Wedding Photos

Wedding photos are a funny thing. We try so hard to make sure they are perfect. We spend hours, days, months, sometimes even years planning the perfect shot. We imagine how that photo will look once it's hanging on our living room wall and then we strive for perfection on the big day. We pay a big boat load of money to a photographer to capture it all (which they do a great job at) ...but the funny thing is, some of my favorite photos from my wedding day are ones that were the candid, random shots taken by friends of mine that were stolen from facebook! Go figure.

 I truly love our professional photos and all the ones that were strategically staged and set to document our day, but these other ones just steal my heart. They make me smile and remember the moment because that's what they were, actual moments. It wasn't me and my friends lining up holding that 'cheese' face while our eyes started to twitch and our cheeks were shaking from holding our grin too long. It was Eric hoisting me in the air and ending up under my dress, it was my girlfriends fighting for the bouquet while we all laughed 'til we cried, it was my best friends lifting me up and reminding me that they're always there to do just that. It's the photos that I can look back at and and feel the love and laughter all over again. 

Do you have a favorite photo of yourself? Can you remember exactly what you were doing or how you felt at the time? It's the memory that goes with these shots that make them so much more! Here are a few of my favorites from my big day! Can you see the love written all over my face?? Because that's exactly how I felt!

"Surround yourself with only those who are going to lift you higher" 

These girls worked for those flowers!

Me and my love, in love! -9-6-08-

PS. Check out this post from last month with one of my other favorite wedding photos!

Pete the Patient.

Recently my friend Christy had to take her son in for surgery and as a parent myself, I could feel her pain. Although Christy's son is a fluffy, snowy white, five pound maltese...I still realize that little Pete is her child. Having gotten our dog Rocco prior to having our other children I know how much our pets can mean to us, especially when we don't have any human children as well. That being said, Pete wasn't feeling so great and just as I would reach out to any of my other friends when their children weren't feeling well, I wanted to help cheer him up during his recovery!

After thinking about what I could do to lift his spirits, I remembered he is a dog after all, so of course he wanted treats. I decided to hop on the internet and find a recipe for homemade dog treats. The recipe I found was actually super simple and only required five ingredients which I already had in the cabinets. While I made the dough and formed little bone shaped snacks on the cookie sheet, the boys decorated a card to send along too. Later that night I dropped off our get well present and Christy said that our treats were the first thing Pete was willing to eat all day! Success!! Not to mention our dog Rocco made out with a batch for himself since the first ones I made weren't thought out very well and ended up as big as the patient!

^^The difference between my first and second batches of bones! See, as big as Pete!^^

Have you ever made your own dog treats? While I loved my quick and easy peanut butter bones, I felt like they broke easily and didn't hold up as well once I stored them in the fridge. Rocco ended up having his crumbled in pieces, but I don't think that bothered him too much!

Roc stood guard the entire time they baked!!

Homemade peanut butter dog treats

Rocco waiting for the taste test!! 

Recipe

Flour (I used whole wheat) - 2 cups

Peanut Butter, smooth - 1 1/4 cups

Garlic - 2 cloves, minced

Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup

Water - 5 tbsp

Preheat oven to 400f. Use mixer to combine all ingredients. Use your hands to form into shapes or roll into a log and just slicing it down into small pieces. Place all your treats on a cookie sheet and bake for about ten minutes or until they've turned brown. (My bigger bones took twice as long) Let them cool and ta-dah!

I'm sure your pups will love them as much as ours. And because they're all natural and made with normal ingredients, you could try them too if you're curious...truth be told my husband tested it and said they're not too bad. Don't tell him I told!! For the original recipe, photo instructions and added tips - click here. If you have a great recipe for dog treats please share them in the comments below!

PS. Christy says Pete is feeling much better! I think I'll take the credit for that ;)

Unplugged.

I am here to confess that I am not the perfect mother. Not even close. I know this because I am always messing up, and always forgiving myself and learning from my mistakes. I learn to be better and to do better and with each day I can only go from there. One of my biggest downfalls in parenting is that we are too plugged in. Technology is all around us and it is so easy to get caught up in it, and easy to let our kids get sucked in at such a young age as well. I carry guilt over the fact that our tv is always on, our children always want to play on the iPad, and the xbox has become the new latest obsession. As much as I try to detach from the technology, it's very difficult and sometimes just plain easier to let it be so present in our home. We've needed to unplug, and the time has come.

Last week I read this post from one of my favorite blogs, Love Taza. She is a mother of two and has recently decided that she and her husband will 'unplug' on Sundays from now on. After a couple weeks have gone by, she updated and announced that these were the best two Sundays that they've had in a long time. While her unplugging experience alone was enough to inspire me, she also mentions that they've never had a tv in their home. (insert more guilt) But in all seriousness, I wish we were as disconnected as they are!

Yesterday we woke up and put on the tv while I prepared breakfast, per our usual morning routine. During the first ten minutes of being awake Owen asked to play xbox about three thousand times. Okay, so maybe not three thousand but it was certainly enough times to get me to pull the plug. Literally. I am shutting down my blog and facebook and will be selling all our electronic devices this weekend! Alright, so that's absolutely not true, but I did decide to take action. I shut off the tv and announced that we wouldn't use the television, iPad or xbox for the day. If things went well then after dinner we could all clean up together and have a family movie night. While they were extremely disappointed, they followed my lead and we continued on to have one of the best days we have had in a long time! And they did it all without technology! YAY!! Although we haven't permanently unplugged, it's certainly a step in the right direction and my motherly guilt feels just a little bit lighter today!

How do you feel about unplugging? Are you or your family too connected with technology? Maybe try unplugging for a bit too! Here are some photos from our wonderful day together!!

Books!!!

Sight word parking lot game

Coloring

Paint!!

Fixin' stuff...

Act Without Expectation.

Over the weekend we've had yet another snowstorm that seemed to go on and on and on. Luckily it didn't amount to as much as our previous blizzard, but snow of any measure is too much for me! Now you may be wondering if I've lost my writing 'mojo' and have nothing else to say so I'm going to discuss the weather...but worry not -  I have motive! The reason why I felt the need to explain our current conditions is because it leads me to where I get to tell you that our Mystery Plow Guy from this post came back!!! After the last big snow storm where our neighbor that we've never met came and cleared our driveway, I baked him cookies as a thank you and considered it a done deal. Well, clearly Mystery Plow Guy liked his cookies because he came back and plowed again unexpectedly. We were having a very lazy Sunday when I glanced out the window from my cozy corner of the couch and noticed his truck clearing the way again. I was so surprised and immediately woke Eric (because he was passed out on the couch) and had Owen stand in the window to wave at our new friend. Some people are just so thoughtful. Who knows why he decided to plow for us again...maybe it was because he liked the cookies, maybe he wanted more cookies, maybe he noticed our three little boys and feels bad that on top of taking care of these monsters we'd have to shovel too? I don't know. Maybe he's just a really nice guy who is thoughtful enough to give a quick swipe in our driveway on his way home from a long night of plowing. Maybe.

I suppose the reason why Mystery Plow Guy does what he does is irrelevant really, because the point is that he just does it. I highly doubt he decided to pull in that first day thinking we'd offer him money or bake in return. And when I did bake those cookies, I certainly didn't expect that he'd come clear us out again after the next storm. When we choose to give freely and act without expectation we are allowing ourselves to truly appreciate the goodness that comes from doing good, while also giving a whole new meaning to the efforts of others if they do return your kindness. Imagine if I had baked those cookies and thought, "This guy better plow for us next time!" Which I could have easily assumed might happen. But for some reason, I didn't. The next storm hadn't even crossed my mind because my goal was to do something nice, just to do something nice. Had I expected it I wouldn't have thought twice when he pulled in yesterday. Imagine if I expected it and he didn't pull in? There certainly wouldn't be anymore cookies, I'm sure. But because he did reach out and help us again when I hadn't made expectations at all, I was truly surprised and appreciative of his thoughtfulness in a more meaningful way. I'm telling you friends, doing good does you good.

Do something nice for someone today. Maybe even a stranger! Pay a compliment, hold a door, shovel for your neighbor, buy someone at work a coffee. Do something. But when you do, expect nothing in return and take a moment to acknowledge that feeling of 'doing good' that comes with it. I plan to try too, so keep a lookout...I just might be bringing you cookies! ;)

PS. More on being thoughtful here.  (The Laundry Room circa 2010!)

Lashes.

Happy Friday!!!

While I intended on taking today off from posting due to my adorable little house guest and nine year old niece, Isabel - she disagreed. I was writing up yesterday's post last night while she hung around reading her new Teen Dream magazine and eating ice cream and as I finished she asked, "What will you write about tomorrow?"..."I won't" I replied, "you're here so I'm going to take the day off from posting." She gasped! "AUNTIE! But you said you were writing Monday through Friday!" She was right. I did make a promise that I was going to write during the week and while I felt like having that cutie around was a good excuse to break the rules, she had a point. So thank you to my sweet Belle, for making me stick to my guns - even when I didn't want to! You're dedication inspires me! :)

A couple of days ago I was putting on makeup when I noticed the two choices I had were both probably outdated. My Sephora brand something or other kind was getting pretty thick and clumpy upon application, and the backup Maybelline in the bright green tube hadn't been touched for quite a while. It was time to replace and I had to figure out what would be the best mascara to purchase next. I did what any good investigator would and I distributed a survey...on facebook. "Ladies, what's your favorite mascara?" I posted as my status. A handful of replies from some girlfriends and makeup connoisseurs later and here were some favorites...Clinique, Lancome, Dior, and one friend promises that Shiseido Perfect Mascara Full Definition will blow your mind! (and if it doesn't she'll refund you the entire purchase price-just kidding) Other great buys that are more affordable were Maybelline's Falsies and an all around favorite, Cover Girl in the orange tube!  Do you agree with these suggestions or have any others to add to the list? I haven't quite decided which one to purchase yet and would love more recommendations! I got desperate before heading out with my girlfriends the other night I decided to get creative and stuck my Maybelline brush into the Sephora tube and ya know what? It actually came out pretty decent!! But it's certainly not my first choice in the mascara department.

After completing my research on how to get the prettiest lashes out there, I hopped on the internet and headed over to one of my favorite blogs this morning, Cup of Jo. (Thanks to my good friend Krista for sharing her favorite blog with me) Low and behold her most recent post was none other than an article titled, Amazing Lashes. Of course. That's why it's one of my favorite blogs...she gets me. Ha! Apparently Joanna was on a mission as well and has discovered her new favorite brand, Benefits-They're Real. Ever tried it? She may have sold me, but there's still time to change my mind if you have one you love too!

Wishing you a happy weekend! (again) I'm off to hang with my boss, I mean niece, and maybe we'll hit the mall for some mascara! Share your faves below!

Cousins.

Remember my 'No-Kids Pals' and 'Slightly Glam Girlfriends' that I mentioned here? They're the reason why today's post comes to you a little later than usual! (Thanks for a wonderful time last night ladies!!) Followed by a busy day of catching up with family and friends! Here I sit after having a house full of little ones running around eating pizza and jumping on the beds all night. Having cousins to play with is one of my little boys favorite things! Here's a pic of seven of the eight that took over my home tonight!

Did you grow up with lots of kids in your family? Are you close with them now? I love that my children have family so close in age and they're all growing up together! Here's a few of the boys and their cousins over the years! 

Below is one of my very favorite photos ever. This is my Mason and my oldest brother's son, Tavian. They were born a day apart in the same hospital so Tavian's mother and I got to sneak to each other's room to take their first family photos together and savor the sweetness of their bond from birth!

Do you have big plans for your weekend? Mine has started early as one of our little munchkins will be joining our family for a couple days! Isabel, my nine year old niece is on school vacation and decided she'd like to spend some time with her favorite Auntie and Uncle! (don't tell the others) I'm looking forward to some girl time with Belle and to finally having another female in the house!! Have a good weekend!

The Six Friends Every Mom Needs.

A long, long, long time ago before my own children came into my life, I made a living out of taking care of other people's children. I was a teacher and also helped out with a family who had four small children. This family became much like my family for quite some time, and actually provided me with so many of the tools and tricks that get me through this crazy kid filled life that I'm living today. (if for some reason you ever happen to read this, 'said family' from above, I truly adore you all) Anyways, back in those days I remember flipping through magazines now and then and naturally, parenting magazines were among those lying around their home. One article I remember reading was about the different friends that every mother needs and for some reason, it kind of stuck with me. After some intense googling (not really) I came across this article that  is if not the same article, then very closely resembles the one I recall from years ago. It describes the six friends that every mother needs and why, while also giving tips on how you can keep those friendships. A good read for a rainy day, but only after you've read all my posts of course! Here's my take on what 'Parenting' had to say about my friends...

1. The Mom in the Same Boat

Well done, Parenting. I couldn't agree more! No one understands 'poop up the back' or time-outs that don't work like someone who is living it too. You can laugh while talking about gas vs smile and cry about the loss of your pre-motherhood body and know that you are not alone. This friend is a lifesaver, literally. Find her, keep her, and value her because she needs you and you need her and together you'll conquer the world! Or at least a couple of kids who are in it. I have a handful of friends who are in my boat and I am SO thankful for them all. These are the friends who keep me from jumping out of the boat!

2. The No-Kids Pal

Thank God for the No-Kids Pal!! While I really appreciate those friends in my boat, I also appreciate the girls over there in the yacht with the margaritas in hand! These are the girls who are always up for a night out on the town, a quiet dinner we'll make at home, and are always, always there to remind me that I'm not 'just a Mom'. When I'm with these friends I laugh until my face hurts and forget about diapers and doctors appointments for just a little while. Although they love my children and adore their cuteness as much as the rest of us, they loved me before my kids and they love me without them and that's something we can all use in a friend!

3. The Been-There, Done-That Mom

Whether we like it or not, we all know one of these friends. But most of the time, we like it. This is having someone in your corner who can give advice and tell you what works, doesn't work, where to go, what to buy, and so on. Sometimes we need help. We ask questions, we share concerns and these friends are there to provide us with answers and they're happy to do so. They're much like our, 'in the same boat' friends, except they've had a chance to get back some sanity as their kids are older now. The mother from the 'said family' above served this role for a while after my first, but as time and distance came between us I've filled that space with other friends as well. Some family, some acquaintances, and sometimes even through a google search too! ;)

4. The I'll-Do-Anything-For-You Buddy

Oh, yes. This friend is priceless and one that I have a hard time accepting more often than not. I tend to be the type of person who doesn't like to ask for help, to bother people or put them out, and feel guilty when people do go out of their way for me. (with three little monsters on my hands you'd think I'd have that down) While I'm not good at receiving help from my 'do anything for you buddy' their attempts to be there certainly don't go unnoticed. I have friends who are there in each their own ways, whether donating to my latest cause, offering to help with a birthday party, to do whatever-whenever just to be there for me. Often times these friends are family, and when they're not they become family anyways.

5. The Slightly Glam Girlfriend

I'll be honest, most of my girlfriends are slightly glam. You know who you are... You love a good high heel, you know which makeup to point me towards, you have a small collection of bags and sunglasses, and you  inspire me to put on a little lipstick when I'm going out to see you. These friends motivate me to keep it together and put a little spring in my step simply by their sheer glamour alone. Even though I know they'd love me just as much if I wore my uniform yoga pants and hoodie to dinner, it's always fun to pull out my jeans for these special girls! ;) 

6. The Brutally Honest Pal

Yup, got me some of those too! These friends are necessary. I can tell them all my 'stuff' and know that they're going to give me the straight up, to the point, no beating around the bush, truth. Sometimes they'll tell us things we like, sometimes things we don't. But they're always going to tell us. I value these friends and everything they say because no matter what they're telling me, I know they're doing so with my best interest at heart. They're putting themselves in my shoes, they're seeing my perspective, they're playing devils advocate and they will always tell me if my outfit sucks or if it was my fault I'm fighting with Lucy. (No, I don't know any Lucy) The brutally honest pal will lay it on the line, but don't hold it against her - know that she's rooting for you! 

What do you think about Parenting's six friends every mother needs? Do you have a different friend that fits into each? Can you think of any other 'must have' friends that every mother needs? If you're like me, you had several friends that squeezed into each category, and even some that fit into more than one! From what I can tell, having more than enough friends to go around just means I'm one of the lucky ones!

Clearly, some of my 'slightly glam' girlfriends! 

See you tonight ladies!! xo

Hot Buns

Recently my two older boys have been all over me about hot buns. No, really. Every day they have something to say about it! Normally I'd be completely on board because I certainly like hot buns as much as the next guy...but not all hot buns are the same...

My first choice in hot buns would be these. Who's with me??

I can also appreciate ^these^ hot buns!

Unfortunately, neither of those are the hot buns my children are referring to. There is an infomercial on tv, oh maybe seven hundred times a day, for this hair gadget called, 'hot buns' and they have my children hooked. It's supposed to help you make the perfect bun with your hair, either big or small, (because obviously they come in different sizes) and there's both dark and light to suit every hair color! Amazing! But the best part of the whole pitch is when they promise, "You're gonna flip over hot buns!!!!" And that's where they sold my sweet little children who either want Mommy to have something nice, or they've noticed the mop of a hairdo I've been rocking these days. "Mom, did you hear that? You're gonna flip over hot buns!" They've been insisting that I buy this thing for a couple weeks now and their excitement is contagious. I'm actually a little bit tempted to call and order one! AND, If I pay double the price I'll even get one free! If you're lucky, I just might gift it to you!! To order your hot buns today, click HERE. Just kidding, don't click that...it's not a link, and I have absolutely no intention of ordering hot buns, but if I sold you on it then definitely let me know so I can share the good news with my boys! In the meantime, I'll be dreaming about the previous hot buns...the first ones, of course! ;)

"You're gonna flip over hot buns!!!"

Gator Boys

Have you ever seen the tv show 'Gator Boys' on Animal Planet? A while back Eric and I were obsessed. We'd wait til the kids went to bed and check to see if it was on and plan our nights around watching it. If you haven't seen it, it's basically a camera crew following around alligator trappers in the Everglades of Florida. But what makes it truly interesting is that they catch the alligators with their bare hands! They jump in murky swamps where you can't see a thing, back yards of people's homes, anywhere someone happens to spot a gator where it shouldn't be. Occasionally they have to use traps, but even these are homemade contraptions they've put together using pipes and things they find that won't harm them. After safely rescuing the gators they bring them back to their habitats or take care of them at their parks where people can even visit.

Why do you need to know all this information about gators? Well, because that's what I did this weekend. I wrestled a gator...Sort of. 

Gavin has been sick off and on pretty much all winter. Actually, all my kids have as they pass it around from one to the other and back and forth again. We just can't kick it. This weekend it was Gavin's turn. He's had a fever, a croupy cough, a booger face, a nasty little attitude and a handful of sleepless nights. Sounds exciting, huh? After a lovely night of ups and downs, we woke up Sunday morning to a crabby little one year old along with crabby tired parents too. Eric decided to take the big boys out for a bit to break up the day and left me to handle the little monster on my own. I attempted to give him some snuggle time and let him hang out in Mama's bed, but it lasted all of two minutes. I figured he was probably overtired from being up all night and needed to go down for an early nap to spare us both another meltdown. While I went to find a warmer shirt to put on him before I tucked him in his crib, I could see he knew what was coming when he ran and climbed in my bed to hide. Here's where I turned all 'Gator Boys' on the kid...

There I stood with that sweatshirt in hand while I eyed him from the bedroom door. Frozen, he laid there hoping I might not notice him, but little did he know I was already planning my attack. As I moved closer, he started to cringe and made an attempt to scurry away - but I was too fast for him this time. I pounced on all fours with the beast below me while I pinned him down to dress him. He shrieked and whipped himself from side to side while flailing his tail, I mean arms and legs, in every direction. I managed to hold on and clothe him using all the strength I had left. Once I tamed the wild animal I carried him off to his cage, I mean crib, where he could rest in a safe environment with no escape!

Alright, so maybe this reenactment was a little extreme, but it kinda felt like that at the time. Okay, not really at all, but the gator part did come to mind and I thought the comparison was pretty funny. And I actually did start laughing while kneeling above him trying to get that shirt on because I had flashbacks of Gator Boys at that very moment. Anyways, Gavin eventually fell asleep and I used my alone time to take a warm bubble bath and nap for a while before everyone was back in action. Haha! Just kidding - I went through the piles of laundry that have been staring me down for quite some time. But, I did watch the Kardashians while folding clothes (a guilty pleasure) so not all time was lost! 

Have you ever wrestled an alligator? ...A crabby one year old? Basically the same thing, right?? 

^^There's me about the pounce on Gav!!^^

Here's where I carried him off to his cage, ahem crib.

Sweet dreams little Gavin!!

My little gator :)

Life lately.

Daddy and baby lovin' (ignore the marker on Gavin's eye)

 Messing with my kids hair after the tub=Fun

Rocco trying to find the stairs after Blizzard 'Nemo'

Chick flicks and a bottle of wine for one

CHEESE

 Mommy's morning message to the boys when I was away

Owen's imagination

 Sigh. This is too cute for words...

My frog legged boy

 This face!

The boy could dance all day

Cold, wet and naked - and you want me to take a picture?

Lipstick!!!

Finally bought myself a KitchenAid...I know.

AND this face!

Cutie Patootie.

 Tooth Alert!!! (Or the lack thereof)

Have a good weekend!! xo

Never lipstick.

Lately, I've been a little bit inspired. But not in the life altering and emotional kind of inspired you're probably thinking. More like the 'Mama needs to throw on some lipstick once in a while' kind of inspired. And I mean that literally - I think I need to start wearing lipstick. At least once in a while anyways. It's funny to me because growing up I always thought of lipstick as an old lady thing. My mother never wore any makeup, (like never ever) so I didn't grow up playing with her products and experimenting with all the pretty colors and tools like most young girls do. Thanks Mom! Instead, I waited until I had an older sister who started buying it and learned the tricks from watching her. As I began to buy my own makeup, or steal hers,  I'd just get the basic essentials...mascara, eyeliner, maybe splurge on an occasional bronzer as I got more daring, but my lips only went so far as a flavored chapstick or a clear gloss for the big nights out. Never lipstick.

Fast forward to now, where I feel like I see lipstick everywhere and on everyone! So many brands, so many colors, and I actually kind of like it. Just last week on American Idol I noticed judge Nicki Minaj flaunting her bubblegum pink lips and thought, that actually suits her! Now will you see me wearing a bright pink lip any time soon? Absolutely not. But, ya never know! For now I decided to step out of the box and buy a reddish brown color called, 'Captivate' by Cover Girl. After picking it up yesterday, I came home and tried it out while my children stared at me with confusion written all over their face. Mason says, "Mama, why your lips all pink? You look pretty!" Which of course made my 'pink lips' spread from ear to ear. So, thanks little Masie...Mama was hoping you'd say that!

Do you wear lipstick? Do you have a signature color or a favorite brand? Give me your suggestions to start off my collection!

^^Nicki's bubblegum pink lips^^

PS. What's your lipstick personality?

I'm tired of cleaning.

Do you have kids that help out around the house? If you had kids and gave them chores, at what age did you start? If you plan to have kids, do you think you'll put them to work doing dishes? So many questions! But, it's supposed to be a good thing, isn't it? It teaches responsibility, makes them take better care of things, helps keep the house clean. Is there really a down side to this concept? Other than a grumpy kid who doesn't want to sweep the floor, I don't see one!

My children are still small so we haven't quite gotten the hang of this yet, but I'd certainly like to! While my youngest is only one year old, he's actually quite helpful at times. One of his favorite things to do is unload the dishwasher. Although it does take me six times longer than it would without him handing me each spoon one by one, he's so sweet and excited to help as he says, "Hea go!" with each dish he passes. Some days I admit, I'd much rather stick him in front of the tv watching Mickey while I scurry to put things away, but I try to embrace all these little things whenever my patience will let me. Then there's Mason who is now three and is the spitting image of the fiery red head cliche. He snubs me with a turn of the cheek at the mere suggestion of picking up his toys, and within minutes I'll find him organizing the coat closet and showing off how he lined up everyone's shoes. With a little encouragement, I can still get Mase to help out when I really try but it's slowly becoming more difficult as he gets older. Which brings me to Owen. Sweet, loving, sensitive, little Owen. Ha. The word 'clean' sends this boy into a rage. At five years old, he would rather sit in time out for three days over putting his superheroes in the bucket like I asked. No exaggeration needed. One time I remember saying, "But didn't your teacher talk about putting things away and helping people?" and of course he informed me, "Mom, that's not what she meant!" Oh, my mistake!

What do you think? Did I wait too long and five years old is really past the point of teaching about chores? It's never too late, I suppose. So, with the right tools I'm hoping to get these kids to pick up (as my parents always said) that pig sty of a room! And maybe a few other things around the house because honestly, I'm tired of cleaning. Here's some fun ideas I found around the web to get things started....

 Do you have a chore plan in place? Let me know if you have a great system that works, or if you'd just like to suggest some ideas to kick these kids into high gear!!

***UPDATE 2/20***

Owen swept the kitchen floor!!!