Naomi the Chocolate Girl & Chorepacks

The pictures are out of chronological order... but they're definitely in order of cuteness!

Noah takes a swipe at Naomi's nose... Charli takes over wiping a hand.

I don't think Naomi was all the way happy with us cleaning her.. But she stood still for it!

Bethany pitches in with the other hand..
And *these* are the BEFORE pictures... isn't she cute? She got into the chocolate fruit dip and REALLY enjoyed her little self!! hehe. We've learned to 1) start paying attention when she gets quiet and 2) don't leave tempting things on the table!

(She's so cutesie!)

Chorepacks: The idea is from Managers of their Chores (www.titus2.org or .com) I like Managers of their Homes, although I do not use their charting system. I do use it as a good kick in the pants if I feel unmotivated! :) (Honestly, my daughters have begged me to never do a MOTH schedule again.. ever. So I don't think they'd give it glowing reviews.)

The MotC idea of chorepacks is brilliant! I bought nametag holders with metal clamps. For the cards, I cut index cards into half and they fit perfectly. I jotted out the various AM chores we do and then put them (numbered) into each child's chorepack.

Noah (3) has this in his:

- Make bed, tidy 3 things in bedroom, bring out laundry. (I drew little pictures on his card to help. It is all on one card because I figured it's a general bedroom chore).

His room to do is the "Wii Room" which was the "TV room" and before that the "dining room" (dining room is now in the living room which is being called the schoolroom. I tried call the Wii Room the living room but we all got confused.. I need to paint and then it'll be the Yellow Room.. I digress...)

- Clean off couches, put pillows neatly on couches. (Has pics of couches on card).
- Straighten shelves (drew pics of books)
- Pick up toys
- Put any clothes in laundry room (Both Noah & Naomi still discard clothes in random spots!)
- Get floor ready to be vacuumed.
- Vacuum. (He doesn't do this, I do, but he does have to make sure there's nothing that the vac will suck up unexpectedly.)

That's it for his chorepack. He really enjoyed flipping through his and doing his "work". They all especially liked having a clear outline of what to do and knowing when they were DONE. I liked not having to remind five different people of what chore comes next. We did a runthrough this afternoon (with Daddy home) so I could make sure I had them all in logical order.

I don't plan to do afternoon or evening chorepacks. Having the house Company Ready once a day is good for me. We don't have people who drop in unexpectedly and fifteen minutes is usually enough for us to get back to.. um.. normal chaos? :)

Merry Christmas!

Even though our Savior was probably born in the spring (during the Feast of Tabernacles). I feel it is nice to keep the Christmas tradition. We do not celebrate Santa Claus, just like we do not celebrate the Easter Bunny, but we do enjoy all of the wonderful things that this season brings.

Yesterday, I took Noah shopping for James. He pulled his name out of the oven mitt (we didn't have a hat handy!) and that was his sibling to shop for this year. I decided to skip Walmart and visit the small general store in town. I rarely take Noah out alone, well.. I can't remember the last time I took him somewhere without a sibling. We chatted the whole way into town and I marvelled over some of his words that are definitely quirky due to translators in the family. Everyone in the family knows that "TeeTas" are pirates in Noah-speak and none of us bother to change it. (I know a secret.. all too soon they'll be pirates and I'll miss hearing tee-ta! Charlotte used to refer to pepperoni as mokey and that hasn't happened in at least ten years). He insisted upon getting out of the truck without help, but tucked his hand into mine as we crossed the parking lot.

At that moment, all I could think was "Thank you, God, for allowing me to slow down enough to appreciate this." The wind was a little chilly, people were walking past with packages, the town is decorated, and there I was... blessed enough to have this little child's hand resting so trustingly in mine.

So this year, I look back on last year. My mother's heart was troubled because our Christmas Eve tradition of light-gazing and milkshake drinking was impossible. We had one vehicle and it didn't seat everyone. We all agreed that our Queen was much better than milkshakes and lights. A baby outweighs just about anything else. I knew that in a few months we would hopefully have a van. I also felt blessed that we'd been able to spend time practicing hospitality because our options for going out were so limited. This year, we get to take Naomi out for her very first Christmas Eve lights/milkshake routine. The children are excited for her. And, I love that as well... the spirit between the six of them is fantastic.

Well, enough rambling. Here's my Christmas "Letter" which I refuse to do like many others. :)

(oldest to youngest...)

Jim - He gets to do his *own* letter, we'll see if he blogs. :) Some of his highlights this year included getting pneumonia right before vacation.. then getting soaked on vacation because I put the tent up incorrectly.. and getting new laptop for Christmas. His fun project soon will be putting together the trampoline.

Bridget (me) - On a mini-midlifecrisis.. lost weight, colored my hair, got certified in HypnoBirthing, moved ever so closer to crunchy, enrolled in midwife school, working on my doula license.. and got not only a new cat, but a dog as well. I'll add the canary next year.

Charlotte (child #1, 13 yrs old) - Still writing (a lot), still talking (a lot), still playing violin (ditto).. witty and charming, sometimes unbelievably sharp, and getting taller every single day. Her hair is turning more red and she's eagerly looking forward to summer camp this year at The Wilds.

Bethany (child #2, 10 yrs old - almost 11) - Discovered a love for baking which makes her siblings very proud of her. Very proud. She even treated Jim's coworkers to a few batches of biscotti. Just as clever as her big sister, her wit often shows up at unexpected times. Her soft heart often makes the others turn towards her for comfort.

James (child #3, 8 yrs old) - He keeps growing. What is this all about? Practical and strong, he's going to be quite a man someday. He could easily get by with two outfits.. one if I'd let him sit in a towel while his clothes were washed.. he figured out how to use the saw and cut firewood. He likes the book Good and Evil (www.nogreaterjoy.org) and comes up with good questions. He still has no patience for handwriting.. or sitting still..

Joseph (child #4, 5yrs old) - How intelligent is this guy and so sensitive. He keeps track of others and has a strong sense of right and wrong. He'd make a great judge one day. His wavy hair is usually in his large brown eyes and his only goal is to avoid a haircut. He will sit and do "school" for hours if given the chance. He still isn't sure if he's right or left-handed. He takes after his Pap-pap (for whom he is named).

Noah (child #5, 3 yrs old) - He got a haircut which seriously injured the spirit of myself and his sisters. It's growing back nicely. I can't imagine my Noah with short (or straight) hair for long. He's so torn between being big (like his brothers, he always claims that he's five) or being a baby like his little sister. He hits the ground running in the morning and rarely stops. He has figured out he can drag Naomi into some good mischief. Currently we're calling them the "Ns".

Naomi (child #6, 20 months) - Still as precious as ever, but ooooh she's SO spoiled. (Just the way we like 'em! - as the kids would chime in). She knows a few baby signs and has cutesy little curls starting in her hair. She likes to flash a Great Big Smile if she thinks she's in trouble. She still insists upon being held a lot, it's a good thing she has lots of siblings. This child wasn't designed for a one-child family.

There.. that's us for this year. We've made academic progress which is too boring to blog over. We're plotting fun things for the spring. But, most of all, we're just enjoying a relaxed life and loving each other. In the end, that's what's important.. Love.

(I'll probably not blog again til Christmas Day. The camera is, unfortunately, not working right so I'm not sure how many photos we will have to share..)

Aha! This one is better..

Pictures...

Well, I've decided that activesync with my phone stinks. I have more pictures on there, but not an easy way to retrieve them. I wanted a good picture of the children for my website. I ended up with a hodgepodge of pictures. All of them good, but mainly because I enjoy the personality behind them! In this take we have a Charlotte that half smiled, she was thinking about other things. Naomi (baby) was trying to get Bethany (sister holding her) to play.. she also really wanted -down-. (The Queen dislikes rules). Joseph (greenish shirt) was being pretty agreeable, but Noah (red shirt) didn't get the idea of "look at the camera". James was told to hold still. So he did. Completely. hehe. (You can't smile while holding still). Anyway, I'll try to post a better one later.. I have kiddoes to take Christmas shopping!

This was another attempt.. not much better. What you don't see is that Black Cat (who is really grey) wandered up, catching the attention of boys. Charlotte made a joke and Naomi protested with a loud "MA!!!" because she also wanted the kitty.

And..um.. I really didn't expect our feet to be visible. I'll claim that I'm wearing shoes because you can't see -my- feet. ;)










Kuza & Me

Win a Doll

Girls ’n Grace Christmas Contest!

Pam Davis, creator of Girls ’n Grace, and Authentic Books are sponsoring a contest, just in time for Christmas. To launch the release of the latest two books in the Girls ’n Grace series, Sydney Claire: A Girl ’n Grace in the 1960’s and Mesi’s Season of Change: A Friendship Story, they are giving away one of the character dolls.

As a Christian mother, Pam Davis knows the lasting imprint that “playtime” can really leave on an impressionable little girl. With the right character as a role model, God could use those sweet afternoon tea parties, hours of make-believe, and sleepovers to sow seeds of faith in tender hearts. This concept became the foundation for the Girls ’n Grace products, a line of dolls and books designed to fulfill Davis’ dream of demonstrating to today’s young girls what it means to be girls of grace.
To enter the doll giveaway contest, submit your story about your best teachable grace moment with a child in your life to mystory@girlsngrace.com. Below is the information that you need to include on your entry.
· All entries must be submitted by December 17 to mystory@girlsngrace.com
Stories should be 400 words or less
Include the name of the blog site (http://luke-9-23.blogspot.com/) where you saw the contest. Include your preference of Sydney Clair or Mesi doll
The winner will be notified, and the doll will be shipped to arrive on December 23.

Please note that entries may be reprinted/reposted by Girls ’n Grace and Authentic

If you would like to post this contest on your blog site too, please send the link of your post to ajennings@tbbmedia.com, and you will receive a copy of each of the new books. The blog that has the most entries will also win a doll to keep for themselves or that can be given away on their blog.

Visit the Girls ’n Grace interactive website at http://www.girlsngrace.com/ for more information about the books, dolls, Bible studies, games and more.

(p.s. picture is of Naomi at Charlotte's party. I don't think I posted this one already.. behind her is Elias, he's 3 months older than her. Her sisters insisted upon the fairy wings, which were a LOT of fun for going down slides! And, of course, it was one of the coldest days in October, around 50 degrees and breezy).

List O' Things

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (from the beach)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (assuming fish count)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

The list has been on a few blogs. I "bolded" the ones that I've done.

(Noah was a willing picture participant til he realized I wanted a picture of his haircut - we had a gum incident along with a few locks getting tangled.. he lost quite a bit, but it's still curly as ever and will, thankfully, grow back!)