Success!

Normally, I am not a very good mom. Don't get me wrong - I love my children and they are well cared for. However, I tend to give in a lot and spoil them by not making them do their chores (it's easier if I do it) or buying whatever is the most coveted item of the week just to keep them from whining (the incessant whining!).

This weekend I did neither! Beds were made, floors were swept, mopped, and vacuumed, toilets cleaned, and toys, shoes and other miscellaneous items put away (for the most part) by my "cheerful" helpers. It was marvelous! Once the whining stopped and the girls actually started working, they realized it wasn't so horrible. It took a total of 1.5 hours to complete all the tasks - not long at all.

With a clean house, we were free to do a little shopping for Easter dresses, enjoy lunch at the local Artic Circle complete with 2 courtesy cones each, and stop by the local change casher to convert their coins into spendable money. Each girl ended up with at least $20 once their change was converted!

We immediately went to Game Stop to buy "Cooking Mama" for the DS. This is something Isabelle has wanted since Christmas. We have refused to buy it for her, telling her she needed to earn the money herself. You would think she was the most deprived child on the planet! But since she was able to buy the game herself, she has shown great pleasure in her ability to actually acquire something independent of her parents. It was truly a great moment!