Mommy and Me Monday – A Walk in the Park

It was only last week where I was reading tweets about Punxsutawney Phil predicting there would be six more weeks of winter. Frankly, if six more weeks of winter lets us continue to enjoy the mild temps we have had the last 3 months, I am ALL FOR IT!

Sunday was another Spring like day. The sun came out from behind some gray clouds, and we all enjoyed a good long walk on our closest section of the Big Creek Greenway. Anytime we can get away with short sleeve shirts in February, is pretty awesome.

After a nice lunch and a little rest we were ready to start prepping for the big game!

How did you spend your day before the Super Bowl started?

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Have you succeeded and gotten yourself out from behind the camera lately? Share and link up with Mommy and Me Monday over with Serious Krystyn.

Hosted by Krystyn

The Adventure Starts With A White Belt

Baby is experimenting with new hobbies. Since we have moved to Georgia, she has tried soccer, swimming, gymnastics and now is starting karate.

Baby had a great time in her first class, especially because she was able to leave with her first belt. She also learned, if she brought in a great report card (showing all threes), her instructor would award a special achievement patch for the sleeve of her uniform.

Baby walked into class this past Saturday and excitedly presented her instructor with her report card. And true to her word, at the end of class, Baby was called up front by the instructor to be presented with her achievement patch. She beamed with pride as we left the studio. Baby couldn’t wait to get home and show Jed and Daddy.

As parents, I feel DH and I do a good job supporting Baby’s desire to try new activities.  She has always continued an activity after the initial trial sessions, all but soccer that is.  That activity was a rough one, even with Dad as the coach.

After completing additional sessions, she usually requests to try something new and we oblige.  Our only rule is one activity at a time.  This allows plenty of time for school, play and family time, and of course rest.  Now, if only Mommy can stick to such an even work/life balance there will be harmony in the household.

Do you set limits for your children’s activities?

What’s the Tooth Fairy’s Name?

Baby lost another tooth.

Since this is still a pretty new event in our house, Baby dancing around singing about her tooth can be considered pretty normal. But what came next, I wasn’t expecting.

Baby: “What’s the Tooth Fairy’s name?”
Me: “Ummmm…yeah…I’m not really sure. Why do you want to know?”
Baby: “Well, Poppy sent me a note from her that one time. Remember?”

Apparently my daughter has a memory like an elephant.

Straining what little Mommy Brain cells were working that evening, I struggled to recall what she was talking about. Then I vaguely remembered my dad sending her a note in the mail when she lost her first tooth. The Tooth Fairy delivered it to their house in Florida, so Poppy mailed it to her.

Super cute, right?
Except now, I no longer had the note.
It was stashed away somewhere, and I had absolutely NO IDEA what the Tooth Fairy’s name was on the note.

Then a thought popped into my head. I suggested Baby write the Tooth Fairy a nice note asking her name, since she couldn’t remember the original name either. Maybe she would leave a note in return like Elfie, our Elf on the Shelf, did over Christmas.

This idea thrilled Baby to no end. It made me pretty happy too, since I was now off the hook for finding the old note (in the next 8 hours).

Baby awoke the next morning to find $1.00 and a short note from the Tooth Fairy in her special tooth box. When she read the note aloud to all of us, and when she finished, her little nose crinkled and she squinted her eyes. I could tell she was thinking really hard. Darn it! She was really trying to remember if the names matched!

Finally, she read the name on the note aloud again and then exclaimed, “Mommy, it’s not the same as before! The other fairy was named, Toothie!”

Seriously?
This is my kid?
She’s too smart for me.

I then thoughtfully explained, how there are many Tooth Fairy helpers in the world, just like there are many Santa helpers in the malls at Christmas time. One fairy can certainly not visit all the children in the world when they lose teeth. This seemed to satisfy my daughter. Whew! Another childhood crisis averted, and amazingly enough, look what I found the following weekend cleaning up the desk area in the kitchen — yup, the note from Poppy.

What question has your child asked that sent you reeling for a quick and believable answer?

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Disclosure – This post is an original by me, and previously posted for the Graco Heart to Heart Blog over here.

Mommy and Me Monday – Holiday Party

Taking some vacation days around the holiday was not only fun for family time, but I was able to take some time and volunteer to help out with Baby’s class holiday party. The classroom parents did a fabulous job organizing 4 stations for craft making and game playing.

How cute is this edible marshmallow snowman craft? I smell a Pinterest post.

One of the highlights of the party for the kids was the pass the gift game. Similar to the Hot Potato game, children gather in a circle and pass a wrapped gift to music. When the music stops, the child holding the gift get to unwrap a layer of wrapping paper to reveal a surprise.

I thought this was an awesome idea. To explain further, the first gift is wrapped in paper as normal. The next step is to layer the next surprise with the first wrapped gift, then wrap as one new gift. Keep layering and wrapping until you have enough layers to allow every participant to unwrap a layer of wrapping paper and receive a surprise. Of course to save any arguments among the children, the gifts were all similar with slight variations. Fun pads, holiday pencil packs, word search books, and card games all make great gifts to layer. You could even do this activity as a game at a birthday party instead of/or in addition to the usual take away goody bags.

I ended up giving it a try myself, wrapping a ten layer gift, and taking it to my friend’s Chismukkah (our own combination Christmas and Hanukkah) family party, and it was a big hit with all the kids! Even the older ones! It’s definitely an idea I will be reusing again.

Were you able to visit your child’s classroom for any activities this year?

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Have you succeeded and gotten yourself out from behind the camera lately? Share and link up with Mommy and Me Monday over with Serious Krystyn.

Hosted by Krystyn

Wordless Wednesday – Ready, Set, Go!

Training wheels are on
How long they stay is unknown
Pray no broken bones

You should know by now…rarely am I actually wordless.

Happy Wednesday!

Mommy and Me Monday – Happy Birthday!

My youngest turned three right before Christmas.

Jed is fiercely independent, strong-willed and has a wild dare-devil streak in him a mile long! If he’s not leaping between the sofa and coffee table, you will probably find him plotting his next adventure move.

As wild as he is, Jed is also my snuggle bug that loves to watch Disney movies and sit with me while I work on my laptop.

Happy Birthday Big Boy!
You make our family complete.
Thanks to Daddy for taking the pic so I could be in it!

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Have you succeeded and gotten yourself out from behind the camera lately? Share and link up with Mommy and Me Monday over with Serious Krystyn.

Hosted by Krystyn

Elfie and the Smarty Pants Mommy

I found so many ideas on Pinterest for our Elf on the Shelf, Elfie, that I was inspired. One morning, instead of getting into his usual mischief like dumping all the leftover Halloween candy all over the dining room table like this…..

I decided to use Elfie for my own advantage.
Sneaky, sneaky.

Our Christmas tree is in the made over playroom, and of course, play rooms get messy. I had Elfie climb into the tree to hang out a bit and leave a sweet note for the kiddos. The note asked them to clean the playroom for Santa so he had room to put their coming Christmas presents.

The note worked like a charm!

Baby read the note to Jed with as much excitement as opening an actual Christmas present! Then they happily started putting away all the toys. I could barely believe my eyes!

The playroom looked amazing!
See for yourself!

Score one for this smart Mommy!

What’s your best idea to get kids to help with everyday cleanup?

Wordless Wednesday – Magical Moment Captured

With the holiday season, comes the tradition of sending holiday cards. I like to send photo cards, and regret never getting around to sending any last year.

I was NOT letting that happen again this year. I made an appointment at a local chain photography studio, and we went this past Sunday. I went in with the expectation of getting ONE good photo to use for this year’s cards. My expectations were surpassed when I not only got a good family group shot, but this one of the kids.

Jed’s face says it all…the surprise and delight of Christmas.

What’s your favorite picture capturing the spirit of the holiday?

Big Girl Milestone – Ear Piercing

Hi.
Did you miss me?
I sure missed you.

So much going on here lately there has been little time to blog.
Baby turned seven.
She is growing up so fast.

This year, Baby had one single wish for her birthday…to get her ears pierced.

I figured I was about her age when I got mine done, so why not.

The week of her birthday we headed to the mall. Baby was over the moon excited. I, on the other hand, was a little nervous how she would do. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best as we moms usually do.

Here she is moments before…looking just a wee bit nervous.

Having a few holes in my head ears myself, I knew what was coming. It’s pretty painful, and a bit loud. I arranged for both ears to be pierced at once.

I’m not sure if it was the sound of the piercing guns, or the actual pain of the piercing, but my poor big girl let out a yelp and burst into tears when the piercing guns went off.
It broke my heart.

My own eyes brimmed with tears as she clung to me from her high pedestal chair.
It was done.

After a few more hugs and forehead kisses, Baby was able to crack a small smile and show off her new earrings.

Did you or your daughter cry when they got their ears pierced?

Wordless Wednesday – Swinging

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Toes reach to the sky
Feeling weightless as you fall
Wishing time stood still

On Saturday I was swinging, on my own swing, right along side of Baby in the sunshine at Fowler Park.
I felt 6 years old again.
It was an awesome day.

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I LINKED up for Wordless/Wordful Wednesday!

If you would like to link up your WW post, go check out the great blogs below!