I mentioned before about the allowance system that we are now using, didn't I? Anyway, the way it works is that for each chore we do, we earn cash. Jobs we hate (laundry) earn more ($4/week) and easy jobs (straightening the living room) get less ($.25/day). We have chart up the tells the chores and the wage and then as we choose to do something, we mark down that it is complete. At the end of the week we tally up the earnings and that is the spending money we get. There are also some fines in place. Leaving dirty dishes around costs you $.25/each time and I have to pay $1 for each hour of TV I watch beyond my three favorites and the news. (I get a little slack here because if we are eating or if I am doing another chore, like folding laundry, it's okay.) We started the system yesterday and so far we have gotten lots of things done. The part I like best is I don't have to nag Mikey to do things. Either he does them under his own steam or eventually I get to them and then I get paid. Nice. Much better than feeling driven to do things and then resenting the fact that he wasn't driven the same way. Plus, I am looking forward to payday. I have already earned a good $10 or so beyond the $10 base pay. This is money that I can spend however I choose without feeling like I have to check with Mikey and without feeling guilty. Very nice.

I also have the "New Year/ New Look" bug. I am rearranging and redecorating all the rooms in my house. I have started a picture wall in my hallway. I hung up the beautiful print of falling leaves that my daddy sent us. I totally rearranged the bedroom. I really enjoyed that because we have had it exactly the same since we moved in. That's a long time for me! Oh! and I hung up a big laminated map of the world that I bought at Costco. It fills up a big empty wall in the bedroom very nicely and adds quite a bit of color. And it's educational! : )

My other big accomplishment for the day was practicing my guitar. I started the program taught in the book I bought and it was FUN. It only takes 10 minutes of drilling, but it shows me things that I wouldn't be doing on my own. When I am done I fiddle around or try to hear phrases and chords on my own. I can hardly wait for the fakebook that I ordered so that I can really start learning an actual song! I really want to learn Happy Birthday so that I can play for all the kiddo's when it's their special day!

So, that was my day...I TOLD you I was feeling productive. : ) Have a nice night.