Happy Birthday, Baby!

Clayton Blake Rains decided to greet us on Tuesday, May 10th at 5:40 am, weighing 8 pounds and 18 inches long!! We are getting settled in and trying to get the hang of having two little boys and I am beginning to feel a bit better myself after a VERY fast delivery!! (He was born in less than 2 hours after I went into labor and we came home the next day!) Cooper is excited about being a big brother, too!

Cooper's Commissions

 I've been taking a class called "Financial Peace University" by Dave Ramsey and I am loving it! One of the things he suggests doing with your kids is not paying them "allowance", but "commissions". They have to earn money by doing things around the house and of course, as they get older, those things change. But, he had a great idea for little ones like Cooper that are just starting to grasp the concept of getting paid for work. I found this cool magnetic chart that has lots of things you can change out and little magnets you can move and clear each week, so he has four things that he does the earn money, the other things he "helps" with are just bonus for both of us, unpaid. Dave doesn't actually mention doing the chart, but I find it to be a helpful visual for us.

He feeds the dog in the evenings, makes his bed or helps change sheets (ok, I help a bit with this one, but he's getting it), helps put up laundry (he can put up his folded clothes and helps me carry the rest to where it goes), and cleans his room and closet of toys (I help a bit and give direction, but he does the majority of it himself). It's amazing how excited he gets about doing these things when he knows he will get a smiley face on his chart and put some money in his jar. I have a glass jar I keep right by the chart that we put it in as soon as he finishes his job. To make it fun, the laundry help and room are worth $1 a week, so he can see the jar looks more full with a few wadded up dollar bills (another Dave suggestion). For the other things he gets a quarter in his jar. Then, the idea is to let them find something they want to spend their money on and do it, let them choose how much they want to give for whatever they choose, and put some in their savings or leave it in the jar.
The goal is to teach them about working, giving, saving, and spending, not to mention it will eventually turn into math skills, work ethic, and much more! I wish I had known a lot more about money management before I had to do it on my own, so I hope to teach my children early to be responsible. And, I won't lie, right now, it's just plain fun!

2 more weeks......

Due date is May 21st....hoping very much that he'd decide to get here a little sooner! As of Monday, I am dilated to four, so just that  much closer to b-day. That means as soon as I feel like something is happening, I better hurry to the hospital, because once he decides to make his arrival, it may not take near as long as what Cooper did! I know that I am very blessed with this child, but I am also very tired and exhausted and ready to see him!!

2011 Goals Updates

Well, since April is over, I have updated my goals list and as you can see, making progress in some things and some are a little more challenging for me, especially when it comes to things I want to do to better myself. Preparing for baby, doing all this nesting, and taking care of my family everyday has taken its toll on me, I'm afraid. Every spare moment that I can get the last month is spent resting or napping to gain enough energy to do the daily things I need to do. So, with that in mind, here is what I've been up to:

2011 Goals

OPERATION BABY PREP---

Deadline March 1^st--

Order small dresser- will need to do this by the first of March to be sure it’s here on time…only piece of furniture that we need and it’s a hard size to find!  (before end of February!)

Deadline April 1^st--

Sort through baby clothes from attic   1/18

Bring in and clean up baby gear from attic 3/12

Arrange furniture in kids’ room  3/12

Organize kids’ closet 1/8

Finish list of what we still need to get 1/23

Deadline May 1^st--

Make some prepared food that I can freeze for easy meals in May/June

Begin “nesting”…will probably have already started this anyway!

Take a spring vacation or extended camping trip       Snow days shortened our trip, but we took it the first part of April!

HOUSE & GARDENING---

Deadline April 24th (Easter)--

Plant flower bed in corner of yard—sunflowers and some easy to grow perennials because I’m lazy like that---this one is out til next spring…just not enough time

Mulch around roses   3/16

Make beds for perennial fruits and veggies---yep, next spring

Plant corn and okra….maybe a few other things….this will not be as much as last year, since I won’t be able to do a lot out there---Dennis is going to plant corn and okra soon, I have planted a “patio garden”  4/17

NEW SECRETARY GIG—Deadline March 1^st

Get QuickBooks set up and on track for 2011   1/14

FOR MYSELF:

PHOTOGRAPHY—Deadline May 1st

Get someone to give me lessons with new camera  You Tube!

Set up software to edit photos

READING---

I am stealing an idea from someone else to read one good book per month….that will be a stretch probably, but I have plenty of books to read, re-read, or that I can borrow

            January—ALMOST finished one

            February---finished January book

            March---finished book I started in February after the January one

            April---did not read a book at all….lots of naps, though

SPIRITUAL---

Spend at least 15 minutes every day in the Word, devotional, prayer, listening to sermons, etc.

            January—Not as consistent as I’d like to be

            February—still struggling

            March—still struggling to be consistent

            April—still struggling, but found some helpful resources

Keep my “Grace” journal with entries at least 3 times a week recording where I saw God’s grace at work in my life and around me

            January—Did it at least twice a week

            February—About once a week

           March—only one in a month

            April---not sure what happened to me!