cleaning: ever wonder how to divide the chores in your house? here's another option: We call them "zones".

We used to write all the "jobs" on little papers and then draw those jobs out of the jar. But of course that didn't work, due to the fact that we haven't mastered the teamwork concept yet. ha!

So, now we have zones in the home, that are the soul responsibility of the young person.

Our zones go like this: kitchen, family rm, living rm, entry rm, downstair ba, lower stairs, upper stairs w/ landing, hallway, and upstairs ba. My oldest child is responsible for the kitchen and hallway. main job is dishes in the dishwasher, counters, sweep floor, and recycling can. If child keeps those clean, mom washes "hand-wash", washes counters, helps with trash, cooking, etc. Second child cares for the entry & living rm--pickup & vacuum, lower stairs, and upstairs ba. Bathrooms include clean sink, sweep and pickup floor, and keep toilets flushed. Mom cleans toilets and tubs. third child cares for the downstairs bathroom--which includes a coat closet(I know, weird place), family room--pickup & vacuum, and upper stairs. Pickup includes dishes put away in the kitchen, trash in can, and others belongings into the "pick-up" bin. Which everyone checks twice a day. They are also responsible for their own rooms pick-up and getting laundry "sorted". Sorted means to pull clothing right side out, sort whites out, and check pockets. (I'm getting rich in GI Joes.) Mom takes care of her room, bathroom, vacuuming for youngest, vacuuming bdrms, mirrors, windows, youngest 2 childrens & parents laundry, and general help where lessons needed. I am liking this method a lot. At first, it seems like a lot, especially for the younger children, but I do watch what they are having to clean up or picking up after. The ba sinks are the hardest job for them both. The oldest and the kitchen are not friends yet. i'm waiting for the attitude to go from hate it to has to be done-like it or not.

A great way to start this is slowly. do a thorough clean on one room and then assign it. that way you have a large task broken down to smaller ones and they have a fresh place to begin with.

A picture of the cleaned room is a great reminder for them. if they claim cleanliness, pull out the picture and ask it they match.

hope this helps!

happy zoning...

My children

My elsest son turned 13- 2 weeks ago. I littlest guy tells me that big bro has body maturing going on.
Littlest guy aka Fun Size Guy--doesn't want to hug or cuddle.
My middle guy started crying and didn't want comfort hugs.
What does all this add up to? Disfunctionality at least! But definitely growing up!!!
I sat in the library watching a mom with her 2-ish y.o. daughter and infant son interacting, and wanted to hold that baby so bad.
I see toddlers with frankenstein steps and want to scoop them up and give'em tummy zerbers.
Sound familiar? Oh, most days I'm happy that they are mostly self-sufficient, but with these latest events, I am feeling the days whizzing by.
We've had a rough week and I told them that they didn't earn a 'fun thing' today. I'm changing my mind, cause I need some fun too. And they are sweet, great guys and I want to spend FUN time with them!!!
So, we're going to The Farm today to get harvest pumpkins.
Remember to do something fun with your children , even when they haven't earned it. They are human, ya know and in need of your time and love MOSTLY!
Now where are my mucky-muck boots?

more tenderhearted

I find myself thinking that I'm getting really good at tuning out their noise and obnoxious-ness. Yes, the lil men monsters. And when I find myself feel quite smug about it, God throws me a wake up call. Usually in the form of someone getting hurt and I didn't respond like I shoulda. I thought of it as getting thicker skinned, hard - hearted (when it comes to blood,etc.), and better mommying. But today, I realized something astounding. My oldest child will be 12 in less than 2 weeks. He was having one of those mornings. Instead of getting impatient with him like I ususally do, I was having a very melt-y moment of my heart. He was such a small/young person to be in that place. I did my best with our time, but felt it was inadequate. As I left him at school and drove away, I had an epiphany. He's a real person and I'm helping to mold him! Oh Lord, help me!

hello ya'll

Packing with children, the new disorder!

Okay I'm packing today and this is how it went. I picked up a box to take upstairs. On the way, I kicked all the stuff off the bottom stair, grabbed dirty clothes laying all around, thought about where to start. Even though I lay awake last night for a long time thinking about just that. I decided on the mstr bedrm and closet. I still felt this was where I should head. As I pass throught the loft I notice the laundry needs to be continued, so I start a new load and pull the dry stuff out. I know I need to get them folded so that I won't have wrinkly clothes. When I get a few folded, I need a place to set them down. So I go out to the folding table. It has 3 unfolded loads already on it. I search for the basket and realize that it too, is overflowing with a folded load. So, I go to set the clothes on the bed and it's still unmade. Now I set the clothes on the blanket chest and start to make the bed. When I get the covers off to start from fresh, I see think that the sheets & cases need laundered. But I want to get that laundry done, so I pickup the pile and head for the closet. I trip on the way in, fumble for the light switch and hear the phone ringing. In case it's my children or hubby, I set the clothes down(on the floor, no less) and go to answer the phone. Phone is missing from the cradle, so where is it? Now the phone quits ringing, but I remember that I needed to call the phone company regarding incorrect charges on my bill. I jog down stairs, but before I can get to my desk to entry table stops me. what a disaster area. So, I gather a few item that are going towards the desk and I head there as well. The desk was used by my husband all weekend and there is no clear area. So, I sit my pile in the chair and prepare to clear it off. my youngest comes flying in with "Mom, Buddy (the weiner dog) bit my lip!" I'm sick of this dog biting my child, by the way. He's a puppy still kinda, but no excuses. This is usually grounds for putting a dog down. But I don't wanna be the cause. While all this flashes thru my mind, I call him over to me so that I can examine the wound. Sure enough the dog has bit him and it's bleeding a bit both inside and out. The little girl who owns the dog, says at this point, "My mom put some toilet paper on it..." This is the 3rd time he's been bit by Buddy. Since I don't wanna spoil his fun, I warn him not to play near the dog again. (I'm not sure if he's doing something to agitate the dog but I don't think so). He says okay. He leaves with his friend, but now I'm fumin'. and I can't get back to my train of thought. The one that I thought I had anyways.
I finally get calmed down and back at it. My tummy is telling me that it's hungry, but I feel like I'm getting stuff done and don't wanna interrupt my roll. So I hold off. Now where was I?
The desk...
I look at the desk and feel the new but familiar sensation coming over me of being overwhelmed. Just leave it. And go eat. I've learned that I must be well hydrated and fed and enough sleep to be able to work thru those feelings. So, I head for the kitchen. Yuck! Before I can make lunch, I need to wipe down the counters. I go to the sink, and Yuck! I need to get those dirty soakers out of there before I can get my wash clothe wet. I decide to do at least a small dish load, but need some gloves. As I hunt for the gloves my stomach starts growling in earnest. Now, instead of the nutrious meal that I was planning, I grab a junky chip and dip snack. It tides me over for a while, so skip the actual meal. I now look around and decide that I really need to use this time for packing and need to stop allowing myself to get distracked. As I walk by the couch, I get this keep flash of exhaustion. I jump ahead to what this evenings activities will be and decide to get in a quick nap. That lasts about an hour plus. Cause I'm tired but the neighbors are noisy. When I do get up I have about 15 minutes, til I need to leave to pick up children, so I'll just cuddle with my littlest. I get my guys and think I should go back in to pack some more. But on my way in I notice the sticker weeds in the front flower bed and the sun is out and I really don't wanna pack. And the weeds will need to be dealt with at some point and my hubby is mowing. So, I go to get the gloves and bucket. When I pass/trip the water hose I stop to wind it back up. I actually remember to continue to the garage for gloves but no bucket in sight. I start with the weeds but quickly realize I must find a bucket. Several wasted minutes of searching and I find one and get back to it. Within 10 weeds I'm interrupted with "Mom, the neighbors are here." They are here to pay for the bed, but we still chat about everything else for 1/2 hour or so. By then hubby is done and resting on the lawn chair watching birds. He's rarely awake and sitting at the same time, so I snatch this opportunity to sit with him. But,
the mosquitoes are out!
So, I go back inside. I check the clock and figure that I should feed my family or at least deligate it. Within a hour their fed and the clock says an hour past their bed times and sit down and rest for the eve for me. As I start to plan for tomorrow I first think back over the day see what I got accomplished. One load of laundry is washed, 3-4 garments were folded, bed covers are pulled back, small pile of stuff is on desk chair (now the floor, cause hubby wanted to sit there), realized the kitchen was in a tornados path, a pile of weeds on front walkway and a small nap.
WHAT?!?
I busted my rear all day. This is it? What happened to the highly motivated, compulsively organized, and obsessive packing machine that I used to be?

Have ya ever had a day like this? Well they have a name for it now.
You are officially diagnosed with:

CAADD or AAADD

CHILDREN ACTIVATED ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

or for those of you without children to blame it on...

AGE-ACTIVATED ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Welcome to my world!

Packing

I am trying to pack. We are moving in a month and a half. I started a month and a half ago. I started the week of Easter Break and...that's it. Okay I packed maybe 5-6 boxes, but that's it. I used to be a packing/moving pro. Then one day God started molding my life towards something in the future that only he could see. The molding began in the form of a car accident. And since then He has blessed me with 5 more car accidents. In hindsight, I can say that He had it happen to teach me several life lessons. 1. Listen to my body--it speaks to u. (I'm sure everyone else knows that, cause they all gripe about their aches and pains. I didn't, they just annoyed me.) I listen now because I have no choose but to listen, less it degrade to dibilitating circumstances. 2. I have to pay attention to it to learn about eating habits. 3. I have to listen to it to tell me that I'm running over my children-figuratively, of course. Yes, I get going to fast trying to stay up with our world and they get left behind or worse ran over.
So, that leads me to my packing. Like I said, I used to be very efficient at packing and moving. I have 50-some moves under my belt. But since children were born, I've lost it.
I think that God is trying to teach me some more here and I am struggling with accepting this instruction. Once again, it's pride. I don't want to lose the packing machine that I was and admit ...what? That I'm a normal human being? I like efficiency and order. I've always thought God gave me this gift to use in everything that I'm involved in. yes, I do believe that God does want me to do that, but in MODERATION. I can't pack and have fun at the same time. Fun with my children. And eventually, they just become irritating to me. I am learning to stop. In the middle of something, no less, and play with my littlest boy. He'll be gone next year all day and I will be childless. That's a hard concept, when I felt like I was just getting used to it this year.
As the years go by, and Iknow this is a cliche, remember to enjoy each moment. Or at least several moments of each day with ur children, cause they will be gone so fast.
And now I'm gonna cry...

Marriage is a no-pride zone.

I am reminded every time we have a minor disagreement or a major arguement that pride must fall flat on it's face before making-up begins. As I write this I am working hard to be objective and not vindictive. Last night we had another of those miscommunications.
Why did this become such a huge deal, when it started so small? You got it; pride. I said this, you said that. How come you did this? Why did you not do that? Etc.
It's not always apparent. And definitely a hard bullet to swallow when recognized, to apply to ourselves. The one who made the mistake is in the position to see the obviousness of it. The one with the pride issues has a bigger SIN to deal with.
I did something right earlier this week. I made the mistake of letting that go to my head or wherever pride resides. I didn't stay humble and consequently became prideful. When the opportunity arose again to practice the same self-control & compassion, and when God allowed it to be a little bit more self-involved, my pride stood up and caused me to step on a landmine.
The miscommunication cost a high price of recent hard-won peace. Today, the "business" is over yet the hard & hurt feelings remain somewhat. However, deeply buried. They can never be erased and will never be undone.
If we work more at preventing the pre-war stuff, the post-war will never happen or at least less frequent and then Satan has less ammo. (Yes, I have lil' boys & live in a military community.) I find that God is a weapon of no equal, if only we include Him! Thank you Lord for always being available. Please help me to remember to petition you!