Experimenting with Workboxes

I'm not the kind of person who enjoys having the same schedule everyday.  One day I'll be excited to start the day early and get a lot accomplished and another day I might want to stay in my pajamas until lunch time.  It hit me recently that this is not helpful to my kids or myself for that matter.  Since they didn't know what was expected of them at any given time, they complained or were shocked when I asked them to put away whatever they were enjoying to start school or chores. 

We've been using these chore charts for a few weeks now and they're working well.  I like that I can change the chores from day to day rather than week to week like our previous charts.  They always have the morning routine *chores*:  get dressed, brush teeth, make bed, pick up bedroom, brush hair.  I usually give them two or three little jobs as well. 

I've been doing a lot of reading about workboxes recently, I know I'm a little behind the trend, but I like the idea.  I've tried similar lists and piles for the kids, but workboxes seem much more organized.  I decided to give it a try using folders this week before making an investment in boxes.  Today went well, JR LOVED the idea of getting through his folders.  The kid thrives on competition and he was so excited each time he reached a new number.  EM got off to a rough start because I gave her Math right of the bat (not a great idea considering we usually do it together when LD is napping).  I think she'll do well too with a little tweaking of the schedule.  I'm glad to have a few weeks left of the school year to give the workboxes a dry run before laminating and mod-podging my summer away. 

Oh, on another note I bought this little e-book the other day and it has helped me remember to keep up with the basics!

Happy Easter

We enjoyed a beautiful Easter Sunday!  Resurrection morning services are always a little extra special with the joyful music and kids in their Easter best.  After church we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a lot of laughs and a LOT of great food! 

Raccoon Grove Hike

Lilacs

This week I noticed that the lilac bushes were almost ready to bloom with their heavenly-fragranced purple flowers that grace my home with their delicious smell for a few weeks of the year.  The kids and I happened to be near the house I grew up in yesterday and it reminded me of the park I used to ride my bike to and pick lilacs to bring home to my mom.  I thought we could spare a few minutes to stop by and see if the lilac bushes still grew there. 

We drove past the house I lived in when I was EM's age and not much has changed.  The crab apple trees were in bloom in the front yard and so was the apple tree in the back.  The shutters were still green, I remember the day my dad painted them.  I could see the lilac bushes he planted in the back yard because they have grown so big.  We walked toward the park and saw the lilac bushes in bloom, so the kids and I picked as many as we could reach! 

Owl Moon

Owl Moon isn't in the manual we own, but it is a Five in a Row book I wanted to read with the kids.  EM"s favorite animal is an owl, she often creates owl art and convinces her brothers to pretend they're owls with her.  We read the book together this week and did a cute little art project by turning pinecones into owls.  EM spent a few hours on hers and I was quite impressed with her imagination, as usual! JR finished quickly so he could get to non-craft related activites, but his turned out pretty cute too. 

Life Skills 101

Vaccuming, with four of us home all day, a Mom needs a little help! 

Gardening

Can you believe those popcorn seeds turned into this?!  We are now growing corn...in our kitchen.

Laundry

Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.

Job Training?

Grocery Shopping

Sewing

Ironing!  Yikes! 

EM's Snuggle Blanket

This blanket has been my longest ongoing knitting project.  It took about a year and a half to finish, but most of that time it spent hibernating between other projects.  It's a chunky cable knit in berry colors for my sweet daughter.  I'm a lot sentimental in this way, but I love the idea of her wrapped in the warmth of her mommy's love.  She adores the things I make for her, so maybe she's a little sentimental in that way too.