Recently Easton has taken a real interest in earning his own money. (And by interest I mean, it is all he can talk about-think about and his mama is going broke!haha...) He has always been such a hard worker-even when he was really little, he was happiest working along side me. He was two years old when he learned how to feather dust for me. :)
On one trip to Wal-Mart he saw that there was a new Star Wars game for his DS. I told him how much it was and that he would have to earn all of it himself in order to buy it. We came home and counted what money he had in his allowance jar-$6.33. I explained to him just how much more he needed in order to buy it. After a few days(and my empty wallet) he called Papa and asked him if he could go to work with him. My Dad agreed and the next day Easton spent all day long working beside Papa. He was gone all day-hauling wood, picking up nails, weeding their garden.....he came home exhausted, but happy because in his hand was $15! (I had to tell Papa to not pay him so much or that I would never have a new clothes again;) My Dad said he was such a hard worker and that he needed him the next day too. So the very next day he went and worked for both Papa and Grandma and when they dropped him off he was covered in dust, there was dirt smeared on his face, $11 in his pocket and he was guzzling a can of Mt. Dew. He was so happy. haha...
He ran inside and grabbed his allowance jar and we counted it out-he started dancing around and yelling because he had earned enough to go get the game. Then it was my job to lower the boom. (haha..)
TITHING.
He had forgotten about that part. (He has paid it before-but it never meant much too him). Oh how the tears came! At one point as I watched him sob on the floor I thought, "I have felt like that before too." It is hard!-maybe not for everyone, but there have been times in my life that paying that 10% has made me want to lay on the floor and cry too. You are a lucky person if you have never felt that way. Seriously, I envy you. BUT-I have a testimony of tithing and I know the blessings that come from paying it, so I picked him up and set him on the stool and tried to explain all that I feel and know about paying tithing. Nothing was working-because after we paid the tithing, he was still short a few dollars for the game. It wasn't pretty...because then he said, "Why would our church want to take money from a six-year-old?!" (I admit, I had to turn and try to keep from laughing) Then I was hit with the thought to tell him that his tithing would go to help build the Brigham City Temple. The minute I told him that-he was cool with it. Absolutely, positively, 100% okay with his $4.20 going to help build that temple! It was amazing. He gladly put that money in his tithing jar and all was right and just in the world again-haha! I laugh about it-but it really was a powerful experience for me, and hopefully for him. One I won't forget. I'm so proud of him-he really will make such a great husband one day. Such a hardworking, sweetheart! Some girl will be very, very lucky. :) BUT-the story doesn't end there. The game ended up being on sale for $30.95, so he COULD afford it! Oh, how miracles never cease! ;) See? Sometimes those blessings come in the form of Jedi infused video games. :) haha...
(I should probably spring for a better "piggy bank" but the Mason jars work-and besides, I'm too broke from paying him allowance!)
Lessons learned.....
This girl had a piano recital last week. It is really starting to sound like "music" which is so exciting! No one else dressed up, which really kind of irked me. Who wears shorts to a piano recital? Whatever....she will ALWAYS be in a dress for recitals and there will always be a bow at the end of the performance too. It's called respect for the arts-come on people!. HA! :)
We all went skiing with Grandma and Grandpa in March. Spring skiing is so wonderful! I can't wait until next year-we are planning on getting Olivia going so that we don't have to get a babysitter to go. I saw lots of kids as young as Olivia skiing-so we know it can be done. Besides, she is fearless and I'm sure she will pass all of us up in no time!
We barbequed from the back of my Dad's truck. It was so fun! My kids had so much fun deciding who was sitting with who on the chair lift. I love, love, LOVE that my parents are able and willing to do this kind of stuff with my kids. It was such a fun night!
Olivia is such a ham! She has all of us cracking up all of the time. She definitely has hit the terrible two's and I have my hands full-but we all adore her! (She is actually my one child that I can completely see myself in-and not looks-but in the way she acts! Saucy is the perfect word! haha!)
I had a birthday! Paul was sweet and stopped and got this cake-triple chocolate. He knows me well. He is always so thoughtful and tries to always make my birthday a really big deal! Which I secretly love. :)
That's a lot of candles! The whole cake looked on fire! haha.....I don't care. Age ain't nuthin' but a number! haha...
I didn't give Paul any ideas this year. I really couldn't think of anything I wanted. So he got me an IPad! I was shocked! It has been so much fun though and the whole family uses it-which makes me happy. He spoils me, and I'm just fine with that! ;)
And Ms. Olivia had a birthday too! She is 2!!! I swear the minute she turned two she turned into the devil! You can't turn your back on her-ever! She breaks, tears, spills, cuts, pulls, kicks and screams at everything. With one scream she can silence Wal-Mart. Really! She screams and it is like the world stops turning for a minute and everyone stops and stares. (I don't take her shopping anymore-and we still have a hard time making it through sacrament meeting) She has also found a new hobby-pulling her diaper off. AND....playing with whatever may be in it. Yep. Nothing more humbling than wiping poop off the walls of your home. Whatever inkling of wanting another one.......went right out the window a few weeks ago. I'm good. We are done. :) But man, do we love this little rascal! She is really starting to bond with the other two. She likes to crawl into Easton's bed at night and lay there with him. Allie is getting to be so good with her. I can actually count on her to watch her-so she doesn't set the house on fire. ;) Just when you think you might give her to Grandma, she brings her woobie and sippy cup and cuddles on your lap and BAM! We're back to crazy in love. :)
She got one of those cards that play music when you open it? That is all we should have got her. It is all she cared about. She opens it and twirls and twirls. Oh and this is interesting.....she is little-as in next to most two year olds. She still wears 18mos. clothes-that is weird for us. She flutters around the house like a tiny fairy-a bald one-but cute nonetheless. ;)
The cake-a steal of a deal at WalMart-11.99! Cute, huh? We have Tinkerbell obsession over her
Things about Oliva at TWO:
She loves:
Tinkerbell
Allie & Easton
DumDums
Woobie
Coloring at her table
Seeing her Daddy come home
Riding in her pink car around the neighborhood
Twirling
Will gag on almost anything-and throw it up. (lovely...)
Stubborn!-has to do whatever Allie & Easton are doing
Says, "Noooooooo" (all the time)
Waves when you ask what you say to the farmer. :) "How do you do?!"
Puts finger prints on every single thing in mama's house-especially the black appliances. ;)
Won't sit in anything that looks like a highchair-has to sit just like the big kids do.
Will not keep anything in her hair.
Loves to twirl and dance to the Tinkerbell song.
Loves animals-especially Grandma and Papa's big fat cat-Hercules.
Sings to herself right before falling asleep.
Eats several bananas a day.
Will not drink milk without a little chocolate or strawberry syrup in it.
Is ready to be potty trained-but mom isn't. ;)
She exhausts us, humors us and brings a whole lot of love to our home!
We have lots of projects planned for around our house this summer. I think we are finally putting up "the fence." It was either a fence....or move. But we love our neighborhood, our ward, the schools and our kids are so happy here(besides, who is buying houses around here?) so we are doing it. I'm such a nervous wreck to have my kids outside if I don't go out with them. We live on the corner and some of the cars that go by are haulin'-which is so frustrating! Easton can't kick a ball without it rolling into the street-and I have a heartattack. I have never really enjoyed my backyard because I kind of feel like we are on display-we probably aren't, but for a girl who grew up in the country with the nearest neighbor .5 miles away-I feel a little bit fish bowl-ish. haha......Paul is going to do it himself-so that will save some money, but still-they are pricey. But at least now I will be able to read a book in my swimsuit and not gross the neighbors out. ;)
