Pocket Money part 2

I have really enjoyed making Christmas Presents this year. I have got

a real enjoyment from it. I think as the children get older they are easier to

buy/make things for.

Above is my secret Santa for craft. This year I suggested we make our pressie

as we are a craft group. I made a cup cake pincushion and a stocking

bag to match.

Pocket Money

Each summer holidays we go to the beach for the last 3 weeks.

We take the caravan up and just chill.

But being on holidays and in a town where there

are shops the children like to buy things as children do.

So I have what I call holiday jobs.

These are bigger jobs that they can do to earn spending money for the coast.

Here is yesterdays examples of what they did.

Alanah.......she is doing the baking each day for morning and afternoon teas, above is the yesterdays biscuits.

Cassie.........Vacuum the house and clean the family room.

Robbie.......worked in the garden and helped me move some mulch.

William.......also hindered, I mean helped me in the garden.

Doing these jobs are optional for them, but they understand no work no holiday money. I find by the end of the holidays I am running out of jobs for them to do.

For the extra jobs I pay them as soon as the jobs are finished, as they see that there work has been rewarded. I keep $1, $2, $5 coins and notes on hand and pay according to the job.

So yesterday

Robbie received $5 as he worked hard most of the day.

Cassie received $2 as her job was easier

William received $1 for helping mum.

Alanah will get an extra $20 a week.

It may seem alot to pay Alanah $40 -$50 a week, let me explain.

Alanah is 16 and wanting part time work for the holidays, this will mean ME MUM

having to go up the range to drop her at job and then go back to pick her up.

By giving her a good allowance I am saving money. ex petrol and wear and tear on car.

In May Alanah will be 17 and can then drive herself to a job, until then she is happy with this arrangement.

I find by giving pocket money I save as when the children WANT something they can buy it themselves. They are learning to budget and the value of money.

These are life lessons that all children should be taught.

It is not all work around here.....

Look there is still water in the creek. The children enjoyed a fun

time relaxing and playing, they have made a cubby house at the creek and are loving having the water to swim in.

Well time to go and have another cuppa. It is 7am and the children

are still in bed....yep love school holidays, no rushing around just nice peace full mornings.

Blessings to all

MANDY

Pocket Money....

This is my yard from the veranda.

At the moment with all the rain we have had I think that my yard is looking

quite Park like.

O.K. Humor me it has been along time since this part of the yard was green. It is usually dirt, grass makes such a difference doesn't it.

We have spent the week-end mowing. Boy o boy there is plenty to do that's for sure but it is something i enjoy doing.

This is a Christmas wall hanging I made for my eldest daughter for Christmas.

Jess doesn't use the computer so I am safe to show you this. As Jessica has her own place now I thought it would be nice to make her a wall hanging decoration. Jessica is the one that lives in Roma.

Pocket Money....

What do you do for spending money for your children?

I am one of those mean Mums that make my children work for there PM.

Alanah 16......Washes the breakfast and tea dishes each day.

Cassie12.......Wipes up at night and takes the rubbish out daily

Robbie 10........Feeds the dogs and chooks and sets& clears the table at meal times.

William 5.......Cleans his toys up........
They all have to make there beds and keep there rooms tidy.

On Saturday they also have jobs

Alanah.....cleans bathroom and toilets

Cassie..........dusting

Robbie and William help Dad on the farm.

For these jobs they get

Alanah $20....Cassie & Robbie $5 and William $1

This money they spend on things they want

ex- movies,lollies,make up etc

I think it is important for children to learn to work for there money and not get things handed to them for nothing. When they finish school and are working they still help around the house as I believe as a family you work togeather.

Tomorrow I will tell you about what we do for holiday money.

The Christmas Tree is up and decorated,

it is starting to look a bit sad as I think it is time for a new one.

I say this every year and then see the price of them and think it will do another year.....

Well I'm off to the sewing room to get a few bits and pieces finished, then when the day cools again I will do some more gardening....

Have a blessed day all..........

MANDY

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!

I love the school holidays........

Yes I know I've said that before, but I do!!!!!!!!!!

No more up and at em......no more school lunches and early teas because there is school the next day....noooooooooo

Instead, lazy mornings of gardening and sitting on veranda drinking coffee, barbies for tea late..

Summer lazy holidays.........

Now don't get the wrong idea

that I lead a charmed life, because there will also be

yelling, threatening, yelling, tantrums (from the children as well) yelling and to finish of more yelling. Yes we all get a bit ratty at times, but that is life living in a Family.

Children fight, mum yells, children make HUGE mess mum yells a bit more but do you know what? I love school holidays........

I feel sad when I her women say how they dread or hate the school holidays,

I have to wonder are these women selfish or may be they forget what it was like to be a child and have fun.

I say relax go with the flow enjoy your children these holidays.

I am so glad that last week is behind me , what a busy full week.

May-be not as bad as some ones week though.

(If you haven't drop by daisymountain and say hello and send a blessing her way)

Here are photos of my two youngest getting there awards, isn't prep son above just so darn cute and small, O.K O.K I cried when my baby walked on stage, nearly forgot to take the photo.

Grade 5 son got the sportsman award. Sums him right up he loves his sports and is one of those boys that is good at any sports. He's like his big brother, would rather be kicking a ball than behind a desk. They get that from there Mother.

I have been tagged by Linda and Nicole. Thank you for this and next week I will

get to them. I would like to say hello to new readers, thank you for your comments

that you leave. I am enjoying going to your blogs and getting to know you...

O my! I just have to tell you this.....

See those Innocent looking boys of mine above...well they have just walked out in war paint

with their home made weapons. Their weapons of choice. Empty pens with pin board tacks in them..

I sat them down and calmly explained the dangers of this weapon. I then decided I needed to demonstrate. I blew through that pen and would you believe it the tack stuck into my tongue and groove wall. COOL says 10 year old.........

There's more.

Explained that it could do alot of damage if they shot one another or worse they could lose an eye. 5 year old looks at me and removes sunglasses he is wearing, and those big blue eyes are full of tears and he says to me..........

But Mum that's why I'm wearing the glasses...........

The Holidays have begun........................

Mandy

I've been busy still......

What a busy couple of days.............

Yesterday was our last craft day, next fortnight we are having our Christmas breakup.

So it was a busy day of mad sewing all day,

and last night I got the hand sewing all done..........My first quilt is all finished and I

am so happy with it..

Sorry I can't show any photos until after Christmas as it is DIL Christmas pressie.

Today I have been in town all day doing the Christmas present shopping.

My feet are sore and my wallet is empty.........

I have only a few bits and pieces to get now.

The children finish school Friday and things will slow down then.

I hope every ones week is going to plan. We are getting more rain at the moment which is a blessing.

Have a great day.....

Mandy

A Busy Week Ahead.......

What a busy week end we had.

No more rain though. The creek is going down, there is still one crossing over,

so it wouldn't take much to bring them back up.

But the wind, it has been howling here for three days now.

Any one else getting it?

We haven't had any damage from it, others down in the valley have lost shed roofs.

On Saturday night we had a lovely time at our friends who renewed there wedding vows. There were two couples that did them. One couple had been married 22 years on the 22-11-08.

It was very romantic. The photo above is of them. Hubby lead them through their vows,

he was having trouble reading what they wrote as he left his glasses at home and had to borrow some.

Sunday we braved the wind to go to church. Boy were we glad to get down off the mountain and back to our valley.

Cleaned up some fallen branches and then it was of to another party.

We have something on every weekend between now and Christmas. I love this time of year with all the Christmas parties. Not so much for the

parties as for the people and the catching up with one another.

This after noon I am going to start putting up the Christmas decorations.

I love Christmas and every-thing about it. That is why today's post is a quick one.

Lots to do. I'll show you some photos later in the week.

I won't be posting everyday this week as it the children's last week of school and there is so much on. But I will make time of an evening to drop by and say hello.......

MANDY

Having A DAM Fine Time.....

The children have all made it to school today......

I think yesterday was a day that they will long remember. Hubby grew up here and he still talks about being flooded in as a child......

Below is the dam behind our house. Only another 5 foot and it is full. What is so remarkable about this is that it hardly gets any water in it any more. New people on the hill above us put 2 dams in our catchment So now three dams have to fill up before our dam gets a drop.

So that is a lot of water.

The sun is shinning brightly and a stiff breeze is blowing, great for getting

all of yesterdays muddy clothes dry.

We all slept well last night as the children had been out hiking around the farm and helping the neighbour remove trees from his drive way. They were exhausted, so were we having been out early and up half the night before watching the rain.

This dam is the big dam over in the far paddock. It was empty.........

You can see how big it is by the car. Where the car is is the overflow so still a bit more to go.

This was taken 5pm last evening, see the storm rolling in behind.....

I hope no one had much damage from the rain. It is hard as we are so thankful for the rain and then we watch the news and see the heartache it has caused.

What is such a blessing to us, only 120klms away it is a curse.

above
This is our front paddock or as we like to call it now the bird habitat lol.
This has our front fence under it. I hope the cows don't realize the electric fence isn't working.


Let me explain the photo below,

The car with branches on it is the handy mans car. As you can see he was collecting the dead branches from the yard. He got bogged in the mud...
Hubby goes to the rescue after calling him a few names and explaining that the ground is to wet for driving on.

Middle car......hubby bogged.....ha..ha...ha O.K you had to be there but the look of disbelief on his face was priceless.

First car.........No idea ,total stranger out for a look at the floods. He managed to pull them both out without getting bogged.
Thank you random stranger.............


I hope every one enjoys there week end. We have a party tomorrow afternoon.Friends are
redoing there wedding vows, so it should be a good time.


Blessings to all


MANDY

I Did It!!!

That's right people I present to

My First Dish Cloth.

I know, I know so sad a post dedicated to a dish cloth.

I can knit!!!!!!!!!!