Getting The Behavior Under Control

I'm going to tell you a little secret. I'm a horrible mother. I let my temper get the best of me way too much, and I get so angry with my children sometimes that it really feels like I am going to bust a blood vessel in my eye one day. My four year old really knows how to push me over the edge. I have been holding onto the end of that rope so tightly for what seems like so long that I just don't know if I want any more kids at all. Then I feel guilty. We worked so hard to get our babies here that I feel so unappreciative of the miracles God has given me. I have to try so hard every day, and I don't know where I would be without Him, but I know it would not be pleasant.

So, last week I was on the computer and I found this Works For Me Wednesday post. I got so excited because I had seen the Dilley Six on TV and knew that their mom had some sort of really involved discipline method, but I didn't know quite how it worked. IFLC even referenced it for me (I mean her readers), so I was able to read it for myself! You can read that here.

I talked to my husband about it that night and he thought it sounded like a good idea, so the next day I set about creating the whole thing. We've instituted it with our daughter, and so far so good! I am praying that this is our answer.


Here are the two charts I made. You can click on any picture to enlarge it. Now the daily chores have to be completed before any privileges are allowed, even breakfast.
Here is the ladder side of the chart. The infractions will change, I'm sure, as we encounter different behaviors that need to be modified. We also consider any extenuating circumstances before we have her move her marker...

Here you can see she has already completed all her chores.

And here is the chore chart without the magnets covering the pictures.

For the "Little Apprentice Duties" she is learning how to do my chores alongside me. I don't expect too much out of her right now. She still pitches in and helps me with them, but I really just want to make sure she's paying attention and watching carefully how I am doing the tasks. As she gets older the chart will, of course, change, and I will change my expectations of her as well. But for now, I think this is enough for her.


By the way, I made the chart and magnets for free out of stuff I already had: scrapbook paper, a circle punch, and old magnet advertisements that I was just about to toss in the trash. See?

This makes me smile every time I look at it!!

Stoked!!

We went out today and I convinced my husband to drop me off at JoAnn's to "window shop" while he went to Lowe's to pick up some supplies. Well, I, of course couldn't make it out of JoAnn's with nothing in my hands. Check out what I bagged!!!


That's five garlands, two boxes of pine cones, a bag of 100 tea lights, and a string of Christmas snowflake bead garland (for the Lucy tree). It cost a whopping $9.01 plus tax!! The garlands were 29 cents each, pine cones were 59 cents each, the beads were 39 cents, and well, I did pay full price for the candles - $5.99 for the pack of 100... I'm so excited!!!

Aren't These Just Lovely?

If you are an avid photographer you are just going to love these. Shealynn makes such luscious camera strap covers. Here are just a few of them:


Like pink and brown? How about Jewel dot?


An eastern flair? Maybe Moorish Espresso is your kind of poison...


Nature with a twist: Lava Leaves


Maybe you have lots and lots and lots of need to wear orange (it's a great color, Alli!)... Then how about Autumn Wallpaper??

So, what could be better than purchasing one of these cuties from Shealynn (no shipping, by the way...)?? How about winning one??? SITS is having a giveaway! Just leave a comment HERE (Alli, you have to click that word) and let them know which one is your favorite. Then if you want more chances to win blog about the giveaway and let them know you posted about it and they'll give you FIVE more chances!

Now, just make sure you don't do any of that so my chances of winning are better , 'kay?!?

A Giveaway...Not mine, silly!!

Denise just had her 200th post! Wow, this is number 23 for me, so 200 just seems impossible!!! Anyway, I just discovered her last week and I'm so glad I did. This gal has SIX kids, y'all! I pull my hair out with just two! And they are so incredibly adorable, too!!

Well, to celebrate her 200th post she's having a giveaway! That's something awesome I've noticed about blogs: when a blogger has a big event such as a milestone post or a blog anniversary instead of having a party to get presents many of them give presents away!!! Denise had me at Tazo Tea! But then she's throwing in a mug to drink it from and Pepperidge Farm cookies to eat with it And a book to enjoy while sipping it AND a movie in case you don't feel like reading AND movie snacks to enjoy while watching the movie!!!!

So, don't go enter this giveaway so I'll have a better chance to win, okay??

Virus

Well, we have been getting over a virus in our house - a computer virus to be exact. Everything seemed fine on Sunday. I searched for a lovely picture to go with my post and posted it and really stayed off my computer for the remainder of the day. My stepdaughter did get on the computer to mess around with her myspace page, but that was it.

Well, that evening when I got home something strange was going on with the computer. I decided it would be best to just leave it alone. When my husband got home I mentioned it to him, and after fooling around with it a bit he declared we had a virus. Great.

He got some software to eradicate the bugger and we have switched from Explorer to Firefox, so life can continue where we left off...

O Star of Wonder!

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: `And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."

When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Matthew 2: 1 - 12

Happy Epiphany!!!

Garland Show and Tell: The After Christmas Edition

Remember this beautiful garland I made for Nester's Garland show and tell?

Well, today I took her down... After removing all the flowers and berries and gold twig thingies and glass icicle ornament thingies all that was left of her was this:

No, actually that wasn't all. She left a nice thick carpet of green all over my hearth. Durn, I didn't get a picture of that... But take a look at these (oops, sorry they're so blurry!)

I piled all those ad-on thingies up on the hearth. Who says accessories don't make all the difference??