Budding Entrepreneur?

What do you think?
Will anyone hire these two?

Emma created this flyer by herself.
I don't know if Natalie is aware of what she's been committed to. :)

The flyer says (and I quote) ~

"Emma and Natalie at your service!
$2 each

Natalie and Emma will pull your weeds, plant your flowers,
rake your lawns, and sweep your driveway.

If you would like us to do this for you...please call!

We could do this on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
We do not work on Sunday.  Thank you."

At that price, I think I'd be foolish
not to employ them ~ Wouldn't you agree? :)

Many Blessings,
Camille

Paper Route ~ A History

We have lived on our street for over 17 years.
When the children were little, I observed the paper route
family as they dutifully delivered week after week.

Two papers per home.
Twice per week.

One family was employed by both papers.
They were delivered on the same days to the same homes.  I was intrigued.
As they passed by our home, on occasion, I let it be known
that if they were ever going to give up the route,
we would be interested.

At the time, our children were very young.
If I remember correctly, Emma was just a newborn.
She may not even have been a part of the family yet ~ I cannot recall.
But, I could see the potential.  And, I was right! :)

It was something the children and I could do together.
The routes were eventually given up.  But, not to us.
Two papers.  Two different families.

And I was back to square one.

This time around, I called the papers and got my name on the list.
If ever the routes should become vacant, we were in line for the take-over.
It took time.  First, one paper became available.
And then, about six months later, the other one.

Seven years ago this June was when we began.
Austin was 10 years old, Calvin was 8, Fraser was 5,
and Emma was 3.  It was busy.

But, we did it.  Together.  The five of us.
Rain, snow, hot sun, and everything in between ~ we delivered.
And we saved.  I paid the children a small amount each time,
and the rest was socked away.

After two years and four months, we had enough money to
go on a family vacation.  All the way to Florida!
The children were very excited that they were able to take
Daddy on a holiday!  Very excited ~ and so was I. :)

(Of course, travel rewards were used and whatever we could
get for *free* was secured ~ BUT ~ the cash portion of the trip
was paid for with our paper route savings).

That was in 2008.

When we arrived home from our holiday, the boys
took over the route as I was no longer needed.
The boys were old enough to do it all by themselves.
Emma was still too little.  Her paper route days were over.

Until recently.

Austin withdrew himself from the roster last summer,
and Emma took his place.  (Thoroughly protected by her brothers, of course)!
She's pleased to be able to earn a little money again.
Actually, it's more than a little.  Since the children do it without my help,
they equally divide the proceeds.  It's a sweet deal.

Unfortunately, that means I am out of work.
(Is a Mum every really out of work)?!
Currently, I'm trying to figure out a way to build up my reserves ~ LOL!

Many Blessings,
Camille

Boys For Hire!

The boys keep busy in the summer months
with jobs for the neighbours,
as well as jobs for us...
and the paper route.
They also like to spend some time playing...
of course! :)

We have lived in our neighbourhood for nearly 16 years.
The boys have grown up here.
The neighbours have kindly allowed them to shovel snow,
sweep driveways, walk dogs,
weed and water, feed a cat, and mow lawns ~
FOR PAY!

Each of the photos below was taken at the job site ~
three different neighbouring yards involved here.

~ Austin mowing a lawn ~

We are blessed beyond measure with the neighbourhood that the LORD
has graciously put us in!
We did not *choose* this house to live in.
It was a "fixer-upper" meant to "flip" within a few months of purchase.
The market went soft just as we bought.
Six months later we moved in.
God's PROVISION!

We had not "researched" the area.
We didn't even have the house inspected
(more on that one day perhaps)...

~ Calvin "weeding" in full protective gear! :) ~

We had NO IDEA what a GREAT place this would be to raise children!
How WONDERFUL that the LORD knows what is BEST for us!
We thought we were above this place.
It was not "good enough".
I am ashamed to remember what we thought in those days!
We were like spoiled children who should have had this home
stripped off of us and never given another!

God's GRACE is such that we often are given what we
DO NOT DESERVE!

And His MERCY is such that we often do NOT get what we
DO DESERVE!

~ Fraser watering ~

Continuing to number HIS graces ~
daily gifts and blessings from HIS loving hand...

701. The home we live in ~ a gift from God!

702. That we have never moved house with our children...
incredible thought!

703. The neighbourhood God PLACED us in...
we never would have chosen it!
(Another incredible thought)!
We were so spoiled in our thinking ~ to our shame!!

704. That God did NOT strip this home from us ~
HE is so long-suffering and patient!

705. The neighbours who seek out our boys to give them jobs!

706. The three boys who God has given us to teach and train.

707. The promise God has given to give us the wisdom to
accomplish the calling in #705.

708. Protective gear when danger threatens ~ *smile*
(There actually was REAL danger lurking on that property),
which has since been removed!

709. Finding a news article about that danger "just in time" ~
The LORD once again!

710. MANY things (jobs) to occupy the boys ~
no time to get restless...they have been helping around here too! :)

711. FULL summer days!

712. Development of work ethic ~
oppotunities directly from our Loving Heavenly Father's hand!

713. Lazy summer days!

714. All the opportunities to visit with friends and family
while we enjoy the "relaxed" schedule of summer

715. Special memories that have been made...
the LORD is good!

A Boy and His Dog

From L to R ~ Fraser, Harmony, Buddy, Austin, Oreo, Calvin and Hershey

Don't you think there is something special about a boy and his dog? Beautiful thought ~ really.
But the trouble is, these are not our dogs...we don't even have ONE! :)

The neighbours have kindly hired our boys to walk their dogs for them and the boys have happily obliged. Two of these dogs are not "regulars" and one of the "regulars" is missing. This troupe is quite a sight as they trek down the road ~ what fond memories they will have of these days!
What fond memories I will have of these days!

Why can we not freeze these precious moments??
I suppose the solution to that is to enjoy each day God gives us, for it will soon be a memory.

Sideline Business?

**You can click on the picture for a larger view...that is, if you want to! (If you don't, you will miss seeing the date on that magazine...too funny!)**

One of my three boys (who shall remain nameless) seems to be a budding entrepreneur. He rigged up this box full of "goodies" as a self-serve store on the counter behind the toilet in the "boys" bathroom downstairs. He strategically placed it there for hopeful sales. There is even a cup provided for the payment! It made me chuckle...how about you?

Paper Route

**As with all my pictures...you can click on the images to enlarge them**

Delivering the local free paper has been a staple activity in our family for over four years now. We began with one paper on one route and it grew into two papers on the same route and then we added in more homes. At the beginning we all (the four children and I) went together. Emma was three and Austin was ten and the other two were in between...it was an adventure.

We saved our pennies and then dollars until eventually we had enough money to take the family on a seventeen day long vacation. We flew from the West Coast all the way to Florida! It was so exciting for the children to think that they had earned enough money to make this trip possible! We used AirMiles and a rewards Visa to get whatever we could for free, but the route supplied the funds required for everything else. Now the boys are able to do the route on their own without the help of Mum! Where does the time go? They really do grow up way too fast.