Sickos and House Cups

So, after Belly Dancing at the Ward Talent show on Saturday I came home and ate some Ben and Jerry's and headed off to bed.  About 1 am, IT hit.  Yuck, I was so sick... my tummy felt so gross.  I was up 1/2 the night, and still got up in the morning, woke all the kids, got them getting Breakfast, went in the shower, came down and declared myself too sick to go to church.  Katie and I stayed home and watched Dora, and Mickey Mouse Club House until Katie fell asleep in my arms.  Then we both napped till the kids came home from church.  I spent the rest of my day up in my room because I felt less like barfing if I was laying down.  This morning, still feeling a little bla, I went and taught my water aerobics class, now this could be where the story gets really good, but it's not.... I didn't get in the water... I didn't even dare jump around.  I used the natural resistance of the water to my advantage and I made them do laps doing a variety of moves which I wrote on the white board that I brought to class.  Things went rather well considering.... I didn't barf, nor did I have to bolt to the bathroom, so all was well.   

I got the girls lunch, and started the Laundry, cuz, I already had my sick day, now it's back to work.  Yucky tummy and all, I sorted through all the yucky laundry from the youngest two having the same virus.  Then a call from Brent... He is on his way home.... no no, not to help out his sick wife... no, cuz he now has the bug!  Yipee!!! so 4/6 of us have had it.  Really, I wish that if Alex and Liza are going to get it, that they would just hurry up and get it, so that we can get on with life.   Bleck, I hate being sick, and having sickies.   

Now that I have ranted about that,  I have to sing praises to "The House Cup".  A while back I was inspired by an article in Family Fun Magazine to have a House Cup.  The idea is that each child earns points all week and then a prize is awarded to one with the most points.  My children are awarded for making beds, cleaning up dishes, putting away toys, and also for behaviors, like listening the first time they are asked, saying phrases like yes mom, or coming mom, and for overall being good.  Today homework was done in my house in 20 minutes!!! Anyone who knows me well, knows that this is a MIRACLE!   Yes, for 3 points my Liza cracked down and did her homework in record time!!  Then it was on to practice.... The points can also be taken away, and are wonderful leverage.  The little kids get warnings about loosing points and bribes for earning.  The bigger ones get them swiped out from under them with out much warning, and also get them slapped on with out a bribe.  (I figure, the big ones get it better)  Anyway, Things were going great.... everyones points were climbing.  Alex won 2 weeks ago, Alex and Tori tied this past week, so I think Alex got a little cocky today....  He had a bad night and is down to ZERO.  What do we do when there are no points to take away???? Humm,  I told Alex tonight that if he runs out of points, I guess I will have to just spank him... He didn't like that idea much, he went to bed, resolved to have a better day tomorrow.   I love this program, it helps me to find the positive things that my kids do, and it also gives me a little currency.  (gives them currency too, as I usually stuff a little $$ in the cup for the lucky winner)  The home is a lot more peaceful, and I feel like there is a lot less yelling on my part because, I just take a point away, and then threaten another, and another....  It seems to work.  We keep track on a white board (which is hung in my kitchen)  and it works great, and makes you feel so strong when you can swipe away a point, and makes them feel so proud when you pull out your pen.  We even use it to keep them in their beds at night, and keep them quite.  3 points are offered to each child who has stayed in their bed each night.  (Alex argued this morning that Katie will always get 3 points for that because she CAN'T get out of her bed. :-) )  

Anyway..  Yipee for the House Cup.

And on a total side note.  My spa girl... Liza, has been cooking up this big plan, she is going to a birthday party on Sat. and she keeps telling me all these plans for how she is going to run a spa at the party, which is a pool party.  I told her that I am pretty sure that her friends mom has the party planned already so she kind of cooled her jets on that (or so I thought).  Then tonight I made a yummy salad for myself while the kids ate chicken nuggets (I put them on my salad)  I cut up some cucumbers for my salad and for the kids to dip in ranch.  Not just plain old cukes though, english cukes.. the real yummy ones.  After dinner came baths, and such craziness, and after things calmed I came down to find that Liza has cut up 1/2 of my english cuke with the intent of taking these pieces and putting them on her eyes, and the eyes of her friends  at the pool party on Saturday.  "like they do on the Brats movie mom"  Arg, this child.  Using a knife w/o asking, cutting up my cuke w/o asking, and those things are going to be total mush by Saturday!!   I told her she can have them in her lunch, she didn't like that.  She got katie to take 3 of them, which I later found with one nibble out of each, other then that, she has a lot of cucumber to eat.  Crazy girl!