable of walking there.
10. Tia has less energy walking somewhere than she does walking home afterwards - after walking over 10 kms she seems to complain less!
11. That peaceful walking requires earplugs or music to drown out the children’s bickering, complaining and questioning.
12. That so far (since July 1st) we have walked, biked or roller bladed: 46 kms (or 20.9 miles)
13. That this may be a very long summer!!!
For more Frugal summer tips check out Frugal Friday!
Christine
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
When it Rain it Pours
Here in sunny Alberta we go through long periods of no rain. The sun shines brightly, winter or summer, and you can spend hours just basking in the glory of Gods beautiful sun. Being that I have lived here since I have been 5, I am use to our dryer climate and nothing feels better to me than the hot sun on a summer’s day baking my skin (no steaming allowed!!). It makes me feel comforted, almost like God Himself is wrapping His arms around me, making me feel safe and well cared for.
But sometimes the rain comes.
I don’t like the rain, it is cold and wet and it makes the dogs and boys smell, it gets my house and van dirty and it makes my hair frizzy. There is nothing to really like about the rain, but yet after a good rainfall things seem to look better. The grass is greener, flowers seem brighter and all the dirt and dust have been washed away.
So is this true in life too?
Lately I feel like I have been dealing with a constant dribble of rain, which has recently turned into a downpour. At every turn things are going wrong, in the last week we have decided to retire our van and go to one vehicle over the summer (van is old and payments on a new vehicle is just not in the budget), our washing machine broke, our lawn mower stopped working and we noticed that something was leaking in our main upstairs bathroom so we are going to have to open the wall to fully diagnose it and fix it, to top it all off we received an unexpected bill in the mail and I received a speeding ticket. Once you add in the typical marriage, kids, school, and jobs my hair is not the only thing lift frizzy!
My prayer is that after this down pour things will look greener, brighter, and all of the dirt and mess of life has been washed away.
But sometimes the rain comes.
I don’t like the rain, it is cold and wet and it makes the dogs and boys smell, it gets my house and van dirty and it makes my hair frizzy. There is nothing to really like about the rain, but yet after a good rainfall things seem to look better. The grass is greener, flowers seem brighter and all the dirt and dust have been washed away.
So is this true in life too?
Lately I feel like I have been dealing with a constant dribble of rain, which has recently turned into a downpour. At every turn things are going wrong, in the last week we have decided to retire our van and go to one vehicle over the summer (van is old and payments on a new vehicle is just not in the budget), our washing machine broke, our lawn mower stopped working and we noticed that something was leaking in our main upstairs bathroom so we are going to have to open the wall to fully diagnose it and fix it, to top it all off we received an unexpected bill in the mail and I received a speeding ticket. Once you add in the typical marriage, kids, school, and jobs my hair is not the only thing lift frizzy!
My prayer is that after this down pour things will look greener, brighter, and all of the dirt and mess of life has been washed away.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
In Honour of Father's Day
To Jeremy - 50 Things I Appreciate and Love About You:
1. That you always make sure to get me directions when I go out of town so that I know where I am going.
2. That you love everything I cook and you say “thank you” after every meal.
3. That even if you don’t love everything I cook, you never say so.
4. That you genuinely appreciate that I work hard to keep the house clean.
5. That you are kind and gentle with the dogs.
6. That you would never take all the coffee in the morning (even though I would, and have).
7. That you aren’t afraid to ask for directions - asking always makes you look smarter and makes me feel well taken care of.
8. That you never curse or use foul language around the kids or me.
9. That you don’t associate with people socially who talk negatively about others behind their back.
10. That I know that you would never speak negatively about me behind my back or complain about me to others.
11. That you don’t rush off and make lots of purchases without discussing it with me.
12. That even when you are annoyed when I am bossy about our finances (hey, a budget made is a budget followed right?), you don’t just go buy things to spite me.
13. That you never complain when I take 30 minutes showers (…only when the kids do).
14. That you never have once left your wet towel on the ground.
15. That most days your dirty clothes actually make it into the laundry basket – not the floor.
16. That when you ask me to do something for you and I forget, you are gracious about it and not crabby.
17. That if I forgot to make you coffee at night in your coffee pot, you would never take mine.
18. That when you get up before me you try to be quiet and leave the lights low by closing the bathroom door most of the way to give you just a wee bit of light – even though I do not do the same for you when I get up before you (hey, I have to see to put on my makeup!).
19. That you never complain if I spend money on makeup or special girlie products and services.
20. That you have told our boys that they shouldn't complain when women spend money on makeup or special girlie products and services.
21. That you tell Tia and I our eyebrows look nice after we get them done, even though I don’t think you can tell the difference.
22. That your feet are almost never cold!
23. That you grow a beard because you know I like it.
24. That you can fix almost anything and save us tons of money doing it!
25. That you make our children a priority by allowing me to stay home.
26. That you take really good pictures.
27. That you don’t loose your temper or act irritated when doing at a task that is just not working out.
28. That you clean up all dead things that our cats or children have brought home or found.
29. That you spend time with Brandon and you are one of his best friends.
30. That you never complain that I am over-protective of the children (even though sometimes I am).
31. That you go on every overnight field trip that I sign you up for to keep an extra eye on my sweet babies and to make me feel better about them leaving.
32. That you always call when you are going to be late and you always call me on your way home.
33. That you never complain when I make a mess then run out the door without cleaning it up –even though sometimes complain when you do it.
34. That you wash the house windows once a year for me because I hate to do it and can never figure out how to get the darn things back in!
35. That Tia spent the better part of 9 years in our bedroom and you never complained or where grouchy (and see how well she sleeps in her own bedroom now?).
36. That you are kind to my parents.
37. That you work at jobs you don’t (or haven’t) liked to provide for our family financially.
38. That you are careful when putting things together or assembling things and never rush the job and do it poorly.
39. That you like to play tennis and will play with the kids and I.
40. That you take the boys on special camping trips or special outings.
41. That you play Wii Fit with Tia.
42. That you always let me pick the show or movie at bedtime (and hardly ever complain).
43. That you rarely raise your voice to the kids or me.
44. That you almost always let me have the last say when it comes to decisions for the kids for things like schooling and activities, it makes me feel like you trust my parenting.
45. That you tell other people that I work hard.
46. That you never leave toothpaste in the sink.
47. That you give the best back rubs ever!
48. That you will go early when you pick up Tia just because you know I like it and so I won’t stress out.
49. That you tell the kids to listen to their mother.
50. That your arms fit perfectly around me and there is no other place on this earth that feels better.
Happy Father’s Day – I love you!!
Christine
1. That you always make sure to get me directions when I go out of town so that I know where I am going.
2. That you love everything I cook and you say “thank you” after every meal.
3. That even if you don’t love everything I cook, you never say so.
4. That you genuinely appreciate that I work hard to keep the house clean.
5. That you are kind and gentle with the dogs.
6. That you would never take all the coffee in the morning (even though I would, and have).
7. That you aren’t afraid to ask for directions - asking always makes you look smarter and makes me feel well taken care of.
8. That you never curse or use foul language around the kids or me.
9. That you don’t associate with people socially who talk negatively about others behind their back.
10. That I know that you would never speak negatively about me behind my back or complain about me to others.
11. That you don’t rush off and make lots of purchases without discussing it with me.
12. That even when you are annoyed when I am bossy about our finances (hey, a budget made is a budget followed right?), you don’t just go buy things to spite me.
13. That you never complain when I take 30 minutes showers (…only when the kids do).
14. That you never have once left your wet towel on the ground.
15. That most days your dirty clothes actually make it into the laundry basket – not the floor.
16. That when you ask me to do something for you and I forget, you are gracious about it and not crabby.
17. That if I forgot to make you coffee at night in your coffee pot, you would never take mine.
18. That when you get up before me you try to be quiet and leave the lights low by closing the bathroom door most of the way to give you just a wee bit of light – even though I do not do the same for you when I get up before you (hey, I have to see to put on my makeup!).
19. That you never complain if I spend money on makeup or special girlie products and services.
20. That you have told our boys that they shouldn't complain when women spend money on makeup or special girlie products and services.
21. That you tell Tia and I our eyebrows look nice after we get them done, even though I don’t think you can tell the difference.
22. That your feet are almost never cold!
23. That you grow a beard because you know I like it.
24. That you can fix almost anything and save us tons of money doing it!
25. That you make our children a priority by allowing me to stay home.
26. That you take really good pictures.
27. That you don’t loose your temper or act irritated when doing at a task that is just not working out.
28. That you clean up all dead things that our cats or children have brought home or found.
29. That you spend time with Brandon and you are one of his best friends.
30. That you never complain that I am over-protective of the children (even though sometimes I am).
31. That you go on every overnight field trip that I sign you up for to keep an extra eye on my sweet babies and to make me feel better about them leaving.
32. That you always call when you are going to be late and you always call me on your way home.
33. That you never complain when I make a mess then run out the door without cleaning it up –even though sometimes complain when you do it.
34. That you wash the house windows once a year for me because I hate to do it and can never figure out how to get the darn things back in!
35. That Tia spent the better part of 9 years in our bedroom and you never complained or where grouchy (and see how well she sleeps in her own bedroom now?).
36. That you are kind to my parents.
37. That you work at jobs you don’t (or haven’t) liked to provide for our family financially.
38. That you are careful when putting things together or assembling things and never rush the job and do it poorly.
39. That you like to play tennis and will play with the kids and I.
40. That you take the boys on special camping trips or special outings.
41. That you play Wii Fit with Tia.
42. That you always let me pick the show or movie at bedtime (and hardly ever complain).
43. That you rarely raise your voice to the kids or me.
44. That you almost always let me have the last say when it comes to decisions for the kids for things like schooling and activities, it makes me feel like you trust my parenting.
45. That you tell other people that I work hard.
46. That you never leave toothpaste in the sink.
47. That you give the best back rubs ever!
48. That you will go early when you pick up Tia just because you know I like it and so I won’t stress out.
49. That you tell the kids to listen to their mother.
50. That your arms fit perfectly around me and there is no other place on this earth that feels better.
Happy Father’s Day – I love you!!
Christine
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Summer Time
Well time seems to be flying by in rapid motion, with end of year trips and special events around every turn. Long evenings outside, first trips to the beach and picnics in the sun. I always enjoy this time of year, so much happening, lots of fun going on, the promise of long and lazy summer days are so close. The sun warming your skin, the sand beneath your toes and the smell of sunscreen filling your nose becomes more than some far away fantasy, but instead these fun filled days are so close that you can just taste it. The deep and satisfying pull of summer settles deep within your soul, somewhere where God meets you and calls out to you to leave all schedules and appointments behind and in its place calls out to you to just lay back and enjoy your family and His creation. There is something almost magical about summer, something that soothes my soul and eases all the stress from a too busy school year. And as we move into my eldest son’s last year of high school before graduation (Gr 12), my middle boys last year of middle school (Gr 9), and my daughters first year of middle school (Gr 7), I feel like this summer is definitely one to be savored as big changes are on there way.
Yesterday morning my daughter and I went to our local farmers market, Tia was on the lookout for mini donuts and homemade soap (she’s hooked and can’t go back to what she calls “regular soap” – what a drama queen!) and I was on the look out for some local produce and I wanted to see what was new at the market this year. It seems like every year it just gets bigger and bigger and much to my delight the produce spread out everywhere was fabulous and ended up having a very hard time deciding what to get. We like a lot of leafy greens, and beets are a total treat, but lets just say that any vegetable cooked on the bbq will be eaten in a hurry!
So what did I decide? After much humming and hawing we finally decided on a tomatoes, a cucumber, beets, jalapeno peppers and strawberries - plus some cinnamon honey for a treat (it is soooo good). So last nights menu will included grilled chicken, grilled jalapeno peppers, red peppers, onions and tomatoes and baked potatoes loaded with sour cream and chives. This morning my husband and I had strawberries, yogurt and granola – which is my personal favorite
Since I spent all afternoon and evening doing yard work, then topped off the day with a game of tennis, lets just say that today will be quieter and slower (as my aching muscles demand it!)! My husband and boys have taken off to play some paint ball, which means my daughter and I will have the whole house to ourselves all day long and it will be early in bed tonight for everyone’s early start tomorrow, which will kick off a very busy week.
So here is to all you Canadian’s that are anxiously waiting for school to be over and all the lounging and playing to begin – just two more weeks :)
Blessings,
Christine
Yesterday morning my daughter and I went to our local farmers market, Tia was on the lookout for mini donuts and homemade soap (she’s hooked and can’t go back to what she calls “regular soap” – what a drama queen!) and I was on the look out for some local produce and I wanted to see what was new at the market this year. It seems like every year it just gets bigger and bigger and much to my delight the produce spread out everywhere was fabulous and ended up having a very hard time deciding what to get. We like a lot of leafy greens, and beets are a total treat, but lets just say that any vegetable cooked on the bbq will be eaten in a hurry!
So what did I decide? After much humming and hawing we finally decided on a tomatoes, a cucumber, beets, jalapeno peppers and strawberries - plus some cinnamon honey for a treat (it is soooo good). So last nights menu will included grilled chicken, grilled jalapeno peppers, red peppers, onions and tomatoes and baked potatoes loaded with sour cream and chives. This morning my husband and I had strawberries, yogurt and granola – which is my personal favorite
Since I spent all afternoon and evening doing yard work, then topped off the day with a game of tennis, lets just say that today will be quieter and slower (as my aching muscles demand it!)! My husband and boys have taken off to play some paint ball, which means my daughter and I will have the whole house to ourselves all day long and it will be early in bed tonight for everyone’s early start tomorrow, which will kick off a very busy week.
So here is to all you Canadian’s that are anxiously waiting for school to be over and all the lounging and playing to begin – just two more weeks :)
Blessings,
Christine
Thursday, June 4, 2009
What happens to dogs hair when they play on the trampoline!
My dog Rex LOVES our trampoline, we catch him on it almost every time he goes out into the yard. He naps on it, runs on it, jumps on it - he is on the trampoline more than the children are!
He loves to go onto his back and rub his head and back all over with his feet in the air, when he gets up - poof - up goes his hair!
This is not the wind blowing his hair!!!
Silly dog - can you tell that he is the BOYS dog???
Sunday, May 31, 2009
What I did this weekend...
Friday morning the younger three kids and I packed up our stuff, took the dogs and went to spend the weekend at the lake. It wasn't really swimming weather yet (as the last of the ice just melted off the lake a mere two weeks ago), but we still found lots to do.
It was rough, I have to say - all the lounging and napping in between - but what can I say, this weekend God was gracious and provided me with a much needed rest!
Hope your weekend was just as blessed,
Christine
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Chore Charts and Lead Roles - WFMW
I am not a naturally organized person, like most others I need to work at it. Things do not automatically fall into place and left up to my own memory, appointments will be missed, bills forgotten and important tasks will never actually get done.
I found out a long time ago that to keep on top of having four kids, a husband that works shift work and a busy extra-curricular schedule needed a lot of planning so that I did not slowly go crazy! Lists are my friend, I have always loved making lists, but the basic list was not near good enough for trying to organize my week, so I started making chore charts. Don’t groan, these are not some hi-tec lists that are complicated and tell you what to do every moment of the day – these charts are guidelines of who is responsible for what and when. I found that if the kids were always responsible for the same thing, for an entire year or on a rotational basis, they were far less likely to argue, roll their eyes, make comments about how it is not their turn and other such complaints.
In our house I sit down every August and do up a chore chart, for both kids and adults, for the entire year, based on skill levels, ability, and typical commitments (like p/t jobs). Each person in our house has a “lead role” in at least one area, meaning they are responsible for making sure that job is getting done and being done well. I have the lead role in:
Indoor & Outdoor Cleaning
(supporting – kids)
Finances
(supporting – Jeremy)
Meals
(supporting – kids)
Children – schooling, activities, etc.
(supporting – Jeremy)
My children have both lead roles and supporting roles:
Brandon:
Lead Role - Snow removal
(supporting – Justin, dad)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Jesse:
Lead Roles:
Lawn care – weed whacking, mowing, fertilizing (supporting – Tia, mom)
Dog care
(supporting – Tia, Mom)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Justin:
Lead Roles:
Garbage and recycling
Downstairs pantry
(supporting – Tia, mom)
Supporting Roles - Snow removal, Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Tia:
Lead Role – Indoor plant care
Supporting Roles - Lawn care, Dog care, Downstairs pantry
This works for me!!
(If you have any questions or want further information about how this works for me – just let me know!)
Happy organizing!
I found out a long time ago that to keep on top of having four kids, a husband that works shift work and a busy extra-curricular schedule needed a lot of planning so that I did not slowly go crazy! Lists are my friend, I have always loved making lists, but the basic list was not near good enough for trying to organize my week, so I started making chore charts. Don’t groan, these are not some hi-tec lists that are complicated and tell you what to do every moment of the day – these charts are guidelines of who is responsible for what and when. I found that if the kids were always responsible for the same thing, for an entire year or on a rotational basis, they were far less likely to argue, roll their eyes, make comments about how it is not their turn and other such complaints.
In our house I sit down every August and do up a chore chart, for both kids and adults, for the entire year, based on skill levels, ability, and typical commitments (like p/t jobs). Each person in our house has a “lead role” in at least one area, meaning they are responsible for making sure that job is getting done and being done well. I have the lead role in:
Indoor & Outdoor Cleaning
(supporting – kids)
Finances
(supporting – Jeremy)
Meals
(supporting – kids)
Children – schooling, activities, etc.
(supporting – Jeremy)
My children have both lead roles and supporting roles:
Brandon:
Lead Role - Snow removal
(supporting – Justin, dad)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Jesse:
Lead Roles:
Lawn care – weed whacking, mowing, fertilizing (supporting – Tia, mom)
Dog care
(supporting – Tia, Mom)
Supporting Roles - Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Justin:
Lead Roles:
Garbage and recycling
Downstairs pantry
(supporting – Tia, mom)
Supporting Roles - Snow removal, Vehicle care, Home maintenance
Tia:
Lead Role – Indoor plant care
Supporting Roles - Lawn care, Dog care, Downstairs pantry
This works for me!!
(If you have any questions or want further information about how this works for me – just let me know!)
Happy organizing!
Christine
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Who needs a home alarm?
Someone came to our home the other day and tried to convince me of the benefits of having a home security system – all the while my dogs barked, watched and were ready to “protect” if they saw the need. I stood there thinking “are you serious? The wind can’t blow our trees around without my dogs noticing and throwing a fit!” The poor guy tried to explain that strangers would not be able to get into our home (like they could!), that our kids would not be able to sneak out (like they would dare!)
Now if I could just train the dogs to be quiet on command I would be happy, but since I am still working on that I will try and be thankful for the time being for yappy dogs protecting our home!
Now if I could just train the dogs to be quiet on command I would be happy, but since I am still working on that I will try and be thankful for the time being for yappy dogs protecting our home!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Boys Will be Boys
You know boys, no matter their age you just can't get them out of trees!!! Here is one of my middle boys and my hubby sawing of some branches that got broken from a storm we had late last summer.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Dance Recitals
Well the craziness of the two weeks leading up to the end of dance - therefore the year end recital - has officially begun! For the next two weeks my days will revolve around hair, makeup, costumes, dress rehearsals and finally the big night (or should I say FOUR nights).Honestly, I can't complain. I love dance and watching my daughter on stage. Now I might be a bit biased, but she is so beautiful she takes my breath away!
Next year Tia is wanting to go competitive, but she also is on the track team, volleyball team, basket ball team and the badminton team! So I am thinking that this dance studio is just right. For the last two years she has done both Jazz and Lyrical (this picture is of last years Jazz number - Tia is in the middle) and this year, as always, I am sure Tia will amaze us.
Christine
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)