So, I'm browsing through the August, 2009 copy of Parents magazine, and I come across an article titled The Pickup Fairy. The author of the article describes how she invented the Pickup Fairy. She comes after the kids have gone to bed and takes away all the toys that are left out. Now, according to the author, her intent was to let the toys be hidden for about a week in hopes that her child would pick up. However, the child asked a few questions about the Pickup Fairy and then started picking up his toys each night, so the hiding wasn't necessary.
So, I thought I'd give it a try.
I told the kids, "I was talking to a friend of mine, and she told me that she has a Pickup Fairy that comes and takes toys that are left out at night and she said that she could give the Pickup Fairy our address. So, the Pickup Fairy is going to come tonight unless things are picked up."
My kids asked me a few questions. I don't remember exactly what they asked, but even Zane - my Spirited child that needs much more direction and coaxing than my other children - began to pick up. They were done faster than I had ever seen them pick up before, and they weren't even speeding through it all. I was amazed! I think the Pickup Fairy is going to be a regular visitor (or a reminder that she will be visiting) until they learn that she is not real.
After picking up, we went upstairs and had a snack. Then the kids brushed their teeth, and now that we have our nice new bed frame, the kids want to be in our room a little more, so we went into our room. We have started reading the third Harry Potter book and tonight I read chapter 2. I brought in some notebooks and pencils and crayons so that the kids could write and color while they listened to me read. I only read one chapter. Ryan started writing numbers where he had left off last time, but he only wrote from 72 to 81. He was entranced in listening to what I was reading. I could tell that he couldn't concentrate on anything else. Instead, he came and snuggled next to me while I continued to read.
Then we pushed all the kids towards their rooms to get ready for bed. As soon as we got into Delaney's room, she got all worried and started crying that the Pickup Fairy was going to take away her toys if she didn't pick up. I told her that her stuff would be okay where it is, but she insisted that she had to pick it up or the Pickup Fairy would take it away. So, I turned on the light, and we took 2 minutes to pick up her dress up clothes she was playing with earlier that day.
I really like this Pickup Fairy. Let's hope she sticks around for a while!!!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Just Another Busy Day
I feel like updating some stuff for people, but I don't exactly know where to put it. So I think I'll just put it in my blog and maybe post it to Facebook.
Today was pretty busy. I was actually up around 7am. That's pretty early for me, although in 2 weeks I will have to be up earlier on a regular basis when the boys start school. I had plenty of time to make breakfast, so I played short-order cook (usually I will only make one thing and if the kids don't eat it, tough.) Ryan wanted oatmeal, but it was the instant kind, so that was easy. Delaney already had cereal. I asked Zane if he wanted cereal, oatmeal or scrambled eggs, and he said scrambled eggs. So, I made some breakfast sausage links, scrambled eggs, and a little bit of potatoes O'Brien for myself. Delaney decided that she wanted scrambled eggs, so I had to give her some as well. I like to make an egg skillet, where I will take my scrambled eggs and add them to the hashbrowns and I will cut up a couple of sausage links and add that, mix it all up and voila. Just like the ones you get in the grocery store, but better.
Anyway, after breakfast, my friend Lisa dropped off 3 of her kids, and I took all the kids to VBS. This is VBS #4 for my boys, by the way. They love it though. After I dropped them off, Delaney and I headed out to a free splash park. We stayed there from about 10-12. One of the little girls that was in our group collided with a little boy and she was walking to her mom crying, and she had blood gushing from her nose. Poor thing! But she seems to be okay, thank goodness. They also had a playground there, and Delaney didn't want to play in the water anymore, so she spent time on the playground. I had to go there with her though, and couldn't stay and talk with the other Mommies, so I was a little miffed. But oh well. After a little bit, a few of them ended up coming over and standing by me because their kids decided to take a break as well.
We left and had to stop for gas and I grabbed a couple bottles of water while I was waiting for the tank to fill. My friend Lisa had gone and picked up my boys from VBS with her kids, and so we went to her house to pick them up and we were invited to stay for lunch. We had a great time.
We went home, and I checked some email and facebook, and made some changes on my shipping options on my ebay auctions and Ryan wanted me to come outside and play with him. So, I went out, and he wanted to throw the football back and forth. Can I tell you, that kid has an arm? And he throws a beautiful spiral. Maybe tomorrow I will have Andy and Ryan throw the ball back and forth and take a video of him doing it. I was amazed at how well he did, and he has great aim!!! I was catching a majority of the balls he threw (and it was NOT my catching skills, although I have to say I was proud of myself for catching as many as I did. It helps to have a sort of soft ball.)
After that, I read a little, then made dinner, then dishes, then we had the kids clean up the downstairs, and I made a snack, switched some laundry, kids ate their snack, kids brushed their teeth, and then we all got in my bed and I read the first chapter of the third Harry Potter book (Prisoner of Azkaban) to the kids.
We got this amazing headboard and footboard off Craig's List last night. It is ginormous! I think the headboard is about 6 feet high!!! We had to rearrange some furniture last night when we put it together, because it was so big. It is super sturdy, and I really think we got a steal on it. It's so nice to have a headboard and footboard, because now the whole bed looks finished when I make it, instead of having some sloppy covers sticking out here and there, even when I have everything lined up just right. I am so happy with it! Anyway, with the new headboard, the kids want to be able to be in our bed. So, it was nice to have them with us while I read.
We got the kids to bed, and then we put the TV on in the room and I folded clothes. Andy was really tired because he had a busy day and he has to be to work early tomorrow, so he was falling asleep already, so I went to go into the living room and fix more of my auctions and I found that the boys were still awake. Zane was in Ryan's bed (top bunk) and they were reading through these little cards that they have that are called Brain Quest or something like that. Ryan was reading them to Zane and they were working out the answers. Ryan said that he read 3 books from each of his Diego book packs. I couldn't be angry at them. But it was late. I gave them 10 more minutes to finish reading and then it was time to turn out the flashlights. They listened. They have to get up early in the morning, so I know they won't have enough sleep. But it's nice to see they are doing something productive with their time. I have always been a big reader, and used to stay up all hours of the night reading when I was in school (not as young as they are, but still... I can understand the intrigue!!)
Anyway, now I am done with correcting my auctions, and I have read my FB updates and I have finished my blog. It's kind of lame. But that's my day. The boys are leaving on Sunday to spend a week with my parents. This is the first time they are going for a week without us. I'm kind of excited. I think they will have fun, but I am going to miss them. I'm already getting little knots in my stomach from knowing they are going to be away from me, and I won't be around to keep an eye on them. But they will have fun, and I might get a lot done. Maybe next year, Delaney can go with. Wow. I am not sure I can even fathom that right now. I should take it one step at a time though, right?
Today was pretty busy. I was actually up around 7am. That's pretty early for me, although in 2 weeks I will have to be up earlier on a regular basis when the boys start school. I had plenty of time to make breakfast, so I played short-order cook (usually I will only make one thing and if the kids don't eat it, tough.) Ryan wanted oatmeal, but it was the instant kind, so that was easy. Delaney already had cereal. I asked Zane if he wanted cereal, oatmeal or scrambled eggs, and he said scrambled eggs. So, I made some breakfast sausage links, scrambled eggs, and a little bit of potatoes O'Brien for myself. Delaney decided that she wanted scrambled eggs, so I had to give her some as well. I like to make an egg skillet, where I will take my scrambled eggs and add them to the hashbrowns and I will cut up a couple of sausage links and add that, mix it all up and voila. Just like the ones you get in the grocery store, but better.
Anyway, after breakfast, my friend Lisa dropped off 3 of her kids, and I took all the kids to VBS. This is VBS #4 for my boys, by the way. They love it though. After I dropped them off, Delaney and I headed out to a free splash park. We stayed there from about 10-12. One of the little girls that was in our group collided with a little boy and she was walking to her mom crying, and she had blood gushing from her nose. Poor thing! But she seems to be okay, thank goodness. They also had a playground there, and Delaney didn't want to play in the water anymore, so she spent time on the playground. I had to go there with her though, and couldn't stay and talk with the other Mommies, so I was a little miffed. But oh well. After a little bit, a few of them ended up coming over and standing by me because their kids decided to take a break as well.
We left and had to stop for gas and I grabbed a couple bottles of water while I was waiting for the tank to fill. My friend Lisa had gone and picked up my boys from VBS with her kids, and so we went to her house to pick them up and we were invited to stay for lunch. We had a great time.
We went home, and I checked some email and facebook, and made some changes on my shipping options on my ebay auctions and Ryan wanted me to come outside and play with him. So, I went out, and he wanted to throw the football back and forth. Can I tell you, that kid has an arm? And he throws a beautiful spiral. Maybe tomorrow I will have Andy and Ryan throw the ball back and forth and take a video of him doing it. I was amazed at how well he did, and he has great aim!!! I was catching a majority of the balls he threw (and it was NOT my catching skills, although I have to say I was proud of myself for catching as many as I did. It helps to have a sort of soft ball.)
After that, I read a little, then made dinner, then dishes, then we had the kids clean up the downstairs, and I made a snack, switched some laundry, kids ate their snack, kids brushed their teeth, and then we all got in my bed and I read the first chapter of the third Harry Potter book (Prisoner of Azkaban) to the kids.
We got this amazing headboard and footboard off Craig's List last night. It is ginormous! I think the headboard is about 6 feet high!!! We had to rearrange some furniture last night when we put it together, because it was so big. It is super sturdy, and I really think we got a steal on it. It's so nice to have a headboard and footboard, because now the whole bed looks finished when I make it, instead of having some sloppy covers sticking out here and there, even when I have everything lined up just right. I am so happy with it! Anyway, with the new headboard, the kids want to be able to be in our bed. So, it was nice to have them with us while I read.
We got the kids to bed, and then we put the TV on in the room and I folded clothes. Andy was really tired because he had a busy day and he has to be to work early tomorrow, so he was falling asleep already, so I went to go into the living room and fix more of my auctions and I found that the boys were still awake. Zane was in Ryan's bed (top bunk) and they were reading through these little cards that they have that are called Brain Quest or something like that. Ryan was reading them to Zane and they were working out the answers. Ryan said that he read 3 books from each of his Diego book packs. I couldn't be angry at them. But it was late. I gave them 10 more minutes to finish reading and then it was time to turn out the flashlights. They listened. They have to get up early in the morning, so I know they won't have enough sleep. But it's nice to see they are doing something productive with their time. I have always been a big reader, and used to stay up all hours of the night reading when I was in school (not as young as they are, but still... I can understand the intrigue!!)
Anyway, now I am done with correcting my auctions, and I have read my FB updates and I have finished my blog. It's kind of lame. But that's my day. The boys are leaving on Sunday to spend a week with my parents. This is the first time they are going for a week without us. I'm kind of excited. I think they will have fun, but I am going to miss them. I'm already getting little knots in my stomach from knowing they are going to be away from me, and I won't be around to keep an eye on them. But they will have fun, and I might get a lot done. Maybe next year, Delaney can go with. Wow. I am not sure I can even fathom that right now. I should take it one step at a time though, right?
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