I had some work done...

 No it's not what you are thinking... I wish I could have a few things tucked, but alas I will settle for some work on the house.  Here are the before pics: We had these huge arches between our living and kitchen/family room areas. Pretty, but not functional. No storage and really it turned our home into one big room.

 So down they came! It was a dirty messy process. There was dust everywhere.

 In goes the new wall. They framed a new opening that was wider and lower than the first arch.

 Here it is all drywalled and painted.

 It has been a month long process, but we are very near the end! 

My Garden Helper

 What would I do without this little guy?

Ready or not...

I can't believe summer is here again. I have been gathering my thoughts trying to prepare. Our family does best with a plan. The kids seem to like the order and structure of knowing what is expected and what they need to get done. It's pretty much a chaotic house after that... :)
Here are some of the ideas we are going to use this summer.

The kids loved the"Summer to do list" from last year so we are doing it again.


We are going to try a version of the "I'm bored Jar" that I saw on Pinterest.
I just wrote the ideas on big craft sticks. I printed the label from this website. I also included some fun things we like to do as well as some of the fun activities I have pinned on Pinterest.



Loved these "Good Deed Punch Cards".


Found these big charts at Dollar Tree. I thought it would be a fun way to track the books they read.


Will continue with the job charts, this is a good way to make sure everything gets done.

 Jobs include things like practicing piano, practicing typing, practicing a skill (diving, shooting baskets, math pages, something they are working on from "The Plan", etc.) reading scriptures and books, an act of service, cleaning job for the day.

Type to learn again for the 11 year old and 7 year old. The older two are now proficient keyboarders.



Last year I bought a bunch of Chuck E. Cheese tokens and used them for rewards for different things. We had a fun time at the end of the summer redeeming all the tokens. We will probably do something like that again.

Sounds like a plan right?... I think I need to make me a chart. I get a smiley face for being "calm, nice mom". A sad face when "crazy yelling can't stand this crazy, messy house any more mom" rears her ugly head.  I'll let you know how I do.