My apologies for such a wordy post. Must have been in the mood.

Lately I've been having to amp up my parenting skills to keep June going on her days off from school. She is usually pretty tired and would love to just park it in front of the tube. Ha! Right! So, I've been including this child in EVERYTHING to keep her a little more structured. Works like a charm. She's happy, joyful and I'm a very tired Momma on Tues and Thursdays. So one of the things that she does is her "chores". I'm thinking about starting a little allowance. I tested it out with sock mating the other day. I paid a hefty penny for every match she made. Whoa, did she think she was rolling in dough with her whopping 23 cents. (Don't you dare clue her in.) It was so sweet. She was so proud and keeps asking what else she can do around the house. Yesterday she mopped (very well I might add), picked up random stickers from all over our house, dusted, put things away...and begged for more. She is now up to 75 cents. I have to add a bit more structure to this new adventure before she looses interest or figures it out! Anyway I love having a cheerful helper. And she LOVES helping, allowance or not. The photo above is her purse that she keeps her money in. She has drawn diagrams for Faye to see that she must keep out. It's taped on quite securely.

 Faye has no idea that her sister is a work horse when she is taking her afternoon slumber. But on the days it's just Faye and I at home, Faye gets in on the action. Faye doesn't get pennies....just hugs. :) My girls love to be helpers. Especially when you make the mop their size or let them have free reign over the squirt bottle for windows (filled with water). You have to have a lot of patience and really good, loud cleaning music.

 This was a very serious performance put on just for Mom. The best ever. Faye has a black lip, I think from sneaking sniffs from an unlit candle. June loves her sister more than the world itself. Her preschool teacher and friends know every detail about her little sis.

 

 Faye loves to go to Trader Joes with me in the mornings for groceries. She drives the mini shopping cart like a crazy black Friday shopper on caffeine. She is very determined to fill her cart by herself. Thank God we shop so early that we beat the crowd. We take our sweet time and taste the samples, use the bathroom, smell the flowers. The cashiers love Faye, as she likes to unload her own cart and hand every item to them directly. They reward her with stickers at she quickly puts all over her face. Nice. I love her sense of humor.

I reward her good shopping behavior with a tastey lunch. This silly girl loves tabouli! She will eat half of the container if allowed. (No I don't usually let her eat without clothes on. If you know Faye, the second she gets in the door her clothes come off at lightening speed. Ugh!)