A Well-Oiled Machine

Today is the first day of Dane's (and hence, the rest of us here at home) Summer Vacation.

My biggest worry was that the days would pass by, wasted, without rhyme or reason or HELP from my kids with those same kids constantly asking me when they could watch a movie or play a game on the computer.

So, this morning I gathered Dane and Ella around the computer and we went through each day and outlined chores and play time, screen time and eating time.

This is going to keep me wonderfully on track especially because they can't do some of the later-in-the-day chores if Mommy doesn't get going in the morning. It's working without being overworked.

I am excited.

I have also given them the opportunity to earn some money for any extra chores they choose to do and we made a goal of something they'd like to purchase with their earnings.


We also came up with a list of consequences for both good and bad choices. I had them help me choose some consequences of various item such as:


Telling mom you did a chore and you didn’t = 1 unpaid extra chore

Fighting = time out. Fighting with mom about going to time out = double timeout


Hugging Mom/Dad = a hug back and a happy family


I read the items back to them and we all signed that agreed to the consequences of our choices. It was pretty cool.


The first day has gone fairly well. We are far from the well-oiled machine I always hope we'll be, but I'm really happy (mostly with myself) on how the day has gone.

Other items of note:

Dane began piano lessons today. He's already practiced 1/4 of the time he's expected to this week because he's so excited.

We spent a long time trying to organize Legos by building them into the structures they were originally intended to be. This was really difficult for, although we had previously divided them up by color, Dane got them out and then Bryce really got them out and up and over and under...

We are currently at a stand-still, especially because we have friends, little friends coming over tomorrow.

Finally, a new little 1st cousin, once removed, has joined our family. Travin Ryder Crittenden was born on May 27th in Reno, NV.

It's a blurry cell phone photo, but you can just see that he's so cute!