Have you ever wondered how to get your kids excited about doing their chores? Wait. Let me rephrase the question: HOW OFTEN do you find yourself wondering how to get you kids excited, etc.? If, like me, you answered, "Every few minutes!", have I got a website for you!
A Facebook friend posted this site on her wall, and I looked just to see what it was. It's http://www.chorewars.com/. It's like an online version of Dungeons and Dragons, but the adventures are chores! How great is that?
So we started last night, with Chloe claiming the adventure "Feeding the Pig". This would, technically, be her guinea pig, Piglet. The site allows the "Dungeon Master" (me, in this case), to create their own adventures, to use the pre-loaded ones, or both. So when I created the adventure for Feeding the Pig, I included a 100% chance of running into "wandering monsters" -- a Nibbly Pig, to be more specific.
Naturally, since the chance was 100%, Chloe did, in fact, run into a Nibbly Pig on her adventure. FYI, if the percent is anything other than 100, your adventure could be uneventful. Chloe, however, did run into the Nibbly Pig. Now this is where it gets absolutely hilarious. You have the option to "View Battle". If you click on that option, you're informed that you've run into a Nibbly Pig with X amount of Hit Points vs. your own Hit Points. Then, each time you click, you're told something like, "You slash at the Nibbly Pig, for damage of 3" and "The Nibbly Pig casts a spell, but you resist". This goes on until one of you loses all your HPs.
Harley claimed "Feeding the Dog", in which he met up with a Psychotic Doggeh. He bravely battled the beast, until suddenly, "The Psychotic Doggeh flees, leaving behind 11 gold pieces!" I just have to figure out a price to put on gold pieces so each child can earn some money for claiming their adventures.
I'm telling you, my kids have never been so excited about chores. And I have to admit...I'm looking forward to defeating an evil dust bunny when I tackle vacuuming in a few minutes. I'll let you know who wins.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Thoughts of Mom
As the days grow shorter, and the nights grow cooler, my thoughts turn toward holidays. And when my thoughts turn to holidays, my heart turns to thoughts of my mother. My mother wasn't perfect, but she was pretty amazing. Her love of all things "holiday" was passed on to me at an early age.
Mom was always involved in the PTA at school, and helped with (or spearheaded) Halloween parties, Thanksgiving programs, Christmas parties and so on. As my three siblings and I grew older, she happily gave in to my wish for a Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. When we all had children -- her granchildren -- she bought them silly little toys and trinkets for each holiday. Treat bags for Halloween, stuffed turkeys, Christmas treats galore! And books! Books for every holiday imaginable!
Nearly every holiday was spent at Mom and Dad's house, all the kids and grandkids invited, and any friends or girlfriends were always welcome, too. The house wasn't made for that many people, but we never cared. Mom would call me in the morning and ask, "What time do you think you'll be here?" (I was nearly always the first one there, even though my brother and his family live next door.) That question meant she was ready for me to come help; it might mean a trip to Wal-Mart or Target for some last-minute shopping. It might mean I needed to come start peeling boiled eggs for deviled eggs. It might mean she wanted me to help wrap gifts or stuff stockings, or make dressing, or any number of other possibilities. And I loved them all.
Mom and Dad are both gone now. I have made it through one Memorial Day, one July 4th, and one Labor Day without either of them, and it was hard. In the midst of celebrating, there is always a piece missing from my heart.
Now, as I work on Autumn crafts and projects, I look forward to making the holidays special for my own children, just as Mom and Dad did for my siblings and me. But there is a part of me that longs to hear my mother's sweet voice asking me once again, "Honey, what time do you think you'll be here?" I miss them so.
Mom was always involved in the PTA at school, and helped with (or spearheaded) Halloween parties, Thanksgiving programs, Christmas parties and so on. As my three siblings and I grew older, she happily gave in to my wish for a Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. When we all had children -- her granchildren -- she bought them silly little toys and trinkets for each holiday. Treat bags for Halloween, stuffed turkeys, Christmas treats galore! And books! Books for every holiday imaginable!
Nearly every holiday was spent at Mom and Dad's house, all the kids and grandkids invited, and any friends or girlfriends were always welcome, too. The house wasn't made for that many people, but we never cared. Mom would call me in the morning and ask, "What time do you think you'll be here?" (I was nearly always the first one there, even though my brother and his family live next door.) That question meant she was ready for me to come help; it might mean a trip to Wal-Mart or Target for some last-minute shopping. It might mean I needed to come start peeling boiled eggs for deviled eggs. It might mean she wanted me to help wrap gifts or stuff stockings, or make dressing, or any number of other possibilities. And I loved them all.
Mom and Dad are both gone now. I have made it through one Memorial Day, one July 4th, and one Labor Day without either of them, and it was hard. In the midst of celebrating, there is always a piece missing from my heart.
Now, as I work on Autumn crafts and projects, I look forward to making the holidays special for my own children, just as Mom and Dad did for my siblings and me. But there is a part of me that longs to hear my mother's sweet voice asking me once again, "Honey, what time do you think you'll be here?" I miss them so.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Countdown to School
So, the countdown has begun. In four days, my children will be off to their first day of the school year! Chloe will be in fifth grade -- FIFTH! Wasn't she sleeping in my arms yesterday?
Harley will be a JUNIOR this year! A JUNIOR! In HIGH SCHOOL! My little boy! How did that happen?
So here are my wishes for my children for this year:
1. That they will always remember who they are. My father's mother said it to him, he said it to my siblings and me, and I say it to my children: Remember who you are. It's not a warning against sudden onset amnesia. No, it's a simple, yet profound, admonishment to remember that when you are out in the world, they represent their family, their parents, and most especially, God. It's a reminder to always behave in a way that will make everyone see there is something different, special about them.
2. To always stand up for what's right. I tell my kids, "Doing the right thing isn't always easy, but it's always the right thing." Stand up for God and His truths. Stand up for the underdog. Stand up to bullies and meanness. That also means standing up for themselves. Our kids are taught at school to be tolerant, etc., and somewhere along the way, that came to include letting people push you around, browbeat you and trash-talk to or about you, and you just let it go. No! That is completely wrong, and I want my kids to stand up for themselves.
3. Make new friends. Look for interesting people. Don't pass up an opportunity to meet someone new just because they're different, younger, older, goofier, quieter, whatever. At least find out more about them. If it's not a good fit, at least you tried, and you didn't miss out on the friendship of a lifetime because you didn't look outside your little circle of friends.
4. Get outside your comfort zone every now and then. Be fearless when it comes to learning new things, trying new things, all of it. JUST TRY.
5. Choose to be happy. Life, work, school, other people, they will always throw you curveballs, throw problems and difficulties in your path. How you respond, react and resolve is up to YOU. Choose to respond with the assurance that God is always with you. Choose to react with grace under pressure. Choose to resolve issues with the awareness that you are a child of God. Put a smile on your face and a laugh in your heart, and see if things don't look a little better.
6. Remember how much I love you.
Harley will be a JUNIOR this year! A JUNIOR! In HIGH SCHOOL! My little boy! How did that happen?
So here are my wishes for my children for this year:
1. That they will always remember who they are. My father's mother said it to him, he said it to my siblings and me, and I say it to my children: Remember who you are. It's not a warning against sudden onset amnesia. No, it's a simple, yet profound, admonishment to remember that when you are out in the world, they represent their family, their parents, and most especially, God. It's a reminder to always behave in a way that will make everyone see there is something different, special about them.
2. To always stand up for what's right. I tell my kids, "Doing the right thing isn't always easy, but it's always the right thing." Stand up for God and His truths. Stand up for the underdog. Stand up to bullies and meanness. That also means standing up for themselves. Our kids are taught at school to be tolerant, etc., and somewhere along the way, that came to include letting people push you around, browbeat you and trash-talk to or about you, and you just let it go. No! That is completely wrong, and I want my kids to stand up for themselves.
3. Make new friends. Look for interesting people. Don't pass up an opportunity to meet someone new just because they're different, younger, older, goofier, quieter, whatever. At least find out more about them. If it's not a good fit, at least you tried, and you didn't miss out on the friendship of a lifetime because you didn't look outside your little circle of friends.
4. Get outside your comfort zone every now and then. Be fearless when it comes to learning new things, trying new things, all of it. JUST TRY.
5. Choose to be happy. Life, work, school, other people, they will always throw you curveballs, throw problems and difficulties in your path. How you respond, react and resolve is up to YOU. Choose to respond with the assurance that God is always with you. Choose to react with grace under pressure. Choose to resolve issues with the awareness that you are a child of God. Put a smile on your face and a laugh in your heart, and see if things don't look a little better.
6. Remember how much I love you.
Friday, July 22, 2011
What's in a Name?
Have you ever wondered how much your name has to do with who you are? I mean, if your parents named you Helga Brunhilda, are you destined to be a rather masculine female wrestler? If your name is Joseph Robert, are you certain to become a redneck named Joe Bob? Or what about the opposite side of that coin? What if your parents named you Tiffany Heather Amber, do you have any choice but to become a beautiful, but ditzy, cheerleader?
The reason I wonder about this is not so much about my children, wondering whether I've helped or hindered them with their names. No, rather it's about the animals who live in my house.
The old man of the bunch is Socks. Socks began life six years ago, shortly after we moved into this house. He was the teeniest little runt of the litter you ever saw! Mostly black, but with a white chest, white markings on his face, four little white socks on his paws and stunning green eyes. His mother ignored him, so I fed him by hand for a few weeks. One of his front paws was smaller than the other, and it appeared for a while that he was going to always walk with a limp (it later caught up with the others). But you must know, of course, of another famous Socks; Socks in the Clinton administration. I believe, by naming our cat after a Democratic cat, we have altered his perception of the world; our Socks is a staunch believer in the welfare system. He hangs out all day on the recliner, waiting for someone to give him a handout (dinner).
The next member of our little animal clan is Mr. Jingles Wigglebottom, Jingles for short. He's a Jack Russel terrier, and he has no idea that he's five years old. He thinks he's still a puppy. Santa brought Jingles to us (hence the name), and he was the cutest little thing! He's still seriously cute and funny, and he's fairly small, but he thinks he's the biggest dog on the block. And he absolutely CANNOT sit still. But with a name like Jingles Wigglebottom, does he have a choice? Really?
Then there's Piglet, the guinea pig. She was just your average guinea pig when we brought her home for Chloe's ninth birthday. A year and a half later, she barely fits through the tunnel of her house. Piglet has become Hogzilla! If we had named her Tiny, would she still fit in the hamster-sized ball we originally bought her (because she doesn't now)?
And now, we come to the latest addition to our family. Last December, while waiting for Charles to pay for dog and cat stocking stuffers (yes, we are that kind of people), I wandered over to look at some cats in cages. Most of them just looked at me with boredom, as cats are wont to do. One actually growled at me. But one sweet, fluffy little kitty jumped up and began purring, meowing and rubbing her head against the finger I poked through the bars. I fell in love on the spot. But alas, I know my husband is not fond of cats. One was enough.
But I just couldn't get that sweet little girl out of my thoughts. So the next day, Charles told me to call and see what we needed to do to adopt her. She was home with us by Christmas. The people at the cat rescue had named her Antoinette. It seemed to fit, so we kept it. In retrospect, we should have known.; you've never seen a more self-absorbed, needy kitty than Antoinette. Fresh water in her bowl isn't good enough; no, we have to turn the bathroom faucet on for her to get a drink (oh, and now she's taught the other one to expect it, too). If I'm reading, apparently that's the signal that her head MUST be rubbed thoroughly. If there was ever a cat who was an Antoinette, it's her.
So did we set our animal family on the paths to the creatures they would become? Would they be different if we had named them Fluffy, Fido, Tiny and Teresa? Or would they still be a lazy moocher, a hyper dervish, a collossal furball and a demanding prima donna?
Ah, well, we may never know. So...let them eat catnip!
The reason I wonder about this is not so much about my children, wondering whether I've helped or hindered them with their names. No, rather it's about the animals who live in my house.
The old man of the bunch is Socks. Socks began life six years ago, shortly after we moved into this house. He was the teeniest little runt of the litter you ever saw! Mostly black, but with a white chest, white markings on his face, four little white socks on his paws and stunning green eyes. His mother ignored him, so I fed him by hand for a few weeks. One of his front paws was smaller than the other, and it appeared for a while that he was going to always walk with a limp (it later caught up with the others). But you must know, of course, of another famous Socks; Socks in the Clinton administration. I believe, by naming our cat after a Democratic cat, we have altered his perception of the world; our Socks is a staunch believer in the welfare system. He hangs out all day on the recliner, waiting for someone to give him a handout (dinner).
The next member of our little animal clan is Mr. Jingles Wigglebottom, Jingles for short. He's a Jack Russel terrier, and he has no idea that he's five years old. He thinks he's still a puppy. Santa brought Jingles to us (hence the name), and he was the cutest little thing! He's still seriously cute and funny, and he's fairly small, but he thinks he's the biggest dog on the block. And he absolutely CANNOT sit still. But with a name like Jingles Wigglebottom, does he have a choice? Really?
Then there's Piglet, the guinea pig. She was just your average guinea pig when we brought her home for Chloe's ninth birthday. A year and a half later, she barely fits through the tunnel of her house. Piglet has become Hogzilla! If we had named her Tiny, would she still fit in the hamster-sized ball we originally bought her (because she doesn't now)?
And now, we come to the latest addition to our family. Last December, while waiting for Charles to pay for dog and cat stocking stuffers (yes, we are that kind of people), I wandered over to look at some cats in cages. Most of them just looked at me with boredom, as cats are wont to do. One actually growled at me. But one sweet, fluffy little kitty jumped up and began purring, meowing and rubbing her head against the finger I poked through the bars. I fell in love on the spot. But alas, I know my husband is not fond of cats. One was enough.
But I just couldn't get that sweet little girl out of my thoughts. So the next day, Charles told me to call and see what we needed to do to adopt her. She was home with us by Christmas. The people at the cat rescue had named her Antoinette. It seemed to fit, so we kept it. In retrospect, we should have known.; you've never seen a more self-absorbed, needy kitty than Antoinette. Fresh water in her bowl isn't good enough; no, we have to turn the bathroom faucet on for her to get a drink (oh, and now she's taught the other one to expect it, too). If I'm reading, apparently that's the signal that her head MUST be rubbed thoroughly. If there was ever a cat who was an Antoinette, it's her.
So did we set our animal family on the paths to the creatures they would become? Would they be different if we had named them Fluffy, Fido, Tiny and Teresa? Or would they still be a lazy moocher, a hyper dervish, a collossal furball and a demanding prima donna?
Ah, well, we may never know. So...let them eat catnip!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
My Favorite Hat
I love hats! I have several of them, and if my husband would let me, I'd buy several more! Big hats, small ones, hats with flowers or feathers, hats with netting over the face, winter hats, sun hats, you name it. I love hats!
But my very favorite hat is...drum roll, please...my Mom Hat! The reason I like the Mom Hat is that it's never the same. Oh, sure, sometimes, it's the drab Laundry Hat, or the Dishwashing Hat -- or worse yet, the Playroom Cleaning Hat! Ick!
Most of the time, though, the Mom Hat is fun, fun, fun! The Mom Hat is the one I wear when I play with my daughter in the pool, seeing how many times we can volley the beachball back and forth, without it hitting the water (or bouncing out). It's the one I wear when the kids and I go to the library, and my kids come to show me the books they've found and can't wait to read. I wear the Mom Hat when we go fun places, like the Parker County Peach Festival a few weeks ago.
Sometimes, the Mom Hat will get a little "dark", if you will, causing me to throw Pop-Its off the balcony at my unsuspecting son. In case you're not familiar with Pop-It's, they are little bits of paper containing just a small amount of gunpowder and "something else" (?); when you throw them at a solid surface -- say the dining room table where your son is sitting playing games on his father's laptop...or the book your son is holding in his lap as he sits in the recliner and reads -- they explode! It's a pretty good bang for your buck, pardon my pun.
It's the dark Mom Hat that will cause me to suddenly veer into the path of my son as we walk the aisles of Wal-Mart; there is something pretty comical about watching 6'5" of teenage boy trying to avoid running over his mother. Trust me. If you have access to a very tall teenage boy, try it sometime.
Sometimes the Mom Hat has to be firm, telling my children they can't do something they want to do, or telling them they HAVE to do something they don't want to do. Hey, the Laundry Hat is one size fits all, you know.
But the Mom Hat is also the one I wear when my daughter reminds me that she's not as grown up as she thinks she is, by asking me to read her a story and tuck her in at night. My Mom Hat is the one I wear when my son prays at church, and I know his Mo and Papaw would be proud of him. The Mom Hat is the one I wear when my children's teachers at church or school tell me how much they enjoy having my kids in their class; in fact, it's the Mom Hat that keeps my head from getting too big at such times, reminding me that my children aren't just a product of me and my brilliance, but are, in fact, a product of my whole family, my church family and most of all, my God.
The Mom Hat...it goes with any outfit.
But my very favorite hat is...drum roll, please...my Mom Hat! The reason I like the Mom Hat is that it's never the same. Oh, sure, sometimes, it's the drab Laundry Hat, or the Dishwashing Hat -- or worse yet, the Playroom Cleaning Hat! Ick!
Most of the time, though, the Mom Hat is fun, fun, fun! The Mom Hat is the one I wear when I play with my daughter in the pool, seeing how many times we can volley the beachball back and forth, without it hitting the water (or bouncing out). It's the one I wear when the kids and I go to the library, and my kids come to show me the books they've found and can't wait to read. I wear the Mom Hat when we go fun places, like the Parker County Peach Festival a few weeks ago.
Sometimes, the Mom Hat will get a little "dark", if you will, causing me to throw Pop-Its off the balcony at my unsuspecting son. In case you're not familiar with Pop-It's, they are little bits of paper containing just a small amount of gunpowder and "something else" (?); when you throw them at a solid surface -- say the dining room table where your son is sitting playing games on his father's laptop...or the book your son is holding in his lap as he sits in the recliner and reads -- they explode! It's a pretty good bang for your buck, pardon my pun.
It's the dark Mom Hat that will cause me to suddenly veer into the path of my son as we walk the aisles of Wal-Mart; there is something pretty comical about watching 6'5" of teenage boy trying to avoid running over his mother. Trust me. If you have access to a very tall teenage boy, try it sometime.
Sometimes the Mom Hat has to be firm, telling my children they can't do something they want to do, or telling them they HAVE to do something they don't want to do. Hey, the Laundry Hat is one size fits all, you know.
But the Mom Hat is also the one I wear when my daughter reminds me that she's not as grown up as she thinks she is, by asking me to read her a story and tuck her in at night. My Mom Hat is the one I wear when my son prays at church, and I know his Mo and Papaw would be proud of him. The Mom Hat is the one I wear when my children's teachers at church or school tell me how much they enjoy having my kids in their class; in fact, it's the Mom Hat that keeps my head from getting too big at such times, reminding me that my children aren't just a product of me and my brilliance, but are, in fact, a product of my whole family, my church family and most of all, my God.
The Mom Hat...it goes with any outfit.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
In the spring, when the world begins to wake up and the breezes grow warmer, and the sun spends a little more time in the sky, I will be the first one to start bugging my husband about getting the pool in shape for swimming. If I could ignore my responsibilities, I'd stay in the pool 24/7 by the time July rolls around. However. I can't ignore my responsibilities, because apparently nobody else in my household knows how the dishwasher, washer and dryer, broom, mop and vacuum cleaner work. Sad, but true.
So it's about this time of year, as I'm flipping through CDs to find some music, that I will suddenly STOP! The temptation is just too great, and I absolutely MUST listen to a Christmas CD. Or maybe I'm sitting on my bed folding laundry, I flip through the channels on TV, and suddenly, my remote no longer works! It has frozen on Disney's "A Christmas Carol", or better yet, "The Polar Express".
Yep, it's right about now, when I know we have several more weeks, probably months, actually, of this nearly unbearable heat to withstand, that I begin longing for the crisp breezes of autumn, followed shortly by short days and long nights in which Christmas lights twinkle happily. I long for Saturday mornings on the patio with my husband and a cup of coffee -- we tried it last Saturday morning, but the heat quickly chased us back inside. I long for soup and hot chocolate and gloomy, rainy winter days.
I know those days are coming. I just have to be patient, and enjoy pool-time in between laundry, dishes and so on. I know I need to enjoy it, because as soon as it gets too chilly to swim, I'll find myself gazing longingly out at the pool in the back yard.
So it's about this time of year, as I'm flipping through CDs to find some music, that I will suddenly STOP! The temptation is just too great, and I absolutely MUST listen to a Christmas CD. Or maybe I'm sitting on my bed folding laundry, I flip through the channels on TV, and suddenly, my remote no longer works! It has frozen on Disney's "A Christmas Carol", or better yet, "The Polar Express".
Yep, it's right about now, when I know we have several more weeks, probably months, actually, of this nearly unbearable heat to withstand, that I begin longing for the crisp breezes of autumn, followed shortly by short days and long nights in which Christmas lights twinkle happily. I long for Saturday mornings on the patio with my husband and a cup of coffee -- we tried it last Saturday morning, but the heat quickly chased us back inside. I long for soup and hot chocolate and gloomy, rainy winter days.
I know those days are coming. I just have to be patient, and enjoy pool-time in between laundry, dishes and so on. I know I need to enjoy it, because as soon as it gets too chilly to swim, I'll find myself gazing longingly out at the pool in the back yard.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Pigeonholes and Predictions
I have always hated questions like, "What is the word that best describes you?" What is that? One word? Seriously? Okay, how about stumped? That's one word. Because yes, if you try to make me describe myself with one word, that's what I'll be! Who can describe themselves in one word? Generally, it's only people we dislike whom we can describe with one word: mean, selfish, dishonest, lazy, stupid. But the people we like? Including ourselves? Oh, we could go on for a while, couldn't we? Kind, loving, smart, funny, generous, helpful, compassionate...see?
I just don't think I'm all that easy to pigeonhole into one word. I'm pretty unpredictable. As a result, I find it interesting to look at my own blog occasionally and see what ads have popped up for the day. On my other blog, The Happy Heart, it's fairly simple to figure out; my Happy Heart blog is about...well, having a happy heart because of my faith in God. So most of the ads on there are about some type of "ministry" or other. I get it.
You see, the ads are generated by the content of the blog. Keywords, such as scripture, worship, God and the like, will cause certain ads to appear on my blog page. If people click on those ads, I get money. (Then I can honestly say I'm a paid writer, woo hoo! So feel free to click on any of them!)
But this blog? The Weenie Wife? I don't think the ad generator has quite figured me out. When I wrote about bathing babies, there was an ad for bathtub refinishing. But I have this image of a little computer somewhere saying, "Weenies? Bathtubs? Pigeons?" until it finally just implodes on itself. So I intend to continue writing about the weirdness that is my train of thought, just to see if the little computer can keep up and figure me out. Maybe after a year or so, I'll email the little computer and ask, "What one word would you use to describe me?" I can't wait to see what it says. I'm betting on random.
I just don't think I'm all that easy to pigeonhole into one word. I'm pretty unpredictable. As a result, I find it interesting to look at my own blog occasionally and see what ads have popped up for the day. On my other blog, The Happy Heart, it's fairly simple to figure out; my Happy Heart blog is about...well, having a happy heart because of my faith in God. So most of the ads on there are about some type of "ministry" or other. I get it.
You see, the ads are generated by the content of the blog. Keywords, such as scripture, worship, God and the like, will cause certain ads to appear on my blog page. If people click on those ads, I get money. (Then I can honestly say I'm a paid writer, woo hoo! So feel free to click on any of them!)
But this blog? The Weenie Wife? I don't think the ad generator has quite figured me out. When I wrote about bathing babies, there was an ad for bathtub refinishing. But I have this image of a little computer somewhere saying, "Weenies? Bathtubs? Pigeons?" until it finally just implodes on itself. So I intend to continue writing about the weirdness that is my train of thought, just to see if the little computer can keep up and figure me out. Maybe after a year or so, I'll email the little computer and ask, "What one word would you use to describe me?" I can't wait to see what it says. I'm betting on random.
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