Tuesday, February 19, 2008

~Bursting my Crafty Bubble~ Did you Know that Mother Theresa lives Here?~

I was surprised with how many of you asked about what our countdown to Lent was all about. It has been a tad busy here lately and I am finally getting around to posting what we did. I was floating high on all of your comments about how crafty I am, because quite honestly...I'm NOT! I have help from the children, I let them be the creative ones and I just guide them along, in other words, I fold the paper and clean up the mess~ See I just bursted my Crafty Bubble! So here it is~ Lent is for Love. Everday they color in a heart. Molly thought Valentine's Day was on the 9th, so she colored hearts all over it, only to find out nope it's the 14th, so draw a BIG arrow to the 14th and draw more hearts~ I call it personalization! OH and obviously we are behind...
This is Lolo's white cross that she made. After coloring in a Heart on the countdown, they each take out a purple paper (Lent color) and write down something they are either thankful for or something that they would like to pray for. Then they stick it on their cross. Lolo is my child that LOVES to pray and pray about everything, I swear she is the next Mother Theresa~ I'll get into more detail below...
This is Molly's chart... she does what she has to, but isn't the on the knees praying child, her list is short and sweet and then she's done. Obviously she hasn't been keeping up and I need to send a gentle reminder her way... This is the whole set up. The black envelopes (another Lent color) is what they made to hold their purple papers, then they decorated them all pirty and butiful with sparkly glitter paint~ Aren't they gorgeous! I should have taken a close up picture of them, because I know you all want one of these amazing works of Art for your house~ I can just tell you are envious! :)
And on a separate note, I had questions about my job charts. This is our Florida Goals Job Chart. It contains Extra things around here that the kids can do to earn a bit of spending money while on our trip. It does NOT include their expected job chart that they do everyday. I stopped printing that one simply because they know what is on it and what they have to do. We've been doing it long enough that they don't need the visual chart in front of them. I just ask them if they have done it and away they go. The expected job chart consists of... get dressed, make bed, brush teeth, brush hair and eat breakfast. Why is eat breakfast on the list? They were so slow at breakfast that I was constantly nagging them to eat, as soon as I put it on the chart they wanted to have the check in the box and if they didn't eat nicely they didn't get it. Simply put~ it was an easy check and a huge Bummer if they missed out. I also put brush hair on the list simply because there was so much whining when I go to do their hair for the day. Now if there are tangles and whining it isn't my fault and they can't complain to me. Next time they better try harder to get the knots, then it won't hurt. Don't think I'm a big meany, I use the spray conditioner and I am gentle, I just have one child who overexaggerates the amount of PAIN I put her through and the tears fall instantly. I can get the brush out and she will whine and complain. It was so bad that Annie would pick up the hair brush and instead of calling it a brush, she called it Owie Owie! C'mon, that's pathetic!

So on this Extra job chart, I have listed... Books, Bedroom, Table, Laundry, Toyroom, Toy pickup, Jakey, Coat Hooks. Oh and I forgot to put Saturday and Sunday on the chart, so they are just written underneath. We hang this chart on the fridge with the red pen so it is always there. Now let me explain this list, I am not breaking child labor laws here, they aren't in charge of doing the laundry or anything. This is a list of things that they can do if they would like to in order to earn money, but I will not nag to get these things done, it all has to be on their terms, without being asked. Reading books on their own or to each other, picking up their bedroom without being asked, setting or clearing the table without being asked, putting away their own laundry without being asked, picking up the toyroom, picking up toys around the house, feeding the cat without being asked, cleaning up the hats, coats, mittens, boots...without being asked. Notice that Lolo got 5 in a row on Sunday, this brings me to my Mother Theresa story...



So we went to Chuck E. Cheese's on Friday for her Bday, had lots of leftover tokens, but had to leave in order to make it back home for cake and ice cream with the family. Hubby promised we would go back after church, so we did. While we were at Chuck E. Cheese's, the kids had a blast. They really enjoyed collecting all the tickets and watching their stash grow. I was feeding the baby, so Hubby went and cashed in the tickets for some loot. The kids all ran back to the table to show off their treasures. As we are putting coats on to go, Lolo realizes she still has a few tickets in her pocket. She tells her dad, who tells her that is isn't enough to get a prize, maybe she should give them to that little girl over there who is eating with her family, then she could add them to her tickets and get a prize..."wouldn't that make her happy?"

Lolo: "No dad, I don't think she needs them. I know who I want to give them to. A boy, I think he would be really happy if he could have a prize."

Searching all over for the boy... she finds him and runs over to give him the tickets. Much to my surprise, she ran right up to a man... he turned around and I knew. I knew what she was thinking. I knew that she has the sweetest, most caring heart. This man was a dad. This man was standing next to a game. This dad was standing next to his son on the game and waiting. He was waiting for the game to end. As it ended, he bent over to show his son the tickets, who smiled a gigantic smile. The dad said thank you to my Lolo, who skipped happily back to us~ very Proud. The dad then bent over and scooped up his son to help him stand. He then wiped the drool off his son's face, stood behind him holding him up~ supporting him in all the ways a father can support a son. He was there for him, supporting him. The son was just as tall as the dad. I had watched them together while the kids were out playing. This dad walked all through the games supporting his son, helping him in and out of seats. Enjoying the excitement on his face when he saw a game with a noise. I cannot explain their relationship, only to say that he supported him...

And my little girl saw that, out of everyone in the building she chose him, she brought another joyous smile to his face and to the face of the dad supporting him.

I hugged her and cried.

She got lots of extra marks on her chart...

23 comments:

Amy said...

you go, girl!

Happy Days said...

oh girlymom, you are amazing. That story brought me goose bumps! Your girls are so lucky to have you. I love all of your ideas. I feel your pain about the hair drama and I only have one girl. Thanks for sharing. You really are bringing up four wonderful girls. Have a great day!

Courtney said...

I'm not reading anymore Lolo stories, they make me cry. Good tears, but none the less, I'm usually at work while reading these!

Valarie said...

Wow! I think I may have to blow your bubble back up, because there has to be at least a small amount of craftiness in you to be willing to put the thought into coming up with all that stuff.
That was a great story about Lolo. And I must have missed you writing about coming to Florida. I have been out of it lately. The weather here has been amazing! We are saying goodbye to winter and are back in shorts and t-shirts again! :)

Ashley said...

your lolo is amazing.... if she's only 5, imagine what she'll do when she gets older! that story brought me to tears.

Lizzy in the Burbs said...

Hi, Girlymom!


You know, I think you may be onto something with Lolo, that girl is amazing! It wouldn't surprise me if she was the next Sister Theresa! She is truly a child of God in every sense, isn't she? All your girls are special and talented in their own unique ways! (Love their cross charts!) You and your hubby should be bursting with pride!

Lizzy

lindsey said...

Lolo is so sweet!

I bet your girls love all the countdowns, they make the end celebration even more fun!

OHmommy said...

You mae it so much fun! I am so going to do this next year when the kiddos are a little older.

Maria said...

You are SO crafty and organized! I need to be more like you!

Are You Serious! said...

♥ What a tender heart she has! That's a very sweet story!

Unknown said...

Way to go Lolo!!

Great story and great daughter!

Christina

Laski said...

What an awesome story! Lolo is one special little girl.

Those charts are a great idea. I should hope to be so organized and CRAFTY--whoa! Are you good!

What a happy and proud mom you must be!

girlymom said...

Ha! You called me organized!! That's funny!

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Wow - Love the story.

I'd like to comment more but I think I'm dying.

Wanted to leave one last comment before my throat closed up completely.

Hallie :(

Cecily R said...

Lo Lo is So sweet!!

I so wish I had the self discipline to do chore charts like you do. I might do it for a week and then it would just start gathering dust on my fridge. I speak from experience.

Don Mills Diva said...

Aww - it's moments like that when you know you done good - congrats!

R Royal Family said...

What a sweet, kind, thoughtful little girl and so wise for her young age. Thanks for sharing that story.

I LOVE your ideas I may just have to use some of them myself. Thanks for posting.

Kellan said...

That was the sweetest story about your little "Mother Teresa" - your sweet Lolo - it brought tears to my eyes. She needs to marry my Little Billy - they have the same heart. Take care - Kellan

kim-d said...

I first read this post at work and I couldn't even comment right then because I had already moved into the ugly cry. But, for your tender-hearted beautiful girl, I will suffer the ugly cry. Isn't it just incredible to watch your girls' personalities develop? All so different, yet all good! For the purposes of this particular story, however, Lolo is the angel. What a girl!

Angela said...

Great story
How special

krissy said...

That was the sweetest story ever! What a good girl she is! Give her some extra marks from me!!!!

Becky said...

Lolo, I'm so proud of you! (And I'm gettin' all misty here, Girlymom!) Good job to both of you...you being such a good mommy to instill those things in your daughter. It made their day!

Laura said...

I think you're very creative - I think I'm going to start printing things off and keeping them in a book for future ideas!