How Much Do You Pay Your Babysitter?

This is one of life's great quandries for me. I don't think I've ever asked a sitter, "How much do you charge?" and had them give me an answer other than, "Whatever you want to pay me."

I encountered that today. I called one of the 13 yr old girls from church and she wasn't available, but said her 15 yr old sister was. So, I talked to the big sis and told her I'd need her for about 1.5 hrs next Saturday. I asked how much she charged and got the "usual" answer. I said, "Ugh! I hate that! I don't want to underpay you! What do you usually get?" She said,

"For two kids, for about an hour, I usually get $20."

I about CROAKED. I stammered and said something to the effect of, "Well, I'm more used to paying $4-5/hr, and my kids are pretty self-sufficient. How would you feel about $10 or so?" I asked if it was still worth it to her and she said it was, so I guess we're on.

My gosh. My husband doesn't even make $20/hr! We're in the wrong field!!!

So, here is my big QOTD (Question Of The Day): How much do YOU pay your babysitters? Please include ages of your kids and the age of your usual sitter, 'cause I think those are important factors. Like, I'd pay more for babies/toddlers and more if the sitter were older, esp if she was driving herself over. And, I pay more if it's an all day affair. Anyway, I'm very curious to see how far off I am on my pay scale!

Thanks!

Prayer

The girls and I spent 24 hours with my grandmother this week (she lives about 2.5 hrs from us). She made an interesting comment as we sat down to a meal together. As we discussed saying a blessing on the food (she is Christian but not LDS) said, "When the kids were little, I taught them all to say this little grace, "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food." Then one time, we came to visit you guys at your house and your Daddy called on you to say the blessing and out of your mouth came the sweetest little prayer about thanking God for Grandma and Grandpa and it was just right from your heart and it was like you were just talking right to Him. I'd never heard anything like it before and it just touched me."

I've heard most of my grandma's stories before (grin) but this was a new one for me. I said, "Yes, we teach our children to open the prayer in the name of Heavenly Father, thank Him for things, ask Him for blessings we need, and to close in Jesus' name, but the rest is up to them." She then asked me to say the blessing on the food, so I did, and then of course, Maren and Elaina wanted to each say one, too. Those were well-blessed turkey sandwiches!

I am so grateful for the gift of prayer in my life. It is my understanding that other Christian faiths believe that God is silent, and it is hard for me to fathom that. I have always been taught (according to our LDS beliefs) that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and wants to hear me and speak to me, much like an earthly parent communicates to their child. I have had many experiences that have taught me that this is true. I am so glad that I can teach my children this same truth. It is a powerful thing to know that I am a child of God, He is my Father, and that we can communicate.

I've Been Tagged

I knew this day would arrive...

I've been tagged. Here are the rules:
A. The Rules are posted at the beginning
B. Each player answers about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player tags 5 people, posts their names, and goes to their blogs letting them know they've been tagged, and to please come visit and read my blog for the rules. So, here goes...

5 Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago
1. Teaching my third year at Wasatch Elementary in Provo, Utah
2. Married for 18 months
3. Recovering from my first miscarriage
4. Wondering if and where P would get into a graduate program
5. Serving in my eighth Relief Society Presidency

5 Things on My To-Do List Today
1. Go to church
2. Play piano for Primary (as a sub - I usually teach the 12 and 13 yr old girls)
3. Write Christmas thank you notes
4. Make cookies w/my girls
5. Give the girls a bath

5 Snacks I Enjoy
1. Trail Mix
2. Fuji apple
3. Chocolate
4. Chocolate, nuts, toffee, and/or carmel
5. Popcorn

5 Things I'd Do If I Were a Billionaire
1. Fund research to find a cause & cure for autism
2. Buy a sweet house (with movers and unpackers to get us in there, and a housekeeper and a chef once we were there!)
3. Invest wisely
4. Fund our parents' retirements
5. Travel

3 Bad Habits (what, only three?!)
1. Staying up too late
2. Picking my hangnails
3. Grumbling in my head instead of speaking up

5 Places I've Lived
1. Kent, WA
2. Lake Forest Park, WA
3. Lynnwood, WA
4. Provo, UT
5. Astoria, OR

5 Jobs I've Had
1. Third Grade Teacher
2. Sixth Grade Teacher
3. Hospital cafeteria worker (motivation to stay in school!)
4. Receptionist/file clerk in medical office
5. Receptionist/scapegoat in oral surgeon's office

5 Things People Probably Don't Know About Me
1. My littlest toes are so weird...I only have a tiny bit of nail...makes polishing them almost impossible
2. I am unreasonably afraid of being alone (outside of my home) in the dark
3. Two reoccuring dreams: 1. my teeth fall out in chunks, 2. my daughters are really my sisters and my mom is really the mom of all 3 of us
4. I worry ALL THE TIME about all the stuff I'm not doing as a mom that I "should" be doing
5. I rarely get nervous speaking or performing in front of people. It's not that I'm ubersecure; I just figure they're all glad it's not them up there where I am!


Dang, that was kinda hard! I tag Brian, Chrissy, Rebecca D, Paige, and Becca R, with my apologies!

Where In the World is...

Yesterday, M was staring intently at a big map of the world. Finally, she said, "Mom, where is Arientar?" I said, "Arientar? Never heard of it."

She said, "You know, like, 'We three kings of Arientar!'"

Christmas (Eve) Morning

The girls knew that P had to work on Christmas, so we would plan on opening presents on Christmas Eve...as in p.m. since he's off on Sun/Mon. It was fun to see them wake up kinda squirmy and whiny about having to wait all day, and then to see their smiles when we told them they could actually go ahead and open away.

Sorry about the tiltled pic...it's vertical in my pictures file and I don't know what else to do. I wanted to share it, though, to point out the pink glittery gloves that E got in her stocking and wore to open ALL the rest of her presents. Here, she's hugging her new Webkinz. In the "loot" picture, M is holding her hand like that to show off her "real gold, real diamond" (thank you, Wal Mart) ring that "won't even turn my finger green and I can wear it in the bath and everything?!?"

They have really had fun the past few days with all their new stuff. Thanks to all who contributed! ;)

Would you like some cookie with those sprinkles?

I was feeling brave, so the girls and I did some baking together this week. One day, we made fudge, spritz cookies (thanks for the "gun," Jen, it was perfect...M did them all!), and chocolate covered cashews. The next day, we made chocolate cherry cookies and "candycane" bread. The girls loved it and didn't even argue too much about whose turn it was to pour something in the bowl next. I've been feeling like a "slacker mom" lately 'cause I just want to take the easy way out, but these two days cured me of title, at least for a little while.

Now E is Famous!

Get a load of me and my little one on B2 of the News Tribune today! We've been waiting and waiting for it to finally be in the paper, and hooray, today's the day!

When I went to the Ready! for Kindergarten meeting, I met the lady who did this story. I guess I was too verbal 'cause when I saw her at the library for storytime a week later, she asked if she could interview me for the story. Imagine that, me having something to say about education?! The photographer came to our home just before Thanksgiving and took over 400 pictures in 20 minutes. You'd think that out of all of those, he could've published one where I look a little more interested in what E is doing, but oh well! ;) I was really surprised to see it in color, too, and so big!

I hope you can click on the article and get it big enough to read. I have some pretty cheesy quotes...

That's Some Cookie!

I wasn't one of the parent helpers the day this craft was made at E's preschool, but I was there the next day when they were all displayed on the wall. I noticed a striking difference between my daughter's creation and those of her classmates:

On their ingredients list were things like sprinkles, frosting, and candy.

Now take a look at my daughter's list, right out of her creative little mouth.

Wow, there's a tiny part of me that's a little embarassed, but mostly, I am proud of her for thinking outside the lines. No idea where the thoughts came from (maybe she thought the bell-shaped foam sticker looked more like an octopus?), but this project is definitely a keeper.

p.s. I notice that I've posted a lot more about E than about M lately and I feel guilty about that. It's not that I adore one more than the other...I'm just WITH E a lot more. Now that they're both on winter break (not "Christmas Vacation," mind you) I hope to glean some entertaining stories from both of them!

Comfort and Joy

When we moved, we somehow lost the box containing all my essential baking supplies: salt, pepper, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, etc. I gave up looking and replaced them all, but kept forgetting to get more cocoa.

I finally remembered this week and, standing in the cold and rain yesterday, waiting with cold toes and E for M's bus, I was suddenly filled with intense longing for one of my very favorite comfort foods.

Homemade chocolate pudding.

If you've never made it, you are truly missing out. If you had, you know why my girls enthusiastically supported my idea! As soon as we got home, I set to work. Soon, we were at the table, "mmmmmmmmm-ing" and feeling truly content.

And then we began the mad rush to get ready for E's preschool Christmas party. But those moments were bliss.

Now, in the midst of all your Christmas baking, we highly recommend you pause and make some of our favorite chocolate pudding. (But be prepared to never go back to instant pudding again. Sorry, Mr. Cosby!)

*****************************************************
Chocolate Pudding:

Heat 3 cups of milk in a saucepan.

In a separate bowl, combine:
1 cup sugar
2 heaping T flour
2 T cocoa
2 eggs

Add a little heated milk to the mix. Gradually add entire mix to the milk, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Add 2 T margarine and 1 tsp vanilla. Option: add a dash of cinnamon. Sometimes we serve with cool whip and/or marachino cherries.
**********************************************

By altering this, you can make a great chocolate pie filling. Let me know if you want that info. Personally, I'm usually just as content with just the pudding, and it doesn't involve a rolling pin! :)

Notes

This morning, P was putting the finishing touches on his talk for Sacrament meeting. E asked him, "Daddy, what are you doing?"

"I'm writing notes for my talk."

"Daddy, those are not notes."

"Sure they are!"

"No, they're not. Here, give me your pen and I'll show you what notes are."

She then proceded to write these "music notes" on his paper!

I guess those episodes of "Little Einsteins" are paying off!

Impressive, Crazy Pictures

If you want to see some impressive, crazy pictures of the damage that the wind & rain did in my hometown of Astoria, Oregon, you can head on over to my bro's blog at http://brionicman.blogspot.com. I knew from talking to my SIL that it was bad, but wow, seeing it is a whole new story.

Safe and Sound

Just a quick note to let you know that we are all a-ok, at least in our immediate vicinity. The flooding is bad south of us and north of us, but we just got a good soaking along with some impressive winds. Thanks for your nationwide concern! ;)