Working Together

I had to post today because I am so proud of my kids. It was such a beautiful day today, it must have gotten into the 70's. (which as a side note, is so wrong!!! I am suppose to be blowing the heat full blast in my car while I listen to Christmas tunes on the radio, not roll the window down!!) Anyway, we took advantage of the beautiful day and put the kids to work. They filled yard bags with leaves and pine needles for a really long time today. And they did it with a smile on their faces. I raked and Brent blew leaves (we have 7 trees on our property so there is a lot of work to do). By the time we were done, the back yard looked fabulous, the front yard, pretty good and the side yard had a whole new layer of bright yellow leaves. Our final count was 25 bags (big black ones) and a box of sticks. Crazy! Alex even went over and picked up needles piles in the neighbors yard. We worked so well together, it just made me so happy. It was a very positive experience that I hope the kids will remember as a happy family team work kind of time.
Alex has been saving every penny since he busted the Tidwells tail light on their suv and has managed to scrape together $16! Tonight we had a little lesson on the atonement and then talked about how we need to do all that we can, but sometimes we just can't do enough, and that is where the savior steps in and helps us. We related this to Alex and how he would be saving money for 2 years to come up with $200. We told him that he has worked hard, and done all he could and that we would relieve him of his burden. He seemed a bit reluctant, but eventually agreed to it. He is sure happy to have his debits payed off. He has worked hard and has sacrificed and I think he learned a valuable lesson. I am proud of him for working so hard, and for being so grown up about it when the girls were off spending money at the mall and he had none because all his money went to the "Jeri" envelope. Even tonight as the girls were spending, he saw a toy that is hard to find, and wanted it so badly, but after a little whine and a big gulp, he left it there, putting his trust in Santa this time. o<:{o> (it's a little Santa can you see him? )
Anyway, it was a good day, except that poor little Chinook had to go to the vet and is very sad/sleepy/in pain. From his vaccines and Rabies shots :-( Poor puppy , his little shoulder is so tender. :-(