Money Sense

Last week the weather was beautiful in the mornings so I took the kids for a stroll on the temple grounds. It was so fun to look at all the different flowers that were blooming. Steven especially loved the daffodils. Ben loved the cactus garden and would either comment on how the cactus was "small like me" or "big like Steven and mommy." It was super fun!

Afterwards we walked over to Seagull Bookstore and I got the boys banks that have a slot for savings, tithing and spending. Anytime Steven gets money, all he wants to do is spend it ALL. So when we turned all his pennies in his piggy bank into quarters and all he wanted to do was take them to the mall and sit in one of those cars that shakes...I thought let's teach him some money sense instead!

After divying up his money into the 3 compartments, he took the quarters from the spend compartment to Walmart and put them to a much better use than a shaky car- he got water balloons and bubbles! The boys have been having too much fun throwing the water balloons. Thankfully, they don't try to throw them at each other (which is bound to end in drama with Ben) but instead they just enjoy throwing them at walls, driveways, grass, etc and watching them ExPlOde!

Steven also likes to put the hose attachment to his own mouth and blow up the balloons. It's pretty funny and it gave him a nice looking mustache. Such a goof ball!

And since I want them to learn how to manage money, I've started up a chore chart. They will do 4 chores a day, Monday-Friday. The chores are: put their own laundry away, wipe down kitchen table & bathroom toliets, empty bathroom garbage cans and the 4th chore will change each day (anywhere from helping empty the dishwasher to giving Kevin clean food & water). They will get a nickle for each chore they do so if they do them all, they get $1 a week. I have no idea if this is reasonable or not but we're giving it a try this week to see how it goes. I am super excited to finally enlist child labor in my home!!

And this last post has NOTHING to do with money but instead adorableness. Yesterday, I painted Lucy's toenails bright pink- it matched the flowers on her church dress perfectly! It was so tricky to do but so worth it. We went to Kyle Hatch's baby blessing and his Grandma Hatch and Aunts were full of compliments for her toes :) 

...However, she still likes to eat feet so hopefully she doesn't digest the polish while she's at it...