Once in awhile, you have people in life that "adopt" you, people that take you on as family (and you take them on as yours). It can happen early on in life with some of your besties that you've been around forever or it can happen as an adult but it's always a blessing to add to your support group. I have just such a family that lives nearly a day's travel from me but has blessed me since day one. She became my "mama" when she started keeping an eye out for me when I was a dumb kid that was friends with her daughter. Rebellious, I was not (so much), but dumb and naieve, I definitely was. I would sort of blow it off publically but, behind closed doors, I was thanking God to have someone in my life who was truly watching out for me....someone who put her kids first and supported them even in the worst times.
As I got older, Mama was still there for me. She was there through marriage, kids, and then divorce. She was there through moves, ups and downs, and side to sides. She gave me advice when I needed it and hugs when I couldn't find the words. She gave me encouragement when I was scared to death and laughed with me in the best of times. We shared card games, movies, and just had long talks. She was one of the few adults in my life that I can truly say was there for me 100% all of the time from day one.
Even now, Mama B holds a special place in my heart. In every truly necessary way, she's my mom. She's the person who supports me no matter what, loves me unconditionally (even when I'm not so loveable) and shares the good, the bad and the ugly with me. Her daughters, who I refer to as my "adopted sisters" are some of my best friends (as they have been since the day this crazy "adopted" relationship started) and I share in their celebrations from afar. I can only hope to someday be HALF as wonderful as Mama has been to me, both individually and for my children's friends. I can only pray that I can fill a gap in their lives the way she has filled a gap in mine.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Mom-Schooling
Mom-schooling. For me, it's creating helpful things to work on at home that coincide with what they're learning at school or maybe teach something that teachers only got to touch on. I've gotten a lot of crap for it over the years because people drill me and tell me I'm not letting my kids be kids by giving them "work" at home, too. The fact is that I don't drill them. It IS voluntary and it's almost always something fun and/or rewarding. So here are my best mom-schooling tips.....
Start 'em young: If you have the opportunity, start them on workbooks and reading time young. They learn to enjoy it much more easily if it's something that's made fun and routine at the same time at a young age.
Cater to their interests. Improve their writing by giving them a writing prompt that interests them. Maybe it's a letter to bribe mom to play video games on weeknights. Maybe it's a vacation idea. Maybe it's writing about zombies...or princesses.
Projects, projects, projects Let them visualize what they are learning through projects, whatever type that might be.
Give them a love for learning EVERYTHING This comes from giving them a love for learning, in general. If they're interested in horses, let them learn as much as possible. Then when they show interest in something else, let them learn on that. Encourage curiosity.
and finally....
Field trips This one's tricky because money dictates what you can do. With that being said, a trip to the grocery store can be a math field trip. A bowling trip can help with math. The zoo can encourage a lot of different subjects including math, English, etc.
My current "want to teach" is History so I'm working on that. It's time-consuming but worth it :)
Start 'em young: If you have the opportunity, start them on workbooks and reading time young. They learn to enjoy it much more easily if it's something that's made fun and routine at the same time at a young age.
Cater to their interests. Improve their writing by giving them a writing prompt that interests them. Maybe it's a letter to bribe mom to play video games on weeknights. Maybe it's a vacation idea. Maybe it's writing about zombies...or princesses.
Projects, projects, projects Let them visualize what they are learning through projects, whatever type that might be.
Give them a love for learning EVERYTHING This comes from giving them a love for learning, in general. If they're interested in horses, let them learn as much as possible. Then when they show interest in something else, let them learn on that. Encourage curiosity.
and finally....
Field trips This one's tricky because money dictates what you can do. With that being said, a trip to the grocery store can be a math field trip. A bowling trip can help with math. The zoo can encourage a lot of different subjects including math, English, etc.
My current "want to teach" is History so I'm working on that. It's time-consuming but worth it :)
Conferences....wooo hooo!
It's gonna be a short post to summarize yesterday's proud mama moment. I had already had conferences for my junior high-er last week. Summary? She's got a very good understanding of the material she's studying in all areas. The worst problem is that she is so eager that she shouts out in class which can be distracting. All things said, AWESOME. Smart, articulate, sweet child :)
I went last night for the conferences for the other three. My fifth grader is doing amazing. He's very bright, studious and all of that. He's still an 11 year old boy so he horses around occasionally and he's a little emotional but that's who he is. My fourth grader is very well-informed, one of only three kids in his class who is a teeny bit from a bowling (reward) trip AND is a little shy/quiet but is doing well socially. Now here's the news that surprised the crap outta me (and not because I didn't know she was smart or well-behaved...just because it's a big honor). Her teacher told me that she is literally the ONLY child in the class that listens and behaves all the time with no off days. She's a bit of a perfectionist but she is doing awesome....so awesome that they want her in the gifted and talented program. I have to feel like I'm doing a good job as a parent if they're all having such great conferences!
I went last night for the conferences for the other three. My fifth grader is doing amazing. He's very bright, studious and all of that. He's still an 11 year old boy so he horses around occasionally and he's a little emotional but that's who he is. My fourth grader is very well-informed, one of only three kids in his class who is a teeny bit from a bowling (reward) trip AND is a little shy/quiet but is doing well socially. Now here's the news that surprised the crap outta me (and not because I didn't know she was smart or well-behaved...just because it's a big honor). Her teacher told me that she is literally the ONLY child in the class that listens and behaves all the time with no off days. She's a bit of a perfectionist but she is doing awesome....so awesome that they want her in the gifted and talented program. I have to feel like I'm doing a good job as a parent if they're all having such great conferences!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Bittersweet Endings and Mature Thoughts
The beginning of the end of relationships can be a bittersweet time. It can often contain a million emotions. You feel the relief of a weight being lifted from the drama you have dealt with yet a sadness for all of the work and heartache you put into it. You feel the happiness of moving on and yet the sadness and mourning of leaving someone behind. It applies to all kinds of relationships from lovers to families to friends to business partners/bosses. All relationships have an end...and all endings have the possibility of being bittersweet. This is not some sad post for me. I'm not going through a break up or some sadness. This is a post about maturing and getting a more clear understanding of some of the blah parts of life. Here are my thoughts....
Relationships are hard sometimes, no matter what. It doesn't matter if it's a friendship, work relationship, love relationship or family. Relationships are absolutely hard sometimes all around. There are going to be fights, stresses, or misunderstandings in all relationships at times. The key is understanding that they're hard and that life is hard at times.
Relationships require work on both sides. Relationships always require work. It might be as simple as a phone call, letter, email, text or whatever. It might be as big a job as racing to someone's house when they're in a place of need. Some require more work than others but they always require work to maintain them...just like all good things in life.
Relationships have to be reciprocal. There are going to be times when one person needs the attention or help more than the other but relationships have to be reciprocal for them to succeed. That means that you have to put in the time to get the benefits.
Relationships have endings...all of them For some relationships, it's a til death do us part. For some relationships, there comes a point in time that you must draw a line and say, "this is unhealthy for us and it needs to stop." Sometimes it's harder than others to draw that line.
Relationships are highly personal. That seems to be obvious but there are a lot of people that place judgments about other people's relationships. THAT is what I am referring to. No one can tell you when it's best to keep trying and when it's best to just let go except you. You know yourself and the situation better than anyone.
Relationships can help you heal. Sometimes this comes in the form of someone coming into your life that brings you joy (child, lover, friend, etc). Sometimes, though, this comes in the form of letting go of someone in order to help you become healthier....of dealing with the heartache that someone caused you in order to make yourself healthier.
Relationships are not always as simple as "blood is thicker than water." While I love that expression, I also loathe it. Sometimes it's not as simple as that. Sometimes people make choices about their lives and who they want in them and you have to accept it. It's not always fun and it's doesn't always make sense but sometimes parents or siblings decide they don't want to have a relationship with you...and it's not about you. It's about them.
and finally....
Relationships are about creating layers to your personal onion. What I mean by this is that relationships aren't meant to fill a void in you. You have to be a complete person for any relationship to succeed. Relationships are meant to add layers to your life. They're meant to create protection, flavor, and fullness. Your support system (your layers) is a big part of you and you deserve greatness.
Relationships are hard sometimes, no matter what. It doesn't matter if it's a friendship, work relationship, love relationship or family. Relationships are absolutely hard sometimes all around. There are going to be fights, stresses, or misunderstandings in all relationships at times. The key is understanding that they're hard and that life is hard at times.
Relationships require work on both sides. Relationships always require work. It might be as simple as a phone call, letter, email, text or whatever. It might be as big a job as racing to someone's house when they're in a place of need. Some require more work than others but they always require work to maintain them...just like all good things in life.
Relationships have to be reciprocal. There are going to be times when one person needs the attention or help more than the other but relationships have to be reciprocal for them to succeed. That means that you have to put in the time to get the benefits.
Relationships have endings...all of them For some relationships, it's a til death do us part. For some relationships, there comes a point in time that you must draw a line and say, "this is unhealthy for us and it needs to stop." Sometimes it's harder than others to draw that line.
Relationships are highly personal. That seems to be obvious but there are a lot of people that place judgments about other people's relationships. THAT is what I am referring to. No one can tell you when it's best to keep trying and when it's best to just let go except you. You know yourself and the situation better than anyone.
Relationships can help you heal. Sometimes this comes in the form of someone coming into your life that brings you joy (child, lover, friend, etc). Sometimes, though, this comes in the form of letting go of someone in order to help you become healthier....of dealing with the heartache that someone caused you in order to make yourself healthier.
Relationships are not always as simple as "blood is thicker than water." While I love that expression, I also loathe it. Sometimes it's not as simple as that. Sometimes people make choices about their lives and who they want in them and you have to accept it. It's not always fun and it's doesn't always make sense but sometimes parents or siblings decide they don't want to have a relationship with you...and it's not about you. It's about them.
and finally....
Relationships are about creating layers to your personal onion. What I mean by this is that relationships aren't meant to fill a void in you. You have to be a complete person for any relationship to succeed. Relationships are meant to add layers to your life. They're meant to create protection, flavor, and fullness. Your support system (your layers) is a big part of you and you deserve greatness.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Debunking some Mommy Myths
People can be judgmental, especially women. We all want to be Superwoman/SuperMom but we can be so hard on each other for our approaches. A wise man once said "There isn't any way to be a perfect parent but there's a thousand ways to be a really good one." Not everyone approaches parenthood the same and there are some very vast differences between working moms and stay at home moms but it's kind of similar to the differences between grizzly bears and polar bears: they make changes to adapt to their environment and have a lot of differences but in the end, they're both bears.
With all of that being said, I've chosen today's post to be a salute to moms. In doing so, I'm going to dispel some "myths" and preconceived notions that have been floating around about moms, both working and stay at home.....
Those circles under my eyes are not from staying up late partying. In fact, those circles under my eyes started when I was pregnant because the 7+ pound being having a party in my uterus regularly made me feel fifty shades of green (as in nauseous) and decided my ribcage was perfect for kickboxing practice. It continued through having a newborn, then an infant as sleepless nights and 5:00 AM wake up calls became the day's special. Then it continued through toddlerhood and preschool as I lay in bed wondering what delightful mischief they'd think of before I woke up in the morning (There is nothing more frightening than waking up in a panic wondering what your stealth toddler has got into that is making that strange whirring sound.) Now, as my children are school aged, my under eye circles are from trying to cram too many hours into the day; run here, help with this, do that and once the kids are in bed, it's time to take care of the other things I haven't accomplished. I imagine that these under eye circles never go away because you never stop worrying about your kids but, rest assured, I am not having a rave in my house once the kids are in bed....I'm scrubbing kitchen floors.
Stay at home parenting is not easy. Working parents, in particular, love to throw this one out there, though men can be a close second on who judges the most on this (not all men, but a large majority). Stay at home parenting, when done correctly as a large portion of women do, is not an easy task. Imagine being at your job and the relief you get as you watch the clock, waiting for 5:00 so you can go home. Now imagine that there is no clock and your job never stops. THAT is what stay at home parenting entails. It can often be a thankless job when it comes to appreciation from those around you. Your "payment" is hugs and kisses and you can't get a mani/pedi done on that. You're constantly dealing with a balance between spending time with your kids and the million and one tasks it takes to run any household. Tack on the fact that working moms tend to assume that the stay at home moms can handle ALL of the extras involved in school and extra curriculars and you have a recipe for an overworked parent. There are no "lunch breaks" and there's no vacation time. You don't get to socialize in the break room. It's a 24/7 job 365 days a year.
Being a working mom doesn't mean you don't want time with your kids. I hate this assumption. I have had eyes rolled at me more than once when I say that I would love to be able to stay home with my kids if I had the money to do it. MOST (not all but most) working moms don't work out of desire to escape their children; they work outside the home because two incomes are essential to their household. They don't run out of the house in the morning thinking, "Ahhhh finally got rid of those children." They run out of the house in the morning with a feeling that is a mix between guilt for having to leave them and concern over what they need to accomplish. Those tasks that others may have time to achieve during the day while the kids are napping or at school have to be crunched into the two or three hours they have after work to try to spend time with the kids, help with homework, make dinner, clean up after dinner, get kids through baths and tuck then into bed. Then the real fun begins...how much can they cram in work-wise once the kids are tucked in? It's not that working parents don't want to spend time with their kids and, given the opportunity, I know a lot of working moms that would jump at the chance to have more time with their kids if they could afford it.
Your all-organic diet and cooked-from-scratch meals don't make you a better parent. This is a relatively new judgment that I already loathe. Yes, all organic food and cooked-from-scratch meals are way healthier and better for both you and your children. With that being said, not everyone has time to cook a complete vegan meal prepared only with the finest ingredients. Not everyone desires to eat tofu tacos. When given the option AND the money, yes, a lot of parents would buy organic (especially when it comes to produce) but the fact remains that it's the effort that counts. I'd rather see a thousand parents who throw in a Stouffer's lasagna and spend time with their kids while it's cooking than a thousand parents who shoo their kids out of the kitchen while they spend four hours making homemade sauce, homemade noodles, and so on. Don't judge someone on the fact that they can't afford to buy the organic bananas; guess what, the kids are fine eating a regular banana. Don't judge the parents that don't have the ability to create a homemade tea to treat their child's cold and turn to the Robitussin instead. Organic is good but it doesn't make you a better parent.
And while we're on the topic, just because you choose not to co-sleep or baby-wear, it doesn't mean you care less about your baby. Feed me all of the studies you want, the fact remains that people choose to parent in vastly different ways. For some, co-sleeping and baby-wearing are what their instincts tell them is best and to those parents, I applaud you for listening to your heart. For those of us who didn't co-sleep or baby wear, you are not less of a parent and it's not that you loved your baby any less. Not everything feels right to every parent. So you can continue to feed your studies to support your cause and tell me how I am less of a parent for choosing to put my baby in a crib in the other room when she's only two months old but they're school aged now and they turned out fine so your studies mean very little to me.
By the same token, baby-wearing and co-sleeping don't make you a hippie. No, it's not a choice that I made. I didn't find it to be right for me and still don't. For some parents, this is what they feel comfortable and happy with as a parent. A lot of their obsession with informing you of the studies constantly is because this can be highly criticized by people that didn't make this choice. Yes, it CAN be extremely beneficial to baby and mommy. The kids are gonna socialize just fine and they're not gonna grow up with whatever crazy ideas that the people that judge this approach come up with.
My jokes about pulling my hair out don't make me a bad parent. I find this to be some sort of a judgment that comes from parents with really young children normally. Yes, there are times as a parent that nearly everyone feels like pulling their hair out. Kids are little people and, guess what....they can be buttheads sometimes (just like adults). You can nurture the crap out of your child and they're still going to choose a tantrum or a bad attitude sometimes. It's the nature of the beast. So if I choose to have a sense of humor about the topic and say that I'd love to shoot my moody teenager with a Midol dart, I am simply trying to make light of a very frustrating time for myself. I love my children enough to admit that they aren't perfect and that they can be buttheads sometimes. I'm sure they'd say the same about me.
And finally, my lack of organized sports and activities for my children doesn't mean I don't love them. For one thing, a lot of parents can't afford these activities. Others can't make it to pick them up or drop them off because of work schedules. Then there are the parents that are actively involved in every aspect of school, sports and activities for their children and that's AWESOME. You are the glue that holds PTAs together and I salute you. My choice (as with many other parents) to NOT overdo it in my life does not make me a bad parent. Different people can tolerate different amounts of activity. Different people have flexible or less flexible schedules. Different people have different levels of creativity. Different people have different cash flows. Not everyone is built for volunteerism within organized sports and activities. While I'd love to be the soccer mom and PTA president (okay maybe not the president but more involved), my lack of involvement is not a stab at anyone OR a note on how much I love my kids. On the contrary, I choose to spend that free time as a family and know that they'll participate more when they're older. I'm not training my kids from toddlerhood in a sport that has me running around like a chicken with my head cut off just so I can push them to try to get a scholarship. I want my kids to be kids and enjoy their childhood....and I'm not a crappy parent for this.
I could go on for days about this topic but I attacked some of the more common topics that have been irking me lately. Like I have said previously, every parent does it differently and every parent has different instincts and approaches. No one person's approach is right because every child is different and requires different approaches as well. Instead of judging, appreciate the differences and embrace the opportunity to learn about someone else's way to doing things.
With all of that being said, I've chosen today's post to be a salute to moms. In doing so, I'm going to dispel some "myths" and preconceived notions that have been floating around about moms, both working and stay at home.....
Those circles under my eyes are not from staying up late partying. In fact, those circles under my eyes started when I was pregnant because the 7+ pound being having a party in my uterus regularly made me feel fifty shades of green (as in nauseous) and decided my ribcage was perfect for kickboxing practice. It continued through having a newborn, then an infant as sleepless nights and 5:00 AM wake up calls became the day's special. Then it continued through toddlerhood and preschool as I lay in bed wondering what delightful mischief they'd think of before I woke up in the morning (There is nothing more frightening than waking up in a panic wondering what your stealth toddler has got into that is making that strange whirring sound.) Now, as my children are school aged, my under eye circles are from trying to cram too many hours into the day; run here, help with this, do that and once the kids are in bed, it's time to take care of the other things I haven't accomplished. I imagine that these under eye circles never go away because you never stop worrying about your kids but, rest assured, I am not having a rave in my house once the kids are in bed....I'm scrubbing kitchen floors.
Stay at home parenting is not easy. Working parents, in particular, love to throw this one out there, though men can be a close second on who judges the most on this (not all men, but a large majority). Stay at home parenting, when done correctly as a large portion of women do, is not an easy task. Imagine being at your job and the relief you get as you watch the clock, waiting for 5:00 so you can go home. Now imagine that there is no clock and your job never stops. THAT is what stay at home parenting entails. It can often be a thankless job when it comes to appreciation from those around you. Your "payment" is hugs and kisses and you can't get a mani/pedi done on that. You're constantly dealing with a balance between spending time with your kids and the million and one tasks it takes to run any household. Tack on the fact that working moms tend to assume that the stay at home moms can handle ALL of the extras involved in school and extra curriculars and you have a recipe for an overworked parent. There are no "lunch breaks" and there's no vacation time. You don't get to socialize in the break room. It's a 24/7 job 365 days a year.
Being a working mom doesn't mean you don't want time with your kids. I hate this assumption. I have had eyes rolled at me more than once when I say that I would love to be able to stay home with my kids if I had the money to do it. MOST (not all but most) working moms don't work out of desire to escape their children; they work outside the home because two incomes are essential to their household. They don't run out of the house in the morning thinking, "Ahhhh finally got rid of those children." They run out of the house in the morning with a feeling that is a mix between guilt for having to leave them and concern over what they need to accomplish. Those tasks that others may have time to achieve during the day while the kids are napping or at school have to be crunched into the two or three hours they have after work to try to spend time with the kids, help with homework, make dinner, clean up after dinner, get kids through baths and tuck then into bed. Then the real fun begins...how much can they cram in work-wise once the kids are tucked in? It's not that working parents don't want to spend time with their kids and, given the opportunity, I know a lot of working moms that would jump at the chance to have more time with their kids if they could afford it.
Your all-organic diet and cooked-from-scratch meals don't make you a better parent. This is a relatively new judgment that I already loathe. Yes, all organic food and cooked-from-scratch meals are way healthier and better for both you and your children. With that being said, not everyone has time to cook a complete vegan meal prepared only with the finest ingredients. Not everyone desires to eat tofu tacos. When given the option AND the money, yes, a lot of parents would buy organic (especially when it comes to produce) but the fact remains that it's the effort that counts. I'd rather see a thousand parents who throw in a Stouffer's lasagna and spend time with their kids while it's cooking than a thousand parents who shoo their kids out of the kitchen while they spend four hours making homemade sauce, homemade noodles, and so on. Don't judge someone on the fact that they can't afford to buy the organic bananas; guess what, the kids are fine eating a regular banana. Don't judge the parents that don't have the ability to create a homemade tea to treat their child's cold and turn to the Robitussin instead. Organic is good but it doesn't make you a better parent.
And while we're on the topic, just because you choose not to co-sleep or baby-wear, it doesn't mean you care less about your baby. Feed me all of the studies you want, the fact remains that people choose to parent in vastly different ways. For some, co-sleeping and baby-wearing are what their instincts tell them is best and to those parents, I applaud you for listening to your heart. For those of us who didn't co-sleep or baby wear, you are not less of a parent and it's not that you loved your baby any less. Not everything feels right to every parent. So you can continue to feed your studies to support your cause and tell me how I am less of a parent for choosing to put my baby in a crib in the other room when she's only two months old but they're school aged now and they turned out fine so your studies mean very little to me.
By the same token, baby-wearing and co-sleeping don't make you a hippie. No, it's not a choice that I made. I didn't find it to be right for me and still don't. For some parents, this is what they feel comfortable and happy with as a parent. A lot of their obsession with informing you of the studies constantly is because this can be highly criticized by people that didn't make this choice. Yes, it CAN be extremely beneficial to baby and mommy. The kids are gonna socialize just fine and they're not gonna grow up with whatever crazy ideas that the people that judge this approach come up with.
My jokes about pulling my hair out don't make me a bad parent. I find this to be some sort of a judgment that comes from parents with really young children normally. Yes, there are times as a parent that nearly everyone feels like pulling their hair out. Kids are little people and, guess what....they can be buttheads sometimes (just like adults). You can nurture the crap out of your child and they're still going to choose a tantrum or a bad attitude sometimes. It's the nature of the beast. So if I choose to have a sense of humor about the topic and say that I'd love to shoot my moody teenager with a Midol dart, I am simply trying to make light of a very frustrating time for myself. I love my children enough to admit that they aren't perfect and that they can be buttheads sometimes. I'm sure they'd say the same about me.
And finally, my lack of organized sports and activities for my children doesn't mean I don't love them. For one thing, a lot of parents can't afford these activities. Others can't make it to pick them up or drop them off because of work schedules. Then there are the parents that are actively involved in every aspect of school, sports and activities for their children and that's AWESOME. You are the glue that holds PTAs together and I salute you. My choice (as with many other parents) to NOT overdo it in my life does not make me a bad parent. Different people can tolerate different amounts of activity. Different people have flexible or less flexible schedules. Different people have different levels of creativity. Different people have different cash flows. Not everyone is built for volunteerism within organized sports and activities. While I'd love to be the soccer mom and PTA president (okay maybe not the president but more involved), my lack of involvement is not a stab at anyone OR a note on how much I love my kids. On the contrary, I choose to spend that free time as a family and know that they'll participate more when they're older. I'm not training my kids from toddlerhood in a sport that has me running around like a chicken with my head cut off just so I can push them to try to get a scholarship. I want my kids to be kids and enjoy their childhood....and I'm not a crappy parent for this.
I could go on for days about this topic but I attacked some of the more common topics that have been irking me lately. Like I have said previously, every parent does it differently and every parent has different instincts and approaches. No one person's approach is right because every child is different and requires different approaches as well. Instead of judging, appreciate the differences and embrace the opportunity to learn about someone else's way to doing things.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Coffee. Mmmmmm
You know that it's meant to be when your sweet fiancé traipses out through the snow on a Sunday morning...to get you Dunkin Donuts coffee.....even when he doesn't drink coffee. This morning, I woke up and just made a silly passing comment about Dunkin Donuts coffee. Instead of rolling his eyes, my fiancé got dressed, warmed up his car and went to get my coconut coffee with cream and sugar.
And THAT, my friends, is how you know it's meant to be.
And THAT, my friends, is how you know it's meant to be.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Top Ten Reasons I Want To Take My Family To Walt Disney World
I blog so often about all of this really heavy material so today, something nice and mellow. These are the Top Ten Reasons I Want to Take My Family to Walt Disney World.....
1. Nobody does "magic" like Disney Other parks try it but none will ever succeed. Walt Disney had an idea of what people would love and creating magic for people. There is no place in the world that makes you feel more magical and childlike than Walt Disney World.
2. The sight of fireworks behind Cinderella's castle still gives me chills and makes me tear up. I should preface by saying that I spent many vacations in the Disney parks in Orlando and love the ambience. Even in youtube videos now, I watch the fireworks displays with Cinderella's castle in the foreground and I tear up. It's a beautiful sight...and it's magical (which goes back to number one).
3. It's in Florida. Okay, I confess. I want to do all of the Disney parks but I also want to go to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove amongst other things. Then I want to venture over to my favorite beach in the country: St Augustine beach. Florida is great place to visit (just not to stay....at least for me).
4. Mickey Mouse Let's be honest. Who doesn't want to hug Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh? I'd love for my kids to stand there in awe, waiting for Mickey to sign his name to their autograph book. I'd love for my youngest to get to meet and hug the Princesses that she adores so much.
5. The opportunity for a little education Okay for most kids, Epcot is a boring place but an opportunity for just a little education. Visiting the "countries" there is a really cool experience where kids can witness different garb, cultural changes, and even different foods.
6. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Like I said, nobody does magic like Disney. Water Parks + Disney = Amazement
7. Magical Dining Experiences: Yes, I'd want to do the magical dining experiences. Most specifically, I'd like to do the Crystal Palace (dining with Pooh and friends), a meal with Mickey and friends, Akershus breakfast with the Princesses, and a meal in Cinderella's castle but some of the Disney hotels have awesome experiences too. I also love the Rainforest Café!
8. Souvenirs and goodies Yes, some might say they're overpriced but the t-shirts that remind you of your experience, the mickey ear ice creams, and the autograph books are all part of the experience. I mean, who wouldn't smile at the memories they get from their baseball cap with Goofy ears?
9. Downtown Disney. I have wanted for years to take my daughters to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and let them experience true Princess pampering. Meanwhile, the boys could hit the Lego Store. There are so many amazing little stores and Disney ambience.
10. Family Time and Oodles of things to talk about. Let's be honest, as kids age, it's harder to get them to chit chat. After all of the fun they have doing Disney, though, there's plenty to talk about. What was your favorite ride? What was your favorite park? The list is endless!
So there it is. The top ten. There's more but I wouldn't want to go on and on. Maybe we'll get our Disney experience someday and maybe we'll wrap it in with a road trip where we can go through Georgia and up to Illinois to visit family and friends before we go home. Regardless, it's a dream I hope to someday achieve.
1. Nobody does "magic" like Disney Other parks try it but none will ever succeed. Walt Disney had an idea of what people would love and creating magic for people. There is no place in the world that makes you feel more magical and childlike than Walt Disney World.
2. The sight of fireworks behind Cinderella's castle still gives me chills and makes me tear up. I should preface by saying that I spent many vacations in the Disney parks in Orlando and love the ambience. Even in youtube videos now, I watch the fireworks displays with Cinderella's castle in the foreground and I tear up. It's a beautiful sight...and it's magical (which goes back to number one).
3. It's in Florida. Okay, I confess. I want to do all of the Disney parks but I also want to go to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove amongst other things. Then I want to venture over to my favorite beach in the country: St Augustine beach. Florida is great place to visit (just not to stay....at least for me).
4. Mickey Mouse Let's be honest. Who doesn't want to hug Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh? I'd love for my kids to stand there in awe, waiting for Mickey to sign his name to their autograph book. I'd love for my youngest to get to meet and hug the Princesses that she adores so much.
5. The opportunity for a little education Okay for most kids, Epcot is a boring place but an opportunity for just a little education. Visiting the "countries" there is a really cool experience where kids can witness different garb, cultural changes, and even different foods.
6. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Like I said, nobody does magic like Disney. Water Parks + Disney = Amazement
7. Magical Dining Experiences: Yes, I'd want to do the magical dining experiences. Most specifically, I'd like to do the Crystal Palace (dining with Pooh and friends), a meal with Mickey and friends, Akershus breakfast with the Princesses, and a meal in Cinderella's castle but some of the Disney hotels have awesome experiences too. I also love the Rainforest Café!
8. Souvenirs and goodies Yes, some might say they're overpriced but the t-shirts that remind you of your experience, the mickey ear ice creams, and the autograph books are all part of the experience. I mean, who wouldn't smile at the memories they get from their baseball cap with Goofy ears?
9. Downtown Disney. I have wanted for years to take my daughters to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and let them experience true Princess pampering. Meanwhile, the boys could hit the Lego Store. There are so many amazing little stores and Disney ambience.
10. Family Time and Oodles of things to talk about. Let's be honest, as kids age, it's harder to get them to chit chat. After all of the fun they have doing Disney, though, there's plenty to talk about. What was your favorite ride? What was your favorite park? The list is endless!
So there it is. The top ten. There's more but I wouldn't want to go on and on. Maybe we'll get our Disney experience someday and maybe we'll wrap it in with a road trip where we can go through Georgia and up to Illinois to visit family and friends before we go home. Regardless, it's a dream I hope to someday achieve.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Conferences and Relaxation (aka Ahhhhh)
Last night was Parent-Teacher conferences at the middle school. I find it puzzling that the conferences don't come at report card time like many other schools but I try to attend the open house forum and talk to each of her teachers individually. What I've determined after conferences is that I must be doing something right. All six teachers told me how bright, sweet and wonderful she is. They told me how she is a pleasure to have in class, always makes sure that her homework is done and turned in and that if she does poorly on an assignment, she always wants the retake to attempt to do better. She has a very clear understanding of the material and tries her best, which is awesome! I'm very very proud of her.
This morning was an entirely different "ahhhh" moment. I got up and started to make my coffee. Having eaten after the kids yesterday, there were dishes left over so I rinsed them and got them ready for the dishwasher and then started wiping other things down, organizing and before I knew it, I was skipping out on my coffee for cleaning (not abnormal for me). I stopped what I was doing, checked myself and said, "I need to take a bit of time just for me." Ahhhhhh relief. Granted, those things will still need to be done but they're not emergency and, in the scheme of things, are not even that important. The ahhhh moment is far more important to me.
I think that everyone needs to concentrate on getting a couple of ahhh moments a day. Even if they're small, few and far between. It doesn't matter what your ahhh place is or how you ahhhh but it's good for the soul to take that time.
This morning was an entirely different "ahhhh" moment. I got up and started to make my coffee. Having eaten after the kids yesterday, there were dishes left over so I rinsed them and got them ready for the dishwasher and then started wiping other things down, organizing and before I knew it, I was skipping out on my coffee for cleaning (not abnormal for me). I stopped what I was doing, checked myself and said, "I need to take a bit of time just for me." Ahhhhhh relief. Granted, those things will still need to be done but they're not emergency and, in the scheme of things, are not even that important. The ahhhh moment is far more important to me.
I think that everyone needs to concentrate on getting a couple of ahhh moments a day. Even if they're small, few and far between. It doesn't matter what your ahhh place is or how you ahhhh but it's good for the soul to take that time.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Sorry to have disappeared
Sorry to have disappeared for so long. Between a laptop crash and a host of busy, crazy personal stuff, it was necessity to take a few steps back and focus on taking care of myself and my family without having to focus on outside stuff. So let's review a bit....
My oldest is officially a teenager now. Oy! She had a "lavish" spa party with her best friends and is now embarking on the journey of the official teen girl. Okay so the "lavish" spa was really some dollar store emesis tubs to soak their feet, homemade face masks and generic brand lotions, and toenail and fingernail painting. Admittedly, I was a little bummed when the girls asked if they could do nails themselves instead of me doing them for them but I have a feeling I'm going to be asked for space a lot in the future as she gets older. She's got a great group of girlfriends (albeit a small one) and I'm really happy that she's found a cute little crowd to hang out with that allows her to be who she is without questioning it or trying to make her be "trendy."
The Superbowl came and went....sigh. I'm still feeling the sting of watching my Broncos lose the way that they did but there's always next year and they played an amazing season. Savor the flavor Seahawks fans..it won't happen again. Now there's the free agency of Eric Decker (my favorite Broncos player...though by a slim margin). Hopefully he sticks by what he says with taking less money to play for a team that he loves so much. I would hate to see him go because he does bring so much to the team. With that being said, I understand that athletes have limited years to play and they need to do what's best for their families.
The groundhog saw his shadow. Was there really any doubt? The little critter predicted what really comes as common sense to most of us...winter is inevitable. The Midwest has been hit especially hard this year compared to other years. We have had a comparatively mild winter, in my opinion. The sun shining so often is just one of a million reasons I love Denver. If we have more cold, super duper. If it warms up, that's great too.
Valentine's Day came and went. I'm not a huge fan of celebrating Valentine's Day because I honestly believe it has become far too Hallmark. With that being said, it's always great to express your love and appreciation to those that you love so I did take the time to complete this task. I also made heart shaped pancakes with whipped cream, strawberries and mini chocolate chips...because that's how I roll. Ha ha ha
Presidents' Day came and went. The Olympics started. Both of these gave me the scathing understanding that the public school system's core curriculum does not teach the children enough history...so I've started implementing at home. To do so, though, I've had to read up more myself. I was never a history buff as a child and this is a great opportunity to learn what I should have paid more attention to back then.
I made a decision to do something for myself. It's a rarity and I struggle with it being that I am a single mama and my kids always have, always do and always will come first. With that being said, I made the decision to do something for myself that I truly believe will benefit all of us in the end. Stay tuned for more details.
I will attempt to stay more on top of my blogging. It's therapeutic and whether one person reads or a thousand read, if what I say lets just one mom know that she's not alone or lets just one person see that their crazy lives are not abnormal, I'm happy. I can't wait to see what wonderful blessings God brings from now on.
My oldest is officially a teenager now. Oy! She had a "lavish" spa party with her best friends and is now embarking on the journey of the official teen girl. Okay so the "lavish" spa was really some dollar store emesis tubs to soak their feet, homemade face masks and generic brand lotions, and toenail and fingernail painting. Admittedly, I was a little bummed when the girls asked if they could do nails themselves instead of me doing them for them but I have a feeling I'm going to be asked for space a lot in the future as she gets older. She's got a great group of girlfriends (albeit a small one) and I'm really happy that she's found a cute little crowd to hang out with that allows her to be who she is without questioning it or trying to make her be "trendy."
The Superbowl came and went....sigh. I'm still feeling the sting of watching my Broncos lose the way that they did but there's always next year and they played an amazing season. Savor the flavor Seahawks fans..it won't happen again. Now there's the free agency of Eric Decker (my favorite Broncos player...though by a slim margin). Hopefully he sticks by what he says with taking less money to play for a team that he loves so much. I would hate to see him go because he does bring so much to the team. With that being said, I understand that athletes have limited years to play and they need to do what's best for their families.
The groundhog saw his shadow. Was there really any doubt? The little critter predicted what really comes as common sense to most of us...winter is inevitable. The Midwest has been hit especially hard this year compared to other years. We have had a comparatively mild winter, in my opinion. The sun shining so often is just one of a million reasons I love Denver. If we have more cold, super duper. If it warms up, that's great too.
Valentine's Day came and went. I'm not a huge fan of celebrating Valentine's Day because I honestly believe it has become far too Hallmark. With that being said, it's always great to express your love and appreciation to those that you love so I did take the time to complete this task. I also made heart shaped pancakes with whipped cream, strawberries and mini chocolate chips...because that's how I roll. Ha ha ha
Presidents' Day came and went. The Olympics started. Both of these gave me the scathing understanding that the public school system's core curriculum does not teach the children enough history...so I've started implementing at home. To do so, though, I've had to read up more myself. I was never a history buff as a child and this is a great opportunity to learn what I should have paid more attention to back then.
I made a decision to do something for myself. It's a rarity and I struggle with it being that I am a single mama and my kids always have, always do and always will come first. With that being said, I made the decision to do something for myself that I truly believe will benefit all of us in the end. Stay tuned for more details.
I will attempt to stay more on top of my blogging. It's therapeutic and whether one person reads or a thousand read, if what I say lets just one mom know that she's not alone or lets just one person see that their crazy lives are not abnormal, I'm happy. I can't wait to see what wonderful blessings God brings from now on.
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