Allowance and Inflation

So after this last confrenece weekend, and listening to a talk on tithing BJ and I decided we wanted to provide our girls with opportunities to earn money, thus giving them the opportunity to pay tithing on a regular basis. I've always kind of struggled with chores because part of me feels like our kids should have some chores to do that they don't get paid for. And then if they want to earn money there could be a list of extra chores they could do to earn money. And then my other problem is that my kids actually enjoy cleaning. I know, this shouldn't be a complaint. And it isn't. I just figured, why go through the hassle of coming up with chores and when to do them and then the whole allowance thing if they actually like to clean. But after thinking it over and talking with BJ, we felt there are great lessons to learn from chores and allowance: like working hard to earn something, saving, responsibility, accountability, and tithing. So this is what we came up with: Brooklyn - everyday - make bed, clear dinner table, put clean clothes away Brooklyn - Saturday mornings, either vacuum or dust (she will rotate this with Hannah) and some yard work Hannah - everyday - make bed, set dinner table, put clean clothes away Hannah - Saturday mornings, either vacuum or dust and yard work. If they complete these tasks at the end of the week they will earn $2 If they do the following things, homework, brush teeth, and baths WITHOUT whinning then they can earn an extra $1. Now, I feel that this is quite an easy set of chores. Nothing overwhelming. In fact, it might be almost too easy. But when BJ asked the question tonight of how much allowance they feel they should get for this, Brooklyn replys, very seriously, "$200.00" We busted up laughing and just looked at her speechless. Then she said, "I'm serious! Look at all that stuff we have to do!" Again, we laughed. I said to BJ, "wow, allowance has really sky rocketed since I was a kid." Funny kid. I hope she is satisfied with $2, because that is all she is getting.

Cruise to the Bahamas!! 2011

About two weeks ago BJ and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. 4 Nights of bliss and pure adventure. We truly had a blast on and off the ship. Below you will get to see some pictures of the many activities we did. However, there were a few new adventures we had this time around on our cruise. We went dancing! Thats right, you heard it. Every night somewhere on the ship (usually, out by the pool deck) they had dancing. And this time we danced. Last year on our cruise BJ really wanted to go dancing but I was a little timid of the idea. This year we did it. It was hard for me to let loose at first (I could definitely see where the alcohol would come in handy!). But once I got my groove thang, there was no stopping me. I was even caught on camera. I didn't know this until one evening we returned to our stateroom and turned on our little TV (which happens to be in every room on the ship) and there I was, all alone (camera zoomed in on just me!!) dancing like a maniac. I was mortified.. but then I reminded myself that everyone on the ship was too drunk to remember anything so my little dancing secret was safe with me, BJ and our partners in crime Heidi and Dave. And then there was this one night.... The ship holds an event called "Dancing with the Sky Stars". Sky is the name of our ship. Let me tell you I have never laughed so hard in all my life. But I don't think I can tell the story quite the way the "true stars" tell it. So if you want to know more read here. Well, that pretty much sums it up. The pictures tell the rest of our story. Enjoy!

prior to boarding our first stop in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

anxious to get to our destination. An all inclusive day at Viva Wyndham Resort

the beach

kayaking

doing the trapeze.

I did it too!! I have a video of me though.

on the beach with Heidi

some hottie in the water

I suckered him into coming out and taking a picture with me.

Our friends Heidi and Dave

Day 2: Our ship from Behind

Atlantis on Paradise Island in Nassau

Roaming the streets of Paradise Island

A happy kiss we finally found the beach

Gorgeous. Although we don't have pictures of it we road jet skis out there. Such a blast

A litte paddle ball.. oh, swing and a miss!

Body surfing. Swim honey, swim.

..good thing I'm on the beach taking the pictures, cause you look silly.

...and so does Heidi :)

Day 3: Great Stirrup Cay (a private beach owned by Norweigan Cruise lines). A little beach volleyball

Hand stand in the water. I love how you can see me underneath.

busy beach.

ahh cute.

The End!

Sewing!

Lately, I have had the itch to make things. Whether I am painting my girls bedroom (which I am), making little crafts, and lately sewing! I grew up hating to sew. I really don't know what has gotten into me. I can hear my mother now how she used to tell me, "that someday I will like it" and that, " when I was little I didn't like it either". Blah, blah, blah. At least thats what I used to think. But now, I am finding myself on the internet looking for new projects to try my hand at and at stores looking for material. Oh, no!! I have become my mother! Ha ha, just kidding mom. Thats a good thing. Below are some pictures of two dresses I made for Hannah. The only problem is..... she HATES them. Thus, why there is no picture of her wearing them.

This one, was the first one I made. It was an old church shirt of BJ's

This is another men's shirt that I got at DI. Hannah refused to wear it, so Brooklyn tried it on so I could at least get a picture of it on. The length is good for Brooklyn, but the rest is super small. That's why she has such a happy face.

If anyone is interested, the turorial I followed is here

FHE!!

I didn't grow up having FHE on a regular basis. And actually, neither did BJ. And this is by no means a blow at our parents. They did the best they could, when they could. Although, I did grow up knowing of its importance! And I knew that it was something I for sure wanted for my family when I was a mother.

And I am here to say that I LOVE having FHE with my kids. I love that they EXPECT it. That is new for me. I love the time that it gives us to be with each other. I love watching my girls learn about the gospel and scriptures. I love the feeling I have doing it. I can feel my testimony burn with in my heart when we have our lessons. The desire I have for my girls to know about the scriptures and about our loving Heavenly Father and Saviour, Jesus Christ is so fierce, that I find myself sad when the night has come to an end. And, I am longing for the next Monday night to come. I don't know why I don't have FHE every night. It would be awesome.

This was a recent FHE lesson we had about the fall and the restoration. It was alot of fun!

After the church "fell" from the earth, many other churches were established. Although, they each had "some" truth in it, they did not contain the fullness of the gospel. This is Hannah building here church.

Brooklyn's church.

Lots of different churches.

Say What?

I just love it when kids are talking and say things wrong. For example:
Hannah likes lemonade or "lemalade". Awhile ago we went to dinner at the Art City Trolly. Hannah asked for a cheesydia and lemalade. That would mean a quesadilla (sp?) and lemonade. Some of her other funny words are:

"sleeve these up" = roll up my sleeves
"sit by the feater" = sit by the heater
"galastics" = gymnastics
"nesterday" = yesterday

She has a bunch more. And Brooklyn did too. I just can't think of them right now. But it is so cute when they say things. I should really correct them, but it makes me laugh that I don't.

Too much to do and not enough time to do it!

Yes, I know that I am not the only one with this problem. But I am really feeling it today.

Today I want to:

-zumba in my basement. I've been wanting to exercise on somewhat of a regular basis so that I have more energy during the days and feel better.
-blog
-go tanning. Yes this is vain. But we are going on a cruise in 5 weeks and I want to start with a little color. Plus I need some vitamin D to make it through the rest of winter.
-take a shower and practice curling my hair cute so I can get better at it.
-work on painting the girls bedroom

I need to:

-clean my house for the presidency meeting tonight
-fold the mountain of clean laundry and put it away
-take a shower
-do office work (I work for my husband) I am a week or so behind
-go to the bank
-make a dinner menu
-make dinner before gymnastics starts at 3:45 so that it will be ready when we get home at 5:30 so that we might be able to scarf something down as a family before BJ needs to leave to Bishopric at 6:00
-go grocery shopping
-homework with kids
-gymnastics with kids

All of these things I try to do while my kids are at school. Which I only have an hour and half until daughter #2 comes home. Hmm. what to do?

My dilemma with blogging

Okay, so over the last few years I've tried a few different methods of "recording" events in my life. Writing in a journal, scapbooking, and now blogging. I like the journal because I feel like I can write ANYTHING in there. Personal or not. However, there are not pictures and I love pictures. I like scrapbooking because there are lots of pictures. But I tend to not do as much journaling, which I think is really important. And so now, I am trying to route of blogging. It seems to be able to accomplish both; pictures and journaling.
But here is my dilemma: I hesitate to write everything on a blog. Sometimes I just want to whine. Or some sometimes yell. Or sometimes write down a really neat personal experience. And I hesitate because I don't know if that is appropriate or if readers would or should hear some of those thoughts of mine.
I originally started the blog as a way for my parents to be able to see their grandkids and enjoy their day to day life. But I have a feeling that they NEVER look at the blog. I'm not really sure why I hesitate to blog about some things. I only have two followers. And not that the number matters. I just don't know where I should record some of my thoughts. I can just imagine some of my decendants trying to figure out who I am or what I was like, and struggling because there are so many different journals, scrapbooks, and blog (blog books). Oye. What to do?