A Letter

My Dear Bloggy Friends and Family,

You may have noticed I haven't been around much lately. That would be due to a brief, unplanned blog break brought on by life!

On a positive note, I have been doing pretty well on my goals for the year. I am learning to be a bit more organized around the house and have even gotten back into doing my House Blessing on Mondays! Now, as for zone cleaning, forget about it, it ain't happening. However, I have discovered a wonderful source of housecleaning energy all bottled up in an eleven year old body. It seems a certain Football fan thinks he deserves an allowance. I am good with that but am of the belief that he needs to actually DO something to earn the allowance. He fought a valiant fight trying to convince me that all that hard work in the morning is worth some dough. I was unmovable in my belief that he really shouldn't be paid for getting dressed and brushing his teeth! Okay, he does make his bed and bring down laundry as well, but seriously. He has now decided that good ole hard work might be worth doing for some greenbacks, so now he wanders around the house in his spare time BEGGING for jobs. Of course, I did have to have a little economics lesson about 15 min. of light housework not being worth $5, but we are getting there. My baseboards might actually get wiped down this year!

I have also discovered the single best discipline system ever implemented in this house! Thank you CJ! It involves beans and rice. Yes folks, beans and rice! Each child gets his or her own designated cup that becomes the holder of the sacred beans! 1 bean is awarded for all sorts of things like using good manners or using first time obedience! If I catch one doing something kind or helpful without being asked, it is worth 5, oh yes, you heard me right, 5! On the other hand, if I have to repeat a request or the kids are being argumentative or irritating, they have to put a piece of rice in their cup. At the end of the day, we pour out the cups, take out one bean for every piece of rice they have, and they are awarded one M&M, one Reese's Pieces or one penny for every bean remaining. People...it is AMAZING!!! You would think I was offering little gold nuggets (which I totally would if I had them because I am all about bribing!)! I have never been told yes, Mam so much in all my life. And they will practically kill each other to do something nice. And, when they start arguing, the simple phrase..."go put a piece of rice in your cup!" will silence the argument INSTANTLY! Oh, I know, eventually the novelty will wear off. Eventually, they will tire of M&M's and figure out it takes a lot of pennies to be able to buy something. But maybe, by that time we will have established some good habits that will stay with them. If not, I am considering purchasing a nice padded room (whether for them or me I haven't yet decided).

Anyway, I am still around, and probably lurking on your blog. I will try to be a better little blogger, although Facebook totally is cutting into prime blogging time...have I told you how amazing Facebook is? Hopefully life will slow down enough for me to figure out what happened so I can figure out if you would be interested so I can figure out if I should write about it. Until then...I need material people! Send me your meme's, your ideas, the burning questions on your mind!

Sincerely,
The Little Blogger that Was