Category Archives: activities
Where would you hide?
A while back I mentioned my Martha-Stewart-wannabe- plans. Well, they never panned out. Once again my intentions went unfulfilled. However, even without making a detailed calendar of what I wanted to do, our summer is going great. Possibly the best EVER. I’m so excited! Since Ellie got out of school, we have done a lot:
- We had an awesome week of VBS (even if it did start with my bra in the toilet).
- God allowed me to teach a formal Bible class — to adults! (VERY exciting, considering my usual students turn every lesson toward pirates and nudity.)
- I’ve done a lot of writing.
- The kids and I have gone to the beach …
- … a number of super-cool zoos …
- … the pool …
- … and several new parks!
- We’ve hosted brunches …
- … and playdates …
- … and one very formal tea party.
- Zach learned to play baseball.
- Ellie learned to ride a scooter.
- Both kids have started reading!!! (I am CRAZY excited about this one! Hooked on Phonics worked for us.
)
All this and the summer is only half over. I’m loving it! Next month we have Zach’s birthday and our annual family vacation to Cape Cod with cousins and Grandma and Grandpa and everybody. It’s the best.
But there’s more. (Can you hear my blaring giddiness?)
Rick has to go to London for business. For a whole week. AND I GET TO GO WITH HIM!!!
There’s only one problem — and this is where I need your help: I can’t find my passport. It’s not in the firebox where it should be. It’s not in any of my sixteen handbags or five carry-ons. (Yes, I know have a fetish and keep meaning to get help, but … well, I like my fetish.) I can’t imagine where it would be. I used it just eighteen months ago when we traveled to St. Lucia. I know it has since expired, but it would be so much easier to get it renewed than to get a new one, so here’s my question for you:
If you were an expired passport, where would you hide?
Bonus question: If you had to wander England while your husband sat through boring business meetings, where would you go? What would you do?
Weekend Recap
Mama loves fireworks.
Call me an un-American, terrible parent, but this weekend was the first time our kids ever saw fireworks. Well, sort of. In years past, I’ve let them watch the Independence Day recap on The Today Show the next morning. They thought it was cool and so did I since we didn’t have to fight crowds or noise or traffic or bedtimes. Still, it’s not the same. This year I decide it was time to initiate them.
We dressed, packed and drove, then spent twenty minutes (literally) trying to find a parking space. Once we did, we had to walk at least ten blocks to get to the field. There we sat on our little blanket (just inches from the families around us) and waited with hundreds and hundreds of other people. We waited over an hour. The kids were great! They begged for light-up necklaces and other such silly tokens while we watched the line to the funnel cake truck perpetually be 40-people long. Bonus: I learned was a zeppole is. Well, kind of. The truck advertized it and Rick looked it up on his iphone, then we decided whatever it is, it’s not worth $12 for three pieces. I mean, it’s just fried dough – right?
Anyway, after getting the kids properly prepared for the noise …
(Yes, those are hooded sweatshirts tied around their heads. Next year we’ll bring real earplugs.)
… the show began. It was great!
That is, until ash started falling from the sky, coating all of us. We all smelled like sulfur by the time we got home.
Even with the crowds and the messes and the noise and the ash, I loved it. Every minute of it.
Mama loves Zach’s stories.
As we walked the ten blocks back to our van, I asked Zach if he liked the fireworks. He said that, no, he didn’t because they were way too loud and hurt his ears. He also thought they were a little scary. Then he said that he did like the one part “when the stuff on the bottom and the stuff on the top crossed over like an ‘X’ because they looked like pirate swords. I think they were fighting and I like fighting.” I have no idea what he was talking about, but he repeated the story at least four times over the weekend.
Mama loves finding these.
Can you see them? Two little tiny green tomatoes! I’m so excited. Yes, I realize that sometime between now and when these beauties are ready to harvest, some creature (probably the wretched Peter Rabbits or the behemoth groundhog) will eat them up, but right now my heart is filled with hope that one day before the summer is done I’ll be able to taste the fruits of my labor. Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Your turn! What are you lovin’ these days?
Gladitudes
I’m back! Well, trying to be back. It’s been a crazy week. A GREAT week! But crazy. This morning I lack enough time and lucidity for one of my normal, introspective posts, so I’m going to take a cue from Kellie and make a list for Gretchen‘s “Gladitudes” exercise.
1. I’m glad that VBS went so well! We had a lot of kids. I’m not sure how many, but I’m guessing around 600, maybe more. This is a big deal because a lot of the public schools didn’t let out until after our program began. PRAISE GOD that we still had so many come!
2. I’m also glad that VBS raised so much for our missionaries. Offerings collected throughout the week are going to two different camps: one is for special-needs kids and the other is a woman from our church now working at a camp in Montana. Yes, we had our very own Hannah Montana. Anyway, the kids raised almost $1700 for these excellent ministries! In addition to these, the kids also brought in food for a local food pantry. A LOT of food! It was so cool to see the kids get excited about helping people in need.
3.I’m glad that my Bible study went well! Throughout the week I had 22 people come to my class — way more than I expected. I loved every minute of it. Well, except for the two minutes on Friday when I broke down in tears, but c’mon. Can anyone really not cry when talking about Simeon and the emotions he must have felt as seeing the Savior of the world in the flesh? He waited his whole life to witness the fulfillment of that promise! Yes, I’m emotional, but I can’t help it. We serve an awesome God. He overwhelms me regularly.
If you were part of the class, you’ll remember I referenced a painting by Ron DiCianni. This is the print: Simeon’s Moment. Can you see why I cry? It’s gorgeous.
4. I’m glad that even though the weatherman predicted rain all week, we made it through every morning of VBS with little more than a few drops. It was perfect.
5. I’m glad that we got to spend Saturday with family. My brother came up from Philly with his wife and their two boys. We had a wonderful time playing baseball in the front yard and the kids swam a bit in the back. Very cool.
6. I’m glad my sweet brother brought me a sunflower plant. I’ve never had a sunflower before! It’s so pretty. Today I plan to pot it properly for our patio. (I also plan to stop using alliterated sentences.)
7. I’m glad that the behemoth groundhog who resides somewhere in a four-house radius has not yet destroyed my tomato plant. He ate all our mulberries, tulips and lilies, but so far he’s stayed away from my roses and my tomatoe plant. That makes me very happy.
8. This is very exciting!! Since I’m stuck on plant-talk, I have to tell you: I’m so glad that our new neighbors (whom I believe are flippers) landscaped their backyard this weekend! Here’s the deal. We would like a little more privacy in our backyard, but are afraid to put in a privacy fence. The neighbors to the right of us installed a privacy fence just a couple months after we moved in. All the neighbors (on ALL sides of the block) apologized profusely to us, explaining that these neighbors were snooty, reclusive and just “not right.” They then assured us that our precious daughter (8 months old at the time) was not “THAT loud” and they all thought she was very cute. Well, she was cute, but we had taken no initial offense at the fence, but after hearing everyone’s apologies, we were a little … well, offended. We actually LIKED the privacy fence, but, after all the hub-bub, have been afraid of neighbor judgment and alienation if we were to install one ourselves. Plan B was to strategically plant hedges and trees in order to create natural privacy. As we weighed the cost and the plan and how much yard we actually wanted to consume, a sight from the kitchen window caught our attention. Our beautiful new (flipper) neighbors re-landscaped their whole fenceline at the back of our property!! Yup. Trees, bushes, lovely long grasses … it’s wonderful. We get the privacy (kind of) and didn’t have to pay a dime. Woo-hoo!
9. I’m glad that I have a few days “off” in which to catch up around here. This poor house has been pitifully neglected for the last couple weeks. Laundry piles have reached record heights and I can’t remember the last time our cupboards and fridge were this sparsely stocked.
10. I’m glad to have found a new author! I tend to find one I like and then read everything written by that person. This works well because I feel secure trusting a known author. But it sucks when I read faster than the author writes and then I’m stuck with nothing new to read. Have I mentioned that I love my Kindle? Well, I do. One of the reasons why is because I get the first few chapters of any book for free. I can read those without paying a nickel, then decide if I want to buy the book. It’s so much easier than trying to corral two preschoolers in Barnes & Noble while I decide whether or not I like a specific new-to-me author. Anyway, thanks to Kindle (Oh, I love my husband and how well he knows me!! Thank you again, Rick, for the best-ever Mother’s Day gift!! EVER!!) I discovered Tracey Bateman. I read this book over the weekend and am already part way into another. She’s funny, witty, smart … I love it. If you liked Camy Tang’s Sushi series, you’ll love Tracey Bateman’s Drama Queens series. They’re contemporary, sassy, authentic … just fun reads. Grab a couple for the summer.
I have woefully exceeded my online time for the morning. Gotta run!
Saved By the Bell: A Summer to Remember
I’m hosting a guest blogger today: Sharon Lovejoy Autry. A mom of 3, Sharon co-authored Mom and Loving It: Finding Contentment in REAL Life with her sister, Laurie (Lovejoy) Hilliard, mom of 4. Visit their website at www.MomandLovingIt.org. Today she shares some tips for surviving the summer with your kids. Thanks, Sharon, for stopping by!
Saved by the Bell: A Summer to Remember
The final bell rang. The kids screamed for joy. Mom sits in the carpool line wondering, “What in the world are we going to do all summer?!”
Maybe as summer has begun, you’ve found yourself resentful and angry because your children constantly “interrupt” your schedule. If that’s how you’re feeling, you’re normal.
But, wait. We wanted these kids, right? Are they really interruptions or blessings in disguise? How can we move from simply surviving the summer to making it a summer to remember?
Here are a few ideas to get you out of the summer survival rut:
1. Realize they won’t be this way forever. What is it about your kids that you won’t have in two years? If you are a parent of:
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Preschoolers: Look at their hands and notice how tiny they are. Enjoy that.
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Elementary children: When you’re away from home, call them. Their voices sound small on the phone. That always reminds me to enjoy their innocence rather than expecting them to act like little grown-ups.
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Tweens: Laugh at and enjoy their giggles (usually girls) and the fascination they have with being gross (usually boys)! Hopefully that won’t last forever!
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Teens: Even if they are driving you crazy, make your home the safe place. I still remember the fun place our parents created at home. It was our refuge. Let kids feel safe in your home by cutting down on the criticism and looking for ways to build them up. Mom and Dad’s secret was a ping-pong table. We spent hours there.
2. Say “no” with a smile. It makes you and your child feel better. They know you have some regret at having to say no. You are on their team.
3. Play music. Anger and music don’t usually dance. Movie soundtracks, praise songs, music from my teen years or even classical stations. I rarely find myself upset with my kids when we have music playing in the background.
4. Go outside. Sometimes taking a walk or bike ride with the kids can do wonders to change everyone’s perspective.
5. Things aren’t always as they seem. Remember that the way you are seeing things at this moment is probably not how it will look in a couple of hours. Frustrations can build and dissolve quickly when you have kids.
6. Offer them 30 minutes of your time. After they have helped pick up around the house let them pick what the two of you will do together and watch their eyes light up! For older kids, offer them the day off after helping for an hour.
7. Ask your kids what they think is fun. You might be surprised to find that their idea of fun often doesn’t cost any money. My sister was amazed to find that her 7-year-old son’s idea of “fun” was playing tag in the front yard with dad, mom and his little sister.
8. Slow down. Successful parenting doesn’t mean you have your children involved in every possible extra-curricular activity. Successful parenting means you are there for them. If you’ve been running all year, it takes “practice” to enjoy staying home. Don’t give up. Turn off the computer, TV, cell phone, etc. and read or play games (no matter what the age of your children).
9. Pray. When you are at your wit’s end, ask God to help you remember what to do with your kids. On our own, it’s hard to enjoy the moments because “life happens.” But God has a way of giving us perspective that will slow us down and help us see our families the way He sees them: with love and compassion.
The next time you blow your top or realize you’re just surviving your kids instead of enjoying their clumsy feet, silliness, or their constant desire to talk on the phone, stop and think, “one day I’ll miss this!” The funny thing is, tomorrow we’ll be longing for today. If we choose to think like that long enough, the kids won’t be the only ones sad to hear the school bell ring this fall.
A Big Bottle of Sunshine
After nine consecutive days of rain, Monday brought the sun back. Tuesday provided a taste of summer, a gorgeous day with no agenda. I think I’m still there. I skipped “Mama Loves” this week, but simply because I’ve been living it. Sleeping late and cuddling with bundles of giggles. Surrendering to a field of sweet-smelling grass; lying there with a book while the kids run and play with friends. Taking nature walks and attempting to skip rocks across the pond.
A song by Milkshake has been stuck on a loop inside my head. Yes, children’s music, but it’s fun and perfect for days like this.
“I’ve got a big bottle of sunshine.
Mix it up with a bowl full of daydreams.
Pour it into a suitcase full of laughter that I’ve found.
You won’t find me sitting around.
There’s only so much time in the day
And I don’t have a minute to waste.”
Sometimes the best way to spend the day is by “wasting” it in the sun with those you love.
WFMW: Life Balance (and a Giveaway!)
Some people think the dilemma of balancing family and work disappears when you work from home. It doesn’t. I work very parttime as a freelancer, but I still struggle. Here are some tips that help me do what I need to do and escape the chasing guilt that I’m not doing enough or not doing it well enough.
Stop multitasking.
I can’t do it all and, after years of trying, have learned that the more I try to do it all, the less I actually accomplish. Furthermore, what I do accomplish usually falls short of my best. It’s shoddy because I’ve done it with a divided heart and mind. My work — be that actual work (like writing or helping a client) or family work (like household chores or playing with the kids) — shines when I focus. My kids notice when I’m not “all there.” They know when my mind is a thousand miles away. My work notices too. I can’t write and play with the kids at the same time. Articles lose their cohesiveness and they take exponentially longer to write. It’s just not time-efficient. In a world that demands multi-tasking, how do I learn to single-task? Read the rest of this entry
A Rat-patootie Birthday
After pride comes the fall – right? It did for me at Ellie’s birthday party, so I’ll offer it to you here in the same sequence.
We’ve never before invited friends to her birthday parties. (We’ve got a big family, a small house and consistently too much snow this time of year.) But this year my girl turned five. That’s a big deal! And so we did a full-blown kid party for the first time. (Please note “full-blown kid party” is a relative term in the Northeast. A post explaining this is forthcoming.) Ellie insisted on a Ratatouille theme. She doesn’t actually like the movie so much, but she loves to cook. I took some elements from the movie and then did a mini-cooking class with her and her friends. It really was a great party. My favorite two aspects: we got everything done within the alotted time frame without any crying or injuries (a huge success with ten 4- to 6-year-olds!) and … the cake.
Can you feel my smile? I’m so proud of this! Here it is:
I found an inspiration cake online and duplicated it the best I could. It’s a two layer yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting. This was my first time doing a basketweave, so don’t look too closely at that part. I purchased the rat figurines, but molded the fruits, cheese and napkin from marshmallow fondant. Isn’t it cool? Even with the mistakes, I can’t fake humility on this one. This cake rocks! And I MADE IT! Moo hoo bwa ha ha ha ha!
(That’s my attempt at an evil world dominion-seeker’s laugh.)
Wanna see more angles? Of course you do! Here are the side and back.
And here’s my girl blowing out her candles.
And here’s my humbling moment.
Yup. That’s my birthday girl licking the rat’s ah—- “bummy”, as they call it in preschool. doesn’t she look happy? Then she generously handed out more rats so the whole party could join in in the licking of rats’ bummies.
I pointed out the offensive creatures for you, in case you missed them. And then there’s me, wondering why in the world we’re taking pictures of this.
They say “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”
See more humbling photos and their stories in the ‘Fro Me to You Carnival at Marcy Writes (aka: The Glamorous Life Association).
‘Fro Me to You: Forced Family Fun
One hundred fifty people read Tuesday’s post on Forced Family Fun. I never get that many visitors in one day! Perhaps I’ve hit on a familiar topic. I thought I’d carry the theme through today with some pictures. I mean, it’s not really Forced Family Fun until you take pictures of the wonderful memories you’re making – right? (If you missed Tuesday’s post, click here.)
I love these pictures! They’re almost three years old, but they’re so funny. In spite of the agonizing looks on some faces, this vacation was actually really great. Most of the time.
If you can’t decipher Beth’s shirt, it reads:
“All your sons will be taught by the Lord and great will be your children’s peace. Isaiah 54:13″
Don’t we look peaceful?
At least Ellie and Jack look … well, at the camera. Ah, they were both under three years old and pretty oblivious to the torture that gathered us all in one spot at the same time.
Our shirt backs say:
DENNIS
FORCED FAMILY FUN
Virginia Beach 2006
It’s right there. We HAD to have fun. Or else. Yup, I married into a military family. Literally.
I know, John! Zach doesn’t like pictures any more than you do, but can you humor us? We’re trying to make lasting memories here!! Now, smile and show off your matching haircuts.
Oh, we made lasting memories. We’ve got the tee-shirts to prove it.
(Mom, I know you’re reading this and you know I LOVE YOU! You also know we really did have a great time. I can’t wait to do it again. Can we get new tee-shirts, though? Ellie suggests pink next time.)
This post is sponsored by We Are THAT Family and the ‘Fro Me to You Carnival. Jump over there for more great stories accompanied by pics.
Mama Loves: Forced Family Fun
Every Tuesday you’ll find me here with Mama Loves. It’s my weekly exercise in blogging Philippians 4:8-9: thinking on the good, the pure, the lovely. It’s an encouragement to regularly focus on the positive side of things. For more details on Mama Loves, visit this post. Grab a button and join the party!
Mama loves Forced Family Fun.
You know what I’m talking about. These family activities start out as a great idea for making memories but, for some reason, always involve tears by at least one member of your party and grumbling from another; most of the group ends up having a terrible day. Everyone wants to blame the person who planned it (usually the mom), but years later you all laugh about it. The memory isn’t at all what it was planned to be, but it’s still treasured and cherished as one of your family’s great bonding moments.
We had one such moment this weekend.
While at Target on a very blustery day, I spotted some kites and decided to take one home, all along having visions of wonderful family memories at the end of that string. I wanted Rick to be part of the experience (This was, after all, the kids’ first time flying a kite.), so we waited until Saturday. By then Ellie’s excitement overflowed!
We hiked over eight blocks to the nearest park with the fewest power lines (remember my children are 4 and 3 years old) during which time Ellie tripped (she’s going through a growth spurt, and her feet are grossly disproportionate right now) and bruised her knee on the pavement. Did I mention it was 34 degrees? So, yes, we hiked with our young, vulnerble preschoolers in freezing weather until we reached the park. There we found no wind, but an abundant littering of goose poop. The kids ran and played, dragging the kite behind them (through the aforementioned bird feces) until poor Zach could no longer feel his fingers. Ellie sobbed when we said it was time to go because she knew we just weren’t trying hard enough to fly the kite. “Mommy, if you were taller or if I could run faster …”
I’m still laughing. Don’t we make great memories?
Your turn! What happened this week that you can laugh about, praise God for or find a silver lining in? Comment or write a post and link up. I want to hear it!
Mama Loves: Games
After a very long, restless night, I need some positive reinforcements. Mama Loves is my weekly exercise in perspective. The good always outweighs the bad. After a night full of trips upstairs for bad dreams, drinks of water, talking in their sleep and then a wet bed, I’m happy to focus on the better aspects of parenting, to remember why I love being a mama. I’d love to hear your positive side of things, too! If you want to participate, just link up at the bottom. Grab full details and a button HERE. For a perfect example, read Heidi’s post. Every time I visit her blog I am encouraged and challenged! This time she offers very clearly a Godly perspective on a really crappy experience.
As for me, my Mama Loves is about playing games.
Within the past six months or so the kids have reached the stage where they can play games for real. We’ve tried before, but with my obsessive compulsive, control freakish tendencies — remember the Christmas decorations? and the cookies? — well, attempting to play board games or card games drove me crazy, and their imaginative ”games” never made any sense to me (kind of like their jokes, but lasting much, much longer). However, we’ve reached a developmental milestone, and I’m loving it! Being three and a half and almost five, they’ve developed imaginations advanced enough to create their own games and include me in them. They know how to follow rules and understand the value in that, thereby creating their own rules (that make sense) and enforcing them. It’s so much fun! Not just the games, but all the little quirks and conversations that come with it. These kids are SO funny!
The favorite games around here are definitely Uno and Candy Land. As an aside, let me make a plug for Uno here. This game is PERFECT for young kids! It encourages color recognition, number recognition, matching and rules of exception. Our kids love it, especially the “tricky cards” like Skip and Draw Two. Let’s see, other games we play include Go Fish, Chutes & Ladders, Checkers and Memory. Ellie is also extremely interested in Chess for some reason. Probably the whole royal feel of it strikes a resonant chord with my princess.
Once while we were playing Candy Land, my piece caught up with Rick’s piece. With our two little plastic gingerbread people on the same spot, I couldn’t resist: I made my little person kiss his little person. Now, every single time anyone’s piece catch up to another, Ellie yells out: “You gotta kiss ‘em!” I didn’t realize I was setting such a strong precident. Zach, though, prefers to “good-five” the other players. Apparently, he’s just not as affectionate as I am. (By the way, this Candy Land photo was taken by BlueSleepy. Also, for future reference, when googling for “candy land” be aware you’ll face some not-so-sweet links. Wow.)
I mentioned imagination games. In addition to Mousy and Dennis, their shared imaginary friends — Have I told you about Mousy and Dennis? I’ll have to do that one of these days. Anyway, in addition to Mousy and Dennis, the kids have created a game called “Bad Guys.” In it we all pretend to be bad guys who have to capture the “good people” and lock them in cages. Last week we raided a hospital and stole all the babies before wrapping “the good people” in blankets and tickling them silly. I try not to get too analytical about why my children want to take innocents captive; I just like that they’ve deemed me their leader: Bad Guy Number 1. Zach is Number 2 and Ellie is Number 3. Those are our names. It’s consistent, which I find amusing. It feels slightly reflective of Austin Powers or another such terrible spy movie, but it’s fun.
So that’s my delight for the week: playing games with my kids. I love it.
Your turn! What positive aspect of life overshadows the negative?
