Fun in the pool and 5 things

So, I should write properly instead of only what's top of mind.

We have done star charts as some of you know - it was getting a bit stale so we stopped for a long time because they were getting their 5 stars but we felt their behaviour was perhaps "bad" for that day.

Anyhow, let's talk about their 5 things in the kitchen.

After they finish a meal, this is what we expect them to do. I even wrote it out on a project life card so all of us (D, Nanny S and me) are on the same page.

1. Say thank you for a lovely breakfast/ snack/ lunch/ supper
2. Take your dishes to the sink
3. Wipe your placemat
4. Push your chair in neatly
5. Wash your hands

Basically, they are very good with the manners but there was always something that I had to remind them of, and I actually can't stand messy surfaces (shoot me!) so I'm training them.

Connor is very good at tidying up (even when I don't ask). To be honest, sometimes he wants to tidy my drawers that are already tidy!!! Freaks me out! I really don't like people messing with my organising :) He often says, "it's okay Kendra, I'll tidy the table" if he can see she wants to do other things. This is very rarely reversed but she is good at calming him down if he's about to have a frothy!

I still sometimes say, "Kendra, WHY is Connor so cross?" and she'll say "he's cross because ____________"

It's VERY cute!

I have no idea what was going on

Couldn't resist

precious!

um, what?

hmmm

sweet little girl

kisses from daddy

I'm sure you have some meal-time things too, you just don't call it "5 things".

Tell me what they are...

{Wordless Wednesday} Santa Shoebox

Reward charts

So, awhile ago I saw something on Sarah's blog that got me thinking.

Sarah made a reward chart for Henry. In essence, he was rewarded for not crying in the mornings at school drop-off or something like that and when his complete chart was full, he'd get some or other toy.

BRILLIANT!

We don't have problems with school drop-off but there are many things I wish would go smoother in the mornings.

When K mentioned yet again that she wants earrings (she's been begging me the whole year), I decided to make her a chart with 63 blocks and I told her when that thing was full of stickers, she could get earrings.

Of course C wanted in on the action. So I made him one too.

He's SUPER motivated by goals (like me) and K mostly couldn't care less, except when that board started filling up and she could see the end in sight (there's a real-life goals lesson in there...)

As we speak, Connor is 3 stars away from his trip to ToysRUs and Kendra is about 10 stars away.

I dish out the stars for anything :) (getting dressed without moaning, folding and putting their pjs away, making beds, doing their 5 things (have I spoke to you about their 5 things before? Do you want to know?) but I do have a few rules - I have to observe the activity.

No good them telling me "I helped Teacher C with the tidy-up at school". I want to benefit from the behaviour in my own house :)

I offered them 5 stars each for behaving at the photo shoot. K got all 5 her stars; C got 3.

I don't say "come do this and you'll get a star". I say "don't forget your 5 things" or "who wants to help me sort the laundry?" and then if they do it nicely (good attitude), I'll say, "Kendra, thanks for helping me. I think you need a star (or two if their and our laundry baskets)"

As you can see, easy-breezy; hopefully it's encouraging listening and helping with a good attitude.

I'm really not sure what was happening here.

Do you use a reward chart system? 

PS South Africans, where can I get K's ears pierced?

Connor, then and now

This is the two of us 4 years ago.

Add caption

and this is the two of us now :)

I should make D and Kendra do a similar pose so I can put up their then and now too.

I know MandyE does a lot of looking at comparison photos. I almost never do unless I'm deliberately searching for something (also I only have the current year's photos on the computer), but I will admit it was very nice to go back and find these photos :) What I particularly love is seeing old clothes and shoes that I'd forgotten about.

Do you do this? Do you look back and compare your babies' photos with the current year's?

Photoshoot day!

I keep forgetting how torturous photoshoot day is around these parts.

We ALL get into a tizz - D tries to sabotage it by refusing to wear my colour scheme, the kids dragggggg their feet and I turn into a banshee, barking orders at everyone to MOVE IT!

I hate it. Really I do.

And then when I get the photos, they sustain me for another year.

*sigh*

Today was that day.

I don't know if I'm just past caring because of The Thing That Shall Remain Nameless but at any one point one kid is looking, the other is making faces at the camera and we're fake-smiling.

If Eve gets a few good photos, then MIRACLE.

We told the kids they could play AFTER the lady took all the photos she needed, and we did... for a good hour (the shoot was 45 mins!).

We then came home, gave ourselves ice-cream as a reward for staying sane, popped the kids into baths, fed them and into bed.

Here are a few photos I took when they were playing.

How was your Sunday?

One word for November

Are you as freaked out that we're in November as I am? What is it - 6 weeks til Christmas? ;)

October went far too fast for my liking and those were just the weeks, not even the weekends.

Still, it wasn't a bad month in the grand scheme of things except for the Thing That Shall Remain Nameless.

I mentioned this before but my friend Beth does a word (s) she wants for the month ..

this month mine was going to be action but when I chatted to Beth, she challenged me to add a descriptive word, so FOCUSSED action it is :)

Focussed on my goals, on my prayer life, on keeping my sanity, on what matters most in the grand scheme of things and not thinking too much about the details.

!

this amazing light fixture is in another building on the campus property - I always feel like I want to stroke my hands through those fringes :)

Interesting things that happened in October:

1. We booked a holiday! In January but still, a holiday is booked!
2. I just went onto Disc.overy's website to check my gym visits for the month - 6 plus 1 with my PT at the work gym. Then I got nerdy... as at end Oct, 28 visits with PT and 44 visits to my gym = 72 for the year and 7.2 on average which sounds about right. I know this is very low for some of you but for me.... awesome! Esp this year!
3. One of the kids is challenging us 100-fold so I bought "your 4-year-old: wild and wonderful"
4. % of goals reached for October = 96%. Sadly this probably means when life is tough, I put my head down and just push on with things.

Some things on my list for November:

1. Organise recipe files
2. Try two new recipes for summer
3. Book dental appointments
4. Plan lunches for the week as well as suppers
5. Order canvases for Christmas presents
6. Decide if we're hosting Christmas (I can't believe we're talking about Christmas)
7. Laugh more!

What's on your list for November?

Tell me the top 3 things.

{Friendship Friday} Making the effort to repair a friendship

First, let's set the scene.

This is a friend success story. The ones whose car was broken into in front of my house last year.

I just came out and said what's going on? I miss you and do you want to get together or not?

They did.

It was divine! And most importantly, we're back on track.

Have you had to mend a relationship recently?