It is not even July 1st and my kids are already pestering me about backpacks. I mean asking me about backpacks. I'm quite pleased that they are all excited about entering their new grades, but can't we have a moratorium on school supplies until at least August 1st?
Thank you Toys R Us for sending out the sales flyer promoting backpacks (it is actually a good deal, buy one backpack get a lunch box free). Thank you Pottery Barn and Lands End too for sending out your fall catalogues. My children will get new shoes and backpacks for school, but we will hold off on new school clothes until October. If I bought their fall sweaters and pants now, they would not fit my kids come the fall! (Another bonus, here in Virginia it stays pretty warm until at least Columbus Day and they can wear their summer clothes with some new pieces bought at end of season sales!)
But, I digress from the backpacks. My six year old is begging. Begging and pleading for a Hello Kitty Back Pack on Wheels. The backpack is only$16.99 and won't break the bank and it does come with a free lunch box. I'm a little hesitant for a few reasons:
-It is June. We haven't been out of school for even a month yet.
-Hello Kitty is this week's selection, next week it will be La la loopsy or something else
-I really do not like buying my kids "character" items
-I'm sure the super affordable $16.99 roller back pack will be broken by October 1st!
The little kids and I spent a great deal of time this morning on other websites. Searching for a backpack that they would like. I do want them to be involved in the selection, but would rather spend my money on a backpack that will last. When my oldest started preschool 5 years ago, I bought him his first back pack at LL Bean. We still have the bag and use it to tote toys and games to Grandma's. It is a little small for him to take to 3rd grade! But you get my point!
I think I will distract her and order the backpacks using my coupon from a brand website that I know that we will get a few years out of these bags.
Have a great weekend & thanks for stopping by!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Your Mountain Is Waiting
This Sunday, my oldest niece (who is also my God Daughter) will be graduating from High School. She is the oldest of the grandkids and first to reach this milestone.
I know I am a "dorky" Aunt. I am okay with this. I enjoy it. My cool factor left the building a long time ago. Yes, I drive a mini-van and yes, I have a lot of kids. I'm not up on the current fashion/shows/movies or music. But, I am up with love and pride for this girl! She was my first "kid". When she was born I was still in college. I got to meet her within hours of her birth. I had the pleasure of being her first babysitter, her nanny. I would watch her several times during the week while her mom went to school and worked. I also got to watch her on weekends (which was great - I had access to a free washer and dryer and cable TV!). I took her to her first movie (Disney film Hercules), took her to Gymboree classes and for Ice Cream. Took her to her first museum. I was there for her first Halloween (she played and counted the candy - her parents didn't tell her she could eat it!). She had her first sleepover at my apartment and I even brought her to a sorority meeting. I loved every minute. When we would go out and about strangers would mistake her for my daughter. I would politely explain that I was the Aunt. (Except one time we were out at the mall and my niece called me Mommy (it was a phase - she called everyone this!) and I know the lady next to us thought I was denying being a young, unwed mother!)
She will be going to college this August. Now is the time for her to discover things for herself. She is an adult and needs to make her own choices and find her own way. I know she will do great!
"You're off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So....get on your way!"
- Dr. Seuss
I know I am a "dorky" Aunt. I am okay with this. I enjoy it. My cool factor left the building a long time ago. Yes, I drive a mini-van and yes, I have a lot of kids. I'm not up on the current fashion/shows/movies or music. But, I am up with love and pride for this girl! She was my first "kid". When she was born I was still in college. I got to meet her within hours of her birth. I had the pleasure of being her first babysitter, her nanny. I would watch her several times during the week while her mom went to school and worked. I also got to watch her on weekends (which was great - I had access to a free washer and dryer and cable TV!). I took her to her first movie (Disney film Hercules), took her to Gymboree classes and for Ice Cream. Took her to her first museum. I was there for her first Halloween (she played and counted the candy - her parents didn't tell her she could eat it!). She had her first sleepover at my apartment and I even brought her to a sorority meeting. I loved every minute. When we would go out and about strangers would mistake her for my daughter. I would politely explain that I was the Aunt. (Except one time we were out at the mall and my niece called me Mommy (it was a phase - she called everyone this!) and I know the lady next to us thought I was denying being a young, unwed mother!)
She will be going to college this August. Now is the time for her to discover things for herself. She is an adult and needs to make her own choices and find her own way. I know she will do great!
"You're off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So....get on your way!"
- Dr. Seuss
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
What's in a Name?!
Growing up, I was one of four kids. Three girls and one boy. Lots of pets. I vividly remember my mother always mixing up our names. I was always called by one of my sisters' names. I don't remember her ever forgetting my brother's name, but I do remember her calling my younger sister Buttons, our dog, more than once! I never understood this. How could my mom forget our names. There were only four of us! But, then it got worse. At the grocery store we would run into someone and I would have to whisper what their name was, whose mom they were and any other important information I might have. This was a skill that came in handy when I was an adult working. On sales calls I could always remember not only the client's name, but the name of their spouse, their children and where they took their last vacation. At work functions it was very easy for me to strike up conversations because I always seemed to remember an odd fact or tidbit I had picked up, making that client or member feel really important that I remembered!
Recently I was called out on this. I ran into a neighbor that I don't see very often. I knew her name was either Karen or Lina. But wasn't quite sure. She even said to me, "Hi Kathleen, I'm Lina. I wasn't quite sure you knew what my name was." Of course, I tried miserably to downplay it, "Hi Lina, of course I knew that was your name!". What I really wanted to say was, "Lady, I can't remember the names of my own children, how do you expect me to remember yours!"
Has this happened to you, or am I the only one!
Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Vaccines
Vaccines are a pretty hot topic. I am a member of several multiple clubs and was very surprised by a posting the other day. A parent of twins was not going to vaccinate his infants. At all. This parent was looking for feedback on this. I did not realize just how controversial it is. (Because most of news comes from Disney Jr. If it isn't on there, chances are I probably haven't heard about it!) I also didn't realize what a "black and white" topic it is. People are very for or very, very against. I was under the impression that once a child entered public school that they were required to be up to date on all vaccines. Not so. There are exemptions out there. I was even more surprised to learn (from the World Health Organization) that in Western Countries, highly contagious diseases that were eradicated years ago by vaccines are on the rise: measles and pertussis to just name a few.
There have been studies done linking mercury in vaccines to autism. There have been other studies done, dismissing these claims. I don't know what is right or wrong. But for mom's who have seen immediate effects on their kids after they received a vaccine, you can't tell them that it is nothing, or there is no connection.
Last month I was at the doctor for a routine check up. They notified me that my tetanus vaccination had expired (learned that it is only good for ten years! check yours!). They also suggested that I get the pertussis vaccination. There was an outbreak at one of our local schools and I am constantly around kids (my own, my Daisy Troop, my kids' classes - it never ends I'm surrounded by kids!). So, I went ahead and got the dtap vaccine. The nurse let me know that it would hurt and my arm would be sore. Boy, was this an understatement! Of course, I ended up having a reaction to it. Day one I was fine, by day three I could not move my arm and had a lump the size of an orange at the vaccination site. Even now, six weeks later, I still have a little knot where the needle went in.
We do vaccinate our children, they are current on their vaccinations and do follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I personally, do believe in vaccines and want to protect my children. I did, however, break up their vaccinations. When my children were infants, they received all of their vaccines, just not all at once. We spread them out. By the time they were one or two, they were all caught up.
What do you think? Have you vaccinated your children? Why or Why not?
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Note: Today's Blog expresses my views and opinions only. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Please consult a licensed health care practitioner for any medical advice. Thank you!
There have been studies done linking mercury in vaccines to autism. There have been other studies done, dismissing these claims. I don't know what is right or wrong. But for mom's who have seen immediate effects on their kids after they received a vaccine, you can't tell them that it is nothing, or there is no connection.
Last month I was at the doctor for a routine check up. They notified me that my tetanus vaccination had expired (learned that it is only good for ten years! check yours!). They also suggested that I get the pertussis vaccination. There was an outbreak at one of our local schools and I am constantly around kids (my own, my Daisy Troop, my kids' classes - it never ends I'm surrounded by kids!). So, I went ahead and got the dtap vaccine. The nurse let me know that it would hurt and my arm would be sore. Boy, was this an understatement! Of course, I ended up having a reaction to it. Day one I was fine, by day three I could not move my arm and had a lump the size of an orange at the vaccination site. Even now, six weeks later, I still have a little knot where the needle went in.
We do vaccinate our children, they are current on their vaccinations and do follow the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics. I personally, do believe in vaccines and want to protect my children. I did, however, break up their vaccinations. When my children were infants, they received all of their vaccines, just not all at once. We spread them out. By the time they were one or two, they were all caught up.
What do you think? Have you vaccinated your children? Why or Why not?
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
Note: Today's Blog expresses my views and opinions only. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. Please consult a licensed health care practitioner for any medical advice. Thank you!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Saying Thank You!
With the end of the school year, along comes the opportunity to say Thank You to our teachers, coaches, bus drivers etc. You know who they are! These wonderful adults that work with our children all year long. We have been very Blessed this year. All four of my children had truly wonderful teachers. Between all four of my kids, we have five teachers, two bus drivers, two LAX coaches and two ballet teachers we would like to show our appreciation to. Now, this can add up quickly. But, don't worry! There are many ways to show appreciation and thanks without breaking your budget.
Note: If you are a teacher that has one of my kids this year, you can leave the page now. Thanks for stopping by. Come back tomorrow! Don't want to spoil any surprises....
Here are a few of my favorite teacher gifts. Please leave your favorites in the comments section below!
Group Gift: This is a great way to give a gift. We are doing this for my son's teacher and did this for both of his LAX coaches, too. It is very simple. One mom volunteers to start the collection and buy the gift. Through email, back pack mail and whispers on the field, money is collected. Then, you can buy something really nice for your teacher or coach! For both my son's teacher and coaches we did gift cards. A VISA or AMEX gift card is a great gift. This way the recipient can use it anywhere. With a group, you are also usually able to give a nice amount, too.The thing you need to remember about this is to start early. Notify the other parents well in advance. Also, it is good to give a suggested amount, but let everyone know that any amount they can give is fantastic! One thing to watch is the service charge fees. If you buy the cards at the grocery store, there is typically a $3-$5 activation fee per card. Some banks do not charge this fee if you are a customer. Check your banks website before you head out to purchase!
Gift Cards: I am a huge fan of giving (and receiving!) gifts cards! For Christmas we gave our teachers insulated travel mugs filled with candy and a Starbucks gift card. This makes a very nice end of year gift, too. With gift cards for coffee places, like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, you can get a card for a smaller amount too, a $5 Dunkin Donuts goes a long way! This is something that pretty much everyone will use too. There is only one person in the world I can think of who would not like a Starbucks card, and that is my mother! (Lines are too long, coffee is too expensive and she can make a better cup of coffee at home for free. Mom, have you ever even had a Starbucks? I don't think so!) But, if you give her a Starbucks card that is fine - because it is something that she can re-gift to one of her kids! You can also get creative with a homemade card, "Thanks a Latte" for all you do", etc. With gift cards you can usually purchase them on line and they will either email them to the recipient or mail you the actually card for no additional fee. A great site for gift cards is Yiftee. We just used this to send a teacher a gift card for Georgetown Cupcakes. Who doesn't like cupcakes! What I like about Yiftee (www.yiftee.com) is that it is electronic, city specific and supports small businesses. Also, if you recipient doesn't like the store you sent it for, they can pick another store. They are not stuck!
Bags: I love bags! Bags have a million uses. When you are a teacher or a coach you usually have one or two of these (at least!) to haul all your stuff in. We purchased bags for several of our teachers this year and will fill them with surprises and homemade cards. Some of my favorite places to buy nice bags are from Thirty One and Clear Gear. These bags are durable and just all around awesome!
https://www.mythirtyone.com/cherylcelebi/
http://www.cleargearbags.com/
Homemade Gifts: Gifts do not need to break the bank. A homemade gift is very personal and gets the kids involved, both of which I love!! A homemade gift can be artwork, a craft project, baked goods, a nice potted plant, or some seasonal seeds and a watering can (check the dollar section at Target!). For teacher appreciation week the twins and I made really beautiful cards on the computer using a photograph of my twins on the front and a nice poem inside. Baked Goods are great. One of my good friends gave me this great brownie recipe. Hope she doesn't mind that I will share with you. It is so good and so easy! Start with your box of brownie mix. Instead of baking it in a square or rectangle pan, bake it into cupcakes! She made this with regular sized cupcakes using cupcake liners and they turned out perfectly. I tried it with mini cupcake pans using a nonstick spray. Mine did not turn out so great. I definitely suggest using cupcake liners and you need to shorten the cooking time on the box. Take off about 10 minutes and watch them closely. When the toothpick comes out clean they are done.
Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
Note: If you are a teacher that has one of my kids this year, you can leave the page now. Thanks for stopping by. Come back tomorrow! Don't want to spoil any surprises....
Here are a few of my favorite teacher gifts. Please leave your favorites in the comments section below!
Group Gift: This is a great way to give a gift. We are doing this for my son's teacher and did this for both of his LAX coaches, too. It is very simple. One mom volunteers to start the collection and buy the gift. Through email, back pack mail and whispers on the field, money is collected. Then, you can buy something really nice for your teacher or coach! For both my son's teacher and coaches we did gift cards. A VISA or AMEX gift card is a great gift. This way the recipient can use it anywhere. With a group, you are also usually able to give a nice amount, too.The thing you need to remember about this is to start early. Notify the other parents well in advance. Also, it is good to give a suggested amount, but let everyone know that any amount they can give is fantastic! One thing to watch is the service charge fees. If you buy the cards at the grocery store, there is typically a $3-$5 activation fee per card. Some banks do not charge this fee if you are a customer. Check your banks website before you head out to purchase!
Gift Cards: I am a huge fan of giving (and receiving!) gifts cards! For Christmas we gave our teachers insulated travel mugs filled with candy and a Starbucks gift card. This makes a very nice end of year gift, too. With gift cards for coffee places, like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, you can get a card for a smaller amount too, a $5 Dunkin Donuts goes a long way! This is something that pretty much everyone will use too. There is only one person in the world I can think of who would not like a Starbucks card, and that is my mother! (Lines are too long, coffee is too expensive and she can make a better cup of coffee at home for free. Mom, have you ever even had a Starbucks? I don't think so!) But, if you give her a Starbucks card that is fine - because it is something that she can re-gift to one of her kids! You can also get creative with a homemade card, "Thanks a Latte" for all you do", etc. With gift cards you can usually purchase them on line and they will either email them to the recipient or mail you the actually card for no additional fee. A great site for gift cards is Yiftee. We just used this to send a teacher a gift card for Georgetown Cupcakes. Who doesn't like cupcakes! What I like about Yiftee (www.yiftee.com) is that it is electronic, city specific and supports small businesses. Also, if you recipient doesn't like the store you sent it for, they can pick another store. They are not stuck!
Bags: I love bags! Bags have a million uses. When you are a teacher or a coach you usually have one or two of these (at least!) to haul all your stuff in. We purchased bags for several of our teachers this year and will fill them with surprises and homemade cards. Some of my favorite places to buy nice bags are from Thirty One and Clear Gear. These bags are durable and just all around awesome!
https://www.mythirtyone.com/cherylcelebi/
http://www.cleargearbags.com/
Homemade Gifts: Gifts do not need to break the bank. A homemade gift is very personal and gets the kids involved, both of which I love!! A homemade gift can be artwork, a craft project, baked goods, a nice potted plant, or some seasonal seeds and a watering can (check the dollar section at Target!). For teacher appreciation week the twins and I made really beautiful cards on the computer using a photograph of my twins on the front and a nice poem inside. Baked Goods are great. One of my good friends gave me this great brownie recipe. Hope she doesn't mind that I will share with you. It is so good and so easy! Start with your box of brownie mix. Instead of baking it in a square or rectangle pan, bake it into cupcakes! She made this with regular sized cupcakes using cupcake liners and they turned out perfectly. I tried it with mini cupcake pans using a nonstick spray. Mine did not turn out so great. I definitely suggest using cupcake liners and you need to shorten the cooking time on the box. Take off about 10 minutes and watch them closely. When the toothpick comes out clean they are done.
Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Mommy Brain
Mommy Brain. Mommy Fog. This phenomenon usually manifests itself first during pregnancy. Third trimester, you know when the baby is pushing on everything, including your brain! I didn't realize that it would last so long beyond pregnancy. Like four years!
This week has been especially "foggy" for me. The kids think it is hilarious! Mommy is so silly, let's just watch and not say anything and see what she does next! Here is just a sampling of what I have done (or I guess haven't done!): squirt ranch dressing instead of chocolate syrup in a cup of milk, put eggs in the pantry, put milk in the cupboard, put the cereal box in the fridge, took off my makeup with Bactine (I'm very, very lucky here. Someone who shall not be named left this in the spot where my eye makeup remover is typically kept), almost squirted Bactine into my contact lens case, (I think the dangerous substances need to be stored out of my reach and not my kids!).
Luckily (knock on wood, jump up and down and spin around), I have never ever forgotten any of the children or left them anywhere. I have left stores without my purchases or purse. Have gone to the store and gas station without my wallet (this was awhile ago!), but always keep the kids with me!
I have no idea how to combat this. Of course more sleep, but who has time for that! More coffee, but I'm on decaf. these days. Too much caffeine and I'm even more of a mess, and a shaky one too!
Have you been struck with this malady? What are your tips?
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
This week has been especially "foggy" for me. The kids think it is hilarious! Mommy is so silly, let's just watch and not say anything and see what she does next! Here is just a sampling of what I have done (or I guess haven't done!): squirt ranch dressing instead of chocolate syrup in a cup of milk, put eggs in the pantry, put milk in the cupboard, put the cereal box in the fridge, took off my makeup with Bactine (I'm very, very lucky here. Someone who shall not be named left this in the spot where my eye makeup remover is typically kept), almost squirted Bactine into my contact lens case, (I think the dangerous substances need to be stored out of my reach and not my kids!).
Luckily (knock on wood, jump up and down and spin around), I have never ever forgotten any of the children or left them anywhere. I have left stores without my purchases or purse. Have gone to the store and gas station without my wallet (this was awhile ago!), but always keep the kids with me!
I have no idea how to combat this. Of course more sleep, but who has time for that! More coffee, but I'm on decaf. these days. Too much caffeine and I'm even more of a mess, and a shaky one too!
Have you been struck with this malady? What are your tips?
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
End of Year Ideas
It is that time of year. Depending on whom you are speaking with, they will tell you it is the most wonderful time of year, or they may tell you they want to change the calendars back to March! End of School. Summer of vacation. Yeah summer, boo school is out. My twins finish up their year next week. Yes, next week. Thursday, May 23rd. One week from today. Now, they are only in preschool for two days a week. But I really like those mornings. It is just enough for me to get some errands or work in and it is great for them! I have seen enormous changes this year. In their confidence and their abilities, both socially and academically. But, I digress!
Summer vacation is just around the corner. I know a few moms who have every single minute of their kids summer planned: camps, vacation, tutoring sessions, etc. Me, not so much. My older two are signed up for swim team and all four are signed up for two weeks of VBS. We will be at the pool pretty much everyday and are looking forward to planning a few visits to the beach to visit Grandma. I am on the lookout for some camps. I love using certifikid.com to find our camps! I used that site last summer for two different camps and it was great! We will definitely take advantage of living so close to Washington and visit the zoo and museums. I like to get their early and avoid the tourists and other one million people from the area who had the same idea! Now that the twins are four, outings and day trips are so much easier!
I need to start to get my stockpile together. I have a few things from their birthdays and Christmas in my prize closet that I am looking forward to pulling out to keep them occupied during a summer storm! I was at the local dollar store this morning, looking for ideas on craft projects, workbooks and activities to keep the kids entertained. They might be out of school, but I still need to work and I definitely want to avoid the summer slide!
What are your plans for the summer? What do you do to make sure the summer slide doesn't happen in your house?
Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
Summer vacation is just around the corner. I know a few moms who have every single minute of their kids summer planned: camps, vacation, tutoring sessions, etc. Me, not so much. My older two are signed up for swim team and all four are signed up for two weeks of VBS. We will be at the pool pretty much everyday and are looking forward to planning a few visits to the beach to visit Grandma. I am on the lookout for some camps. I love using certifikid.com to find our camps! I used that site last summer for two different camps and it was great! We will definitely take advantage of living so close to Washington and visit the zoo and museums. I like to get their early and avoid the tourists and other one million people from the area who had the same idea! Now that the twins are four, outings and day trips are so much easier!
I need to start to get my stockpile together. I have a few things from their birthdays and Christmas in my prize closet that I am looking forward to pulling out to keep them occupied during a summer storm! I was at the local dollar store this morning, looking for ideas on craft projects, workbooks and activities to keep the kids entertained. They might be out of school, but I still need to work and I definitely want to avoid the summer slide!
What are your plans for the summer? What do you do to make sure the summer slide doesn't happen in your house?
Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
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