Perry Points

This is what we call PERRY POINTS... alternately titled, BRIBERY DISGUISED AS A CHORE CHART.

How do they earn them?:
By doing (each of) the following:
-making bed
-taking vitamins/medicine
-getting dressed
-brushing teeth
-practicing piano
-cleaning out the car (this must be done each time we come home from somewhere & includes them getting everything in the car that is theirs -- from toys to trash)
-NOT fighting
-putting away shoes (when getting home)
-cleaning up 'mess' (clearing spot from meals, picking up toys when done w/ activity)
and DOUBLE points for -memorizing/reciting new bible verse

But here's the trick (for long lasting habit forming) --- these must be done WITHOUT my reminders.  This way they're really forcing themselves to make it a real part of their day.

We sit down before bedtime & tally 'points'.  This is our time to reflect on the day's events & evaluate if we tried our hardest.

Attributes can be changed & analyzed at anytime.  The point is to manage behavior & once it's managed, it's time to zero in on something else that needs to be manipulated.  For us, the above habits/behaviors were needing to be worked on.

We used to do separate charts, but since our prizes (field trips) are done TOGETHER, that didn't make sense.  Plus, this kinda encourages camaraderie (rather than competition, which ends up=fights).

What do they earn?  FIELD TRIPS; which are a HUGE part of our family life anyway... so why not reward them with something that won't be too big of a spend for us.
When we started this Perry Points thing, the kids brainstormed a list of places they want to go, things they want to do. 
Our list includes:
ice skating
water park
zoo
bounce-u
city garden--->Gus pretzels
magic house
science center
drive in
elephant rock --->johnson shut ins
roller skating
bowling
roller skating
mini golf
etc.

I used to pretend that they were choosing an activity from a hat.. I'd pretend to cut all the above activities into strips & let him or her "randomly" 'pick one' from that hat... when all reality, I was actually picking the one thing that would work for us (obviously am not going to pick elephant rock when daddy's not available) & write it on every strip.  You say sneaky, I say smart. ;)




When we first started doing this, I made cute little charts on the computer... but since we starting putting their charts together, I just grab a big piece of cardboard, or something that needs to be recycled.  I also used to do stickers, now just a fancy letter (or something they can't mimic).

Good luck!

Random Trip to Lone Elk

MLK Day lent us the morning for errands & the afternoon ride home the chance to go where we wanted.
Included on that list was a first-ever (for the kids at least) trip to "Lone Elk Park".

The Zoo's "Wild Lights"

Remember when Flynn won the essay contest? And the 4 tickets to the Zoo's WILD LIGHTS? We cashed those puppies in on eve before NYE. Gabe decided to run a fever, so he got left at Nana's. And some lucky family in front of us got our 4th ticket (which normally cost $8).

Here is the zoo all lit up from the parking lot.

Here is Flynn in front of the GingerBread Village. (milk-free? ;)
My girl & I strolling through some hanging lights (of course ALL lights hang, but...)

We missed Bubs, but Flynn got lots of one on one time.

And she deserves it.

Afterall, she is a winner!

Museum of Transportation

One Saturday the Frost family invited us to the Museum of Transport, to check out... none other than, TRAINS.

(how long do her legs look here?!!)

(Flynn & her good pal Delaney)

(Best of friends: Gabe, Flynn, Delaney, & Trey)

More Summer Fun.... SIX FLAGS (and other middle of the night ramblings)

I have no clue who Flynn is waving to.

Again with the waving.

And this photo, you can see Nessa, FJ, & Gabe (2nd to the last row...in front of the lady whom I hope wore some great deodorant).

This photo makes me laugh...and not just because it's 2:30 am. But because Flynn decided to get brave & raise her arms (or arm?). And honestly, could her little arm be any stiffer in this photo?

I was glad when Nessa took Flynn's hat off during this ride. Photos you didn't see (because they weren't taken, that would mean someone else actually used the camera other than me, which rarely happens), included a situation in the little kid hot air balloon ride. The others were riding roller coasters while me & my two decided to ride one of the few we can ride together. While the hot air balloon started spinning, Flynn's hat blew off.

OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. You wouldn't thought she'd been told that the park was closing in 10 seconds. She was traumatized.

But, nothin' a quick CURIOUS GEORGE & THE MAN WITH THE YELLOW HAT reference couldn't fix. Luckily, we'd read a book about the MWTYH's hat flying off while on a roller coaster. And I did that thing that only moms can do, where I convinced her that the irony was hilarious.

But she still bolted like lightning to save her once-white bucket hat...once the ride had "come to a complete stop".

The highlight of the park visit...the giant ferris wheel which we've been riding for years.

Can you tell, this was cutting into Gabe's nap time? (shortly after this, we rode the train, then Gabe, Papa, & I left, for Gabe to take a nap)

Papa, FJ, & Nessa take in the sights. Flynn happily sported her new bucket hat (which by the way was a

97 cent steal at Old Navy). Just pretend her shirt doesn't have melted popsicle on the front.

*****************************

And so.... today officially concludes our somewhat carefree summer. Daddy goes 'back to school' tomorrow -- beginning a week of soccer try-outs & practices; meetings; open house; & getting his classroom ready to go.

Flynn starts another year of dance. And Gabe, well, he starts another season of sticking around Momma while Sissy does all her 'stuff'. I plan to pursue enrolling him in "Tuesday School" & will bug the Y here in town again, to see if they changed their mind (again) about not offering tumbling. There's not much more for a 3 year old boy.

This week also holds a fun day in store: Gabe's 3rd Birthday Party. This one is a FRIENDS birthday party. He invited his good buddies & will enjoy the morning playing with trains & eating cupcakes.

Marking the end of the carefree season, we all took a monumental day-of-rest nap. Mine was an attempt to rid myself of a 20-hour headache. Flynn's was to sleep off a horrible (filled w/ night terrors & awakenings) sleepless night. And Gabe's was to do what he does best, sleep. Daddy just fit in there with us. To make sure us girls didn't roll off the bed I guess?

As to my plans to return to the classroom this fall? Well, apparently God had other plans. I'm not going to lie & say I haven't fought frustration the past couple of weeks. But ultimately, I have peace about the situation. Knowing that everything is indeed out of my hands - but it's all in his hands.
One of my favorite verses....a verse I would read to my buddy Zach, when I would visit him in the hospital, reminds me that no matter how I might feel about the situation, doesn't change the fact that God ultimately has my best interest. He already knows what I'll be doing this school year...and how we'll pay our bills or spend our time.

Here's what it says,

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." Jeremiah 29:11

When I got my teaching job, fresh out of college (was offered the position before I had graduated), it was pretty unbelievable. I didn't even interview. It was the easiest thing I'd ever (or didn't really do) done. One of those situations where you go, "Okay God, thanks."

And look... I ended up falling in love with my hot hubs. So, God knew exactly what He was doing (not that He ever doesn't). And really, if God wanted to, He'd snap His big powerful fingers & I'd get a call from a district. He already has our story written. And toward the end of each chapter, I look back & realize, "Ahh, hmm, that's why God did [that] & [that] & [that]" or "No wonder that didn't work out."

It's kinda great to be friends with a God like that. He's got your back.

Peace.