The last few weeks have been very busy!!

Two weeks ago we went down to my parents’ house and helped them pack and move back up here.. we also helped them unpack and settle in quite a bit over the next few days.

Over that weekend, I watched my sister in law walk across the stage as she graduated with her Master’s Degree. Yay!

This past week we worked on staying busy with our school and getting our house back in order from all the traveling and back and forth and running around. We still have six more weeks of school but we’re going to have work hard to make sure that we stay on track and finish strong.

Yesterday I house and puppy sat for my parents all day and that being AFTER running several of my errands and doing several of my own chores. It’s been busy. (And I’ve got lots to blog about!)

Seeing the need to get back on the bandwagon as much as I did, last week Big Daddy issued a challenge to the kiddos. A challenge with a reward. (In other words.. bribery.)

Big Daddy challenged the girls to get their school work done by 3 each day (also for Princess to not whine about her math and Drama Queen to not whine about writing) and he challenged our son to clean his room-disaster a little each day and get it cleaned up by Friday at 3 (and kept clean if it got clean before then.) That was the challenge. What was the reward?

Home made ice cream! As my mom was unpacking and purging, she gifted us with an ice cream and frozen yogurt maker that she had rarely used. The kids were very excited about this new prospect. Their reward for working hard (and working together — if anyone fell behind they all lost the reward) would be home made ice cream and getting to pick their own additives to stir in.

Did it work? Did they make it?

You betcha! The girls and I did have to pitch in and help Little Prince get his room clean. But I’m okay with that because I like promoting helping each other and working together. And the girls?? They had NO PROBLEM getting their work done on time. I’ve never seen them work so quickly. Huh. Bribery Works. Imagine that. ;0)

Issues with bribery aside, I’ve decided that I kinda like this idea. It reminds me of a lullaby my mom sang to us, and I sang to my own kids:

“Twenty froggies went to school, down beside the rushing pool, twenty little coats of green, twenty vests so white and clean. We must be on time said they, first we study, THEN we play…”

This week I issued a new challenge to the kids, with the promise of a family reward on Saturday if we complete it. This time they picked a special family movie night – rented movies, hot dogs, popcorn and home-made cherry limeades. I think, sometimes, one of the challenges of homeschooling (one of the same challenges with housework) is that it just seems to go on and on and it’s easy to feel a bit monotonous sometimes. We all need to learn the ability to self-motivate, to push forward, and also to break up the monotony when we need to. We also need to spend time together and celebrate our hard work and successes. So we’ll try this for a while and see if we like it.

And in the meantime — bribery works.

Photo Credit: Some rights reserved by gordonramsaysubmissions

I used to participate in Monday Meanderings back when Tiany at Less of Me, More of Him used to do this regularly. I don’t think she does this anymore, but I’m going to be returning to this habit, for this week at least, to try to organize my thoughts and intentions for the coming week ahead. Let’s see how it works, shall we?

1.) Bible Study: Reading through my chronological bible in the mornings. This means I need to, you know, GET UP in the mornings. To read it. It sort of works that way. Other Study: Reading through my book of the month, The Excellent Wife throughout the day as I can. I’m about a third of the way through the book. GOOD BOOK.

2.) “MUST Do” List:

• Stick to my daily schedule (as God allows) for morning devotions, taking care of the home and home-schooling.
• File sales taxes for last quarter of ’08, by TOMORROW.
• Close down my Etsy store.
• Install Quickbooks and begin working on taxes.
• Make doctor and eye appointments for the kiddos.
• Begin purging and organizing papers and filing system (Collecting 08 papers together and creating places for 09 papers.)
• Work a little more on updating the Home Management Binder.

3.) Taking Care of My Home:

My new daily chore system is a lot easier than it has been in the past. Proof positive that if you keep working on your habits they get easier and easier. This week we mainly need to focus on scheduling. Making sure we eat breakfast on time, get our morning chores done on time, begin school on time, eat lunch and have naptime on time. Time Management is key to a more smoothly running home.

4.) Training My Children:

• Training their habits by focusing on time management this week.
• Training their work ethic by involving them in chores and teaching them to do their work agreeably and well.
• Training their minds by getting the school work done.
• Training their hearts by spending time with them, loving them, reading to them.
• Training their souls by praying with them, exemplifying Christ to them, and disciplining them in truth and love.

{Please note, this is my aim – I’m not yet claiming to hit the mark on each of these targets all of the time.}

5.) Menu Plan Monday

I’m working on a new menu planning system that I can’t WAIT to tell you about! I’m about halfway done with the prep work so I’ll plan one more week the “old” way and next week I’ll reveal the new way! It’s going to save me SO much time, effort, thought, and hopefully some cold, hard cash, too.

• Monday – Cinnamon Toast, Nachos, Peanut Butter & Crackers, Pizza & Salad
• Tuesday – Oatmeal & Raisins, Baked Potatoes, Sliced Apples & Yogurt, Rice & Beans & Cornbread
• Wednesday – Canned Peaches & Yogurt, Tuna Salad & Crackers, Carrots & Ranch, Chicken & Dumplings
• Thursday – Cereal & Orange Wedges, Bean & Cheese Quesadillas, Fruit Cocktail, Chicken Fried Venison Steaks & Veggies (I’m going to try to really cook those this time.)
• Friday – Buttermilk Pancakes & Eggs & Bacon, Sandwiches & Chips, Carrots & Ranch, Vegetable Stew & Cornbread
  
• Saturday – Biscuits, Gravy, Turkey Bacon, Orange Wedges; Pizza Pasta and salad; Apple Slices & Granola Bars;  Porcupine Meatballs & Veggies
• Sunday – Cereal; Tacos &  black beans; Chips & Salsa; Breakfast for Dinner

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie!