Wordless Wednesday: Because even stuffed puppies named Pongo need houses

Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Clean Up!

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I've finally had it with the whining everytime I go to the store, the "I waaaaaaaant that!" What is even worse is when there is no whining and it is just a demand, "You will buy me that!"

Wanna bet?

So my husband and I decided that if they could go to preschool and clean up there for stickers, they could do it at home too. We created a chore chart.

Some chores are non-negotiable -- if you don't want Momma or Daddy to yell at you, you WILL do them. Such as clean your room. Do your homework (in PRESCHOOL, for the love of God!). Brush your teeth.

But other things will earn you a star. Things like feeding the dog, cleaning out the car, helping your brother/sister pick up toys, setting the table, clearing the table. And each star is worth a quarter.

At the end of the month, we add up the stars and dole out the money. Half of what they earn has to go in the piggy bank and the other half can be spent. Or they can save it all for a really big toy.
Girlie had been lobbying for a Polly Pocket, so she was all over this allowance thing. The kid earned $5 in a week!! She set the table for snack, for goodness' sake!

So she was very excited to go shopping with Momma.

(Excited to spend her allowance)


(Browsing possible purchases)

(Finally found what she wanted!)

Boyo, on the other hand, was a little mad that he couldn't get his "pennies" to come out of his piggie bank fast enough.


He's saving up for a new piggie bank.

Family Fun Day

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We had a great day yesterday. We went to breakfast, hiked around the Arboretum, and then went and saw Kung Fu Panda 2.

I learned a lot yesterday.

Such as:

1. Having a bag full of "restaurant only" activities is brilliant. I stole the idea from a friend of mine. And now my kids play quietly at the table and my husband and I can have a (gasp!) grown up conversation.

2. My son can put away three bowls of Fruit Loops, 3 pancakes, and 5 slices of bacon at Hometown Buffet.

3. When hiking around the Arboretum, look up. That is where the butterflies dance, according to Girlie.

4. Boyo will roll down a dirt hill then bounce up, declaring, "I faw! I go ka-boom!" Then he will run away.

5. After he does that, he will let off a cloud of dust any time he moves or is touched. He truly is Pig Pen.

6. My son has an unholy fear of tree roots.

7. Boyo is not old enough to sit through a movie that is longer than 65 minutes.

8. A tube of mini MnM's will last for 65 minutes.

9. A newborn will sleep through all of this.

Division of Property

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My son thinks all toys at our house should be community property.

My daughter thinks every toy at our house should be hers.

This makes for very interesting fights. New rule: you fight over it, it's Momma's. (Although I'm not quite sure what I am going to do with a toy collection of 23 matchbox cars, 2 barbie dolls, a soccer ball, and a bubble wand).

Still, sometimes the little darlings fool me. They play so well for a few minutes, that I forget they don't share and leave the room.

I invariably return at a run 30 seconds later to a fighting, screaming, crying ball of children who have thrown themselves together in furious tug of war over who gets whatever stupid toy they are fighting over

Still, this morning, they were playing side by side. Boyo had his cars. Girlie had her princess dolls. I told them I was going to take a shower.

My mistake.

I came running two minutes later, dripping wet, shampoo in my eyes, towel wrapped around me as I yanked the two of them apart and sent them to separate corners.

The toy that caused the melee?

A Princess Aurora doll.

My son kept screaming: "Aurora! Car! Aurora! Car!" Apparently, he wanted to take Aurora for a spin in one of his matchbox cars. After all, she's his girlfriend, having pushed Abby Cadabby out of the running.

My daughter was inconsolable. "Princess Dolls are for girls!" she kept shrieking, holding her arm in such a manner that made me think her brother had bitten her. But since he knows biting earns him a trip to the penalty box, and she knows that he gets in trouble for it, I didn't ask. I didn't have the energy to try to figure out if she was lying or not.

So I was torn... yes, the Aurora doll was Girlie's - my mom had bought it for her during Gam-Gam's last visit. On the other hand, I really don't mind if my son takes a hot blond girl out for a spin.

So now I have an Aurora doll to add to my toy collection.

Play Area

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My husband and I have been "refreshing" our house lately... painting the kitchen a sunny yellow, putting a fresh coat of paint up in the living room and hallway, painting our bedroom a relaxing blue, reorganizing the garage so we can fit a car in there...

(I blame my sister. She just bought a house and is decorating it. That made me realize that my house was getting a bit shabby, what with two kids destroying it. So when my husband starts bi#$%ing about the work, I blame her.)

But I'm very happy that I took our atrium from this little, rectangular, dirty, nothing-is-going-to-grow-here-so-stop-burying (I mean, planting)-plants-here, dog's room:

To this, a children's paradise play area:

And this means, I get my living room back.

We'll see how long it lasts.