Terrific Dads

A big huge HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my dad, today! 

I am lucky enough to be blessed with a super father. As a little girl I loved hanging out with my dad and he was always so patient and willing to help me. As a teenager I took my dad's good advice to heart and tried to make the best decisions based on what he had taught me. And as an adult, my dad set the bar VERY high for other men in my life. By his example, I knew that I was looking for a guy who knew how to respect and love their wife. 

Today, I still count on my dad for all of the above. It is a special man/father who raises three happy and well adjusted women and that is exactly what my dad did. 

Love you, pop!

My dad and the sock monkey!!!

As I mentioned above, I was looking for just the right man and when I found him I just knew that he would be a great dad, too. 

John is a funny, loving, and helpful father and our girls are so lucky to call him daddy. 

Happy Father's Day to two of the best dads around!

John and his girls

Balance Beam Fun

The girls find various ways to amuse themselves in the summer. Here they are performing on Shelly's balance beam.

Daisy photo bombing in the background

Beta Club

At the end of the school year Lily received notice that she was selected for the National Junior Beta Club at her school. We were very proud of her.

The induction was held on a Sunday afternoon and afterward we joined several of her friends for a little celebratory lunch at a Mexican restaurant. 

Lily and friends

Sisters

Lily and Claudia

Busch Gardens

Lily went with a friend and her family to Williamsburg this past week. They went to Busch Gardens and had the opportunity to visit the park two days in a row. 

Lily was a little apprehensive about all of the roller coasters, but after just a short amount of time at BG she was officially a roller coaster girl. She loved it and we can't wait to go back this summer. 

Lily and Ally

Mach Tower

Book Time

The girls and I agreed that this summer we needed to devote time to reading. It is so easy to get caught up with spending time on the computer, the iPad, the iPods, and watching TV. We have worked to create a little time to read during the day and I am not overly upset if we miss a day or two, but I do like having a plan.

We went to the library the other day and the girls picked up some books that interested them. I had just downloaded the book Bloom on my iPad. We are all hoping that we can keep to our book reading schedule and have some good books under our belt by the end of August.

School House

Awhile back the girls and I created a school area in their "play room". We used an available wall and put up a dry erase board (the chalkboard is so 1990s) and a bulletin board. 

They also added some classroom decorations on the wall and had an area for their "faux" students' birthdays and the jobs for their classroom. It's a fun little area to use their imagination and play school...girls after my own heart!

Extra Chores for Cash

As the summer approached I began thinking about a better way to do chores for the girls. They are both pretty good about cleaning and doing what is asked of them. But, I wanted to come up with a list of chores that were expected daily and a group of chores that the girls could choose to do for extra money each week. 

Here is their list of "Everyday Chores" and they are both very good about completing these jobs. These chores are not associated with a monetary amount. They are simply the things that they need to accomplish as part of a member of our household.

The list of "Extra Chores" are the things that they can select and complete for extra spending money. I go along with them on the first time they attempt a task to show them the basics of completing the job. Then they complete the chore, have me evaluate whether it was completed satisfactorily, and place the slip of paper in their envelope. On Fridays, I total their money amounts and they receive that amount for the week.

Extra chores list:

• 50¢    Wipe down kitchen counters (all)
• 50¢    Empty all house garbages and take them to the green box
• 50¢    Sweep the kitchen floor
• $1  Dust downstairs
• $1  Vacuum downstairs
• $1  Vacuum upstairs
• $1  Unload the dishwasher
• 50¢    Clean all bathroom mirrors
• $1  Clean the shower/bathtub
• $1  Clean kitchen faces (front of cabinets, oven, refrig)
• $1  Clean toilets
• $2  Make a dinner meal
• $1  Clean up kitchen after meal (includes washing dishes and putting in dish washer)

I thought it was an interesting way for them to see how when they have an actual job one day that the more you do within your job, the better you will be compensated (hopefully). And, if they don't choose to do any extra jobs, they don't get any extra money for the week. A bit similar to the early colonists way of living...You Must Work to Survive. Ok, maybe that's going a bit too far, but it is hopefully instilling a sense of responsibility and a work ethic in them both.

Prepared with her supplies

Off to complete a task

Cleaning the bathroom mirrors