My Battle Plan

I am a "sticker mom." I love charts and stickers.

I also love lists and schedules......and my label maker. I LOVE my label maker.

I love my household management notebook that I put together last year. It is a handy place to keep all of my neatly labeled charts, schedules, and lists.

I have come to realize, however, that my love of organization is a trait that I did not pass down to my son. He is a messy, unorganized, pack-rat. This has caused a lot of strife in our household. We are constantly butting heads over the state of his room.

Bailey, on the other hand, is just like me. She loves order. She enjoys organizing. I won't let her use my beloved label maker, so she uses construction paper and tape to make her own labels. She likes schedules and lists even more than I do.

In spite of all of my charts and labels, chores are still a bit of a problem at our house.

I think a HUGE mistake I made was the sticker chart. I generously gave out stickers for chores that were then traded for allowance - allowance that was spent on more toys to "clutter up" the kids rooms.

So, today, after I spent the morning gathering up toys to give away, we had a family meeting. We are making some changes.

Kris and I have been trying to come up with a plan and I think we finally put one together that might work.

First of all - the sticker chart is headed out the door. To be perfectly honest, I was tired of trying to keep up it with anyway.

Second, we are not giving allowance anymore. Kris and I don't get paid to wash the dishes. Why should we pay the kids to clean their rooms? We buy them whatever they need and most of what they want anyway. Allowance is just a novelty.

Third, they are going continue to help out around the house. Cleaning up and taking care of the house is just what has to be done. It's part of life and part of being in a family. They will still be helping with washing dishes, folding laundry, feeding the dog, dusting furniture, sweeping floors, wiping down bathroom counters (with chemical-free cleaning spray) - things they were being paid to do.

Fourth, I AM NOT GIVING UP MY LABEL MAKER. I will continue to label the shelves and baskets in the kids' rooms. I will continue to expect them to put their toys back exactly where they belong. Organizationally challenged or not (Zack) this is what has to be done.

And finally, NO MORE JUNK TOYS. You know what I am talking about - Happy Meal Toys, Dollar Tree Toys, Tourist Trap Toys. I am tired of little pieces of nothing that break and get scattered everywhere. From now on, we are only buying QUALITY TOYS.

We had a family meeting to discuss the changes being made and you know what? The kids are fine with it. I think they are actually delighted with the simplicity of it all. No more stickers, no more charts. They will clean their rooms every evening, and be ready to do other jobs as the need arises.

So this is my battle plan. I will let you know how it works out.........

Politics

So in the past, I have just used this blog to update family and friends on the life and times of our little family. Sometimes I am able to keep it up to date and sometimes I simply do not have time to post pictures and updates. That's just the way life is.

I am sure I will keep trying to keep it updated with photos and stories. In fact, I am going to try to post some summer highlights soon. But, today my blog is going to take a break from it's original purpose and it is going to turn political.

Yes, I said political.

I tend to keep quiet about my political views. I am not outspoken or boisterous about current political issues. I read and I vote, but I am not comfortable discussing politics. I have some very strong opinions about things, but I keep them to myself. That's just the way I am.

However, there have been some things happening lately that have just made me want to say, "OK. Enough is enough." There have been times in the past few months that I have wanted to make my opinion known, but then I have talked myself out of it. I am not confrontational. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. I don't want to rock the boat.

But today, I am in a "boat-rocking mood". Maybe it is the rain. Maybe it is exhaustion. I don't know. But today I am finally going to say it -

Enough is enough.

I know that most people in our part of the country are republican. I know that most people strongly disagree with president Obama. We are all entitled to our opinions and I am grateful that we are blessed with freedom of speech.

But, I am angry.

I am angry that there are so many republicans who disrespect the office of the president of the United States of America by comparing our president to a monkey. I am angry that there are so many Christians who have so little respect for a living soul, created by God.

I am tired of people reserving places in hell for politicians. Really? God gave you that job? Really? YOU are the eternal travel agent? I had no idea. That is amazing. I thought we were to love, not judge. Disagree with others, debate issues, vote the way we feel we should vote, make our opinions known .... but not damn others. That is not our job. We are not God. We are not given the right to proclaim who is going to hell. I am appalled at the arrogance. Sickened and disgusted.

I am angry that people who are offended by "democrat haters" allow themselves to become "republican haters". I am tired of hearing people say they want respect and tolerance to be shown to them and in the next breath, rip apart the other "side".

I am angry and I have had enough. So the next time you want to forward an offensive email or post your hate in facebook, think. That's all. Just think. We are called to love, not condemn.

My sweet 7 year old little girl has been so blessed with a Godly wisdom. Every night, before bed time, she bows her head, folds her hands, and prays, earnestly, for President Obama. There is no hate. There is no condemnation. There is only love and a strong desire for our nation and our President to follow God. Shouldn't you, in all of your "adult wisdom", be doing the same?






And you know what?

I am republican. I disagree with Obama.

Easter

I just realized I haven't posted photos from Easter. Better late than never, though, right?

We started our celebration with an Easter Tea Party at "the cousin's" house. Aunt Laura has hosted an Easter tea every year since the kids were babies. Bailey and Zack always look forward to it.

On Saturday, we colored Easter eggs and baked "Resurrection Rolls". The rolls were fun and when they came out of the oven, they really looked like empty tombs!

On Sunday, the Easter bunny stopped by for a visit while we were at church. When we got home, the yard was full of eggs! He even popped inside to fill Bailey and Zack's baskets.

Then, it was off the Nanny and PaPa's house for dinner, a nice visit with Grandma Neta, and even MORE eggs!

I Would Die For That

We were married for 9 years before our little ones came along. There were times my heart was broken, but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

Dear Mr. Haney,

This bicycle is absolutely perfect. All it needs is a big wicker basket on the front. It is designed by Libery of London and will be available at Target on March 14th.



I also need these shoes. . . . .





Oh, and I need this dress for Bailey. . . . .



and these cute little aprons. . . .



and oh, one more thing. . . . . my birthday is only 75 days away, Mr. Haney.

Maybelline and Morgan

When Bailey was 4 years old, she asked me why all of her dolls were "white babies". I had never thought about it before, but they were all "white babies".

That very day, we went to Toys R Us to find an Asian baby. They didn't' have any Asian baby dolls, but they did have a little Asian "Kelly" doll. She named her "Little Bailey". The next Christmas, Santa was able to find a beautiful little Asian baby doll. She named her "Baby Bailey".

My Bailey's newest love is "Faith and Friend" dolls. My mom and dad gave her the Asian doll for Christmas, along with a complete wardrobe. It was Bailey's favorite gift. It even overshadowed her Santa gifts. She named her Maybelline and has played with her endlessly.

So, for her birthday, she asked for another "Faith and Friends" doll. She wanted Maybelline to have a friend. I took her shopping and let her pick which one she wanted. She chose a brown haired doll in a yellow dress. She wasn't the cutest of the "Faith and Friends" dolls and her clothes were a little plain, but that's the doll she wanted. She named her Morgan and has slept with her every night since her birthday.

A couple of days ago, Bailey and I were sitting in the floor of her room, having a tea party with Maybelline and Morgan. We visited about dolls, cookies, puppies and all of the things that are important in her little world. I thought this might be a good time to ask about Morgan.

"Bailey, tell me why you picked Morgan. Did you like her clothes the best? Or her shoes?"

"No. I liked her hair."

"Because it is cut kind of like yours?"

"No."

"Because it has yellow ribbons?"

"No, mommy. I like it because it's brown. I wanted a doll that looks like you."

Oh, my sweet Bailey . . . . .

Donny

I'm almost embarrassed to say that my first crush was Gilligan. Not the professor, but strange, silly Gilligan. I'm not even sure "crush" is the right word. I wasn't gooey in the knees about him, I just thought he was cute and funny. I've always loved men who could make me laugh.

My first real, gooey in the knees, butterflies in the tummy kind of crush was.... (imagine "One Bad Apple" underscoring here)..... Donny. I thought he was dreamy. My tummy would tickle every time I heard "Puppy Love" and to this day I am convinced "Go Away Little Girl" was written just for me (he was 16 years old and had already recorded 2 albums when I was born). My sister had his poster on her door and I would drool over his purple socks.

Later, as my taste matured, I fell head over heels for Bo Duke and Magnum P I, but my first love will always be (...sigh...) Donny.

So recently, after Donny won the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy, I confessed to my family that I used to stand in the hallway and kiss a tiny, little spot on the wall that I pretended was Donny.

This year, my sweet Daddy gave me the most wonderful Christmas gift ever. He went to a lot of trouble to get it and he was one of the first people in Amarillo to buy it on it's release date. It was (drum roll) the Donny Osmond Definitive Collection Cd! Can you believe it?!?!

I was so surprised! I squealed with delight and for just a moment, it was 1979 again and I was standing in the hallway staring at my sister's door and kissing the wall.

Thank you Daddy! You are the best dad EVER!