My latest hobby... of sorts...

I got bored one day and bought 8 packs of flower seeds. Cosmos, Zinnias, Bachelor Buttons, Forget Me Nots, Morning Glory, Asters, Sweet Williams, and wildflowers. I put of planting them as long as I could. I finally broke down and bought some potting soil. I figured the seeds and the soil were enough of an investment. So we planted them in red Dixie cups. (How freakin' redneck!!) But I planted them. And have watered them. And they're growing!!! They're ready to be transplanted. My impatiens are growing too. Since those have all made it this far, Jason bought me 2 Fuchsias. So now Jason has a new project. He's going to build me a flower bed that I can have on the balcony. Stupid squirrel keeps knocking over my cups and pots.

Pray for You - Jaron and The Long Road to Love :: Official Video

If you feel this is aimed towards you, stop spying!

Giving this a try

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/melissabshelton

Already?!

So today is our 1 year anniversary.  It's been a long time coming.

Plans for today?

Jason works.  Audrey's at Mom's.  Amelia and I are headed to MOG and Target.

Jason gets off work.  Jason, Amelia, and I are going out for sushi.

Audrey comes home.

We may try to go to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs at the park in Oconee.  If not that, I see a Redbox in our future.

I am so very lucky.

And, for those that know how Jason is with dates...  He actually remembered today all on his own.

Trying to improve Audrey's behavior...

We realize she's only 3.  But she's so far beyond a 3 year old.  She wants to act like an older kid, she will be treated like an older kid.


We've come up with a behavior chart and a job chart.  It's her responsibility to make sure it gets taken care of every day.  And she wants to make sure it gets taken care of.  She loves watching me draw smiley faces and check marks.


This is how we have it broken down:


Job Chart:
Daily: Mon-Fri
Pick up toys in bedroom-morning
Pick up toys in bedroom-evening
Pick up toys in living room-afternoon
Pick up toys in living room-evening
Put pillows, blankets, dolls on bed
Put books up
Put dirty clothes in hallway
Brush teeth
Line shoes up under bed
Eat breakfast with no whining-dishes put in sink
Eat lunch with no whining-dishes put in sink
Eat dinner with no whining-dishes put in sink
Play quietly while Mommy is on the phone
Behave at the store
Go to bed when told

Behavior Chart
Daily: Sun-Sat
Broken down by times:
7-8
9-10
11
12-1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8 (or until we get home)
8:30 (or in bed)
9 (or lights out)


For each she does on the job chart she gets a check mark or smiley face.  The ones she doesn't complete gets a sad face.  The ones that don't apply that day get marked through.  They don't count at the end of the week.

For being good on the behavior chart she gets a smiley face. If she hasn't been good she gets a sad face.

But if she gets a sad face or doesn't get to mark a job off we remind her that she still has more chances (either later in the day or the next day). That way she doesn't get super frustrated or mad at herself.

If she fills the chart up, on the weekend she gets a special treat. At the end of the day, she gets a M&M for every check/smiley face. At the end of the month she'll get a bigger treat if she's filled the chart up every week.

It's not necessarily filled, but at least mostly full. She is only 3 and will have her moments.

Counting down the days

So we've decided that we're taking a week and going to Louisiana.  A few days in Shreveport/Bossier, a day in Natchitoches, and then heading down to Independence/Baton Rouge.  Plans are right now to be out there in late June.  I'm so ready to be out there.

Jason asked what made Louisiana so great.  I guess it's because that's where I spent most of my "adult" life.  From 21 until almost 27.  That's an important chunk of life.  It's hard to explain.