Prepost note: If you haven't guessed at any of my movie lines listed below, please make a stab at it!! Everyone's doing great so far! Tonight was a great end to an exhausting week. We went for a long drive in the country, came home and grilled, and then had some great Table Talk with the kids. About a year ago we started making a list we now call: "The Ray's House Rules". We're constantly adding to this list as the need arises. Every once in while, we review them as a family at the dinner table. (It's so much nicer to talk about a rule when no one is actually breaking it...) Tonight was one of those nights. As Cole read the list aloud, there was lots of giggling, finger pointing and eye-rolling as we remembered specific "for instances" of rule breaking-- parents included. As I listened to the list, I started getting really tickled. You have to be a parent to appreciate most of our rules... THE RAY HOUSE RULES 1. Put your shoes away. (This one gets broken so much, I finally bought a big wicker basket to put by the front door. If you can't beat them, join them.) 2. Close the door quickly. (Basement door, Garage door, Stairway door.) 3. Make your bed neatly- daily. 4. Sleep UNDER your sheet and cover. (Don't ask.) 5. Clean up bathroom floor after your bath. (Ohhh- I thought MOM was the maid.) 6. Do homework and instrument practice immediately after your snack when you get home from school. (If you are homeschooled, get your stuff done before the big kids get home.) 7. Tell mom to put your dates and events on her calendar. (I'm sorry Mrs. Smith, but my dear child forgot to tell me that he promised that I would make homemade marshmallow snowmen for the entire 3rd grade.) 8. No TV except on Friday through Sunday. (This rule has been abolished since we cancelled our dish and only get FOX news now... This has been mostly a good thing, but boy I miss American Idol and 24!!) 9. Always have a book you're reading. Take this book with you everytime we go somewhere in our van. Books we're all reading at present: Cole- Team of Rivals (bio of Abraham Lincoln) Michelle- On Being Martha (bio of Martha Stewart-- I know, I'm the weak link here.) Emma- Memoirs of a Geisha Tru- Bill Gates (bio) Ty- The Magician's Nephew Ava- The Story of George Washington Julianna- War and Peace (just kidding) 10. No Playstation except on Friday through Sunday. 11. Do not leave school bags in the entry way. 12. A place for everything and everything in it's place. 13. DON'T take long showers. (Mom likes hot water too.) 14. When cleaning the kitchen, do not leave the counters dirty. 15. Do not leave your clothes on the ground outside. (The neighbors were starting to complain about the streaking.) 16. When leaving the van, take everything of yours inside. (This is one rule that has been totally ignored by every child in our entire family. Our van is a locker on wheels.) 17. Do not use the internet unless one parent is at home. (Abolished due to obtaining AFA filter for everyone's computers) 18. Every morning must include Bible reading and prayer. (Amen!) 19. Each school day's outfit must be selected and set out THE NIGHT BEFORE. 20. Do not wear shoes on the white carpet. (White carpet and five kids is not the greatest combo...) 21. Always knock before opening a closed bedroom or bathroom door. (Parents of five children NEED this rule. I know this.) 22. Do not eat or drink after others. (Just because.) 23. Be quiet downstairs when Jane is sleeping. (If you wake her, you have to breastfeed her. This might be difficult for certain family members.) 24. Do not leave bikes parked in front of garage door. (Because your mother is visually impaired and needs one of these.) 25. All balls must be placed in garage door after playtime. 26. NEVER dump kitty litter box on the back porch. (Yes, this really happened. Culprit will not be named to protect the guilty.) 27. Empty your pockets every night. (I have found the standard issue rocks, clips, pens, nerf bullets and even an iPod shuffle in jean pockets around this joint.) 28. For every hour you play on the Playstation, you have to read for an hour from the book that you are currently reading. (See rule #9) 29. And... last but not least...New rule for this week: Do not share combs, hats, scarves, earphones, barretts, hoodies, hairbows or ANY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING with ANYBODY. (For further explanation, see my post entitled: MIA)