The Perfect morning...

We, in the Rasmussen house wake up every morning with a song in our heart and a kind word on our lips. We wake up with Hugs and Kisses, Sunshine and Flowers! It is perfect here in the Rasmussen house. Every child is perfectly obedient and every adult is perfectly Lovely. The children get dressed with their shirts tucked in and pants neatly ironed because I, the perfect mother, has ironed everyones clothes before I went to bed last night. We have OBEDIENTLY taught our children that GOD comes first, so each of our children have had a Quiet Time before heading downstairs for a PERFECTLY healthy breakfast feast of fresh fruit and home-made oatmeal (which I might add, they gobble up quickly with NO arguements or complaints, because they LOVE IT). We all exchange hugs and kisses just before heading off to school where they will learn everything possible about READING, WRITING, & ARITHMATIC. They will NEVER have their names on the board or have to sit out during RECESS. They NEVER get in trouble with their teachers and they get along perfectly with their friends and siblings. IT IS GREAT TO BE US!!!

Okay, here is how our day really went (and most days I might add)... we woke up late because we went to bed to late due to baseball and baths and homework and chores, etc, etc, etc... so we are running late. Kids are grumpy because they are tired. One child is complaining that he doesn't like the breakfast we are eating. Another complains because someone is touching her. Another complaint about how his shoes don't feel right. AND THE LIST JUST KEEPS GOING. Well the good MAMA i am forgot to make lunches last night, so I am last minute throwing things together. Not sure if it is healthy or not because I am half asleep.
Milk is spilling off of the counter, dogs are eating the dropped food, and children are fighting. I have had enough. So, the good mother in me starts yelling...YOU GET THE PICTURE.

We had a "COME TO JESUS MEETING" on our way to school. We are NOT going to have anymore mornings like the one we have had this morning or sadly too many mornings in the past. We are starting a MARBLE JAR. I have been wanting to start this system for a while now and today seems like the perfect morning. I bought three jars and each child's name is painted on the jar. I have written out a schedule for the morning and afternoon, on a poster. Every morning (and afternoon) that the schedule is followed by each child, they can put one marble in their own jar. If there is a problem with the morning, that particular child does not get a marble. There are NO chances here. They have been warned! :)

Now the reward for getting marbles is having a sleep over with a friend. If you get 100 marbles in you jar, then you can invite ONE friend over for a night of SUPER FuN times. In the Rasmussen house, sleep overs are EXTREMELY RARE. In fact, Quaid has had maybe 3 in his life and the other two even less. (We aren't too fond of our kids sleeping over at other people's houses either- but that is another story). So this is a HUGE treat for them. I will keep you posted on how it is going!