bankity banks

I made the boys some homemade banks, patterned after the bank my dad/mom made for me when I was a kid.  Prior to this, I looked every where for a multi-purpose bank (one that could give a child the option to save for and put money toward a number of different things) for my kids and couldn't seem to find one anywhere.  I loved the bank I had growing up.  Although it isn't in the best shape, I have lots of memories as a kid of divvying up my allowance or pay check and dropping my coins and bills into the different jars and being able to save up for big things like college/mission.

My parents made us these banks when we were little.  They have a jar for Savings, Tithing, College, as well as a globe for mission.  So I decided to recreate.  I found the vintage tin globes on e-bay, and saved up baby food jars:


I love the idea of a child being able to start early saving up for these things and having a place to put their tithing so handy.  So that is why I resorted to re-creating what I had and making them (James helped me cut the holes).

Of course while I am busy working on a project, the kids also want to do what I'm doing.  They were happy to paint the wooden scraps.

Jimmy actually made a car with wheels (he hammered it all by himself) with his, and was pretty dang proud of himself.

And here's some pics of Johnny.  These days, he has no interest in the camera, unless it involves making silly faces.  He'll say "Take a picture of dis face mom"

"Ha ha, look at dis one!"

"Hey mom, now take a picture of dis face!"

"oooh! oooh! mom, look at dis face!"

I just love the smears of peanut butter he has on the side of his cheeks and the little milk-stache on his cute upper lip.  Peanut butter cheeks are commonplace round here around noon each day.  That's what happens when you are too cool for the crust.
 
My next home made project for the kids is a plywood growth chart we can hang on the wall.  Kinda like this one, but one that everyone can use and mark their height on throughout the years.