OH NO! NOT ANOTHER CHORE CHART! SHEESH!

      I have been wanting to make a chore chart for ages. There are so many options out there that its over whelming!  So let me add one more!
     It is really important to us to equip our kids to become age appropriately independent.  There are so many things kids can do around the house so that Mom is not a pick up and cleaning machine.  This also frees up more time to do things with them and not send them off to do the fun things while I get the chores done.  The kids and I work together for a couple hours of each day. (of course there are days I put them in front of a show and get it all done in half the time, but in general we work together).  Work first and play being a reward is a much more realistic model for life to come when our kids are hopefully productive members of society.  We have grown up and found our age bracket to be lazy and entitled (not everyone of course but its a growing problem).  Just imagine what our kids are gong to face.
     Our goal at our house is to work well together.  Pretty simple but if you are a parent you know that just sorting the laundry together can be EPIC!  So we teach and we train and ask Jesus to help us be patient and kind in the process!  Right!

   THE CHART

      I used vinyl off of a box my Mom sent.  She always wraps our boxes in unused vinyl! She is so fun.  I guess you could use a sticker of some sort if your parents don't own a sign company.  For magnets we use magnet strips (also from my parents shop) which Wal-Mart sells.  Left means it needs to be done Right means it is done. (I didn't label eveything cause that just feels cluttered to me).  The star magnet is on Troy's stripe because he is the "Child of the Day" today.  That just means he gets to do extra chores, pray for the meals, and go first anytime there is a turn.

 Here is a up close.  I hope to make cooler magnets and straight lines one day but I didn't want having it "perfect" to stop me from fallowing through when I finally decided what I wanted to do.

Reward

     This is the reward system to go with it.  One penny for each chore and 5 pennies if they take a proper nap. No talking, no playing, they currently lost their 5 pennies as I type.  I am going go to the $1 store and buy a couple of prizes.  I will put prices on each of the prizes and have "O'Brien Store" once a week or a month, I have decided yet.
     This is not all the chores and work they do in a day, far from it but its the ones I want to reward them for.  For every 10 pennies they earn they will get to take one and give it to Jesus at church.  I'm not worried that a penny isn't worth much, it what I have to work with and the concepts of working hard, being paid and giving back to Jesus first are the key right now.  Abi is to young to get much of this but she loves to be included, so she is.
     Today is the first day.  I will try to write a fallow up in a few weeks once the excitement has worn off and let you know if it is still a helpful tool or just one more thing that we don't really need to do just because it seems like everyone else is doing it.  Today they love it and we have had a really productive morning!
 

BEAR IS 4

 It was a good day. I didn't have the money to do any kind of a theme and that was wonderful in its own way. I didn't try to accomplish anything Pintrest and as a result ended up still wowing my kiddo and spending $3 on decorations! Theme Green, his favorite color. I didn't get a picture but there were some streamers and balloons. He was so blessed when he woke up to the house decorated. Paul got to be home just long enough to watch Bear open up his gift from Abi and Troy. LEGO's they worked together to build a bug type space ship. Bear was so gracious sharing his first set of new lego's.

 We did the usual sprinkles on everything we eat all day long and sang happy birthday with every meal. I just love blowing out candles so I do that for my kids multiple times day :).

Went to Big Boys and used out last free meal coupons! 

       We had his "party" at Granny and Grand Dad's. We all had pj's on! Aunt Shell Shell made cake and cup cakes to order. This is the master on the Nijago Lego movies and toys. After Bear told me what kind of cake he wanted and I told Shell he said, "don't worry Mom, I told God what I was thinking and He will tell Aunt Shell Shell." I wasn't worried she is amazing at cakes!

 Papa called while Bear was building lego's with Dad. That is always such a blessing. 

     Bear was blessed with so many fun lego's but the gift that stole the show was the "fart gun." From Mamo and Papa! Yes I said fart gun! It is a gun that farts and strays banana sent. We got to Skye with Mamo and Uncle Lukie as he opened their gifts.

     All of this was fun and wonderful but the greatest gift was that Bear invited the Holy Spirit to live in him today. We were getting shoes on before leaving and we got into discussion about the Holy Spirit and Satin living in our hearts. He said that he keep forgetting to ask the Holy Spirit into his heart and would I help him pray and ask Him in. Yes, Bear I would love to. It was a good day.

Milk

This might be helpful if you have little people in your house that want to pour their own milk. I get one of these "kid milks" and its been a successful trick so far. When its empty I just refill it. Happy pouring!

Home Education

     This is the first week I had a real lesson plan!  Paul and I had a discussion when we were engaged about the education of our one day children.  The conversation lasted about 3 seconds.  He said I'd like to home school our kids.  I said me too.  The end.
     Present day we have a 5 year old, 3 year old and 1 1/2 year old.  Our 5 Troy knows how to read and write. Mainly because I hit the academics hard with him at an early age and he is the kind of kid that does well with structure and a class room, sit down type setting.  I backed off with Troy for a while as God convicted my heart that I was trying to make sure my kids knew how to read above all else.  The English language is my greatest weakness and it affects every other subject.  There was a heart issue that needed to be dealt with.  I was trying to fix what I don't like about myself in my kid. That's like parenting 101 what to never do ever with your kids! I may have had a 4 year old how could read and I could brag about but the motive was super off.  I was encouraged by a wise and dear woman in my life to slow down.  Teach my kids how to do life and do it well.  For the last year or so I have had troy read books here and there but really spent the bulk of our days at home learning how to be a team and run the home together.  Teaching things like cooking, cleaning, setting the table, doing loads of laundry, putting away the laundry, playing with the dog, and so on. Just everyday life stuff.  Its amazing how much to can teach your babies in running the home.  Heart issues, problem solving, math, reading, writing and most of all appropriate interaction with others.  If you are going to do life tasks with 3 little ones you really have to slow down!  I had to search my heart for idols like "my way," "perfect," and "efficient." None of these things are bad in and of themselves but if worshiped will cause you to be frustrated in parenting and frustrated quickly!
     Our home by no means looks perfect....ever but it is maintained.  Our kids understand the concept that life is work and play is a reward.  We work and do lessons 5 days a week.  We have what we call "play day."  This is also Mom's bible study day.  No chores just play.  I of course continue to maintain the home but not to the level or intensity of a "regular" day.
     Now that things are running more smoothly at home I felt is was time to implement a little more structure into our lessons.  Currently we are going through the Alphabet.  One letter a week. This week (my first week of actual preparation and lesson planning) we are learning about the letter "E."  I asked the boys if there was anything they would like to learn about that stared with an "e" sound. They said EGGS!  So I went to the library (BY MYSELF!) and got 8 or so books on eggs.  I pinned a ton video's and craft ideas on Pintrest having to do with eggs.  I started into this week with a plan for each day.  Books, crafts, and games all having to to with eggs and incorporating reading, writing and math.  It took probably 2 hours on my "weekend" and now I wake up with a plan to teach each day already ready to go!  This is so exciting!  I understand that this is  probably very basic to the experienced Home Educator but I am in the beginning stages and just wanted to share as I go through the process God has for us.  I'm sure next week will look a little different.
     To encourage anyone who would like to educate at home but think they can't.  Let me tell you if I can do it any one can!  I also want to mention that I don't think school at home is "the way."  I think God calls different families to function in different ways.  School (lessons) at home is what we believe God has for us.
     If you have any tips on educating my babies I would love to hear them!

Had to get tires on Dad's Truck so we did 1/2 our lesson there. 

Crunched up egg shells from eggs that were given to us from a farm 

Beautiful! 

One on one time

building

Ps. I didn't spend a dime on the whole week of learning. There may be times that I will have to spend $ but since there isn't an education budget to speak of God is so faithful to give creativity to work around that.

DON'T FORGET

I saw this on Pintrest and got to use it this round of pneumonia! Great idea! 

Indoor Tent Movie!!!

We have this amazing half tent. It just pops open and closed! Is super easy set up and tear down so I am really motivated to use it. Its made by Maui and Sons. Every once in a while we will pop the tent up put a bunch of pillows and blankets in it and watch a movie! Its christmas time right now so we watched old Christmas cartoons! So much fun!

Things We enjoy Doing.

           Things that work for us

   Every family looks different!

    

Suger Cookies! Classic!

We didn't have Christmas Sprinkles so use what you have!

A little young for baking....

Yes, I said yes. He did ask first.

Going to give these away! 

Sickness is never fun so I tried to make this last round fun.

Bringing the beds down to the living room was also practical I was able to meet needs with out waking Paul up who was also sick. 

Had a hard time getting anything in #2. We used this medicine spoon and put broth in it from special soup. We just talk it all up. We had success! 

Sanding wood! Who knew it would be so much fun? Uncle Matt!

I let the boys eat on the counter! They were so excited. I was

able to clean the kitchen while still being apart of conversation.

This is not any everyday thing just a fun every once in a while to

mix up the everyday. 

We have a sand box that we paid $5 for at a garage sale.

Never got sand but man they love to play in it with toys and

it keeps the deck looking clean when they are not out there.

we also use it for a pool in the summer. Keeps the water warmer

for several days and bugs out. 

We love a basic park day. If there are no

other kids i even let them go up the slide. 

Oh yeah rebelle Mom! 

As soon as they walk they do chores.

So sort of calm activity while waiting for

breakfast.

Let them play in the RAIN!