Spring Clothes-ing

'Round these here parts, we have a semi-annual tradition.

It's called "Try On Last Year's Current Season's Clothes, See If They Still Fit, Give Away The One's That Don't, Put Those and The New Clothes Mom Bought In Your Drawers, And Put Last Season's Clothes In Bins That Will Be Put Up For Six Months".

It's quite an event.  The girls love it because they pretty much become models on a runway.

And this year our cousin Katelynn was there to enjoy the frivolities.

They also love it because they are girls and are pre-programmed to adore getting new clothes.

The boys really like it too.

Just kidding.  They hate it.

But they still play along for their Mommy.  Well, Wyatt just plays.

But Porter did try on a few things.

And Wy-Fi, since he does everything his big brother does, tried on an outfit.

And boy did he feel fabulous.

For a moment.

And then we had lunch at the park to get out all of the clothing-trying-on out of our system.

The Cinderella Complex

The girls are now off-track (meaning they are off of school for three weeks).

I had to think of a way to reinforce good behavior, and limit their amount of TV, computer and video games.

Not to mention limit the number of times they could play with their friends in a week.

And I had to do it in a way that wouldn't make the girls hate me and make me hate getting up in the morning.

Family Fun magazine to the rescue!

I read an article about a merit system consisting on Daddy Dollars and Mommy Mart. Good behavior, chores and such earn the kiddos the money which they get to then spend in Mommy's "store".

Daddy Dollar (make your own here):

*don't you love OP's pic in this one? He looks like an authentic mob boss*

Mommy Mart:

And so far, it is working. The girls are scrambling around to find chores and good things to do to earn money.

I am not constantly having to turn off electrical devices to get them to do said things,

and, best of all, I'm not hearing them ask to play with friends every five minutes.

They know that they have to pay $10 for that privilege, and they aren't so willing to pay up!


Let's hope this keeps on a'working...