Helping Mom help the kids learn responsibility

Moms need help not just from other Moms willing to share information but from the kids to get things done around the house and believe me this Mom is no exception.

I am always looking for way to get the boys involved in the housework because in all honesty I kind of suck at housework, so I was intrigued by the "Hands Around the House" by 3R Cards. 

The pictures on each of the cards are colorful and very eye catching for children. I liked the colored pencil effect of the cards. We were able to sort the cards out and select the cards that were important tasks for the boys. As we continue to put this program into place I am thinking of either magnets on the back or a hole punch in the corner for a binder ring since the cards are everyday activities for the boys to do. 
***added: the boys decided this wasn't working for them, however we have a friend that liked the look of the program so we are going to pass it on to another family while we continue on our quest to find a good fit for us***

If you or your children need the rewards factor to add to the program, this set even has rewards cards allowing the child to select their own reward for jobs completed and a calendar page to track tasks.  Hands Around the House helps Moms and Dads help the kids get involved with the everyday chores and things they need to be responsible for. 

I love the idea of the 3Rs: Respect, Responsibility, and Reward. However, we don't use rewards for housework, so I saved those cards aside for large projects that we will be doing where the kids will be involved and expected to do their part.  There is a lot of flexibility with this card set so Moms with small kids can find appropriate cards for them while still having cards that are appropriate for older kids, and the flexibility doesn't end there. The website is stocked full of tips and suggestions to help use the set.  

Hands Around the House" by 3R Cards can be found not only on their website , but also on Facebook. You can also download extra Calendar pages HERE.


I love this bit of background on the product from the Mom inventor
"This system was originally invented by my mother over 30 years ago.  Her system was a little simpler, and there were no rewards.  Her motto was "Do it"- the "just" was implied.  It did however teach me and my 3 siblings that we were all responsible for making the house run smoothly and when it did, we had more time to do the things we wanted."


You can purchase a complete set of  Hands Around the House" by 3R Cards on the website for $24.95 or you can enter to win a set along with a bundle of other products to help kids become more independent in the latest Meet the Moms Giveaway using the Raffflecopter form below.






  a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: “I received this review opportunity as part of Mompact.com.  All opinions are my own.”




**edited 6/13/2012 to added some additional thoughts on the product***

Scripture Sunday 5/27 Memorial Day Weekend

This week has been a crazy week and I haven't spent nearly enough time studying the lesson. I think I've only read through it once. However there were some passages that stood out and made me really think.


Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

 Deuteronomy 11:16a

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2

All three of these verses struck cords with me and made me really think about where I am in my spiritual journey. 

I hope you find something to inspire you along the way. 

in love,

Menu Plan Monday

Menu Plan Monday from orgjunkie.com

Sunday: Shephard's pie (with ground lamb) inspired by the chick n' coop 's recent post

Monday: KFC for Papa's 80th  birthday (recently got coupons in the mail so this is a treat)
Tuesday: chili mac (with short spaghetti noodles from Safeway)
Wednesday: Grilled Salmon with Peach and Pineapple Salsa and Balsamic reduction (another Safeway inspired dinner)
Thursday: Stew (Beef and Vegetable most likely)
Friday: Casserole (probably Tator Tot Cassresole since I still have ground beef in the freezer)

Yes I know it is Sunday but I have a busy week so I figured I would post the menu for the week sooner rather than later.

On a side note this week's menu was inspired by my recent visit to the Safeway Regional office in Clackamas as part of their launch of the just for u program. 4 of the menu items for this week were either purchased or received from Safeway during the Blogger event I attended.  Stay turned for my write up on the Safeway launch.

Scripture Sunday 5/20/12

This week's lesson was a challenge for me, but, I found alot of inspiration to ponder .


I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12: 1,2

31 whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in
his salvation.

Psalms 35:9

Snack Time and On the Go Meal help with QuickSplit

Even though we homeschool, we always seem to going somewhere or feel crunched for time. If we stay home I am preparing 3 full home cooked meals and a snack or two that day; and that adds up to a lot of time spent preparing, cooking, and plating food.  
I was so happy to hear about  The Quick Split a portable, mom invented, patented product made in the USA. I know that sounds like a sales pitch, but honestly that list of highlights caught my attention.

This   portable food cutting gadget  packs a punch for moms on the go or buried at home.
As soon as I received mine I put it to work making snack time a lot easier.  My boys love mini Quesadillas for snack so I agreed knowing I could make them a little easier to cut up with my new   
portable pizza cutter.  And before you ask, I have a regular pizza cutter from Papa Murphy's but it is bulky and not really sharp so if I use it I end up going over the tortillas a couple times to cut them and it still doesn't quite get the job done.

I love the compact size and the handle styling.
I couldn't believe it cut through the tortillas in one pass.
Sure made afternoon snack time faster which meant two little boys were happily going on with their day.

This is a patented gadget and is the first of its kind on the market! 
  The Quick Split on Facebook  and The Quick Split on Twitter  a great way to connect with this amazing little product online. 

  Retails for $15.00 and currently has free shipping if purchased from her website

This product is also part of the current Meet the Moms Giveaway over on the Mompact Facebook page.  Be sure to stop by for your chance to win an amazing bundle of products.

The giveaway ends Sunday the May 20, 2012 so hurry over to enter.


disclaimer: I received this review opportunity as part of Mompact.com.  All opinions are my own

Graduation Season is here, find a Spirit filled card with Dayspring Cards

Tis the season for so many cards. I needed a few Graduations cards for some very special young ladies graduating from high school, so I headed out for a drive across town to Beaverton to find the perfect cards with just the right message.  Before you say it,  yes I could have settled for a card from the local Hallmark or Walmart or even one of several different gift shops, but since 2 of the cards are going to young ladies from our homeschool co-op I decided a trip to Lifeway was totally appropriate.

Cameron decided he wanted to tag along and have a Mommy/Cameron afternoon.  We headed out and spent the 40 minutes drive talking about life, the end of his Adventurers class, the new school year. and anything else he thought about. As we drove through the back roads I told him where we were going and what our mission was.  He wasn’t totally sure about the mission but he liked the idea of checking out the videos and music.

I love shopping for cards but one thing I hate is the price. I was very grateful to find the prices were reasonable and affordable .

I also look for a quality message, yes humor is ok but lately the humor in most cards is offensive, so I was glad to find some fun cards but also excellent scriptures worked into the cards.

The shelves were stocked and organized making it easy to find the perfect cards at the right prices.

We also checked out other parts of the store including the music, the VBS supplies, and learning aids for the boys’ school activities.   Cameron wanted a set of tabs  for his Bible,  we  found this fun  set.  I am all for tools to inspire kids  open their Bibles and this is one more way I hope he will be inspired .

 

 

Now since I don’t go clear to Beaverton often I am also excited to find both DaySpring and Lifeway have amazing websites to shop and check out their amazing products.  Online or instore Lifeway is one great way to shop for  Spirit filled products.

On our way home we noticed the temps were higher than usual for us topping 93 degrees.  We continued our chatting but decided to stop for a snack.  We took full advantage of our location by stopping of at a old favorite , Back of the Rack a children’s resale shop we love. Finally ending up for a playdate with the cousins. What a fun Spirit filled day I got to spend with my first born finding the perfect cards for some amazing young ladies.

 

 

Dayspring cards

Feel Free to check out the rest of our journey in the above Album.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias

Scripture Sunday Mother's Day

The bible lesson this was good but I kept coming back to Proverbs 31 and Titus 2. Both these passages say so much about being a Mom. I pray that I can come even close to those images off a mom.

Mompact Moms Help On the Go Rafflecopter

Mompact Mom invented products that will help Moms on the go are featured in this week's bundle giveaway.
Don't miss you chance to win these great items: Kidzikoo, QuickSplit, DiaperBuds, Lillybit Diaper Clutch
This giveaway is sponsored by MomPact, please see entry form for Terms and Conditions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway