The girls and I figured out that it took us 8 woman hours to polish the cabinets. We completed them with our project time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – only working a half hour on Wednesday.

This morning we decided to tackle the refrigerator. It gets cleaned during our Christmas school break and during the summer except for taking care of occasional spills that happen in between. Mary started on the outside and then moved to the refrigerator door. Anna cleaned the freezer portion and finished up with the bottom of the refrigerator. I worked in the main part of the refrigerator. When one of us was washing a shelf or drawer in the sink, the other two would be working at the refrigerator. The whole task was accomplished in 45 minutes by the three of us – 2 woman hours and 15 minutes.

I used to feel a bit guilty if I asked the girls to help me with these kinds of projects. The Lord has shown me how beneficial this work is for the girls, and therefore caused me to see it as a blessing in their lives rather than a negative. They are learning to enjoy working. They are being prepared for a future role as a wife, mother, and homemaker. In addition, we have time together and a clean refrigerator that the family notices and comments on.

Trusting in Jesus,
Teri

Each summer I tackle cleaning and organizing projects for which I don’t have time during the school year. I will usually have scheduled an hour a day for these projects, working from a list I keep to help me undertake what is most important first. This week Mary, Anna, and I are polishing our kitchen cabinets. Because it is wrist-intensive work, we have broken our hour time slot for projects into two half hour times – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. With all three of us working together, we should be finished in four days. Not only are we accomplishing the job that needs to be done, but we have wonderful mother and daughter fellowship as well. Here is a link to a Mom’s Corner where I share a bit more about our cabinet polishing and summer chores in general. This link is for a Mom’s Corner on summer scheduling.

Trusting in Jesus,
Teri

The house work is continuing to come along. Joseph has been diligently working on the plumbing, with Jesse as his helper. I took some pictures of them this afternoon.

There is definitely work for the “clean up” team.

Joseph was finished with his project in the ceiling, so he now was handing down his equipment to Jesse.

We’ve also begun preparing for the Kansas state conference next weekend in Wichita (TPA). Above, Anna’s helping out with putting covers in the albums.

For those who have followed little Chester, she’s still doing well–and very playful! This afternoon, John saw her venturing off, so I guess she’s becoming adventuresome.

Only for Jesus,

Sarah

Today, we children, Grandad and Dad, powered through and finished compiling the rest of a Managers of Their Chores book printing. We have a great time talking while we work and just being together.

Then, this afternoon, Dad and Joseph talked/worked through some things on the plumbing project. That’s teamwork in action! The children were out cleaning up the house work site—that’s teamwork! I know the only “payment” they desire is Dad’s smile and praise of their job.

“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” (Proverbs 22:29).

Only for Jesus,
Sarah