Brownie Points

So, today has been a very successful day! I went shopping and got a weeks worth of groceries and got a good deal on hamburger meat. Came home and put up everything--including making the ground beef into 33 patties! So, I was feeling like I earned super brownie points today. While I was in the kitchen, I asked Ashton to take some cream cheese down to Debbie's house. It was taking him awhile and just as I was going to check out the door, he came back. He looked absolutely beat. (I can't blame him...I can't stand the heat, especially while running) So, he comes in and says, "Hey mom, I ran around Grammy's house and I tried all the windows and doors and nobody is home and I couldn't reach the spare key, so I just left it sitting on her porch." To which I say, "Ashton your so awesome for doing that for me, but we can't leave it out there in the heat, could you go back and get it?" So, he jumps up and runs down there and brings it back to me. He flops in the chair like he was just worn slap out. Then sits up and says, "So, what do I get for it?" "You get brownie points!"
So, then he wanted to know what brownie points were and I explained it to him and then followed a battery of questions in which he wanted to know what he could trade his brownie points for. Today, I let him trade them for a handful of toffee bits. But, then of course it was how many he had and then how could Jenna earn brownie points. (At that point I got her to do a load of laundry....) But, the whole thing got me thinking... I could really use this to teach them responsibility and initiative. So, I made another chart for the fridge:

On each of theirs, I put their name on it in the center and I made it transparent, but this one I just left blank so you could personalize it for your young-uns. And I'm going to put them in sheet protectors. I was thinking that I could track each of their points for the day and the week. Then, they could be turned in for something personal, ie: time with mom/dad, special reading time, and extra board game...

P.S.- You can download this one, too!

Family Food

Okay, so I've been really lame in the "staying on a food budget" category for awhile now. But in an effort to change my ways and have more money than month, I put together a weekly menu board for my fridge. See? I think it's prettiness will increase the likelihood that I'll actually use it...


So, I just printed it and I'm going to slip it into a sheet protector and then tape it on the fridge and then it will be easy to write on with dry erase markers. I'll fill in what I'm going to cook this week and then next week it will be easy to change (because I need change and variety in my life...). I'm also hoping that it will ease the "What's for dinner mom?(honey?)" question every night, too.

P.S.- You're free to download and use it, too! Happy cooking!