Accountable Kids

Mom:
Nid wants to share some incite into how he feels about our accountable kids program we use for chores and rewards as well as disciplining. I made ours up, but you can purchase the entire program from here http://www.accountablekids.com/  I personally love it.  It takes the guess work out of what the kids are responsible for as well as what consequences they have if they do not follow the family rules.  They know if they hit they lose a ticket. If they talk back they lose 2 tickets.  Tickets are used for basic privileges like computer time, t.v. time even outside playtime.  They earn tickets by doing basic chores.  Now we are all human and make mistakes...even Mom. Repentance is a big part of this program in our family.  There are always natural consequences to our actions and I want my kids to learn that the Lord always forgives but we all have to pay a price for the poor choices we make; losing a ticket, extra chores tec. They know that after they have repented they are forgiven and can start over again and are still loved no matter what.
Nid:
Hi I wanted to tell you about what I would change about our program and what I wold keep on our program.  I think we should have 1 chore every day and, for real, if you finish all your chores you get a ticket like home work complete and the worst of all clear table!!! I absolutely hate clearing the table . I hope you agree with me . Don't you? The End until next time.  Oh, I forgot to say what I like about it.  If you get bonus bucks you get money, you get a lot of fun stuff like riding bikes and playing with friends and playing on the computer which I love the most.

   The picture below shows a compilation of my work and this awesome website that has a ton of the reminder cards and ideas http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2011/01/chore-chart-cards.html

Muffin:

I like that we get to get tickets to play with friends and play with Mommy and Daddy. I was the first one to earn a date with Dad.  We went and bought me pants and shoes.  We  also went to a restaurant but it was too full so instead we went to a place that you could have breakfast anytime.  I got a waffle with strawberries, blueberries, syrup and whip cream. It was so good. I can't wait until I get to earn another date...maybe this time I'll go with mom.

Our little Island Princess

No one is quite like our Island Princess she always laughs like she has an ant in her leg . She just can't help being friendly.  Like that time when she crawled up to my (Nid is writing this post) leg and she grabbed it and hugged it.  I think she is the cutest baby ln the world. And when she grows up I bet she will have great kids just like my mom .  Mom is so great I bet she works alot to have  5 kids .  I bet we have the best baby in the world.  And maybe the craziest brother in the world. And I just think I might be the best big brother in the world . I love my little sister and any how I hope she stays little for a long time . The End for now !

Trip to Washington D.C.

We took a trip to Washington D.C. a couple of weeks ago. We packed as much in as we could over the weekend, including a visit to Mt. Vernon (George Washington's Estate). It was gorgeous!

Places we visited/things we saw: The Smithsonian (The American History Museum, The Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Castle), The White House, The Lincoln Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, The Washington Memorial, The Iwo Jima Memorial, The WWII Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, The Supreme Court, The Capital Building, The Library of Congress, The National Archives (The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights), The National Christmas Tree, The FBI Building, Ford Theatre (where Lincoln was shot), The Washington D.C. Temple (and the amazing visitors center), Boy Scouts of America Monument, George Washington's Grave at Mt. Vernon, a Tree that Washington planted himself, a mirror that Washington looked into each day, The Original Star Spangled Banner in the American History Museum, The Arlington National Cemetery (JFK's grave, Robert E. Lee's house, and The changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), what seemed like a thousand other buildings, statues, and monuments, and of course our very welcoming beds each night! :)

View of the National Mall from the WWII Dutch Bell-Tower

The kids having some fun near the Dutch Bell Tower

Iwo Jima Memorial

The View of the Potomac and Maryland from just below the back park at Mt. Vernon

Mount Vernon

Snoopy in the WWI section of the Air and Space Museum. The kids were surprised to see Snoopy there!

The White House

The kids were in total awe inside the Smithsonian Museums. One of them (guess who!) tried to climb onto the original plane that the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk.

Christmas Magic

We just finished writing our letters to Santa. They were fun filled letters full of dolls and dinosaurs. Now what to do with them? Santa 's helper needed to think of something special. . .a magic mailbox was at the top of my list but we don't have one and we all know that regular USPS cannot be trusted. Then I thought of the tooth fairy? Why not! if the tooth fairy can do it why not Santa. My kids have yet to have any experience with the tooth fairy so when that does come around they are going to think that she stole the idea from the big guy. . .besides in my house we always put our teeth in a cup of water on the fridge and that is how she did her magic.

So I told the kids to put their letters under their pillows and that Santa would magic them to the north pole. The Rock wrote a letter too, magic works for adults as well. The kids wanted to go to bed right then, but there was no settling down Nidnid. He had a firm grasp on his letter under his pillow wanting to be sure that he didn't miss anything. I gently reminded him that Santa would only magic them away if they were asleep, and that he better loosen his grip otherwise it might not work. They finally settled down and were out.

3:00 AM

Nid comes bounding into our bedroom and jumps onto the bed.
"MOM, MOM it worked, it's gone!! Santa magicked my letter away!!"

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!

In the morning we all went to look at this miracle that had occurred. And in the place of the missing letters hung two candy canes on the bed. WOW!!

"Did it work for you Dad?" "Yep!"

"But not for you Mom. . .you didn't get a candy cane 'cause you didn't write a letter to Santa."

That's okay, this was even better then a candy cane!!

I love Christmas!!

Yahtzee

We all know how Rocky loves to play games. In fact during the last week or so he has played Risk, Axis and Allies and now his current favorite: Yahtzee. Over the years we have battled to get the top score on our little hand held yahtzee game. I have held it for five straight years with a top score of 527 that I earned during an epic round robin tournament between myself, Rocky and our brother-in-law Gary over the pacific ocean on our way to Hawaii. Amazing!! We go through times when we don't play it for months and then someone picks it up and starts a new battle. Right now he is holding it up in my face and saying "HA HA I have got over 250 everytime. . .who is the king, I have gotten 7 straight games over 250 and 4 over 300. . .don't mess with me sweety!" " I am not going to stop playing until I get a game less then 250, that is my rule."
This game is very addicting, as you can tell. It is fun to battle back and forth, it is even more fun when you are on a roll, like he is Right now!!
"Hehe, my seventh yahtzee" again he is waving it in my face. . . WHAT!! "my 9th yahtzee in 15 minutes"
As he is playing he is singing "Funky town doodoodoo Funky Town", to the music of a Funky Town toy that a friend gave our kids. The kids are all wandering around singing it too. I am never going to live this down. The worst part is that I started it yesterday, and I never got over 200!
"Over 300 again!!I just can't help it, I have never seen anything like this...this is unreal!"
"I'm DONE!!"
"Okay, I am just going to get in the shower... I could go all day like this"
I love my husband so much, it is a good thing that I have gotten over my competative nature otherwise when he gets in the shower I might try to top him. . .Besides I still have the top score!!

As I type he is counseling with the kids "you guys let me tell you something . . .your father is a world class yahtzee player."