The Help

I am really enjoying having my kids home with me!  Ok, fine, it's only been a week, and I did have to break down and purchase a pool pass to keep everyone happy, however, they have been so helpful...doing chores and stuff.  My husband actually thanked me for keeping the house clean last week...there has been a noticeable difference.  I love having so much help around the house.   They love to do their "jobs" and it helps to be able to say, "We can't go to the pool unless you do X, Y, and Z."  The house gets clean really quickly that way.

I love this photo of Autumn (age 3) vacuuming the living room in her swimsuit.  I was impressed that she could vacuum the rug completely, wrap up the cord, and put it away in the closet pretty much all by herself.  I had to show her how to wrap the cord.

This same day, Scarlett's morning job was to cut off the dead iris stems and throw them away.  I often give them the little odd jobs that I can't seem to find time to complete, but I also expect them to come up with jobs by themselves.  (INITIATIVE, people!)

Guy and Scarlett are pretty proficient at making lunch for all of us.  And I am happy when we waltz off to the pool with dinner in the crockpot and a clean house to come home to.

We have so  much to do to get ready for our much-anticipated visit from Steve's brother Evan and my SIL Somer (who we just love!) and then we're off for my family's reunion at my sister Cara's house in Indiana, which Scarlett has been talking about (non-stop) for months.

The kids have another added incentive for doing their chores.  They will eventually get spending money for our family vacations based on how well they fulfill their jobs at home, and we are keeping track by putting stickers on a chore chart.  Their jobs are pretty similar to last year with a few additions.  The "jobs" are:  get ready in the morning (which includes making beds, getting dressed, grooming and tidying up their rooms), do their AM chore, kid writing (with me), exercise (of some kind, usually the pool or ride bikes), quiet time (for mommy's sake!), PM chore, one EXTRA chore of their choice, and go to bed (without a fuss!)

I love how much fun we can have together when everyone is "happy in their work."  (from the Best Movie Ever.)  Hopefully I'm more of a Lt. Colonel Nicholson than a Colonel Saito, because our home certainly feels like paradise right now and not a work camp!