Lately

Oh, how anxious I was for preschool to start. We went to open house and I have to admit that a few tears came to my eyes. I don't know if it is the teacher in me, or what, but when I saw that little cubby with her name on it, my heart ached. I started thinking of all the times that I could have/should have played/read/held/talked with her instead of cleaning/cooking/Facebook/sewing. Now my baby will be in school!! Of course, it's only 2 hours, 2 days a week. So, I still have time to enjoy my little baby...but it sure gets you thinking of how fast the days go by!



We are starting an allowance program suggested by my friend April, who stole it from Dave Ramsey. Basically it's a "commission" program. You do the work, you get paid. If you don't do the work, it means mommy and daddy did the work so we get the money. She helped me decorate 3 jars with "God", "Spend", and "Save". How ever much we decided to pay her based on jobs/age, she puts a percentage in each jar. So we will probably start with something easy like $3 a week. She can put $1 in each jar. It sounds like a great program. Like for example, April's two boys were fighting over the same $4 Lightning McQueen. She told them they could each take $2 out of their spending jars and buy a new car so they would each have one. Took them awhile to decide if it was worth spending the money on, or sharing the toy. Here's our jars. I would prefer clear so she coudl see her money adding up, but I'm frugal (cheap) and reused my coffee cans.



SO excited about fall! I swapped out the kids 'wardrobes'. I have been DYING to put them in their matching Halloween pj's I got at the Gymboree Outlet last year. They glow in the dark! They are the only pj's Natalie has worn for more than 1 night in a row!!! (Not sure if that's good or bad, but I'm tired of washing new PJ's all the time). I love the cooler temps, the new clothes, and the HOT coffee, and all things pumpkin! I will not, however, love the leaves coming down again. Need to buy Gator Blades for the mower ASAP! I am so excited for Halloween...Jacob inspired our costumes this year - he makes the perfect Gus Gus from Cinderlla (the fat mouse in the small yellow shirt if you are not up on your Cinderella minor characters). Natalie is going to be the "working" Cinderella, AND we are going to make the golf cart into a pumpkin carriage!!!! Watch out!




And us "grownups"? Same old, same old. Ryan did a bunch of clean-up of dead limbs and other odd household tasks. I'm busy behind the "wheel" of a new sewing/embroidery combo, an early birthday gift from my parents. Life is good!