Ramblings of a Wayward Goddess

Money really does make the world go ’round.
I am, for all intents and purposes, raising three kids alone. Yes, I do have the luxery of a husband that works so that I can stay at home, but that working involves being gone for weeks and weeks, and weeks at a time. Sometimes even to other countries (grumble grumble). this leaves me to take care of a house, three kids, and every damn thing else that needs tending too. I get overwhelmed, often. The one place that I have been serverly lacking is getting the kid sto pitch in and help me with things. They are good kids, but insanly selfish at times. My husbands answer to is to simply not let them do anything, which would work, if it didn’t also punish me. If they don’t get to go anywhere or do anything, I also don’t get to go anywhere or do anything. And that sucks. So I was always telling them they were grounded and couldn’t do anything, only to forget later.
I think I may have found a solution to this perdicament though. i have come up with a system involving play money. They earn this play money by doing chores. The bigger the chore the more “Bucks” they can potentially earn. They can then cash in that moeny for time on the computer, or playstation, or tv, or visits with friends. it doesn’t take much to earn the money, walking the dog will get you one, amkingyour bed will get you another, putting your plate in the dishwasher, etc. Very simply everyday things. Bigger jobs, like cleaning out thefridge will get you two. My daughter is cleaning the kitchen, countertops, sweeping and mopping, I’ll give her three. Since there are always things they want to do, there is always a motivation to earn more. Throw in thier wicked competitiveness and they are always in a race to see who can get more “Bucks”. This is win-win. We all have a physical reminder of what has been done, or needs to be done. they are earning thier privaleges. I no longer for get who I told could watch tv or play a game and who couldn’t because they are ‘buying” the time they send on these things. I also take away money for bad behavior. Argue with your brother, lose a buck, continue, lose another. Won’t listen, forl over the cash. they are figureing out that most fights just arent worth it. And having an immediate, tangible consequence. I’m really thinking this might work.

The countdown has begun. I have broken the days into “Things I need to do”. This weekend will be full of getting the kids to do thier landry so they have plenty of clothes to pack. I need to go to th estore and buy quick meals so I don’t have food just sitting here for two weeks. the kids are out of school starting today for thier three week intersession, so this is my last day to do my errands. Monday I will start with my packing lists. Tuesday will be karate. Weds we have a playdate. Thursday we pick up the rental and I take my dog to my Sensei (he’s awesome to watch my dog for two weeks). Sometimes betwen Friday and Saturday we blow this joint. I’m. So. Freaking. EXCITED! I still can’t believe it has been 10 yrs since I have made this trip. That’s too long. We’ve always used the excuse that they should come here since they don’t have kids. easier to travel and all. Can’t use that one anymore, we all have kids now. Last time I made this trip, I had a 13mth old. I know what a bitch that can be. I wouldn’t ask them to come here now. They now have carte blanche to wait 10 yrs to travel with child.

Now for my dilema. My kindergardener left his homework sitting on my desk this morning. Do I take it to him, or just not worry about it. I’m in good with his teacher, I can shoot her an email and explain. It’s just finding three pictures of things that start with ‘Dd’ and pasting them to a piece of paper. I have been at the school volunteering for various things all week. And like I stated above, this is my last day to run my errands. I’m thinking an email should suffice

Off to get the errands done.

**Note to comment spammers, I don’t need a dating service, I’m married. I don’t need to loose weight, I’m a trainer. I’m not in the mood for any get rich quick work from home things either, I’m lazy like that. I will delete, and no one reads my blog anyway so you are just wasting your time.

I hate when I slack off so much that when i finally get back to the gym, they have changed all my classes. I’m a memebr of two gyms. they are owned by the same people and I pay the extra 410 to be able to go to both of them. My plan was to use the one close to my house on Mon/Wed/Fri for weight training, then the bigger one on Tues/Thurs/Sat for swimming/aerobics. Well, when I got the schedule the first mth, I noticed that a friend of mine was teaching a weight class on Monday morning. Very simular to the Body Pump that I taught. So I started takeing that. Then Augest from Hell hit and I missed that whole mth. Then Sept came and I was out of the routine, to be honest. I finally made myself go this morning, only to find out that my reg Monday morning class was no more. So I walked on the treadmill for 15mins to warm up, then worked out my upper body on the weight machines. Tomorrow, after volunteering in kindergarden, I’m going to swim for an hour. Hopefully, if I havent died by Weds, I can go to the gym by the house for lower body, then more swimming Thursday, and upper and lower of Friday, then Yoga Saturday. Hmmm, after a mth and a half of doing nothing, think it might be overkill? I guess we will see.

The situation mentioned yesterday is better today. The asshat is still an asshat, but at least he doesn’t have what doesn’t belong to him, and it is all legally binding and such. Fucker!

Why would you try to take something from someone that wasn’t rightfully yours to begin with? No other reason than to just be an ass.
Out of respect for people that I love, I can not say anymore. I will simply leave it at, you reap what you sow.

My pretend boyfriend just got his 4th degree black belt. he was in Florida all last week testing, so we had no classes all week. I bout died from inactivity. Of course chasing 40 5th graders around barnes and Noble helped in that Dept. I feel like I have a full time job these days. I volunteer in one classroom 2hrs on Tuesday mornings, then another class on Weds afternoon, then i have to fit yet another class (three kids) into that schedule somewhere. Gas is $3.09 a gallonand I drive a freakin Explorer so back and forth trips to the school – not cool. lasy week I chaperoned a field trip, next week is field day. i’m actually hopeing i can parlay all this volunteering into an actual J-O-B. i would love to be a TA (not to be confused with T&A) at the school. I would have the same schedule as the kids, which is impossible to come by in the ‘outside world’.
Just over 2 weeks before I get to go on vacation. I’m so excited I can feel it in my bones. We have NEVER gone anywhere for two weeks before.