Payday!

Yesterday was payday at our house! Well, for everyone except me. My paycheck is in hugs, kisses, and sweet memories...more than any career could ever pay me!

Anyway, we don't give our kids an allowance. They earn a commission. They have a chart with a list of chores. If they do the chores, they get paid a specified amount of money, if they don't complete the chore, they don't get paid. Pretty simple. My five and six year old are learning a life-long lesson. If you want to get paid, you have to work.

To clarify the chores, it is not things like cleaning their room, setting/clearing the dinner table, or picking up after themselves. Those things are done because they are a member of this family. They live in a house, not a hotel. However, I have not unloaded the disher washer one time this week, I also have folded very little laundry! And I have even made a little money, you see, everytime I pick up a piece of clothing, a sock or a shoe..it costs them. They have to pay me out of their commissions after they get paid. Amazing how few clothes I have found lying around this week!

Anyway, we tallied the charts yesterday and I paid them. We took 10% of the top for tithes. Which is teaching another important lesson, the Bible teaches that we give a tithe (the word literally means 10% and it is always off the firstfruits or in our day-off the top). God owns-we manage. After all, the Lord only asks for 10%, leaving 90% for us to spend, save, and give away. Speaking of "giving away"...

All is good, until Katherine entered the room. She saw the money and immediately began requesting some for herself. When told no, she began demanding money-full-blown tantrum with tears and jumping up and down, and even trying to take Joshua and Lydia's money right out of their hands. That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. We have a future congresswoman on our hands!!! She thinks that I should take money from those who have worked hard for it and just hand it to her! I think it is called "redistribution of wealth" ...I call it socialism. More teaching opportunities.

I asked Joshua if it would be "right" for me to take the money he had earned and give it to Katherine. He said, "no" of course, because even a 6 year old knows that is not right. I explained that due to her circumstances she could not earn the money. She is only three, she can't really do any chores yet, and would not understand the concept of commission. So now, is it right to take some of your money and give it to her? He said no. Interesting. At about this time, Lydia, being the compassionate heart that she is says, "but it would be nice!" I agreed, and we had a great discussion about generosity, compassion, and giving to those in need.

Next, following the recommendations of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Jr. we divide the money into spending and saving. Teaching two more life-long lessons. Spend only what you make...the borrower is slave to the lender. The majority of Americans spend more in a month than they bring home! Craziness. Number two, the value of saving...for something real special. We live in a world of instant gratification...oh the value of learning to wait and save for something.

Most importantly, we have to keep all this in perspective, I don't want a bunch of greedy, money obsessed kids. We talk about giving. For example, last week they each gave $1.30 to buy a Bible for a child in Costa Rica. Teaching them yet another lesson...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

Wow, all this cost me and Steve a total of $3.15 (okay, maybe our wages are a little low). The lessons our children are learning, the discussions we are having, the character traits we are encouraging-priceless!

Our baby girl

Initially, I was going to post some of the photos that I have taken over the previous years that best reflect Katherine's personality. I soon realized that it would not only be a record-breaking long post, but that there would actually be only about two people interested in reading it...Steve and myself. In that case, we might as well just look through my photo albums together.

So what we have are just some pictures. No real theme, which is driving the obsessive-compulsive part of me crazy. I don't even think the photos are in chronological order...not that I did not try, but my computer will not let me move them around for some reason.

It is amazing how different each of our children are! I actually thought that since Katherine was the youngest of three very young children that she would be passive, patient, and flexible-because of her environment. Because her mom would be busy with meeting the needs of a then 3 and 2 year old, that she would know somehow that the world did not revolve around her. What I totally forgot...was that nuture was only a piece of the puzzle. What I failed to consider is nature!!! Katherine is the polor opposite of my flawed assumptions! She is fiesty, deteremined, independent, brave, extemely extroverted; and when allowing me to steer her in the right direction-a total blast! She has never met a stranger...not the man on the tractor at the gas station, the checker at the grocery store, the young man working at the jewelry store, or the guy at the Verizon store (who by the time we left was showing her pictures of his cat and dogs).


Katherine loves playing with her baby dolls or anything that she can feed and dress and hold and push in a stroller.

Her first birthday.

She has no fear...and dives into life headfirst...literally sometimes.

She is always cold... just like me. She is hugging our space heater and yes it is on and blowing hot air!

She is determined to keep up with Joshua and Lydia...no matter where that takes her!

Although extremely independent, she is learning that sometimes she just needs a little help!

Already Five and Almost Three

Our weekend was full with Easter celebrations, egg hunts, and birthday parties!! Lydia is now five years old and Katherine is almost three. I so much enjoy my girls. They are as different as night and day but best friends. I often tell them that the Lord blessed them with a best friend who gets to live in the same house!! The girls celebrate birthdays like their mom...parties on three days!

On Saturday, we had their party. It was a good time with family and friends. It was fun getting to introduce "old" friends to "new" friends. We had a pink pig/yellow kitty cat party. I'm having trouble tonight with posting, so I will only select a few pictures.

On Thursday, we had a pink pig "friend party"

On Friday, which was Lydia's actual birthday, Steve took the day off. We had a picnic in the park, went to a local candy store, and played in the creek.

The Easter Song

This is a delightful book by Michelle Adams that tells of Christ's resurrection from the point of view of an eyewitness - a sparrow. The book is written in rhyming verse and the illustrations are bright and fun (and even includes pigs which makes Lydia happy). It tells the story of Christ's death and resurrection in simple terms with no embellishments...none are needed of course, but sometimes children's books do so. The little sparrow is excited to share the Good News with all of her friends and once they hear the Good News they immediately run to tell others.

This book is appropriate for children of all ages...and adults too!

Green Eggs and Rainbows

I should begin my post with a Laundry chute update. It continues to be a source of fun for the kids. Last week I found a small turtle, a ball, a pig, and a clothespin among the diry clothes. On Saturday I was out shopping, after being gone about 45 minutes I receive a text from Steve that reads "the longer you are gone the worse it gets. I am not responsible. Quote from Joshua, "mom is going to freak out.""
Typically I would have been at least a little alarmed by that text. However, my responding text was, "Considering I just dropped a piece of crystal...and it broke...we'll be home soon." I was looking at a piece of crystal trying to decide whether to buy it. I learned that dropping it on a concrete floor is a quick way to make a decision about buying crystal.
Okay, back to my laundry chute text. Upon returning home, I found the laundry chute had been stuffed with stuffed animals, blankets, pillows and toys to the point that it was coming out the top of the chute...yes the top-where I typically open the cabinet to toss the clothes down. You would have thought Santa dropped by at the amount of excitement and squeals when I walked in the door.
Well my update was longer than I expected. Anyway, green eggs and rainbows. We did have green eggs for breakfast. The kids and Steve were good sports and ate them. We had great conversation about St. Patricks Day while eating breakfast.
Lydia was hesitant, but only because in big brother fashion, Joshua told her that we were having broccoli stew for breakfast. It took a few minutes of convincing before she would take a bite.

Katherine dove in without hesitation. The same way she responds to everything!

So what about shamrocks, lepricons, and rainbows. Why do we celebrate this day anyway. Just a reason to pinch someone or to eat green food? How many of our children across schools in America will color shamrocks today? Will anyone tell them why? Will anyone explain that St. Patrick used the common shamrock as a visual to explain to the people of Ireland the concept of the Trinity. One God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? Today the Shamrock is Ireland's national flower.

What of the name St. Patrick. It was not even his name. He was not even Irish.

He was a wealthy Roman living a good life as a boy in England...until the Irish invaded the land, kidnapped him, killed his family, and destroyed his homeland. He became a slave. He did escape years later and even returned to England. However, he followed the calling of the Lord and returned to Ireland-the folks that hated Romans and the folks he should have hated. He stayed and shared the Gospel of Christ. It changed the course of history for Ireland.

Oh how we have emptied this holiday. How many are searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Most of the world would say that as Americans we have found the pot of gold. However, a recent study of countries around the world both developed and not developed show that Americans are some of the most discontent folks in the world.

And rainbows...the path to the pot of gold. Well that part is true, it is the path. Genesis teaches us that God gave people the sign of the rainbow to remind us that He never breaks His promises. Never. And He promised a Savior, a Redeemer. And He kept that promise too. Maybe the pot of gold isn't wealth...maybe it is a relationship with a loving God.

It is no surprise to me that my generation and the youngers ones after me are searching. We have been told of shamrocks and lepricons-fariy tales. No substance. Nothing to hold onto during the hard times. Like when a friend dies of cancer.

The good news? We can change it. Just as St. Patrick did. One man. He made a difference for an entire country...one person at a time. We can start with our own children, co-workers, and relatives...today is a great opportunity! Just ask them? Why do we celebrate St. Patricks Day anyway?"

The Things They Say...

I have not done one of these posts in a while. So the other day I decided to write down when our kids said something funny. Yes, I have to write it down, otherwise I have no memory of it. Believe it or not, except for one or two of these, this is from just the past few days.

Katherine to Papaw T: "You love me."

Lydia went clothing shopping with me. I had to take her. She has grown so much this past year and I can no longer size her without her with me. She picked out what she called a "rainbow dress." Lydia loves rainbows. The dress was not cute. I said, "I don't think so, I don't really like it." and with not even a hint of sarcasm she looked at me with those big blue eyes and said, "That's okay, you don't have to wear it."

Joshua has noticed how messy Steve's handwriting is. The other day I was addressing an envelope and made a mistake on the return address, I tried writing over it, making my letters darker, but it was pretty messy. Joshua said, "they'll probably just think you are a doctor."

We saw a man the other day with a large belly, actually that is an understatement. Lydia exclaims "Mom, look how big his belly is." I tried to quietly redirect her and she said "I think his buttons are going to pop!"

We finished hanging pictures in the kids rooms, Joshua has nothing over the head of his bed and I was explaining that I would look for something. With all the seriousness of a six year old boy he said, "I know what you can get! Dad can get a big gun and shoot a deer and we can hang the deer head over my bed!"

While pulling her hair around her face, just under her nose, Lydia says to me, "Look mom, I can wipe my snot with my hair now!"

We have vaulted ceilings in our bedroom and the girls had a helium balloon that had come off the string and was at the very top of the room. We had tried to get it down with no success. While telling the story of David and Goliath Lydia exclaimed, "Golaith could get my balloon for me!"

While visiting a public bathroom (which we visit in every store we enter), Lydia stood under a hand dryer and said, "I could blow my hair dry with this." I absent-mindly said, "but your hair is not wet." I must have blinked at some point because next thing I know Lydia's head is under the faucet in the sink. Yes, the hand dryers work very well on hair.

The kids often get involved in some sort of "adventure" that is a lot of fun for them but creates a huge mess. I love coming upstairs and asking what is going on, here are a few of the responses I have heard in the past week or so:

Getting married (Joshua was in a sport coat and tie)

Mining for gold in caves (attire: rainboots and goggles)

Exploring the jungle and giving Bibles to people who don't have them

Houseboat (this is usually a huge mess)

Moving -this is no longer allowed-they "packed" not only their toys and blankets-but their clothes and small furniture

Jail - Katherine does not like this one, she usually is the prisoner

To be fair...here are a few things I've said...just this evening:

"Lydia, get out of the refrigerator." Her body was literally in the refrigerator.

"Girls, don't lick the bathtub"

"No, I don't think warming up your zebra cake with the space heater is a good idea."

"Katherine, you don't give boogers to people, go get a kleenex."

Laundry Soup

The kids love exploring the new house, they are particularily intrigued with the laundry shoot, which Katherine in her 2 1/2 year old dialect calls the "laundry soup". I never know what I might find as I sort the clothes because they love putting balls, stuffed animals, and other toys down the shoot.

Today it happened. I knew it was bound to happen. A mom knows her kids. In fact I am surprised it has taken this long. Katherine sent herself down the "laundry soup". I suppose to a 2 year old it looked like an enclosed sliding board. The landing was fairly soft as we had a pile of dirty clothes. She landed with only a bloody lip. No broken bones. No stitches. Thankfully she went feet first. I found out later that Joshua had tried this a few days ago, but could not fit. Lydia started to try but was scared (or is just blessed with some common sense).

So why was I not watching my kids. Oh, you will see. Just look at the precious pictures below. We finished Lydia's pink room. Steve and I were hanging shelves and pictures while the fiasco was being played out.

Lydia has been wanting a pink room "all of my life" she says. And now she has one! And yes, if you can tell she is wearing her button up pajama shirt backwards...don't ask.

Grandma B gave her this bean bag for Christmas. Yesterday at breakfast she told me her dreams had come true...for she had dreamed of a pink pig bean bag...and now she has one.