Posts Tagged "mac"
We all have a new system
The boys are on this system. It gives them some pocket money, gives them a chance to learn about spending, teaches them about earning and responsibility, and daily routine.
shoes on the shoe rack = $0.10/day (or up to $.070/week)
dirty clothes in the hamper = $0.15/day (or up to $1.05/week)
brush teeth = $0.25/day (or up to $1.75/week)
bath or shower = $0.25/day (or up to $1.75/week)
dishes to sink = $0.14/day (or up to $0.98/week)
toys away = $0.25/day (or up to $1.75/week)
room clean = $2.00/week
clean clothes away = $1.00/week
reward points (redeemable for stuff)
homework = 5 points daily
bag up = 5 points daily
read 20+ minutes = 5 points daily
It works out to $10.98/week if they do everything. I am keeping track of it in a fanciful app on my phone called Kids Rewards (no affiliation) so I don’t have to actually pay out every week. It keeps track of what they have “in the bank” and I can deduct when they decide to spend some or when we give them cash. The program deducts money/points if they don’t do something (and I mark it as undone), but I’m not sure how much I’ll utilize that. Maybe if I consistently see things going ignored, but right now I don’t think I’ll bother. Oh, and it can go into the negatives. That might come in handy as well later on down the line.
Eshiva has a slightly modified list going on – she gets cash for having a clean room, but everything else is on reward points. I think she is still at an age where she does better with a tangible reward than an abstract (like cash).
For myself? I downloaded Things for both my mac & my phone. I set up simple daily things to do, as well as weekly. It spreads out my to do list, and I just check it off when it’s done. It syncs too, which is why I went with Things. I can set it up on the computer in 1/5 of the time as it takes on the phone.
I am not as unorganized as needing these systems makes me sound, but they will keep me on a better schedule than I was on before and should help keep the kids on one too.
Read MoreA birthday cake for Adolph Hitler…
I’m sure you’ve read the story. If not, Google the subject, it’ll come right up. Basically, this family is up in arms because a food store refused to make a birthday cake for their kid who is named, you guessed it, Adolph HItler Whateverthelastnameis. They contacted the news and whatnot because the store refused to make the cake, but did offer a blank cake and some decorative icing so they could write the name themselves. The dad claimed he’d probably misspell the name. Um, what? You are going to misspell your kids name?
Of course, the family also claims they aren’t white supremacists, just proud of their German heritage. That’s why one of the other kids is Whatever Aryan Nation Whateverthelastnameis and the other kids middle name is Himler. WTFEver people. He also has swastikas all over the house and the whole thing is just creepy.
You can’t help but feel sorry for the kids. They are going to grow up to believe this or normal behaviour.
No, I don’t want people to forget about Adolph Hitler and the horrible things he, and Dr. Mengele, and Eva and all his cronies did. As soon as we forget, it will happen again. I don’t want to be rounded up and starved and worked and gassed and stuck in a mass grave. I don’t want to be torn away from my babies, my husband, my family. I also don’t want people who still believe in that bullshit to be allowed to breed. Then again, I suppose there are people who don’t think I should be allowed to breed, and I think my kids are smart and well adjusted, so it’s a stand off I guess.
Turns out there was a follow up to the story. Twelve children attended the birthday party, which had a cake, which was supplied by Wal*Mart. Well, good. The kids deserves a cake and a party. All kids do.
Read MoreI’ve been wanting to post, but I haven’t had anything to say
Last night in the car, Malachai kept telling us not this song, not this song, not this song, and at one point he changed it up and said “not this. definitely not this.” <3
We had dinner with my Aunt, Uncle, Gram, Zaide, and the eight of us. My Aunt & Uncle got the kids gifts. Mal got visibly upset because he got a smaller bag than the other two. He is quiet enough and was talking into my neck enough that we passed it off as him being tired. Poor guy. He got over it quick enough (he got a very cool card game, as did Eshiva, but hers was packaged in a bigger box, and Dor got a ball that was not inflated, but it was packaged bigger too) but we felt bad for him. I remember how I felt getting a gift that I thought sucked when everyone else got cool stuff.
We bought boxes today. I am packing up our breakfront full of crap so I can get rid of the breakfront and sub out something much smaller. All the “crap” in there were my folks wedding fits, my moms owl collection, our “Jew” stuff and some misc. tchotchkes. Dad is asking why I am keeping it. I can’t bear to tell him it’s because I’m a girl and I am emotionally attached to anything that I feel still reminds me of mom. It’s getting better, I’m not saving *everything* some of it really is crap.
I told Michael to box up the tattoo stuff and take what he can to work – I haven’t drawn in over six months, and I haven’t set up the machines in almost as long. I went as far as looking through the stencils today and I just wasn’t feeling it.
My uncle is trying to find a cheap way to send me his studio lights, and we’re going to build a backdrop stand from PVC sometime soon after they arrive. I’m pretty excited about that. I also hinted that I’d be happy to take any other old equipment he isn’t using off his hands and give it a good home (he said he’d like to see his lights get some use in a good home) so maybe I’ll get some other surprise goodies too :-)
I think I might branch out into printing some general greeting cards and stuff. Nothing in big batches, little micro batches I can list at my leisure to sell.
Cliff Bar brand put out organic twisted fruit leather things – I picked up a box on impulse today. They worked out to about fifty cents a package and the kids love them. One full fruit serving in there! Score!
I am back on my “mostly raw” raw diet. I put on a pair of size 10s this morning. I got them on, and had disgusting muffin top BUT I got them on and buttoned. I could not do that even last week. I took them off and put on a comfy pair of size 16s that fall off unless I belt them down. A few more weeks, I think, and I can dig out at least six pair of pants that I haven’t been able to wear for longer than I care to admit.
I’ve been food shopping at the WalMart food store. This should go in confess I guess, but I spent 200$ where I’d normally have spent over 300$ so I don’t care that bad. It’s not like they are putting Publix out of business or anything.
I <3 my dreads. I feel bad putting wax and crap in them, but I need them to look good and not like I am wearing a rabid mop on my head. All in all, it’s working and I am pleased with them and have not threatened to brush them out or cut them off. Yay!
I think that’s it. I am feeling restless and I want to be doing all these things and I just can’t pick one to focus on, so I am kind of doing like, 5 – 10 minutes of a lot of things. It sucks.
Read Moreupdatey goodness
I haven’t really posted in a while. Everyone is well. Dor made honor roll last quarter, Mal got an “honorable mention” for trying hard. Mal is having some trouble in school – not from a knowledge stance, but from an activity/participation stance. We’ll have a meeting soon to figure out what to do. I think we’re due for a mid year IEP anyway.
Thanksgiving was nice – my gram and aunt came over, we had a feast. Ham, roastbeast, brisket, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, green beans, macaroni & cheese, garlic potatoes, party potatoes, and I can’t remember what else. We recently ran out of leftovers (rightovers).
I went in and had my hair done up in dread-twists on this past Monday. These photos are from today. They took 7.5 hours from start to finish (minus a 20 minute break).
Yes, they are small – they will bulk up a bit once the twist lets go a little, and I wanted the smaller ones for better coverage. I have them sort of pinned back in these photos.
I have been busting my ass over at azxureDawn to not only get work done that I have, but bring in more. I can’t win – either I am too idle for my own happiness, or I am too swamped to keep up. I wish I could find a happy medium.
I am going with my dad in two weeks to finish the kids holiday shopping, but most of it is done. I didn’t stand by not spending any money this year, but all told I think we spent under 150$ on all three combined. We got some inexpensive little stuff, and Michael got some good black Friday deals. They each got a metal slinky, a mini gumball machine and legos. We also got a SpeedRacer Wii game, Guess Who, some other Wii game (I can’t rememeber – it was a collection of mini games), the Ladybug Game, Kung Fu Panda (10$ @ CVS!), HotWheels Wii game, a dinosaur game and a sea monster game. Eshiva is getting one more thing picked up this evening, and my dad will get them each two more things (I try very hard to give one thing every night of Channukah, so they each get eight total). Dor asked for more Star Wars books and another Didj game, so there are his two, and I have no clue what to get the other two. I also need to pick up a cord for my brother and one more gift (they’ve outgrown needing eight things… I hope!), and something for my sister, and something for my dad. I am thoroughly stumped on his gift. Michael got a new tattoo machine and a GPS for his holidays gifts (he totally got them both himself, but both were splurges).
Read MoreJust documenting
The boys got their report cards yesterday. Dor made honor roll (with a 1/2 average, like a/b) and Mal got a “you try hard” award. His marks were all over the place.
I got a tidy paycheck today, so I bought myself a present. Ritz Camera was having a sale on filters (I know, it’s kind of a waste, since I can do it in PhotoShop, but I wanted to experiment without using PS) so I got
Seeing as I had gone to price check a Nikon F/1.2 50mm, I didn’t do so bad. I came away with the less expensive lens (which does the same thing) and three filters for less than the Nikon brand lens. I just wish I wasn’t too cheap to pay for over night shipping lol Eh, it wouldn’t have been here by tomorrow anyway. I guess I could have seen if the local Ritz had it in stock – I just thought about that. No worry. I’ll have plenty of chance to use it, and the lenses I have are perfect for the trip anyway.
We picked up a Wii Fit – the kids are loving it and I am hoping it does some good. I’ve done more yoga in the past two days than I’ve done in the past two months (longer even) and I’ve had fun doing it. Yay!
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