Lessons, never to early to learn.

There are a few lessons we are going to teach the boys after our holiday break. Lesson's we've slowly started to mention already. It started with "I'm starving!" This was one of the things that irked my mother. Her response was always "Liza, you don't know what it's like to starve!" "I'll show you starve!" And she did. The next time we crossed the border to Mexico so daddy could cut his hair and she could buy some vanilla. She pointed to the children begging for tacos and coins I was young but I got the message. Did I quit saying that I was starving? No but I caught myself a bit more during the process, until finally I quit saying it. We'll the boys have started with their mom's ol' nasty habit of "I'm STARVING!" Of course I don't live near Mexico to prove a point so I just stop and repeat what mom said to me and hope it sinks in!

Well we want to teach the boys the importance of giving and the importance of earning a honest buck!

How are we doing this?

Well Z's class adopted a Salvation Army Angel. His teacher is going to have the class shop for the Angels gifts on line as a group then she will purchase what the child needs and wants. All he asked for was a warm coat and a toy car.  Fortunately the boys have a Remote controlled car we bought a while back and well since they all ran on the same frequency it was hard for them to play together. So it's been up in their closet, unopened, brand new and waiting for someone.

I thought of just pulling it out and taking it to the school knowing they'd never miss it. But then I thought NO! I will sit them down explain about giving and have them give the teacher the car themselves. So they can know that gift of giving.

Now comes the honest buck part! It's more on working for what they broke! For days they've been playing with the dogs pooper scooper...yes the pooper scooper. They take the handle end (clean end) and open and close it chasing Nina around the yard, of course she acts silly, barking and running. They giggle til the cows come home and we scold them telling them they are going to break it! Well, Well, Well. Guess what I found broken while hanging sheets outside???Yup a broken scooper AND they broke my 4 year old giant stick that I found and use to hold up my clothes line when the clothes are too heavy! Stinkers!

So they will work to earn money and march their bottoms to Target and buy a new scooper! Yup! They are going to work in the yard filling holes. Nina has done quite a job digging up the yard and the boys are going to fill them all up with soil. When they are done I will pay them for their work. Then later take them to the store with cash in hand and have them buy a scooper. Maybe next time they'll think twice before disobeying us. Or maybe they'll want to work in the yard more for money?? HEY! It could happen!

What a week!

Oh it's been one of those weeks. I'm truly exhausted.

So much class work( went out of my schedule and sat for 8 1/2 hours straight doing class work!), house is a total wreck, and I'm going to have a full house this weekend (though that's a Yay and Nay situation, will explain in a bit.) But after this hard week, I then walk out with the boys yesterday afternoon and see this.

My Garden.

(The statue says "By his hands we all are fed.")

I didn't realize they had bloomed so beautifully. These guys are all .99 cent plants I bought this summer and look! So beautiful.

I guess God was giving me a gift for my horrible week, has to be all God because you know what? I forgot I had these plants and yeah haven't watered...EVER.

Yeah I know it rained but not all summer!

My sister's and their sweeties will be in town this weekend. All on a sad note. My brother in law lost his mom this week and her funeral will be here in the Big D.

Sad of their loss but happy to see my sisters....is that awful?

Well off to class I go and hope that 8 hours of study and homework did this gal some good!

Schedules.

Sweet photo of the boys running through the park.

(Yes this has nothing to to with the post but I love the photo.)

There is not enough time in my days. I feel sometimes like I am breaking at the seams.

So I've decided to do something about it. Will this work I have no idea but I won't know unless I try right?

So I am going to work on a schedule that well,  runs my days by the hour. I know sounds monotonous but maybe I can get some stuff done! Seriously how many of us waste more time trying to figure out what to do first and by the time you know it it's time to pick the kids up which is followed by homework, snacks, keeping the peace then start dinner. I found out it's a lot of us! So lately I've been devoting 2 hours a day to homework and studies, from 10:30-12:30. After that I make myself lunch straighten up and by the time I know it, it's time to pick up the children (the first few hours in the day are a blur!). Also I found a site that gives you ideas on how to make 5 dinners in 1 hour. SOOOoooo I will try this concept and see how this works for me.

Being a wife, mother, student, room parent for two classes, housekeeper, and dog walker takes a toll on me. So maybe I can get organized a bit and quite having to look at dirty dishes and piles of clean, unfolded laundry. I've NEVER had piles of clean laundry lying around...NEVER!

If I find fabulous sites that help I will post them along the way.

Boys' best friend.

Little E is very close to Nina. Z has warmed up considerably. Z we think was always a bit weary because well Nina is a hyper mess! I love on her and tell her what a good girl she is and correct myself by telling her what a "Sweet" girl she is...good she is not. She by all means should of been named Marley.

Little E and Nina (check out the hole she dug up behind them, rotten child!)

But Nie has been a fantastic addition to our family.BUT she is horrible in the house, she acts like a wild animal whose never been indoors. She eats my gardens, digs up my yard, keeps eating something she's allergic to outside, still won't alert us when she has to go potty and will go pee pee on my carpet if she's too busy playing to go outside. I CAN'T let her in my kitchen anymore she's huge and her head reaches my counters, she's a swiper! BUT She is an awesome running/walking partner. She runs and plays chase with the boys indoors and out. She waits by the bedroom door until I come out. She loves for me to hug her mid walk or run. She'll lay at our feet as we watch television.

 Oh Nie! Sometimes I wonder who lost you? Do they miss you? Why didn't they chip you? Were you loved? Was the pound scary? So glad they did lose you because we found you and two little boys can't get enough of you! So much so when they asked if Nina could play with them in the living room I explained they'd have to put up their Halloween candy. I told them the dangers of chocolate to dogs ( the chocolate is why we had her crated at the time). They quickly gave up their treats for their Nie. I don't blame them, she's worth it.

Impromptu Halloween!!

This Halloween was full of last minute changes!

Originally we planned to stay home for Halloween due to the fact that it was a school night, that changed since we'd be in the OC for E's Saturday football game. THEN we find out he has a make up game on Sunday so there we were on Halloween cheering on our little guy.

This is what Pa Paw and Z do while watching Little E

Little E getting his game on! He's the one in blue farthest to the left blocking. So cute!

Him and his team mates with their Grrrr face.

Halloween evening brought more Impromptu goodness when the boy's cousins decided to join in. They were super tickled. Needless to say I quickly used the old bean! I had baked cupcakes and we had well tons of candy so I sat them down to do some Cupcake decorating..They loved it!

Little E showing me how yummy it all was!

Some of us adults had to get in on the action!



Our little monkey's.

Pa paw hasn't been too happy with the Cowboys, check out his Wade Phillips Dunce hat. Hilarious!

And this costume too was Impromptu..pretty creative!

One last minute pic of the crew before heading out!

They had a blast and of course we didn't go over an hours worth of trick or treating, a few if not ALL our little ones were pretty exhausted.

Halloween wasn't how we planned this year but I'm so glad it went down the way it did.