Family Tools Website

I found an awesome website with lots of resources for families. allprodad.com has tons of printables that you can't find elsewhere such as a teen driving contract, a cell phone contract, a going to a dance worksheet, chore charts, conversation starters, a video game/computer time log... Also quizes to see how your family is doing... One of the best sites I've found! It is connected to Coach Dungy. I highly recommend it.

Putting a Limit to How Much Kids Buy

The kids seem to think that everytime they go to any store or garage sale they have to buy something. They used the excuse that it was their own money they were spending, but a $2 allowance can only go so far and I wanted them to learn to save some of it. Even though I tried to explain to them why it wasn't a good idea to have to find something to buy just because they walked in a store, they just weren't getting it. So, finally, I started a One In, One Out Rule. It really works, if they know they have to get rid of one of their things they aren't so quick to buy something!

60 days to change financial program

60 Days to Change is a free financial program that is supposed to help you get your finances in order. Sign up and then you check the website every day to see what your assignment is. The program covers lots of different things - debts, overspending, budgeting, and much more.

Daylight Savings Time & Smoke Detectors

Sunday Daylight Savings Time starts. Remember that this is also when you're supposed to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Free Liz Lange Health Journal

Take a short quiz and receive a free Liz Lange Health Journal.

Reward Program from Chuck E Cheese

Chuck E Cheese has a program where you can print of one of the reward charts from their site and bring it in for 10 free tokens. That would be incentive enough for my kids! There are charts for lots of different things - clean room, keeping active, brushing teeth, doing homework...Must purchase one food item. Thanks Thrifty Mommy

Why you need to write a will

It is important for you and your spouse to write a will. If one dies without a will bank accounts could be frozen so the surviving spouse may not have access to needed money. Also it is important to have your say in who will get custody of your children. Go to Free Legal Documents to get a free template of a will and other legal documents. Just copy and paste into a Word document, fill in the blanks, and sign it in front of witnesses. Each state is different in their requirements.

What to do with all those papers?

All those papers that get sent home from school and activities can get easily lost. I have a system that works pretty well for us. First, as soon as I get a paper I try to write down any important dates on the calendar. Then everything that I might need to look at later goes in one binder. This binder holds school newsletters, church newsletters, boy scout calendar, notes about school events... Then every time I need something I know where to go. I just have to keep the binder in one easy to access place so that I always know where it is.

Getting Back To School

Today is the day the kids go back to school! I think we are all ready to get back to our routine. One thing I do to make sure that nothing gets forgotten is to make sure the kids put all their bookbags, lunchboxes, and anything else that needs to get to school in one basket. Since I have to drive them to school I just take the basket with us. When I pick them up everything goes back in the basket to get carried in all at once and nothing gets left in the car.

New Years Goals!

Kids really enjoy accomplishing their goals, so help them set ones that are actually achievable and let them pick what they want to accomplish. Exercising everyday is not achievable but exercising every week is. Make sure you write goals down and make a plan. One year my son's goals were take the dog on a walk a few times and learn how to email his cousin. Both were easily accomplished.

How important is it to have dinner together?

This is one of my favorite videos. Family Dinner. It's only a few minutes long.

Storing Important Papers In A Fire Safe

A small fire safe is a great place to store important papers. You can get one for about $20. Store birth certificates, social security cards, professional licenses, and vehicle titles all in it. This keeps it all in one place where you can remember it and keeps them safe from a fire. It is also a great place to keep an envelope with a small amount of emergency cash or a small vacation fund.

Recycling Systems - making it easier

Sometimes it's hard to take the time to recycle but if you have a system in place you are much more likely to do it. A couple months ago I decided that the only way to recycle all the paper is to have another small paper recycling container right next to the regular trash can. This way I don't have to go to the basement, where most of my recycling is, to recycle a tiny piece of paper. I also keep a container on my top basement stair to put the glass, plastic and metal in so that I don't have to walk every can down individually. I just grab the container and sort them in the basement once or twice a week. This way it is much less tempting to just throw things in the regular trash since it is just as easy to put in the recycling container. Since adding the extra containers I have twice as much stuff going to the recycling center.

Getting out the door on time

I know there are alot of moms who have trouble getting out the door in time. I have finally found a system that works for our family. I started using chore charts. In the morning the kids are not allowed to watch TV and they must have done everything on the morning part of their chore chart by the time we need to leave. If they haven't done their morning chore chart stuff they lose TV for the day. They know I'll stick to my word so just the threat of not having TV when they get home is enough. The stuff on the morning part of the chart is just the basic things - make bed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, feed pet... This also guarantees that their teeth get brushed and the pets get fed. I will also get them some little treat for having completed the whole chart at the end of the week. There are some great charts at Chart Jungle. I love that site - there is a chart for everything.