Just like riding a bike...

A couple of weeks before Christmas, my better half came home from work carrying a handful of paper "Mommy Dollars" (complete with my picture) and some homemade price tags. He said he'd had a brilliant idea that would keep him from having to drag the kids out shopping.

He explained that the kids could earn Mommy Dollars by doing things that help Mommy around the house. Emptying laundry, clearing dishes, emptying the dishwasher, putting away laundry, etc... All stuff they should be doing anyway, but now they'd be rewarded for doing it with a cheerful attitude. The Mommy dollars could be earned until the Friday before Christmas (the 21st).



On Friday, my beloved set up a Mommy Mall in the basement. Everything he purchased for me had a price tag on it, and the kids could "buy" gifts for me at the Mommy Mall. Then they got help wrapping their gifts in the gift wrap center Daddy set up in my scrapbooking room (it has a large work island for gift wrapping and other stuff...)



I just think he's so smart! I told him he had to take pictures and then hide the camera so I couldn't peek! The kids were so excited and were SUPER helpful that entire week. I love Mommy Dollars! I told my husband that the extra help is the best gift!

Mid-week my husband gave the kids a sneak peek so they'd know what they were working to buy. My oldest child worked extra hard to earn money, because there was something she had to "buy" me and it had to be from HER. I couldn't imagine what it was that had her working so hard, doing so much, asking so often what she could do to earn extra "money".

On Christmas day the kids handed out the presents, and when the gifts were all piled in front of their recipients, my husband told me to shut my eyes. I did, and I heard scuffling and clicking and then I smelled rubber. It was my long awaited bicycle! Yippee! I was thrilled, because I had hinted strongly for two years that I wanted a bike. Someone finally listened!

Well, today is January 13th, and I have yet to get on that bike and ride it. It sat inside until Tuesday the 8th, and my husband finally rolled it outside. He rode it to see if it was big enough for him (it wasn't). But I have yet to put my bootie on it. My dad even sent me a nice, comfy, soft furlike cover for the seat, and I haven't tested it out yet.

Why?

I'm scared that I won't remember how to ride it. I haven't been on a bike since the 90s. What if I fall?

I gotta' get on that bike. I gotta'.

Wish me luck.