bowling for puffs

well it's not powder puff bowling (although the girl's DID win!) i recently started a reward system with the kids (based on a recommendation from a friend of mine in Holland who has used this system with her kids) - they earn puff balls when i observe good behavior. i feel like i spend most of my days correcting their bad behavior.....this allows them to earn special things for making good choices. they chose bowling as their first reward for earning 20 puffs. next up is a movie with popcorn!

how exciting! the Sturgis Lanes!!!!

Graham is up first

then Jayden

and Helen......

would you believe it? this girl throws a strike on the first try!!! watch out Grandpa!!

jillian!

proof of helen's strike in the first frame

jayden gets a strike!

jillian (and mommy) help helen bowl the 2nd ball of each frame

the final scores... jayden said helen won because mommy was helping... i told jayden i was just trying to keep jillian from dropping the ball on her toes! jillian insisted on bowling ON HER OWN!

my sturgis stingrays

graham's winning time! (lane 3)

graham and jayden getting ready for their race

jillian tries to figure out which even is next

the swimming cheerleaders

graham ready for his event

graham wearing the green cap (1st video) - jayden wearing the black cap (2nd video)

the 4th child

many times my other children have asked to ride these types of toys at the grocery store and various other places (these type of toys were all over Holland in the shopping areas).... i always say NO. they are full of germs..... i don't want to dig in my wallet for coins.....etc. well, jillian and i were out shopping last saturday and when we got done purchasing our items.... jillian said "ride horsey" and pointed to this horse..... in a weak, 4th child moment i said "OK".... she not only rode it once but 3 times total! 1 cent per ride.... we could have been there all night! :) as you can tell from the pictures - she was so happy!

more moving fun!

i promise i did not ask jillian to climb in this box! note the box says VIP :)

helen proves that you can have fun even when chaos is all around you. she also had to wear a sweatshirt because it was cold in the house since the movers had the doors open all day.

graham is the inventory man... counting and checking off every box that comes in the house.... and there were a LOT of boxes!

a peek into my chaos

thanksgiving dinner on the fine china :)

trying to make stuffing without a lid for the pan :)

jillian's first day of school! she loves going to school so far... she insists on carring her own backpack .... just like her siblings (she goes 3 mornings a week for 2.5 hours)

the air shipment (finally) arrives and 3 new appliances too... all within a few hours on tuesday morning

the house is filling up!

oh - did i mention that on the same day - the carpeting was being replaced throughout the house!

the new carpeting

ugh - a broken plate! unfortunately it was not the only broken item.

let the unpacking chaos begin!

boxes and carpeting - fun times!

attempting to cook dinner in the unpacking craziness! i am being stubborn and not ordering fast food :)

just wondering if anyone else has a dirty silverware tray.... i only put clean silverware in so HOW does it get so dirty!?!...... go check your sliverware tray now :)

had to take an unpacking break to shovel snow!

1am everything unpacked and put away!!! new stove installed too (thanks Ross!)

snow day

we got our first taste to Michigan snow .... along with that came the kids first day off from school

jillian is not quite sure about this white stuff (we only got a few inches of snow in Holland last winter - so this is a new experience for her)

jillian likes the sled for sure!

helen takes a turn pulling the sled

the boys liked playing in the snow too

shadows

helen and i have been doing some homeschool work together and this lesson was on shadows.... but since it was pouring rain that day - we had to improvise... i traced the girls and they colored in their clothes. jillian enjoyed being a part of our lesson too!