Want Productivity? CYT!

Match Socks

Clean Under the Couches

Organize the Book Shelf

Clean out the Toaster

Wipe off the Ceiling Fans

Clean under Mom's Bed

...Just some of the "Extra Jobs"

HAVE FUN!!!! :)

It's Spring Break this week and my kids would probably declare that they're deprived because EVERYONE else they know is in some warm, exotic place like Disneyland, Mexico, Florida, Hawaii, St. George, or on a cruise somewhere. (If EVERYONE is having the time of their life, why are all of their friends around to do things with???) So, instead of soaking up the sun, they're soaking up the dirt, dust, and clutter in our home that has long been neglected. Actually, they're earning money to pay off their debts they've incurred for all the excitement they're preparing for this summer. No, they're not happy about it, but I keep reminding them that they have money to earn if they want to enjoy the plans they've already made. 

I've waited for three days for my children to say, "Mom, what can I do to earn money." Well, it hasn't happened. It's one thing for Mom to say, "You really need to do some extra chores to earn some money." Yah, in one ear, out the other. So, I've resorted to this: "You're doing two hours of extra chores today after your regular chores are done and before you can do any fun stuff. And, here's the list of chores that need doin'." It's Called "CYT" or "Change Your Tactic". If it's not working, you need to change your tactic and try something else.

It's amazing when you put a list in front of them, the action that takes place. 

I ran out of room on the first list..had to make a second!

They fought over who could look at the list first and "claim" the coveted extra jobs like organizing the DVD's or replacing light bulbs, not matching socks or organizing the bathroom closet. I had to resort to a rotation: "You choose two jobs, mark your initials, then pass it on." We rotated through all the kids several times until most of the jobs were claimed. Then, they went to town cleaning. Wow, we haven't been that productive in a long time.

This guy surprised me the most! He completely cleaned under both couches AND vacuumed.

A job I've been wanting to get to for years...Organize all the File Folder Games

Hooray - Cleaning out the cupboards!! Yah, we won't mention what we found in there!

Cleaning and wiping out drawers. No more crumbs mixed in with the measuring cups! I hope you can relate!

Cleaning all the grody stuff off the washing machine!

She partnered with "zebra" and they kicked!

Finally got the buckets put back and organized after Christmas!

Oh, the blessings of an organized pantry!

Organizing the toys...seems like somebody's always doing this.

More organizing, more cleaning.

He put himself in time out. Wow!

Now, I've already given them fair warning that the same plan is in place for tomorrow. Hopefully we can get the rest of the list marked off! Create a list and some parameters. Once the task is met, reward and let them play. They deserve it!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Write-Downable of Last Week

Grateful for Dates with my Hunk-a-Love!

Write-Downable (n) 

"A statement that is cute, funny, priceless, sensitive, loving, one-of-a-kind, sweet, or spiritual; a word, phrase, sentence, or story that touches the heart of another and is deemed worthy to write down, thus recorded forever and not forgotten."

Word Created By: The Bushman Family

Definition By: Julie Bushman

Write-Downable of Last Week:

In her prayer, "Please bless that Mommy and Daddy can go on a date." (4)

YESSSSSSSSSS! 

Either she is really, really thoughtful, or she likes it when we go. In fact, I could hear my teenage son singing Party on the Dance Floor when we walked out the door a few months ago. Wish I could be a fly on the wall when we're not home!

Things have been better when we get home from an evening out. I used to get upset when we'd get home and the house was a mess, the food didn't get cleaned up, the children didn't get bathed, or nobody was in bed. My expectations were too high and could not realistically be met. I've learned some things that have really helped...

Win-Win Ideas:

Give specific instructions, but limit the list. If there's too much, children are overwhelmed and will give up. Make sure the tasks can be realistically accomplished.

Prioritize the list. Have some Must-Dos and some bonus jobs or money jobs, as my kids call them. You never know when a child will be extremely motivated. You just might end up with a super clean bathroom or an organized pantry when you get home...definitely worth a few dollars!!

Call or text when you're thirty minutes from coming home. That's when the hustle tends to happen. If they get a warning call, the panic sets in and people get moving.

Point out the accomplishments and thank the children for doing them, because they feel appreciated and validated. They'll remember that feeling and will have the desire to be helpful the next time. 

Create an incentive for fulfilling "the list". When all the jobs are done, they can rent a specified movie on Amazon on Demand (I LOVE THIS SERVICE), have a treat, go to the park, go get ice cream (if the babysitter can drive...17 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!!) or open up a surprise bag (if Mom plans in advance). I love incentives, don't you? Kids do, too!

Date in Salt Lake - August, 2012

Since she prayed for us to go on a date, let's turn that faith into action. Where are we going, honey?

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

Victory with a Vacuum

Grateful for broken vacuum belts

Last night the carpet was full of crumbs, strings, bits of paper, and crushed leaves - all from one day's worth of living. Even though it was 9PM, I couldn't stand it; I had to get out the vacuum. 

Tip: Do you ever sweep the space between the carpet and the baseboards to get out all the junk that accumulates there? My mother in law taught me this trick and it works marvelously! No need to get out the canister vac, bend or kneel down to clean up the dusty bluckyness. Just sweep it away from the wall and vacuum it up. 

While vacuuming last night, a VERY loud sound ensued. Definitely not normal! I turned the vacuum over then turned it on to see if the roller was spinning. Nope! One of two things - either the belt slipped off or broke. Lovely...I really didn't need this! Because I've owned an Oreck since practically Day 1 of marriage, I'm a vacuum belt replacement expert. The quick fix can be a less than five minute exercise.

I obtained the necessary screwdriver and was about to begin when my eleven year old saw the tool. "Can I do it, can it do it?"

I could see what was coming. He'll unscrew the chamber that holds the belt, and then he'll want to change it, too. It was late and I just wanted to do it myself. However, I quickly realized that this was a teaching moment and I couldn't let it slip away. I don't think any of my brothers knew how to change a vacuum belt until they were married. Well, maybe they don't even know now. Sorry guys!!

So, the process of checking the vacuum belt commenced with my cute guy at my side. That quickly switched to three boys by my side. Our six year old was sad that he couldn't unscrew the screw; I told him he could screw it back in when we were finished. He ran off to get his own tool set that he received for his birthday. My thirteen year old son sat by watching and processing since he has always had a fascination with how things work.

After removing the cover, we quickly determined that the belt broke and needed replacing. #11 slipped the new belt over the wheel and tried with all his might to stretch it over the metal rod, using a screw driver for leverage. He just couldn't do it.

Slipping the belt onto the wheel

Stretching the belt with the screw driver

Big brother is patiently waiting and watching

#13 was begging inside for a turn to prove his manliness. The task was turned over to him and within five minutes, he had the belt secured. 

Belt secured!

Belt Positioned Correctly

And just as promised, #6 screwed the belt compartment closed with his very own screwdriver!

So excited for the opportunity!

Making sure he pushes in and turns so he doesn't strip the screw.

You know the best part? Three boys now know the process of replacing the vacuum belt. Do you think I will ever have to change the vacuum belt again? I don't think so. Fifteen minutes with three boys vs. five minutes by myself is worth the extra ten minutes because now they're empowered with knowledge. How many minutes will they save me in the future? Plus, it was a tender teaching time. As they get older, those sweet moments start to dwindle so we need to take full advantage. Also, the teaching goes both ways. I was taught a serious lesson last night. #6 also had to show me how to put down the blade of a pocket knife yesterday. Wow!

Today's Stick-to-it Tip: If there's something you can teach, take the time to do it. It will pay off big time...no more belt changes for me! 

A working vacuum again, thanks to boys and tools

More to Come....but until then, Stick-to-it!

Good Intent Becomes Success

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God"  D&C 109:8

I really like to be organized, but it doesn't always "stick". Why? Oh, reasons like it takes too much time, laziness, other things come up that take time away, bad habits, priorities, or the system just doesn't work. I've gone through times of excitement when I come up with a new system to organize the closet, or the desk, or the socks, or the plastic containers in the kitchen. Good intentions should be my mantra. I really do have them, but the a fore mentioned reasons seem to turn good intentions into non-existence. 

We have ten people in our family. Thus, laundry is a mammoth undertaking. I won't get started on the philosophy that a washing machine and dryer caused us to have more clothes as a society which now makes the laundry task completely time-consuming. If I did it all at once (which I do not), it would take a complete 14 hour day, just like it did the Bostonian women of the 1700s when they dedicated every Monday to laundry day. It's no different for us. We just have more dirty clothes to deal with. And compared to the days of old, our clothes aren't even that dirty. OK - I'll stop now.

Back to organizing.... there is one organizational system that has NOT gone by the wayside. I have successfully used it for years, and it has kept my laundry room running efficiently. (If the darn washing machine and dryer could just go faster, this part of my family responsibilities would really be in control. Maybe some day I'll have a second dryer! Now that would be a blessing!!) It's my laundry-sorting system that keeps clothes organized into colors, avoiding piles of clothes on the floor or sorting through multiple dirty clothes baskets to find enough whites to make a full load.

Six separate baskets keep clothes sorted and organized.

Labeled signs let all ages know which clothes go where.

It consists of six tall laundry hampers, labeled with names and pictures to distinguish what type of clothing belongs where. I separate the clothes into Darks, Lights, Whites, Jeans, Towels, and Bedding.

Our family laundry process goes like this:

One person is the designated "gatherer and sorter". He or she gathers all of the dirty laundry from each room, takes it down to the laundry room, and sorts it into the above laundry hampers. This is supposed to be a daily occurrence. Note the word "supposed". Even my four year old knows which clothes go where. No, she can't read yet, but she looks at the pictures and deposits the clothes into the correct bin. I've even seen her match up the clothing color to the color square on the sign to make sure she gets it right.

Since I'm the only one home during the day that is old enough to start laundry, I'm the designated one to wash and dry. Once the clothes are dry, I recruit all available troops to fold. Each person puts away their own piles of clean laundry.

Looking at my signs, I think it's time to upgrade; we need some new clip art and an upgraded font! Who says the laundry room has to be boring and drab?

That's my successful, organizational system for handling the immense volume of dirty laundry in the Bushman home. I'll give myself a pat on the back for actually "sticking" to it. It feels good to be organized in one area of my life, even if it's just dealing with dirty clothes. Now I just need to come up with a scheme for those sneaky and scrupulous socks. Any ideas?

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

The Great Bamzini Does it Again!

Common Phrase: If there is a will, there is a way.

I like to think of it like this: Heavenly Father will show us the way,

when we are willing to do His will.

Drum Roll...........

Headline: The Great Bamzini Does it Again!

By: Julie Bushman

(American Fork, UT) Just a few days ago, a hard working, thirteen year old boy paid off the final five dollars of his $3,150 cost for an educational experience to Washington DC with his seventh grade class. It's not an easy thing for anyone to save money in this economy, let alone a young teenager. So, how did he do it? Determination, a strong will, discipline, desire, prayer, faith, patience, persistence, dedication, and tremendous support from family and friends.

In late August, 2011, the Great Bamzini had a desire to join his seventh grade class for a ten day trip to Virginia and Washington DC. The trip was scheduled to depart on June 7, 2012. The price tag: $3,150 including airfare, hotels, food, souvenirs, luggage fees - everything. Nine months for a young man to earn such a sum is no small task, especially when a boy of 13 cannot get a typical job. How on earth did he earn the money?

"I mowed lawns...a lot of lawns. My cousin, who also went on the trip, and I put together a fundraiser with a local sporting goods company. My dad taught me to board-op a radio show so I spent my Saturday evenings producing radio shows with my Dad. I babysat, cleaned, shoveled snow, and took care of neighbor's dogs. I saved all of my birthday money and Christmas money. Some of my family members and friends heard about my trip and donated some money", explained the Great Bamzini.

Where did the name, Great Bamzini, come from? His Dad explains, "It was an early childhood nickname that his Mom made up. He was a very handy and helpful boy...always fixing things and coming up with solutions to problems. One day his Mom said, 'Look at that...another feat accomplished by The Great Bamzini', spoken in a magician announcer's voice. It just stuck. Now, when we see his successes, we declare, 'The Great Bamzini does it again!'"

 "It was a long nine months", recalls his mother. "He had to make some hard choices along the way. He skipped out on outings with friends so he could earn money. He sacrificed some sleep to get up early on the weekends to take care of his mowing jobs before his radio work. He went without purchasing treats or games or movie tickets. At times he felt like the task was too great, that he wouldn't make the deadlines. But we encouraged him and told him, 'you won't go on the trip for sure if you give up now, so you might as well keep working on it'.  It's good for children to work for something they desire. I have a feeling the trip meant more to him than it would have if we had just paid for him to go."

The hard work paid off with an exciting visit to Historic Williamsburg and Jamestown, Fort McHenry, a personal tour of the US Capitol with Senator Mike Lee, a pre-sunrise devotional on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Mount Vernon, and dozens of other historical sites. The purpose of the trip was to see the Hand of God in the founding of our nation, as well as evidences that America was built on Christian principles.

Upon return, The Great Bamzini was asked if it was all worth it. "YES...it was awesome. It was definitely worth it. I'd do it again!"

Today's Stick-to-it Tips: 

Stretch yourself. You'll go a lot farther!

Real Men wear Bibs!

Can we put a price tag on learning about liberty?

Encourage your children to follow their heart.

Sure, it may be going out on a limb but if you don't try, you won't succeed.

At times we might get stuck...

But there is always someone to help us out!

If you STOP, you won't GO.

Financial discipline is the first step on your march to financial success.

Standing on the shore doesn't get you anywhere...

...You have to jump in to enjoy the journey!

If we do His will...

...He will show us the way!

 Congratulations to The Great Bamzini! You did it....again!

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!

EEEEEEEEa-sy?

"Summertime........and the livin' is EEEEEEEa-sy"

George Gershwin - Porgy and Bess

This is the first song that comes to mind when I think of the word, summer. My amazing, opera-singing friend sang this in our Gershwin Review in high school. Her gorgeous voice goes through my mind as I think of the lyrics to this song. But alas, I highly disagree with the premise of this classic, for summertime for me is not an EEEEEEEEa-sy time of year.

I've explained it before...so I won't explain it again. But, you can read up on my summertime philosophy, here: Turn "What Can I do" into Summertime Service

Being a full time, working mother at home, it's not an EEEEEEEEa-sy thing for me to keep up with all the activities that my children want to do OR the tasks that need to be accomplished.

So, I have assigned responsibilities to my children to help take the load off...

School Time - This is an important part of summer for us, because learning does not go on hold for three months. Thus, to make my life more EEEEEEEA-sy, I enlist the help of my older children to tutor my younger kids in math, reading, writing, etc. 

My eleven year old is taking it easy, lying on the couch, as he helps Buddy-Boy with his math.

Meal Time - Summertime brings more time than normal, so let's be productive, helpful, and learn while we're at it! Assigning the responsibility of making dinner to my children is the best thing for making my life EEEEEEEa-sy.

Lovely Ladies in their Aprons

Fun Time - With my current circumstances, I can't be the one to always take the children out for an activity. So, again, enlist my big kids to do fun things with the younger children.

Kidnapping Brother on his birthday for an afternoon out. (Little sister was scared as they were tying him up)

ZEBRAS!!!!!

I love not having to go in the pool every time!

Yard Time - Trying to get the yard together is a formidable task. It's definitely not EEEEEEEE-asy! Have everyone pitch in!

Thanks to these great kids for making our summer a bit more EEEEEEEa-sy. We still have lots of fun family time!

Planet Play

Dance Party: "Eat-it!"

Lovin' this cute foal!

Patience and a smile for the Mare

Cousins AND the Easter Bunny

Good times with "The Bear"

If you don't understand the EEEEEEEa-sy reference, you just need to listen to the song. Hopefully, you'll find a way to make your summer a little more EEEEEEEEa-sy, too!

More to Come....but until then, Stick-to-it!