Monies....

As a part of raising children, Steven and I feel it is our job to help our children understand how money works. There are way too many people out in the world that have no concept of money and how it works. People who think money grows on tree and are fiscally irresponsible. I don't want my children to live from paycheck to paycheck because I didn't teach them how to use money. (Don't even get me started....I could rant for hours on people and their poor money choices.)

So, to start teaching our children young (or brainwash them while young and highly impressionable), we decided to give them some chores to do around the house and assigned dollar values to them. When they complete a chore, they get to check it off their chore chart and at the end of the week they turn in their sheet and get cold, hard cash.

As part of this lesson, the children need to pay their tithing, put money in savings and then they can do what they want with the rest.

For those of you who don't know what tithing is, let me explain. In our church, we believe that God has given us everything that we have. He in turn asks us to give back one-tenth of our increase. That money goes to the church and they use it to build and run the church.

This is a difficult concept to teach to a small child, especially a 2 year old who is getting money of his own for the first time. In my infinite wisdom, I attempted to explain to Owen that he needed to part with some of his money. Since he has a great love of Jesus, I decided to try that angle. I told Owen that he needed to give some of his "monies" to Jesus. Jesus would use it to help the church. He said, "Give Jesus monies?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Okay." Much easier than I thought it would be. We counted out his tithing and put it into and envelope. He was very excited.

Here is Logan showing you his allowance with tithing slip in hand.
Owen was so excited about his monies that he couldn't be bothered to look at the camera. Holding his monies and tithing slip (ie. Monies for Jesus).
So to wrap up this charming tale. Yesterday, wile we were at church, Owen and I we were looking at his quiet book that has various church related pictures. When we got to the first picture of Jesus he says, "Jesus...monies!?!" Sure enough, we had forgotten the tithing envelopes. At least Owen learned where his tithing money goes.

Evan is offically mobile...

Evan is only 6 1/2 months old, but he is convinced he is older. For the past few weeks, he has been actively trying to move on his own, mainly trying to get his brother's discarded toys. It started with him scooting backwards. Then he moved onto "belly-flopping" his way around the living room. He would get up on his hands and feet and push forward and land on his belly. From there, he moved to his hands and knees, but it took a bit to get the hand/knee moving coordinated. Last Friday, we decided that wasn't good enough and he was determined to crawl. Little man had the art perfected by Saturday afternoon when I found him eating food off the kitchen floor...guess that means I will either need to sweep every night or Evan will be well fed.

Here is a video I took this morning. He couldn't decide if he wanted to get the zoo toy or the camera. Guess mom and the camera won.


Tell me that isn't the cutest kid in the world...You know he is.

Check out a couple pics....The shirt is so fitting (in case you can't make out the writing, it says "Prince Charming") and yes, he is quite charming...just ask all the YW in our ward. :)

Halloween

(I actually typed this up a few days ago, but just didn't get the pics off my camera until today...this past week was super jam packed with stuff.)

Since Halloween was on Sunday this year, I hardly even thought about it. Steven and I talked about it and didn't feel right taking the kids out to trick-or-treat on Sunday, so we decided to stay home and spend time together as a family.

Saturday night our ward had a chili cook-off/carnival. There were carnival games for the kids and lots of talking for the adults. As prizes for the games, the kids got candy. There was a booth to eat a donut tied to a string and suspended above your head. Steven got a great video of Kim and Logan doing it. Hilarious. Owen just gave the camera the "stank-eye" and held his.

Because we were taking the kids out, I didn't bother buying costumes. So Kim wore a pair of my old scrubs, carried the Fisher Price Doctor's Kit and was a nurse/doctor. Logan wore the Thomas the Tank Engine costume I'd bought a few years ago on after-holiday clearance. Owen was wearing a pair of overalls, so I scrounged up a construction hat, belt, boots and tools (which we was excited to wear at home but refused to put on at the church...but as you can see, he loved playing with his flashlight). Evan wore the traditional Winnie-the-Pooh dressed as a Honey-bee costume that both of his brothers wore.On Halloween, we went to church. Came home, ate lunch and had naps. (Okay, the boys and I napped while Steven and Kim cooked.) After we all woke up, it was time to decorate pumpkins. The boys shared a pumpkin. Here they are hard at work. The girls shared a pumpkin. Here is Kim posing with her creation....all I did was give suggestions and cut the top off. Evan had his tiny 1st Halloween pumpkin. He colored on it with a pen and sucked on the stem.
Here is Logan posing with the boy's finished product. We then ate super yummy pumpkin waffles with apple cider sauce. Such a wonderful tradition in our house.

We decided that since the kids didn't get to go out trick-or-treating (but Owen and Logan are at the age that it's super fun), that we would have them trick-or-treat inside. We had bought a bit of candy and dressed the boys up. Logan as Thomas again and Owen as Elmo (Logan's costume from last year). Steven was stationed in our bedroom, Kim in hers and I was in Evans. (This is my view from Evan's room. Ignore the mess in the hall and don't judge me...we all have that area that collects stuff....okay, maybe a few areas...this is one of mine.)The boys knocked on our door, said "Trick-or-treat" and were given candy. They then moved onto the next door. By the end, we were all laughing and having a great time....perhaps we will do this again.

We then got the kids ready for bed a little early and snuggled onto our bed to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks and Garfield Halloween movies. The kids all thoroughly enjoyed it. Then we packed the kids off to bed and Steven and I watched "Date Night". It was pretty funny. So glad that our dates don't turn out like that...well, seeing Mark Wahlberg's naked chest would be entertaining a time or two, but I don't want to have to pole dance in a western style outfit....

Happy Halloween from our family to yours! Check out this little monster....