Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Resurrection Sunday! Our Happy Easter Pics
First we read from the Bible about the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
Then the kids can hunt for their Easter baskets. The Easter bunny comes during the night and hides a basket of goodies for the kids. In the morning they are eager to find their baskets!
Then mommy makes everyone take pictures before church.
Striking their best pose!
Later at Church...... "Normal" Chouinards
Not so normal (thanks a lot Paul!)
Paul gave a great sermon.
Foyer doors at the Corps (Church)
Platform, Holiness Table, Mercy Seats.
Our Chapel. (I can't show our church body without individual photo legal release
forms from each person,
but trust me, we have a great church body!)
Front of the Fellowship Hall.
Easter Breakfast Centerpieces. We made the lilies in Family First Sunday School last week, "Palm" Sunday.
We traced our hands to make the flowering part.
It was fun to see the great big hands, and so cute to see the littlest hands,
like the one month old's!
Fellowship Hall. Yes, it is SMALL!! We are used to being packed in tight!
Good thing we like each other!
Fellowship Hall.Easter Highlights:
- Everyone woke up early, excited for Easter. We listened to Daddy read the Scripture then went on a hunt for Easter baskets. Elijah was first to find his, then Hannah, then Ann, and last, poor David! Easter Bunny did a good job hiding his!
- At the Corps (church), we cooked a huge breakfast of sausage, eggs and pancakes, juice and coffee. David and Elijah cooked the pancakes... over 100. They did great and were so committed!
- "Capt. Rachel" (aka me!) did the Resurrection Eggs towards the end of breakfast. A tradition. 12 children got to help out and were so good at not opening their eggs until I called on them. I was so proud of them for practicing some self-control!
- Then we broke up for Sunday School classes.
- Church next.
- Then, thanks to Daddy, the Chouinards went through the drive-thru at McDonald's for icecream. Yes, before lunch. Yes, despite all the sweets at home. What a big surprise! "See how great Easter is kids!" "See how sweet Jesus' resurrection is kids!"
- At home, Ann was insistant that there was a baby chick in her hard-boiled egg that she got from her Sunday School teacher. She saw yellow (a yoke) in Hannah's. She said there were cracks in her egg that she didn't know how they got there. She said she thought she even heard it chirping. She was so excited to have her own chick and wrapped her egg up in blankets to keep the babe warm. Her brothers told her there was no chick. Ann cried for half an hour.
- At 3pm, David, Elijah, Ann and I went to the Veteran's Home to have church. They helped the residents turn their songbook pages and assisted me in doing the Resurrection Eggs, again, and passed out War Crys. Paul stayed at home so Hannah could finish her nap. Good thing too because the big fish that Hannah likes to watch at the Veteran's home was at the bottom of the tank, convulsing, and close to death.
- We came home and soon ate a feast of Ham, Mac-N-Cheese, Rolls, Salad, Cauliflower, and deviled eggs.
BED!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
David's Birthday Party and Egg Coloring Pics
So...for us, we do a big birthday party every other year for each kid starting in Kindergarten. (We always do a family party). This year David was up to have his friends come and do a big one. He got to invite 13 friends. 10 showed up so there was a total of 12 boys, including David and Elijah, 2 little Ann and Hannah's, 1 Paul and 1 Rachel.The party was great! David has made some really good choices in friends! They were all so well behaved and fun! I thought it was cool that there were 4 sets of brothers even. What a blessing to have good friends!
Above you'll see us at Pietro's Pizza in Hood River. Here we're waiting for pizza and the boys were hooked on the big screen tv that just so happened to be showing the World's Strongest Man competition. PERFECT! After we ate, Paul gave them a bunch of quarters to play in the arcade. You can win tickets there and turn them in for prizes.
Then we drove home for cake, icecream, presents, and playing.
Later this evening...
Here we are dying our Easter eggs. I'm realizing now that these pics are kind of out of order, so start at the bottom if you like order.
More happy faces. We just love Chouinard holiday traditions. My mom also always made sure that my brother and I always dyed eggs too. See how things just keep getting passed on from one generation to the next!
I had 4 little noses snooping around the dyes. I just wanted to get them to the table! Paul took this pic after he finished taping newspaper to the table for us.
Hannah and Ann "helping" me get the dye ready.
Here we are dying our Easter eggs. I'm realizing now that these pics are kind of out of order, so start at the bottom if you like order.
More happy faces. We just love Chouinard holiday traditions. My mom also always made sure that my brother and I always dyed eggs too. See how things just keep getting passed on from one generation to the next!
I had 4 little noses snooping around the dyes. I just wanted to get them to the table! Paul took this pic after he finished taping newspaper to the table for us. I guess he thought we'd be messy... he was right!
Hannah and Ann "helping" me get the dye ready.Thursday, April 9, 2009
In A Whirlwind!
There are some weeks that just fly by and take my breath away! This was one of them! On top of the rotating, repetitive, redundant experiences of daily life the Chouinard family had plenty of extras this week. Some are postworthy, some are not (good old confidentiality!)
Here's a rundown
Monday:
At the Office in the morning doing Sunday Bulletins, AB minutes, Mother/Daughter Banquet prep, phone calls, "audit" meeting with OSU Rep (for our food classes), meeting with Youth Pastor to touch base on our youth, camp, and upcoming activities. All the while mommying the 4 kids who seem to be everywhere I am.
THEN....Ann's first Ballet lesson class. Mommy tried so hard not to cry and embarrass herself and everyone else. I just looked at her for 45 minutes straight and marveled in her beauty, innocence, and intent on mastering every little detail the teacher asked of her. I took pictures but to my horror, deleted them!!! I got fancy fingers on my digital camera the next day. I will take more and post next Monday. Hannah also watched and did her own little dances. The boys checked in on her once in a while, but were content to play in the play area with a new friend they made.
David's first Baseball game of the season. (He missed Opening Day due to his DI Tournament) Took pictures of that too, but they are just a faded memory...deleted. Anyone who knows David knows that he is more on the quiet and reserved side. A great wise soul inside a little kid's body. I get nervous when he plays baseball (his 5th year!) because he seems so harmless out on the field. BUT THEN WHAM.... he pulls out these plays that make the crowd go wild! Like at this game, he stole home base, slid in and just barely made it. The crowd went crazy clapping and cheering! He stands up, looks straight ahead and walks to the dugout. No big deal. He is also an excellent hitter. He also knows when to swing and when not to. And when he swings, he hits it.
Tuesday:
At the Office in the morning, this time ALONE! Whipped through a ton of stuff (and people for that matter).
Had a date with my Ann at KMart, went to the bathroom 3 times, twice for mommy (I'm pregnant!) Paul came home to watch the other kids. We bought some household goods and scoured the clothing racks. Picked out a beautiful blue dress for Hannah, a skirt for Ann (she wanted everything!), a pair of stretchy pants ($1.99!) and a sweater ($1.99!) for mommy.
Baked and cooked the night away to get ready for Home League.
Wednesday:
Hosted Home League in my home for a Spring Brunch. 15 ladies, lots of laughter, food, prayer, fun, and devotion. Ann was a little lady welcoming people as they knocked on the door. Hannah was either scoping out the food table or the newborn baby with her momma most of the time. Spent a LOT of time cleaning up after everyone left. Broke a tea cup.
Youth Activities which started with our usual discipleship lesson (Jr. Soldiers) and then we had a guest firefighter come and teach about fire safety, etc. He suited up in his entire uniform, oxygen and everything which was really cool, but his alarm kept going off and really irritating me. The kids were even screaming about it. I was worried about someone going deaf.
Parent/Teacher Conferences at the kids' school. They recieved top grades and were both cited by their teachers to be respectful, compassionate and helpful with others. Great... then we go to the part where one of my children, who shall remain nameless, is like the nutty professor. Very messy desk, very disorganized. Affecting some of his classwork!!
GRRRRR......... said mommy and daddy bear. This is a life skill issue that required major impact "catch your attention" discipline! Not so much as a spiritual or moral issue, but almost! Thing is, is that we've been working on this for a year or more, so it's no big surprise. But you know what, EVERYONE has their thing!! In fact, I have many that at 33, I'm STILL working on.
Thursday:
Promptly dropped an entire bowl (glass!) of chopped up fruit on the kitchen floor at 5:30am. Woke everyone up.
CBS Class in the morning. Obadiah and Nahum.
OB appointment. Had an ultrasound. The Dr. measured out the baby. Looks like it will be an 8 1/2 to 9 pound babe. Not bad. Bad part is the baby has quite a big head (but that's normal for our children). Is head down, but face up. Lovely. I was warned that I will be having back labor. Epirdural please! I have nothing to prove.
Set-Up and Decorating the Corps Fellowship Hall for Easter breakfast. Looks quite nice, I might add. It is such a small room though. When the whole church is in there, we're packed in like sardines, hold the mustard. But it is GOOD!
Massage Therapist appointment for my sciatic nerve. I am getting relief! But delivery will be the ultimate relief! Really though, I have no right to complain. My pregnancies have all been good and healthy with minor pain, nothing debilitating until my sciatic nerve starts acting up.
Book Fair at the kids' school. They each got to pick out a book, plus by one on their own with their allowance. Mommy LOVES books!! So they know that I am all for them LOVING books! There was an excellent selection and set up very nice.
And so now, the girls are in bed. Paul insisted I could stay home from baseball tonight to catch up on some stuff and get the girls to bed at a good time. (Thank you Paul!) We're also going to watch a movie tonight, "Doubt". I'm saving my apetite for popcorn.
When I was doing my Bible study the other day, I found this verse, or rather it found me.
About God, it says in Nahum verse 3 "His way is in the whirlwind and the storm". Sometimes it can seem that life is a whirlwind pulling thing out of us as it zips around. Or a storm that is unmanageable and unpredictable. God is IN IT. I also thought of Matthew 8, when the disciples and Jesus are in a boat, a storm comes up, Jesus is sleeping and they're freaking out. Jesus wakes up, not to coddle them and rub their backs and say "it'll be okay", but to ask them "what in the world are you so afraid of?" or "where in the world is your faith?". THEN he rebukes the storm and it all calms down. Sooo.... when life is seeming this way, I know that God is here, in control, and refining me to a deeper faith where even fear does not get hold, just HIS WAY.
Here's a rundown
Monday:
At the Office in the morning doing Sunday Bulletins, AB minutes, Mother/Daughter Banquet prep, phone calls, "audit" meeting with OSU Rep (for our food classes), meeting with Youth Pastor to touch base on our youth, camp, and upcoming activities. All the while mommying the 4 kids who seem to be everywhere I am.
THEN....Ann's first Ballet lesson class. Mommy tried so hard not to cry and embarrass herself and everyone else. I just looked at her for 45 minutes straight and marveled in her beauty, innocence, and intent on mastering every little detail the teacher asked of her. I took pictures but to my horror, deleted them!!! I got fancy fingers on my digital camera the next day. I will take more and post next Monday. Hannah also watched and did her own little dances. The boys checked in on her once in a while, but were content to play in the play area with a new friend they made.
David's first Baseball game of the season. (He missed Opening Day due to his DI Tournament) Took pictures of that too, but they are just a faded memory...deleted. Anyone who knows David knows that he is more on the quiet and reserved side. A great wise soul inside a little kid's body. I get nervous when he plays baseball (his 5th year!) because he seems so harmless out on the field. BUT THEN WHAM.... he pulls out these plays that make the crowd go wild! Like at this game, he stole home base, slid in and just barely made it. The crowd went crazy clapping and cheering! He stands up, looks straight ahead and walks to the dugout. No big deal. He is also an excellent hitter. He also knows when to swing and when not to. And when he swings, he hits it.
Tuesday:
At the Office in the morning, this time ALONE! Whipped through a ton of stuff (and people for that matter).
Had a date with my Ann at KMart, went to the bathroom 3 times, twice for mommy (I'm pregnant!) Paul came home to watch the other kids. We bought some household goods and scoured the clothing racks. Picked out a beautiful blue dress for Hannah, a skirt for Ann (she wanted everything!), a pair of stretchy pants ($1.99!) and a sweater ($1.99!) for mommy.
Baked and cooked the night away to get ready for Home League.
Wednesday:
Hosted Home League in my home for a Spring Brunch. 15 ladies, lots of laughter, food, prayer, fun, and devotion. Ann was a little lady welcoming people as they knocked on the door. Hannah was either scoping out the food table or the newborn baby with her momma most of the time. Spent a LOT of time cleaning up after everyone left. Broke a tea cup.
Youth Activities which started with our usual discipleship lesson (Jr. Soldiers) and then we had a guest firefighter come and teach about fire safety, etc. He suited up in his entire uniform, oxygen and everything which was really cool, but his alarm kept going off and really irritating me. The kids were even screaming about it. I was worried about someone going deaf.
Parent/Teacher Conferences at the kids' school. They recieved top grades and were both cited by their teachers to be respectful, compassionate and helpful with others. Great... then we go to the part where one of my children, who shall remain nameless, is like the nutty professor. Very messy desk, very disorganized. Affecting some of his classwork!!
GRRRRR......... said mommy and daddy bear. This is a life skill issue that required major impact "catch your attention" discipline! Not so much as a spiritual or moral issue, but almost! Thing is, is that we've been working on this for a year or more, so it's no big surprise. But you know what, EVERYONE has their thing!! In fact, I have many that at 33, I'm STILL working on.
Thursday:
Promptly dropped an entire bowl (glass!) of chopped up fruit on the kitchen floor at 5:30am. Woke everyone up.
CBS Class in the morning. Obadiah and Nahum.
OB appointment. Had an ultrasound. The Dr. measured out the baby. Looks like it will be an 8 1/2 to 9 pound babe. Not bad. Bad part is the baby has quite a big head (but that's normal for our children). Is head down, but face up. Lovely. I was warned that I will be having back labor. Epirdural please! I have nothing to prove.
Set-Up and Decorating the Corps Fellowship Hall for Easter breakfast. Looks quite nice, I might add. It is such a small room though. When the whole church is in there, we're packed in like sardines, hold the mustard. But it is GOOD!
Massage Therapist appointment for my sciatic nerve. I am getting relief! But delivery will be the ultimate relief! Really though, I have no right to complain. My pregnancies have all been good and healthy with minor pain, nothing debilitating until my sciatic nerve starts acting up.
Book Fair at the kids' school. They each got to pick out a book, plus by one on their own with their allowance. Mommy LOVES books!! So they know that I am all for them LOVING books! There was an excellent selection and set up very nice.
And so now, the girls are in bed. Paul insisted I could stay home from baseball tonight to catch up on some stuff and get the girls to bed at a good time. (Thank you Paul!) We're also going to watch a movie tonight, "Doubt". I'm saving my apetite for popcorn.
When I was doing my Bible study the other day, I found this verse, or rather it found me.
About God, it says in Nahum verse 3 "His way is in the whirlwind and the storm". Sometimes it can seem that life is a whirlwind pulling thing out of us as it zips around. Or a storm that is unmanageable and unpredictable. God is IN IT. I also thought of Matthew 8, when the disciples and Jesus are in a boat, a storm comes up, Jesus is sleeping and they're freaking out. Jesus wakes up, not to coddle them and rub their backs and say "it'll be okay", but to ask them "what in the world are you so afraid of?" or "where in the world is your faith?". THEN he rebukes the storm and it all calms down. Sooo.... when life is seeming this way, I know that God is here, in control, and refining me to a deeper faith where even fear does not get hold, just HIS WAY.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Pictures!!
We got to go out to lunch at Denny's after church today. I just love my digi cam!! It's always ready to capture a good moment!
Miss Hannah kickin' back after a meal of chicken moon & stars and goldfish crackers.
Ann is full! She ate half a plate of mac-n-cheese!
One more shot with Mommy, pleeeeaaaase.
If my arm were longer, I wouldn't have cut off the top of Elijah's head.
At the bike races, downtown on Saturday evening. Paul and David were still gone, that's why you don't see them.
*The cyclist on the left was warming up and Elijah challenged him to a race to the lightpole and back. You can see Elijah running, already headed back before the cyclist made his turnaround. What a nice guy to let the 7 year old win!
At the bike races. These are the women turning the corner. They were so fast!
Another view.
It would've been a better pic if I were quicker!! They went by before I could snap the pic.
I swear this one was not posed! Although we had been posing,
Ann caught this "Kodak moment" all on her own!
(You can see her pinky in the top left corner)
Ann was doing "projects" underneath the table on Friday.She drifted off to sleep...One minute she was like this...
The next minute she was like this... out cold for over half an hour.
One tired little girl after running errands, playing at the park, and helping momma at the Corps setting up for Sunday School and Church.
Of course, she'll never admit that she's tired!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Today's Saturday, Yesterday was Friday
Headed to our Women's Outreach (Traveling Tea) group today. Elijah, Ann and Hannah are coming. There will be other kids to play with so they're looking forward to it.
Paul and David went to the Destination Imagination State Competition. If the team wins this one then its off to Nationals. I might be proud if they win, but mostly disappointed, because the rest of us miss them when they're gone! They won't be back until late tonight.
I need to finish my sermon and finish preparation for Family First Sunday School. I'll be in good shape after that. I hate when there are things "looming" over my head. Good or Bad. (Those are good to me)
There will be over 400 cyclists in downtown today. I want to take the kids to see them ride, but it starts at 1pm and that is naptime for Hannah. She's finally getting in a better mood and I don't want to spoil it. I might take the kids to McDonald's with the playland for lunch after Women's Group. Don't know about that either.
Yesterday afternoon, the girls and I came and got Elijah out of school early for a surprise. The girls didn't even know what the "surprise" was, and Elijah guessed it from the beginning!! He is one perceptive kid! We went to see "Monsters vs. Aliens". It was a good movie, I liked it too. Elijah really liked it. It was right up his alley. Ann got scared on a couple of parts, but still wanted to watch. Hannah did good, but got squirmy during the last 30 minutes, she's 2! Oh ya, speaking of movies... "Marley and Me" is NOT a kid movie!!
Then we went to Safeway to get a refill on Hannah's rash ointment. It was a nightmare! I waited in line for 45 minutes, in a very crowded store, (I hate crowds) with 3 restless little kids. Paul went to get it (by himself) the night before, but the line was to long, so he delegated it to me. I picked the WRONG time to go! Since David (#1) was born, I really have to force my mind not to "go there" when I think about how every part of my life, from using the bathroom to professional meetings, always involve me WITH the kids, or at least juggling to get them situated and cared for. Well, last night as I was waiting in line, exhausted, my mind kept "going there"! Poor Paul! He wasn't even around to defend himself! Don't get me wrong, I love being with my kids...and the unique opportunities that they get just from being an O.K., but there are just some things I don't like doing with them in tow, like waiting in line! and they hate it even more than I do. Now, if everyone would just stay healthy, I won't ever have to get a prescription again!!
I better get my rear in gear and get to the day. I just love a lazy morning and a cup of coffee, but it can't last forever! Well, in heaven maybe...
Paul and David went to the Destination Imagination State Competition. If the team wins this one then its off to Nationals. I might be proud if they win, but mostly disappointed, because the rest of us miss them when they're gone! They won't be back until late tonight.
I need to finish my sermon and finish preparation for Family First Sunday School. I'll be in good shape after that. I hate when there are things "looming" over my head. Good or Bad. (Those are good to me)
There will be over 400 cyclists in downtown today. I want to take the kids to see them ride, but it starts at 1pm and that is naptime for Hannah. She's finally getting in a better mood and I don't want to spoil it. I might take the kids to McDonald's with the playland for lunch after Women's Group. Don't know about that either.
Yesterday afternoon, the girls and I came and got Elijah out of school early for a surprise. The girls didn't even know what the "surprise" was, and Elijah guessed it from the beginning!! He is one perceptive kid! We went to see "Monsters vs. Aliens". It was a good movie, I liked it too. Elijah really liked it. It was right up his alley. Ann got scared on a couple of parts, but still wanted to watch. Hannah did good, but got squirmy during the last 30 minutes, she's 2! Oh ya, speaking of movies... "Marley and Me" is NOT a kid movie!!
Then we went to Safeway to get a refill on Hannah's rash ointment. It was a nightmare! I waited in line for 45 minutes, in a very crowded store, (I hate crowds) with 3 restless little kids. Paul went to get it (by himself) the night before, but the line was to long, so he delegated it to me. I picked the WRONG time to go! Since David (#1) was born, I really have to force my mind not to "go there" when I think about how every part of my life, from using the bathroom to professional meetings, always involve me WITH the kids, or at least juggling to get them situated and cared for. Well, last night as I was waiting in line, exhausted, my mind kept "going there"! Poor Paul! He wasn't even around to defend himself! Don't get me wrong, I love being with my kids...and the unique opportunities that they get just from being an O.K., but there are just some things I don't like doing with them in tow, like waiting in line! and they hate it even more than I do. Now, if everyone would just stay healthy, I won't ever have to get a prescription again!!
I better get my rear in gear and get to the day. I just love a lazy morning and a cup of coffee, but it can't last forever! Well, in heaven maybe...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Our Household Chore Chart
I just updated our chore chart (dinner helpers had to be switched around due to David's B-Ball schedule) and thought this would be a curious thing to see. I'm always reading others' when I visit their home to see how they do it and gleaning ideas that would work for us. Here is the Chouinard one. Basically the same over the last couple of years, but with adding capable children. (Mine is layed out and color coded, but the cut and paste didn't follow through with that.) I do the stuff that is not specifically assigned to a kid (deep cleans, kitchen, etc.) When I keep up and don't fall behind, then I don't have to spend hours every day "cleaning". Also for me, the biggest things to keep up on are MEALS and LAUNDRY. Life can't go on without those, so those are two things I always (try to!) stay ahead on, though not always as successfully as I want! Our goal is a loving and happy home first, but it is also important to us to keep it clean, organized and efficient!
Sunday -Everyday chores only
Monday
Deep clean-mom/dad’s room and bathroom
Elijah- bathroom
David- glass tables and patio door
Ann- wipe down kitchen cupboards
David -help cook dinner
Tuesday
Deep clean-downstairs and bathroom
David- vacuum living room, hallway
Elijah- vacuum dining room
Ann-help cook dinner
Wednesday -Everyday chores only
Thursday
Deep clean-living room and dining room
Plan weekly menu/ make grocery list
David- bathroom
Elijah- glass tables and patio door
Hannah-help cook dinner
Friday
Deep clean- kitchen and mopping of all floors
Grocery shopping
David- vacuum dining room
Elijah- vacuum living room, dining room
Ann- sweep foyer
Elijah -help cook dinner
Saturday
Elijah and David- Bathroom Ann-Bathtub
Everyday
Whatever is asked of you
Everyone make your own bed, put books away
Homework and Reading
General tidying up
Meals, Dishes and Cleaned Kitchen
Laundry
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah
Put away all toys and clean up bedrooms before dinner, vacuum when needed
Ann & Hannah feed Buster
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah -clear the table after meals
Monthly
Wash beds
Deep Clean refrigerator
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah- Clean walls
Allowances -.25 penalty and/or loss of entertainment privileges
For arguing, complaining or a half-hearted job
Fridays
David 3.00 Elijah 2.50 Ann 1.25 Hannah .50
This is our standard, something we aim for and keeps a routine. It is definately not adhered to every single waking day, life happens, but we are about an 8 out of 10 with keeping these disciplines. We are better off aiming for something than not aiming at all! That's what goals/standards are all about.
Also, we try to be generous with the allowances (they are not "payments") so that they have money to work with in regards to giving, begging for stuff, and saving up.
Overall the kids do great at helping out. We tease about how grateful they should be for each other, if we only had one kid, he'd be stuck doing all this on his own! I estimate that they spend about 20 minutes a day doing chores, plus some extra for cleaning up after themselves. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!!
Sunday -Everyday chores only
Monday
Deep clean-mom/dad’s room and bathroom
Elijah- bathroom
David- glass tables and patio door
Ann- wipe down kitchen cupboards
David -help cook dinner
Tuesday
Deep clean-downstairs and bathroom
David- vacuum living room, hallway
Elijah- vacuum dining room
Ann-help cook dinner
Wednesday -Everyday chores only
Thursday
Deep clean-living room and dining room
Plan weekly menu/ make grocery list
David- bathroom
Elijah- glass tables and patio door
Hannah-help cook dinner
Friday
Deep clean- kitchen and mopping of all floors
Grocery shopping
David- vacuum dining room
Elijah- vacuum living room, dining room
Ann- sweep foyer
Elijah -help cook dinner
Saturday
Elijah and David- Bathroom Ann-Bathtub
Everyday
Whatever is asked of you
Everyone make your own bed, put books away
Homework and Reading
General tidying up
Meals, Dishes and Cleaned Kitchen
Laundry
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah
Put away all toys and clean up bedrooms before dinner, vacuum when needed
Ann & Hannah feed Buster
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah -clear the table after meals
Monthly
Wash beds
Deep Clean refrigerator
David, Elijah, Ann, Hannah- Clean walls
Allowances -.25 penalty and/or loss of entertainment privileges
For arguing, complaining or a half-hearted job
Fridays
David 3.00 Elijah 2.50 Ann 1.25 Hannah .50
This is our standard, something we aim for and keeps a routine. It is definately not adhered to every single waking day, life happens, but we are about an 8 out of 10 with keeping these disciplines. We are better off aiming for something than not aiming at all! That's what goals/standards are all about.
Also, we try to be generous with the allowances (they are not "payments") so that they have money to work with in regards to giving, begging for stuff, and saving up.
Overall the kids do great at helping out. We tease about how grateful they should be for each other, if we only had one kid, he'd be stuck doing all this on his own! I estimate that they spend about 20 minutes a day doing chores, plus some extra for cleaning up after themselves. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
