a little mother help out there?

Not that our house is ever dirty or anything (winky, winky), but do you motherly folk out there have any suggestions for getting your kids to clean their rooms? I would love to hear the tricks that have worked over the years so I don't resort to anything drastic. My next step right now? Packing up all of their belongings. Back in the good ole' days when our house was on the market, keeping rooms clean was easy because just about everything was packed up. And since I would feel pretty mean doing that again, I would love some input here. Thanks, ladies.

ramblings of a crazy and slightly tricky mom

today? Its been a pretty crazy day. I think it was a combination of a cranky mom, kids that decided to ignore said cranky mom and a general feeling that I have no control or say in anything that happens in our government. Anywho....I started working on Elise and Lilly's birthday parties. Do you know what that means? I am planning the last party of our birthday season. Isn't that great? And this party is going to be quite the happening to do because the whole family is involved. We're all in charge of different booths at this mini carnival that will be made complete by the cotton candy alone. Doesn't that sounds great?

And now I will brag about some motherly trickery. Yep. Motherly trickery that worked! (It doesn't always happen that way so I need to brag it up when it does!) As a book addict, there are many books that I buy simply because I hope that having it close on hand will make one of the girls read it one day when they are feeling like reading something a little different. And it doesn't always work. So here is where the trickery comes in. Thanks to a suggestion from my wise older sister, I was putting some miscellaneous books on the nook right next to the girls' toilet. When choosing which books would win the coveted spot, I chose books that I have been dying for a certain daughter to read. (a certain daughter that isn't ambitious in her book choices and....a certain daughter that loves to read in the bathroom) Emma. Tom Sawyer. Vintage books about famous composers and authors. And the next morning Autumn was reading Emma. (and liking it, to boot.) What did I have to say about it? Mwahahaha......My evil plan was successful! I guess a real tricky mom wouldn't reveal her plan as soon as she saw that it worked. Oops.

bonnet love

And the bonnet(s) go to Bethie Poo. Beth is my awesome and wonderful sister in law who just purchased a very cool falcon wagon. I would only be more jealous if it was an early 50's truck. (Yes, that is my dream truck. Chris laughs it off, but the girls point out every "cute car" that we pass by. Someday.....) Beth, I will get your bonnets in the mail asap. And since you are my sister in law, you know what asap means in my dictionary.

Elise-isms

Elise, you smart little cookie. How does a three year old get what she wants?

Elise: Dad, put your hand up. Ok. Now say "I will make Elise popcorn and I will watch Dog Whisperer with her." Say it, dad.

Pretty smart, right? I was impressed even if she was a little disappointed that her little master plan failed so miserably.

Extra! Extra!

I don't know what it is (possibly the fact that I just love my blogging friends) but I have just been in the mood for a giveaway! Run on over to my website and enter yourself (or a friend) for a free photo shoot. Yep. Gratis. $Free.99. Share the love, right?

And yes, you Seattlites. This is for you, too. (I'm up there enough that we can figure out something!)

a little bonnet lovin'

Because we have a few extra bonnets lying around the Kang abode now and because I think every little girl should have a bonnet to put on when the mood hits (like when head off to visit lambs and my 3 year old deems that a very pioneer/bonnet friendly activity), I thought I would giveaway two of my extra bonnets from Autumn's party. Leave a comment and I will pick someone ever so randomly on Sunday, March 21st.

And now I am off to find a way to make our food nice and greeny today. Did I ever tell you that green is my favorite color? Yep. Our last two houses have had at least two green rooms. I am still working on getting a green room here, but have temporary settled for painting everything that gets in my way green. (insert even laugh here)

little pioneer children

Autumn's little pioneer party? A complete success. From the weather (it waited to rain until we were pulling our car away from the Barn) to the chickens (who *happened* to lay enough eggs for everyone to find an egg), it went just exactly how we had envisioned. The party ended up going 4 hours as we had a lot of fun to pack in. There was candle dipping, potato sack races, feeding the goats and chickens, felting eggs and making the biscuits and butter. Whew. It makes me tired just listing it. I didn't think we would have time to do it all, but it came together quite well. The best part of the whole thing? Seeing a bunch of girls in bonnets and aprons. It was just so stinking adorable!! And Autumn has pronounced it to be her best birthday party yet. (I suggested we aim to make this a climax, but she didn't buy it.)

The key to this whole shebang? Our wonderful friends, the Woodwards. They have become our 2nd family since moving out to Forest Grove and I must say that this party would have been quite dull in our little neighborhood. Move it to a barn that is complete with a creek, goats and chickens? Yeah, it makes it about a gazillion times cooler.