She still doesn't have a name

Ok, so sometimes I need to have a big fat piece of humble pie. I said a while ago that I would not consider any sci-fi names for our daughter from Brady's books.........and now I decided I like the name Arya, from the Eragon series. So I am pretty sure we are down to two names. Ayla and Arya. Thank heavens we still have 10 weeks to decide.

Jobs

My kids ask all the time for new toys. I get very tired of their requests every time we go to the store. There are even occational tantrums involved from one specific 5 year old. (Probably because I always say no). So we decided that sometimes, they can have an opportunity to earn a toy. I made a chart last night, and the boys get one sticker for every 2 quarters they earn. When the chart is filled up with enough stickers to pay for the toy including tax, we can go get it.......if it's close to payday hahaha. We won't do this reward chart all the time, but it's fun for them to see they have to earn money to get the things they want. This time around they would like to get a rubber playground ball to kick around at the park and with friends who come to play.  So far their jobs have included sweeping up the rocks on the sidewalk, washing and rinsing dishes by hand, unloading the dishwasher and sweeping under the table every night after dinner, and cleaning up the backyard. I had them do the dishes because there was a mountain of them.....mostly all plastic......and I just didn't feel like doing 3 loads in the dishwasher. It took them almost an hour to wash and rinse everything, and they did such a good job. There was quite a bit of water on the floor, but I guess that's to be expected from kids using a sink full of water. After they earn enough to purchase the toy it will be a while before we do the sticker chart again to earn something else. I have also decided that having both of them unload the dishwasher and sweep under the table every night is a necessary job, and they won't be getting 'paid' for it after their ball is earned. I love that they want to do jobs to earn money, and they even ask several times a day what jobs they can do. The things that need to be done every day are getting done (happily and willingly)......by someone other than me and THAT makes me very happy. I am starting to feel a little less like the Lindsay House Slave and a little more like a loving mother should.

Friends

I just had a thought, and I think I should write it down.
I have two good friends here in Las Vegas who are from different countries. One is from Germany, and I have known her for just over a year. Brady and I introduced her to the LDS missionaires, and she was baptized last June. The other is a wonderful woman from Israel. She moved here a few months ago from California, but lived most of her life in Israel. Tomorrow moring she is delivering her second child, and I am really really excited for her. I never would have thought in a million years that I - a sheltered Idaho Mormon girl - would ever have friends from different nationalities. This truely is one of the things I love about living here. I have so many fun and unique opportunities that I never would have been able to experience had we stayed in Eastern Idaho. It's another testimony builder to me that we are where the Lord needs us, and we are here for a reason. There is a purpose to everything we do, and I am thankful to know I don't have to do the hard stuff alone.