An Iowa Mom

I Learned Something AGAIN Yesterday ...

Did you all know that little drawer under your oven pulls out? 

Like ALL THE WAY OUT?

So you could ... I don't know ... CLEAN UNDER IT, maybe?

I did not know that. 

My neighbor was over yesterday and something went under there and she just "WA LA", pulled out the drawer to retrieve it ...

... Along with several books, toys, magnets, crumbs, pet hair, I would show you pictures, because I found it quite fascinating ... but Big Daddy is humiliated enough that the neighbor witnessed my stupidity.  And our unknown filth.

It's all clean now though ...

I'll have to remember that you can pull that little sucker out.

If you feel up to gagging a bit ... go pull out yours.  You'll be amazed at what you can find.  And when you do, come back and tell me what you had stashed under there.

I Finally Got Invited!

Yeah, the party that pesky little sucker called "The Flu Bug" has been throwing.  Everyone I know seemed to have been invited ... except me.

Well ... it must finally think I'm worthy because not only did I get an invitation ... I got the VIP treatment. 

So, I'm taking up residency here on my couch, contaminating everything I touch and breathe on ... just praying that it doesn't last longer than a day or two.

If you'll excuse me ... I've got a shot of TheraFlu waiting for me to consume.

Yes ... I AM!

I am really TOO cheap to hire someone to design my blog.  Big Daddy is rubbing off on me I guess.  So, I'm forever going to have an ugly blog that no one is happy to stumble upon.

As you can see ... I have a new header.  And it looks half assed ...

I know this.

So you don't have to tell me ...

I'm just too tired to deal with it TONIGHT.

Maybe tomorrow I'll fart around with it and it will look better ...

Maybe it won't.

There is no tellin' ...

We'll just have to wait and see.

:)

I love the cow though ... isn't he cute?

WFMW: CHORES - The Value Of A Ticket

My kids have always been made to do their chores.  I don't run them ragged, or ask too much of them ... at least I don't think so.  Actually, we go pretty easy on them ... I'm sure.  I mean, I still do MOST of the work around here ... so they aren't overworked or anything.  No child labor laws being broken ... that's for damn sure.

However, lately I've noticed the desire to 'pull their weight' ... has been diminishing slowly ... and I do believe it has something to do with the dropping temperatures and white stuff covering the ground.  Either that or the little white box sitting next to the television called a Wii.

It got to the point that the everyday mundane chores was a CHORE for me to get them to do.  So I quickly came up with a solution ...

 I no longer "assign" chores.  Nope.  Not gonna tell Jake he HAS to empty the dishwasher, make his bed and scrub the toilet.  Not gonna beg Drew to clean his room, bring in the trash barrels and put away his laundry.

Not happenin'.

I now ... make a list ... of the 'chores' that need to be done for the day.  Whoever is up for the challenge and completes a chore ... earns a "ticket".

Tickets can be collected in their own color coordinated pot.

Each ticket is good for 15 minutes of "screen time".  Screen time equals watching TV, playing video games (console and hand held) and opening the laptop.

Other ways to earn tickets are 30 minutes of reading ... equals 1 ticket (15 min. of screen time).  A helpful hand or kind gesture noticed by me, THE MOM, earns a ticket ... so on and so forth.

HOWEVER - there are ways to LOSE tickets ...

For example:

Words we don't use in THIS house - stupid, hate, idiot, sucks, etc ... If I hear it, a ticket comes out of your bowl.  No exceptions.

Pushing, hitting, tripping, yadda yadda .. a ticket comes out of their pot.  Sorry, rules are rules.

I think you get the point.  It's been working very well.

So well that I can't even describe it.  The kids wake up and want to do NOTHING but ... their chores. 

To earn tickets.

And I'm finding they are spending so much time doing things for 'the house and family' ... they haven't been asking to spend their tickets ...

But I'm sure they will ... at some point.

I think that's a given.

It works for us ... hope it works for you too!  For more tips ... head on over to Rock In My Dryer.

 

Wordless Wednesday - Does She Need A New Bed?

Sorry ... I know it's supposed to be WORDLESS ... but jeez louise ... you all know me ... and know that I'm NEVER without words.  Right?

Last night when Big Daddy and I were checking on the girls before we ourselves went to bed, we found Molly snuggled up in her sisters bed ... with her sister.  Thinking that my girls were just too sweet (of course they were, they were SLEEPING) ... I ran to collect my camera.

After downloading the pictures to the computer this morning ... not only do I think my darling daughters are the most adorable in the whole state of Iowa ... but I also came to realize it might be time to start looking for a new bed for Emily.  According to her leg ... she has outgrown her little toddler bed.

Okay ... so let's pretend I didn't say any of that ... and you can just enjoy the pictures ... okay?

-

For More Wordless Wednesday photos ... go here.  It's fun!

Should This Be A Proud Moment?

We were sitting together this afternoon eating lunch when suddenly Emily jumped up out of her seat, taking off toward the bathroom.  In route she hollered,

 "I need to go wash my hands.  I just picked my nose!"

I'm a bit confused on whether I should be proud or not.

Number One

Well, today is the first "snow day" of the school year.  We are about an hour into it and I'm ready to kill someone. 

Can someone please tell me when a mother treats her child to a "HOT FUDGE SUNDAE POP-TART" for breakfast (that they've been begging to have for 24 hours), they find it necessary to take one bite of it and tell her they got the wrong one my mistake, they really wanted "CHOCOLATE FUDGE"?

Does anyone out there know why a three year old, who always eats ONE freakin' pop-tart ... always asks for a second ... and takes one bite and whines to her mom that she is so full her tummy hurts?

Any guesses what kind of mother gives in every single stinkin' time and gives said child a second pop-tart, knowing that she's going to take one bite and whine that she is so full her tummy hurts?  I mean COME ON, what kind of freak of nature is that woman?

Is it normal for a child to snuggle up next to their mother and ask to play the Wii, even though it's been taken away for the day, claiming he really wants to play it together WITH HIS BROTHER ... then once the mother gives in, the little shit kid stands up and says, "But can I just play it alone?"

Would it be considered wrong that the mother gave in and let her kids play the Wii even though they had lost it for the day ... strictly for her own sanity?  And possibly to save the lives of her children?

Will someone please tell me if there is even a slight possibility that I will be able to make it through this day?

PLEASE! 

Tell me I will survive this. 

Because I'm not feeling real confident at this point.