Odd Jobs {Working Boys}

Joseph and Judah suit up for work.

Their lucrative fire starters business has been the bread-winning strategy of our working boys for about a decade.  Together they made, marketed and sold hundreds of these little flammable creations over the past 10 summers, as side-kicks to Grandpa Cliff's booth at the Saturday Market in Edmonds.  Grandpa's high end woodworking creations take center stage, and the boys' fire starters, made with the sawdust from his shop are displayed by our young entrepreneurs off to the side.  Quite a worthy little business plan, and one that has financed such purchases as Zachary's CRT contact lenses, many season passes at Mt. Baker, and a mountain bike to name a few.  The profits have been shared with worthy charities throughout the years, as our boys learn to give back and be generous with their income.

Joseph on the job

Unlike our fire starters summers of old, this summer has become the summer of man-power.  The boys have accepted many offers of employment for neighbors, friends, and our businesses to help keep lawns mowed, weeds whacked and plants watered.  Additionally, they have a regular job helping an elderly neighbor with her recycling and garbage chores, one for which they would gladly volunteer and have many times attempted to refuse payment unsuccessfully.  Their physical strength is put to the test in some of these gigs, and others bring the relative ease and freedom of driving a mowing machine.  Their friends, too, have been included in some wage-earning work parties, which only makes the toil more enjoyable.

Judah earning his way

Joseph drives the mower.

Tim trains Peter in the use of the powerful weed destroyer.

Not to say the fire starters business is going under... 
But for the time being, the boys are otherwise engaged in meaningful forms of employment and are continuing to learn how to manage their earnings, which makes for a great summer school course in our home school.

Industrious {Working Boys}

Joseph and Peter manufacture fire starters, an annual summer-time tradition.

The history of our boys' family business, chartered by Zachary many years ago is here.
Peter's on duty today, working the crowds at the Edmonds Saturday Market.  His set goal is $50, but he will likely double that.  This entrepreneurship will help Peter fulfill a new requirement for Boy Scouts 2nd Class Rank:

• Earn an amount of money agreed upon by you and your parent, then save at least 50 percent of that money.

Ready for packaging, freshly made fire starters

Peter's profits will be divided with Joseph, his co-producer, with the remaining earnings put into his bank account.  Of their own accord, the boys have always been very generous in making donations at Church and to other non-profit organizations.  Over the years, their earnings have helped them purchase new bikes, season's passes for skiing, and gifts for their friends.  

In his years of selling fire starters, Zachary was able to save enough money to go halves with us on very expensive contacts (CRT lenses).  Zac's goal was simple: to get the glasses off his face.  Our goal was to help make sure the real expense of the contacts meant something to him, in the hopes that he would take good care of the lenses and not take them for granted.  Zac still has that same pair of contacts to this day!  Our home school lessons in earning, saving, tithing and spending are well worth all the effort.  Even if the driveway is covered in waxy droppings.

Small Change {Big Expense}

Today Joseph paid for his season's pass for skiing.

Joseph filled out all the boxes and bubbles, and signed on the dotted line...

and forked over $200 of his own money...

which was then carefully counted by a clerk who would have preferred that Joseph show photo ID to prove he was really 12 and not 13 (there's a price jump at age 13).

Skiing is a favorite family recreation in the winter, and it's snowing like crazy on Mt. Baker right now! It's time to hit the slopes!

This is Peter's "5th graders ski free" year, and if it's a great snow year, it'll be the first "free year" that wasn't a complete washout for us.  Both Joseph's and Zachary's "free years" were abysmal snow years.  2010-11 looks to break that trend!

For many years, our boys have saved up the profits from their fire starter business to purchase their own ski passes.  With the sport being so expensive, we figured one of the best way to teach them how to ski would include teaching them the real costs involved and help them find a way to earn the money.

They'll soon be up on the mountain on a winter camp-out (lodge stay) with Scouts.  Skiing on Saturday, sledding on Sunday, (and home in time for Mass on Sunday evening).  Should be an awesome event.

Listen kids~ hard work pays off!