Mommy Bootcamp Update: Time to Bring it Back!

It's been awhile since we started our "Mommy Bootcamp" this summer.  I had a lot of success modifying some of the behaviors that were making our days miserable using sticker charts, the kindness jar, and chore charts.  Now that school is in full-swing, we are starting to have some trouble again.  This time I am working on targeting behavior during our morning when we're trying to get everyone out the door and getting ready for bed.  Everyone is at their wit's end, so it was time to bring back some of our incentives and charts.

Let's start with the morning.  Luckily we don't have to be out the door until 8:15 or we'd be in some serious trouble!  We have cut-off screen time before school and are now using it as an incentive.  Our oldest son (who is a major slow-poke) has some basic "chores" that make up his morning routine:  clear his breakfast dishes, make his bed, get dressed, and brush his teeth.  These can be found on his chore chart, both with the words and a picture.  I have tried to just use the chore chart and have him move the button over when he's completed the task, but it just doesn't seem to be motivation enough to keep him moving.  Enter in, a new weekly sticker chart!  I use a great site where you can customize your reward chart and create something fun for your child.  Along the top I have the days of the week and then down the side the tasks he needs to complete before school:  the above-mentioned chores and I have added put on shoes and put on coat.  If he can complete each task either independently or only being asked to do so once, he earns a sticker.  If he earns all of his stickers, he can watch a show after school.  Day one was a success and we even had time to spare!

A Halloween-Themed Sticker Chart

The Princess has three chores to complete in the morning:  make bed, get dressed, and brush teeth.  Unfortunately, she has become a perfectionist when it comes to making her bed, so it has turned into a big ordeal.  The slightest wrinkle sets her off.  I'm considering removing that chore, as it's really causing more problems than it's worth.  The problem I have with her is listening the first time.  I know she hears me, but she tends to ignore me and play with her animals instead of doing what was asked of her.  She is into My Little Pony these days, so I printed off a chart from this website capitalizing on her interest.  In order to earn a sticker, she has to listen to a direction the first time.  Once her chart is full, she will earn a reward (most likely an episode of My Little Pony!).

The My Little Pony Chart

My hope is that these sticker charts will motivate them enough to get moving in the morning.  While we are still using our time-out stickers, I have grown tired of putting them in time-out repeatedly to get them out the door.  There is nothing I dislike more than having to yell and nag at my kids before I send them off to school.  It would be nice if we could have a pleasant morning and leave the house without being rushed and angry with each other.  I know this is the goal of millions of parents around the country, but I am hoping it can become a reality for is, if even a few days a week at this point.  

Our kiddos love Yo Gabba Gabba and they have a Good-bye Song that I think I'm going to turn on when it's time to get out the door.  I know I had mentioned making a playlist, but knowing my kids it will distract them and they will sit and sing along and dance instead of getting ready.  Perhaps if we keep it simple it will work.  I think I'll give it a try tomorrow.  After all, it will be Friday and we can all celebrate that we will have a few days off from the hustle and bustle of getting ready for school.         

Charitable Giving During the Holiday Season: Some Helpful Tips for Stretching Your Dollar and Time

This is the time of the year that I always slip into "holiday mode."  It seems like the last three months just fly by and before I know it the holidays have passed.  I am looking forward to being closer to family this year, so we do not have to spend so much time traveling and away from home.  Perhaps I will feel like it didn't all just pass me by in a blink of an eye this year, because we won't be so rushed and sleep-deprived!

This is also the time of year that I realize how blessed we are to be able to celebrate these holidays with our families and to provide food and gifts for these occasions.  We all know that not everyone is so fortunate.  Every year we set aside money in our budget to purchase food to donate to food drives or to provide a Thanksgiving meal for a family.  We also participate in Giving Tree opportunities, choosing one person for each member of our family.  As our kids have gotten older, I think it is important to include them in these charitable opportunities and help them understand that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.

Because we are on a budget, I work hard to make our money go as far as possible for these occasions.  I look for sales in the grocery adds and stock up when there are good deals on non-perishable items we can donate.  Another way to stretch your money a bit is to use coupons for popular items that you may not normally buy.  By the time the donations are requested, I have usually stockpiled quite a bit of food.

When we purchase gifts for the Giving Tree, I shop around for the best price.  After discussing what we should buy each of our people, we look in the ads or online.  A lot of times I purchase our gifts online to cut costs, as it seems like that is where you can get the most for your money (especially after using Ebates in addition to the sale price).  I love to buy books for our kiddos from the Scholastic book orders and will double up on some of the books, especially the $1 books each month, and include a few of them with the gifts for the children we choose from the Giving Tree.  I love to give the gift of reading!

Throughout the year I will check the clearance section at stores like Target and Kohls to see if there are some everyday basics on sale.  In the past I have purchased sheet sets, clothing, backpacks, and other necessities at a fraction of the cost they were during the peak season.  I store them away and pull out my "stash" when it's time to donate items.  By saving money on these items, we can help more people.

I know that at times you may get caught up in the busyness of the holiday season and adding anything else to your plate may seem overwhelming.  By doing some of the work ahead of time, you can contribute to wonderful causes during the holiday season and not feel like you've taken on too much.  A little planning ahead goes a long way and you will feel wonderful knowing that you've brought some joy to those in need.



      

If Life Wasn't Busy Already...

This is the big news we shared with everyone today!  Our life is busy and chaotic on an everyday basis, so why not add another little one to the mix?  Most people will think we're crazy, (and trust me, there are days we think we may be and the baby isn't even here yet!) but we always wanted a big family and in about six months we'll be a family of six.  

While I am excited about the addition of another little one, I am also nervous.  Our oldest son was very excited to hear the news.  He immediately wanted to know if it was a boy or a girl and what the name would be.  He'll have a long time to wait to find out those answers.  We don't find out the sex of the baby and often don't have a name right away once they're born.  He gave us some wonderful suggestions, though:  Carlos or Pilot for a boy and Sweet, Sparkle, or Laura for a girl.  Bless his heart.  The Princess was pretty impartial about the whole thing.  She says she is happy and excited, but I don't think she really grasps the concept yet.  She is already asking how old the baby is and how it will get out of my tummy.  The best line was, "Through your mouth?"  

The little guy is oblivious.  He was much more interested in the camcorder than the actual news.  I am glad we recorded the moment, because the reaction from our oldest guy was funny.  Moments like these are meant to be recorded!

Over the course of the next six months, I am sure to spend hours fretting about how life will be with four kids six (barely) and under.  I know it will be difficult, but I look forward to seeing my kiddos bond with this new baby.  They are quite the crew already and keep us on our toes.  I think they'll welcome this little one with open arms (most of the time) and before we know it the little one will be following them all over.  I love seeing how much they learn from each other and the way they express their love for one another.  Big families aren't for everyone, but I am thrilled that we have chosen that path.  There won't be much downtime for many years to come, but we'll have many wonderful memories to share when we have time to sit down, relax, and sleep again.  

"Souper Sunday"

What a great day for soup!  We took a trip to a little fall festival in town with the kiddos and my husband's parents.  We are going to enjoy some baked potato soup tonight to warm back up.  Yummy!  I have another delicious potato soup recipe that I thought I'd share with you today.  A little different than the other.  Definitely not high on the health-meter, but delicious just the same!

Cheesy Potato Soup

1 box Julienne potatoes
3 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk
2 T. margarine or butter
1/2 t. dill weed
1 1/2 cups Velveeta, cut into cubes
Dash pepper

In a pot, put potatoes, sauce packet, water, and dill weed.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat so it's bubbly.  cook 25-30 minutes until potatoes are no longer hard.  Stir often.

Add milk, margarine, pepper.  Warm for 5-10 minutes.  Don't make it too hot, though.  Just bubbly.

Turn stove to low.  Add Velveeta.  Let warm until melted.

A Fall Treat: Caramel Corn

Today is a cloudy, cool, and breezy fall day here in Iowa.  The leaves are turning and falling to the ground and our house is officially decorated for Halloween thanks to a big push from our kiddos.  We have a fireplace in our new house (we didn't before) and I think this may be the perfect night to fire it up.  If you're going to be enjoying a fire, you need a snack!  Today I thought caramel corn would be the perfect treat.  If only we had some apple cider to go with it.

My mom has made homemade caramel corn for years and it is a wonderful treat.  The problem is, once you start eating it, you can't stop!  Today I thought I'd share that recipe with you.  I have found it is wonderful to take to parties and holiday festivities, because it's easy to transport and definitely gets eaten.  Enjoy!

Homemade Caramel Corn

Roaster pan nearly filled to top with popcorn (I usually use yellow, because it's bigger, but white works as well)
2 sticks of butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 2-quart sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and let it boil for five minutes.  Remove from heat and add 1 t. baking soda.  Mixture will get frothy and seem like it's going to overflow, but it won't!  Pour slowly over popcorn making sure to stir carefully to spread throughout the pan.  Bake for one hour at 200 degrees, stirring every fifteen minutes.  Spread out on wax paper and allow to cool.  

Muffins...I Love Muffins!

I have another muffin recipe to share with you for a breakfast idea.  While it is fairly healthy, it does contain some chocolate chips.  My neighbor was poking fun at me and my love of chocolate chips, but what can I say, I love them!!!  This is one of my favorite new recipes I discovered this summer.  Our local grocery store had a great sale on bananas, so I bought a bunch so I can make a few more batches to freeze this week.  Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. vanilla or french vanilla yogurt
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. bananas (mashed ripe)
3/4 c. milk chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl combine egg, oil, yogurt, and vanilla.  Stir into dry ingredients until moistened.  Fold in bananas and chocolate chips.  Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to put on wire racks.

Falling Behind...

I feel like all I've done the past two weeks is take care of sick kiddos and it seems that another ear infection is upon us.  My blog has been neglected for this reason, so I thought I'd just do a quick post tonight.  I hope to resume my usual "Crocking Monday" recipe share next Monday!

Sometimes despite our best efforts, we fall behind.  We now have six weeks of school under our belt and I am still working on ironing out a decent morning and evening schedule.  My oldest kiddo is not a quick mover and really feels no sense of urgency when it comes to making it to school on time.  We always make it, but I usually feel guilty after I've dropped him off because I've had to yell at him to get him into gear.  One mom I know made a comment that she was going to create a morning playlist to cue her kiddos in that it was time to get ready and go.  I may have to try this out if things don't improve soon.  Sounds more positive than the yelling, nagging, and time-outs that have been happening here!

Though he has minimal homework, it seems like we are also having a difficult time finding a good time to work on it.  I like to give him time to unwind and play when he gets home, but then it seems like dinner, bath time, and bed time have crept up on us and we're scrambling to complete it.  It always gets done, but I think we need to work on our time management.  We do spend about twenty minutes a night reading to the kiddos before bed, so that makes me feel a little bit better that we are achieving his teacher's goal of ten minutes a night.  Have to find the positive!

The house tends to get away from me when the kiddos are sick.  I know that in the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal because they need their mama, but I hate looking around seeing bathrooms that need to be cleaned, vacuuming that needs to be done, and toys scattered all over.  My goal this week is to catch up on my housekeeping tasks that have been pushed aside.  I got a good start today, thank goodness, but envision a day spent at the doctor's office tomorrow and shuffling kids back and forth to school.  Probably going to be behind again.  Someday when my kids are grown and gone I'll have plenty of time to keep my house looking the way I'd like (at least that's what I tell myself!).

I have begun to realize that life is always going to be throwing curve balls at me and I'm going to fall behind.  Kids are going to get sick, appointments and meetings will take up a lot of time, and there will just not be enough hours in a day to get it all done.  I just have to cut myself some slack and realize that it's okay.  There's always tomorrow.  I'm going to do my best to remember that tomorrow when I'm fretting about the things that should be getting done, but won't!  Wednesday will be a new day.