Bahaha...I fail at blogging!

Well...last years resolutions were not a total loss, however my atempt at blogging was!  This is exctly why I don't make resolutions!  So let's check in on those resolutions...Since it's been an entire year since I blogged!

Spend more time with the kiddos...Did ok.  Last year was crazy.  The older kids have taken on so many activities, Lorelei had therapy once or twice a week, add in all the normal stuff and free time was limited.  We did do a lot more crafts, activites, and one on one dates with the kiddos.

Get healthy...DONE.  Continuing this journey, but I lost 25 pounds and went from a size 10/12 to a 2/4!  This was a huge hurdle to my mental and physical well being.  It is, however, still a constant struggle!  I like to eat what I want, which I can no longer do in my 30's!  I also have never, and probably will never enjoy working out!  So it is a struggle to actually work out now that I've lost the weight I wanted to lose! 

Get more organized...well....that is my constant struggle.  It's just not something that comes naturally to me in my home life.  Still working on that one!


So...getting organized...I'm currently trying to keep myself on a schedule so I can get done what I need to get done everyday without the house ending up in complete disarray! So, here it is...

I try to be done with everything by 4 every day because that's when we start getting ready for activities.  I also start making dinner (if it's not in the crockpot)! 

It's all in the details...

I posted here about our summer schedule and yesterday it went great!  Amelia (our mini Aaron) kept an eye on the clock and me on our schedule all day!  Even my little wild man seemed to have a pretty good day.  Quiet time was kind of a bust, but they'll get used to it.  I need to figure out  a way to keep them separated because Amelia would lay in her bed and read the whole time if he didn't bug her!

Anyway...the schedule...it's not perfect and not for everyone but it's something we're trying...

We are also trying a new approach with discipline.  It focuses more on rewarding good behavior than punishing bad behavior.  We call them "Gem Jars".  This is yet another pinterest find! 

Each kid has a jar and they receive gems for good behaviors.  There are different sized gems for different behaviors.  I occasionally do take a gem away for really bad behavior.  When their jars are half full we will take them out for ice cream, and when they fill the jars we will have a family "date day".  We've talked about going bowling, mini golfing, to the movies, or to a baseball game.

It seems to be working quite well!

Ready, Set, SUMMER!

This summer I have big plans...  Elliot will be starting Kindergarten in the fall and I'm determined to have him as ready as I possibly can.  I also want to see Amelia's MAP scores go up in the fall.  Last summer I did ok; her scores went up a few points.  At least she didn't go down.

With 3 kids, I think the only way I'm going to save my sanity this summer is STRUCTURE!  I've always been a fly-by-the-seat of my pants kind of mom.  That is not going to work with 2 busy kids and a baby!  I'm hoping our schedule will help our behavior problems too!

I'm a very frugal, DIY mom.  Enter my pinterest addiction!  This is a conglomeration of several different pins I've seen.

First up, the Bucket List...After all, it is summer and there is much fun to be had!

Then the schedule...There are a few things the kids are required to do for at least 20 minutes each day.  The first is "practice."  This is a skill I will work on with the kids.  It could be math, sight words, phonics, shoe-tying, etc.  They must also read for at least 20 minutes each morning.  Then there is "home."  They must spend 20 minutes doing a chore (more on how we decide what they'll do another day).  The top left frame is the daily schedule, then we have a frame for each day of the week to write down activities and to-dos!

Finally, the Task lists.  Each time they accomplish a task, they get a reward.  This could be money, stickers, treat; whatever works for you.  I'll talk about what we're doing another day!

This project cost me under $10.  All the frames are from the dollar store, and the scrapbook paper and stickers I had on hand.  The best part is you can write on the glass with a dry erase marker so I don't have to waste paper for every day/week!

How are you keeping your kiddos busy this summer?