Earning $.... hopefully! :)

In January I started thinking about where Cora could get a job in this area, how she could work and play ball, and many other scenarios.  Nothing was playing out satisfactorily in my head.  I realized I am a greedy mom.  I don't want my kids having to ask for time off so I can go on summer holiday.  Or if I decided to go to my parents for the day. I want to just go.  I can't afford to pay them to work on the farm like my dad did for me growing up. But they do need to learn to work and need money for mission and college.   So what to do.....?  I started thinking about how my brothers went to the auction and bought cows for their mission funds.  My kids didn't have the money to buy the first cow.  Again....hmmmm?  I finally decided to talk to Dave.  I let him know right up front this might be crazy and not work but hear me out.  I was also concerned about how it would effect Amber and Jared since this is a partnership.  I wanted to make sure bottom line we would not be taking anything away from them, because obviously that wouldn't work.  So after thinking of all possible solutions and how we wanted things to play out, this is what we have decided to do.  We took the kids to the field and had them each pick a cow.  Right off one of them wanted this one with the neat perfect  square.  We said nope to that since we know Amber likes that one.  They had to keep looking.

Leah picked this pretty chocolate one.  His number is #8036.  She picked a steer, wants fast money I think.  She named him Skittles. (Not sure why??)

Blake loved this tiny one. #8008.  Dave was trying to get him to pick a bigger one, but he wanted this cute thing.  Named him Bucko.

Since Cora has less earning years we had her pick a yearling.  I think the brown nose is what won her over on this one.  #9.  Cora is thinking about naming her Shish-Kebab, but is not decided yet. 

Now first we know these cows are not 'theirs'  they are the farms, but we wanted them to have a cow they where looking for.  One to get excited about when it was pregnant, to look for in the field.  The kids would be more willing to get out and do the work if they felt they had a little ownership.  After they picked a cow we explained what we planned to do.  After we sell and the money has been divided between the two partners, we will take our half and figure out what the kid's cows would have been worth.  We will then put that amount in their bank accounts and have them pay tithing on it.  Because they did not buy the cow originally or are paying for it's feed, their payment to us for the cow is all the farm work they do.  Checking, feeding, bailing, moving, etc.  For spending money they can still mow the lawn, vacuum car etc.  Leah was a little unclear of the concept in the beginning.  She thought I was just going to give her a couple hundred dollars every year.  But we got her sorted out.  Hopefully this will work.  They can earn money for mission and college, we are not taking anything from the other partners, they can still earn a little pocket money, and learn to work and budget by working around the farm.  We will see.  Fingers crossed.:)