The Joy of a New Chore System!

I love chore systems! And I love to change them. Whatever system I'm currently using I'm sure is the most perfectly fabulous system ever! Until I change it three months later.



This system has three parts per child:
(except my son who doesn’t have a separate checklist)
1-) A checklist so they can see if they've done everything & can have free time.
2-) A responsibilities list of things they need to make sure are in order.
3-) And a list of chores which vary by the day of the week.

Explanations:
* The first section of the "Responsibilities" Lists are rooms that need to be picked up.
* Handcarts = little boxes where we put things they have left out. The title is a joke, as nothing in their boxes would be worthy of hauling across the plains.
* Scout = our dog (probably self-explanatory)
* Sunroom = great room
* Weekly Deep Cleaning = I post a weekly deep cleaning job for the girls - things like baseboards, etc. I also post jobs they can do for money if they have free time.

I hope this is fun for someone to read. I am terrible at formatting, and that fact that it looks strange may result in hair-loss – hopefully mine, not yours. :)

I love my hard-working kids! And I love systems that make their efforts less of an effort for me!
Bec

My 12yo Daughter’s Checklist
My Room & Bed?
My Hair & Teeth?
My Chores & Stewardships?
My Things & Handcart?
My Practice & School?
Report --- Free Time

My 12yo Daughter’s Responsibilities
Kitchen
Sunroom– including Dining Room
--
Folding
Dog Messes
Blinds
--
Dishes are washed
Clean-dish-towel is empty
Kitchen is swept
--
Weekly Deep Cleaning

My 12yo Daughter’s Chores
M – Vacuum Laundry Rm & Hall
Vacuum Downstairs
T- MOP KITCHEN
SHOWER
W- Vacuum Bedroom
Vacuum Project Room
T- Clean Master Bathroom
SHOWER
F- Vacuum Sunroom
Clean Family Bath sink & counter
S- School Drawer
Room Check
SHOWER


My 9yo Daughter’s Checklist
My Room & Bed?
My Hair & Teeth?
My Chores & Stewardships?
My Things & Handcart?
My Practice & School?
Report --- Free Time

My 9yo Daughter’s Responsibilities
Halls & Entry
Laundry Room
Sort Dryer
Basement
--
Folding
Dog Messes
Blinds
--
Garbage empty – check
Dishwasher is empty
Dishwasher is loaded
Put away Food
Dad’s Lunch
--
Weekly Deep Cleaning

My 9yo Daughter’s Chores
M – Clean Family Bath sink & counter
Clean Project Room Window & Patio Door Glass
Scrub Tub in Family Bath
T- Vacuum Sunroom
Dust Sunroom & Piano/Bench
SHOWER
W- Clean Family & Downstairs Bathroom
T- Vacuum Laundry Rm, Hall,& Stairs
Clean Sunroom Windows
SHOWER
F- MOP KITCHEN
S- School Drawer
Room Check
SHOWER


My 5yo Son’s Responsibilities
Bedroom
Bathroom
Wood
----
Gather & Sort Dirty Clothes
Take Scout Out
Feed & Water Scout x2
Folding
Mail – out & in
----
Clear Table
Rinse & Stack Dishes

My 5yo Son’s Chores
M – Empty the 4 Small Garbage Cans
T- Brush Scout
W- Shake Rugs & Vac Baths
T- Brush Scout
F- Ask Mom?

General Conference - analysis after the fact

My Goals for General Conference – NEXT General Conference

1. Create anticipation – maybe a basket of goodies & activity/note printouts set out a few days before.

2. Simplify meals – yummy, low-prep, and easy clean-up so as to prevent spending entire sessions working in the kitchen.

3. Watch conference DOWNSTAIRS as a family – this will require a plan for the kids to be successful, and alternatives if that just isn’t working.

4. Take notes – printing out something like this, would be fabulous and colorful pens might be a fun addition for the girls.

5. Find ways to make it meaningful for the kids. I love this idea, but lots of things could work.

6. Plan a few fun treats & a fun outing to burn off energy and get out of the house – remember that time & my energy will be limited.

No Matter What

I just got back from my walk. I have been skipping it a lot lately – worried that the wind will dry out my eyes. But as an unfortunate “unintended consequence” the lack of fresh air was drying out my soul. I’ve been so tired lately and I’m thinking, hoping, that by adding back in my daily walk, I can increase my energy level.

It seems too often that when life fills itself with exceptions, I exempt my basics. This is not a good plan. It is those basics that hold my life together, and I need to make time for them every day.

My NO MATTER WHAT List

1. Pray

2. Read my Scriptures (audio versions will work if you simply can’t see)

3. Workout (exceptions made for up to two days of dire illness, or an early morning temple trip)

4. Walk Outside

5. Smile

Nearer to Spring

We read this poem at breakfast earlier this week and all fell in love with it.

I Heard a Bird Sing

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December

A magical thing

And sweet to remember

"We are nearer to Spring

Than we were in September,"

I heard a bird sing

In the dark of December.

--Oliver Herford

Seeing...

Two weeks ago I had lasik surgery and for at least another week after that I couldn’t see well at all. Not seeing was distressing, irritating, and disorienting. On top of that I got sick, so I wasn’t good for much of anything.

The scripture story of the week was “Jesus Forgives a Woman,” when Simon resists the Savior forgiveness of the woman who bathes his feet with her tears. As we were reading I pointed out the phrase in Luke 7:44.

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman?

The Savior wanted Simon to really see the woman, for it is the seeing that changes our hearts. The kids listened and then laughed and said, “You can’t do that right now, Mom!”

Oh, but I could. And in some ways it was so much easier when I could do less. Now that there is more to do, it can be so much harder to truly see.

My favorite scripture is D&C 76:94

They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;

It will certainly take the fullness of His grace for me to see.

The Great Holmes

Oh my, what is it about Sherlock Holmes? I just can't seem to stay away. I just finished my latest fix last night --

"Sherlock" from the BBC. Fabulous! I loved almost every minute of seeing Mr. Holmes so perfectly at ease in modern London. But, why, oh why did they only make three episodes? Luckily more are scheduled to air late this year - unluckily I imagine it will be some time until they make their way to Netflix. Waiting, oh bother!

I'm obviously not alone in my love for the great detective. Check out some of these variations:

"Sherlock Holmes" 2009

Fast moving and funny, this was a great introduction for my uninitiated husband, and we had fun seeing the similarities in some of our other favorite shows.

And then there's House,where all of our mysteries are of the medical variety. A version which I shan't recommend, but certainly love.

And Psych; silly, funny, not precisely Holmesian, but maybe if Holmes had been raised in a slightly more functional family?

And back to the original medium, I love the Beekeeper's Apprentice Series. Probably my favorite of them all. We meet an older Holmes through the eyes of Mary Russell, his protege and eventual wife. I spent last summer reading one right after the other, and I must say that I still miss the characters! For the first few nights after I finished I would climb into bed, and when I realized I couldn't join in their adventures, I'd wonder about what they were up to. I know, I'm nuts! The newest edition will be out in September, and may be the only reason to rejoice in the ending of summer!

Spring Cleaning – Family Life

1. Work on Obedience without Reminders

2. Solidify Rest Time as a Quiet Renewing Time Every Day
-C needs to stay in the Wood EVERY DAY
-H is going to need two baskets (toys or magazines) as he is no longer sleeping :(
-Girls need to rotate between their bedroom & family room
-We need either a fixed time that will work with all lessons, or a way to track variable times

3. Reduce TV

4. Revise Routine – Less TV, More Outside, Some Free Time when they can practice #5

5. Teach Children Where We Do What
Tables – Art, Games, Puzzles, School Work, Etc.
Sunroom – Reading, Quiet Visiting
Wood – Toys
Downstairs – Noisy Play
Outside – Noisy Active Play

6. Complete School Year while I prepare for “Summer School”

7. Add Daily Blogging – as something fun for me!

8. Replace School with Individual Time on Fridays

9. Help R with her Transition to being a Young Adult

10. Focus on my Three Ingredients for a Happy Life:
1-) The Ability to See (look & listen to people)
2-) A Hope in Christ
3-) Determination (vision & a willingness to work)

What I'm reading right now...




We're doing Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink as a lunchtime read aloud and it is a big hit! It is fun to read, and appealing to all my kids - my little boys (3&5 - though I think the three year old is mostly focused on his food) and my big girls (12 & 9). We see Caddie, a smart and brave eleven year old, coming of age in a big family in the 1860s in frontier Wisconsin.












This is my current book club book and I am loving it. I can't wait to write about what I'm learning. It may be that this life-long pessimist is ready to convert!












The Lighting Thief is a pre-read for my oldest. It's fun, definitely light and is very reminiscent of Harry Potter. So far, I've no problem with it, but I'm only a quarter of the way in, so the jury's still out.













This beautifully written book was a gift from a dear friend of mine who is herself, a fabulous mother. It is full of lovely stories of motherhood, which, while inspiring, are real not really-sweet.








A fairly varied collection if I do say so myself!

What are you reading?

Albert
by Donna Jo Napoli

This book was the highlight of my week. It was yet another FIAR treasure. A book read each day for a week is a special joy. My kids make new discoveries on each trip through, join in for lively choruses of their favorite lines, and we all feel the book’s lessons sinking deeper inside of us.

“Albert” will stand as one of my favorites for the year because I can so relate to the main character. We meet Albert in his apartment, which he can’t quite seem to leave. His daily ritual of sticking his hand out the window always begins with the promise of a lovely walk out of doors. But the walk never comes to fruition, for Albert can’t tolerate the “bad noises” that lay outside.

That is, until the perfect climax. I love this moment, the moment after which Albert will never be the same. As Albert reaches his hand out the window, a cardinal drops a single twig in his hand. And then, the cardinal couple proceeds to build a nest in his hand. Albert exclaims, along with me and all my children every time we read it, “Umm, excuse me, but my arm’s not a branch.”

Albert’s will to nurture this young family, helps him to overcome is fear of the outside world. We see the cardinals care for their eggs, the magnificent hatching, and eventually the new little birds learn to fly all while Albert stands with his hand out the window. And then my favorite lines:

“He listened to laughter nearby, a good noise, and the siren of an ambulance far off, a bad noise. And Albert knew now that both were part of this big, wonderful world.”

It’s a lesson I need to learn, a truth I hope to plant in my children’s hearts. And a story is the perfect seed.