Hope These Make You Smile

The Best Things In Life

These are the ones that truly matter. 

Cherish what you have, never take any of it for granted.

Analyze Your Life

Close your eyes for a few minutes and imagine that today is your 100th birthday. What would you tell a reporter about the life you have led? What were your greatest accomplishments? What what do you regret about your life? What would you want to change if you could?  

Now come back to the present and think about your life as it is now.  What  can you do to minimize those regrets?  It is never to late to start anew. 

Laughter

We don't stop laughing because we grow old;

 We grow old because we stop laughing.

Image courtesy of Dee'lite

“I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.”
~Elayne Boosler

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

~Groucho Marx

"He who laughs last probably didn't get the joke."
~Unknown Author

“When somebody tells you nothing is impossible, ask him to dribble a football.”
~Unknown Author

"A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be."
~Unknown Author

"Mobile phones are the only subject on which men boast about who's got the smallest."
~Neil Kinnock

Never Sacrifice Who You Are...

This saying is so true!  

You can't please everyone you meet in life.  If someone you meet has a problem with something you are doing or saying or just you in general, then you really don't need them in your life!   You shouldn't need to go around trying to get everyone to like you. If you need to work that hard to get someone's attention, they are just not worth it!  Who needs a constant energy drain to pull them down?  I know I don't and neither do you.   If you can't be yourself around other people then you are not only being fake and lying to them but to yourself as well.  That fake facade is not at all attractive, people can see right through it and will hesitate to trust or get to know you.  Ultimately living behind a facade will lead to unhappiness.  The solution is to just be who you are.  You will find that you will attract people that like you for being you.  And in the end of it all you and they will be much happier.  

Chore Tracker

Our kids are responsible for various chores around the house. After writing my earlier post about wanting a clean house I realized that we had gotten quite lax with chores over the summer and needed a new boost of "chore energy" .  The store bought chore charts had not worked well for us in the past.  We have in the past tried several different styles of charts available but found that none actually met our needs. We needed a more visual reminder of chores needing to be done.  So I created one myself using the side of our refrigerator, masking tape, Clipart in Microsoft Office and adhesive magnets.  When they finish a chore they simply move the magnet to the space below.

Yes I realize it is massive and takes up most of the fridge 

but if the house gets clean and stays clean as a result then it is worth it. :)

 The kids and I sat down and came up with a list of chores each would finish daily or weekly, I added into this basic daily hygiene such as brushing hair and teeth and showering. and reading time (to minimize time spent in front of the TV). Although it looks like a heck of a lot it, most of it really should only take very little time to accomplish and are based on the complexity of the task and the ages of our children.   

Here is an example of some of the chore magnets we made.

Here is what we have on the chore board:

• Brushing teeth AM and PM
• Brushing hair
• Making the bed
• Showering
• picking out clothes for the next day
• homework
• reading
• packing a snack and lunch for school
• putting backpacks away when not in use
• organizing the shoe area so they are not all over the place
• helping to empty the dishwasher
• putting dirty clothes in the hamper
• putting away any laundered clothing
• picking things up off the bedroom floors
• putting toys in the playroom away
• throwing in a load of laundry (for my 9 year old)
• sweeping the kitchen floor (my 6 year old)
• finding stray cups and dishes around the house (my 4 year old)
• practicing piano (my 9 year old) 
• helping mom prepare dinner
• clearing their plate off the dinner table

Instead of earning money for chores done they are working toward my scheduling play dates for them which gives them the motivation they need to get it done.  They have been racing one another to see who can accomplish their goals for the day first.  :)

Cookie Monster Comic

Hee Hee

  Having grown up watching Cookie Monster,

 this one made me smile and want to share it with you.