Awhile ago, I mentioned Zach and I’s plan to use our Union Station membership, which is part of the ASTC Passport program, to visit other ASTC-affiliated museums. We recently had the opportunity to visit the Discovery Center of Springfield in Springfield, Missouri, which had some incredible hands-on exhibits for children. The entire four-story museum is filled with great activities for kids to enjoy, and we couldn’t wait to share our trip with you!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveAndProtect #CollectiveBias
Zach, do you remember that time you climbed that tree? I knew you were climbing too high, I just knew that you’d fall, but you urged me to let you, begged me to let go of your hand so you could reach the next branch. And you know what happened? You made it. You reached it. You didn’t fall. I let go, and you stayed safe. It’s in my nature to be a little bit overbearing at times. I’ll always have worries– am I raising you the right way? Are you growing the way you should? How much life insurance should I have in case something happens to me? What sort of things do you need to know before you prepare for kindergarten?
I want to tell you right now that I don’t have all of the answers, but I do want to make you some promises.
With summer vacations coming up, it’s so easy to get caught up in the planning that you miss out on capturing those memories. Of course, you don’t want to spend so much of your trip behind a camera that you forget to actually enjoy it, but there are a few photos that you should definitely take time to snap, whether it’s with your DSLR or you’re Instagramming it!
Guess what? In case you missed last Friday’s post, today is the official start of Summer Lunch Week here at DigitalEraMom. What’s Summer Lunch Week? Well, it’s a week where I can try to make your life a little easier with ideas, printables, recipes, and more that can make summer lunches more fun, less expensive, and a little easier to prepare. Don’t forget to come back all week long– there may even be a giveaway coming, so stay tuned!
After the third supermarket temper tantrum, I realized I was about at my limit. I had tried everything, from bribery to that free grocery store cookie the bakery section usually hands out. I knew that, as Zach approached 37 pounds, there was no way carrying him kicking and screaming through the store was an option. I knew there had to be a better way.
Then, I realized as we were going through the store that he was very interested in the products on the shelves, particularly ones we bought regularly. I also started noticing that, while he was a great eater that preferred fresh produce to cookies 9 times out of 10, that the packaging grabbed him, and he was after something visual.
I wanted a way to distract him, help him have that visual, and still make healthy choices.
It can be really hard to encourage good dental care habits in kids. For far too many, teeth brushing time becomes a fight. I have 7 great tips to help keep teeth clean and shiny without fuss or fight. Don’t forget to keep scrolling to the bottom of this post for a chance to win the entire product line from Tanner’s Tasty Paste, a great-tasting toothpaste for little giggles and grown-up grins!
Brushing your teeth with your child is a great way to promote healthy brushing habits! When you brush together, you’re showing them the proper way to brush, spit, and rinse, and open the door for conversation about good dental care being a lifelong process. If you and your child use separate bathrooms, try moving your dental care items into their bathroom so you can join in on their brushing fun. It’s a great way to start good dental care habits early.
Find time to add brushing into a certain part of your routine in the morning, for example, getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, putting on shoes, and then going about the rest of your day, to be sure you never miss a brushing! Do the same before bed, such as picking up toys, taking a bath, having a night snack, brushing teeth, and then reading a story together. When you do this routine on a regular basis, it becomes a can’t-miss habit and children will look forward to that part of their routine. Additionally, find a fun brushing song that lasts about two minutes, or set a timer. The one that we love is part of the Daniel Tiger Day and Night app, available from PBS kids, in the Amazon and iTunes app stores. You can set it for 2 minutes and it’ll play a catchy tune. However, any egg timer or 2-minute-ish song will work!
Never make dentists a source of fear by creating threats (like “If you don’t brush your teeth, the dentist will have to fix your cavities with a drill!”) When you make dentists a source of fear, dental visits will start causing some anxiety. Instead, praise your child for a good set of brushing habits, and try a reward for cavity-free dental checkups!
Play pretend with stuffed animals or baby dolls, acting out brushing their teeth with an old toothbrush used for play to encourage more healthy toothbrushing habits. In the same way that you demonstrate healthy brushing habits to your child, they can demonstrate healthy dental care to their stuffed animals. By picking up a worn out toothbrush or a cheap one at a dollar store, they can introduce dental play into their play routine, too.
It is never too early to start discussing the tooth fairy, even though most kids don’t start losing teeth until they’re around 6, and share that the tooth fairy likes clean teeth. You can check out a great book like No Tooth, No Quarter, or a fun movie like the Tooth Fairy, to encourage this conversation, depending on your child’s age and stage. By sharing that the tooth fairy likes clean teeth, and helping kids learn about the process of losing teeth, it encourages an exciting dialogue about dental care!
Start cleaning teeth as soon as teeth start coming in, using a baby-friendly paste and a baby-friendly brush. Early dental care will prevent problems down the road, and establish a pattern of good dental care. Even before teeth come to the surface, it’s good to wipe gums with a clean washcloth or gauze pad to clear off plaque that builds up on the gums.
Help kids anticipate tooth brushing time by letting your child pick out their own toothbrush. Let them choose a color or character they love and have them select a brush they’ll look forward to using.
Also choose a really yummy toothpaste, like Tanner’s Tasty Paste. With flavors like Cha Cha Chocolate, you’ll never have a toothbrushing fight on your hands again. In fact, you might end up trying to use your kids’ toothpaste, too, it’s that tasty! I’ll be honest, when Tanner’s Tasty Paste approached me about trying out their line of toothpaste, I was really skeptical as to whether or not the flavors would be any good, and if they were any good, if they’d taste even remotely like chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Now, my son and I use Tanner’s Toothpaste every day. It really does taste spot-on to chocolate and vanilla flavors and is a great way to get Zach excited about dental care.
One thing I especially love about Tanner’s Tasty Paste is that, beyond listing the ingredients on their website, they tell you what each ingredient does for the paste, so you know exactly what you and your child are putting in your mouth– it’s a great way to feel a little safer about the product you’re using.
Check out the Tanner’s Tasty Paste website here, and see the three flavors they have available! Click Here
Don’t forget to connect with Tanner’s Tasty Paste on Facebook and Twitter!
Now, here’s the big part… a giveaway! Tanner’s Tasty Paste wants to give one of my lucky readers all three of their products: the Cha Cha Chocolate Tasty Paste, the Banilla Bling Tasty Paste, and finally, the Baby Bling tooth paste that is swallow-safe and fluoride free for even the littlest smiles. Would you like to win the product lineup? It’s incredibly easy to enter! Just leave a comment below sharing your top tip for getting kids to brush their teeth, OR let me know which of the Tanner’s Tasty Paste toothpastes you or your kids would most like to try!
The giveaway is open until 4/18/14 at 11:59pm CDT. After that, I’ll email the randomly selected winner!
Disclaimer: Tanner’s Tasty Paste sent me product to try, which is featured in this post. However, all opinions are my own honest views.
It’s made very clear in the Bible how important it is to serve others, and to make sure you’re taking care of the “least of these,” helping out the entire church body, and serving anyone who needs it. The Bible is all about reaching out there and taking care of others.
But no matter what your stance is, or if you are even a Christian, serving others is a huge part of life. When you reach out and make that tangible connection with someone else, everyone is made better in the process.
Studies show that the things you’re taught before the age of seven are the things that you will live for the rest of your life. While there are obviously some exceptions to this, it’s largely true. That’s why teaching kids how to serve in their formative years is SO important on how they’ll serve others for the rest of their lives.
But it isn’t always easy to find tasks that are age appropriate for kids, ways for them to serve others when they’re 4, 5, 6 years old. I’ve compiled a list of tasks that children of various ages, from preschool through the teen years, can do. Obviously, some will require more help and parental supervision than others, and some are better suited to older age groups, but all of these are tasks that your kids can get involved in to serve others.
Homeless care bags are a great way to serve others. You can easily make a bunch, then store them in your car for whenever they’re needed. Start with a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, then tuck in toiletries, like deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, washcloth, even some body spray. Continue with some small food items, like a water bottle, soft granola bars, a pop-tab can of ravioli or another similar food that doesn’t require heating and can be opened without a can opener. If you’re able to, you could even tuck in a small gift card for a fast food restaurant, allowing them to go inside, warm up (or cool down, depending on the season) and have a meal on your dime. If you include non-perishables, you can keep a box of care bags in your car and hand them out whenever you see someone in need. In the winter, consider adding in a pair of warm gloves or socks.
Kids can easily help with these homeless care bags by shopping for the items with you, by assembling the bags with you, and by delivering them to those in need. You’ll find that, once you have the bags made, kids will start noticing people in need more often, and helping to serve more. By being more aware of the need, it’ll open doors for conversations about why it’s important to help others.
Volunteer at your local food pantry. Most communities have a food pantry, which collects food, sorts it, and distributes it. Some food pantries may also have extra goals, like creating lunches for students who get free lunches through school to ensure they have meals during the summer, when many kids go hungry without that school lunch. However, food pantries need a LOT of work to keep them running smoothly! They need donations, and often can give you a list of specific items they’re running low on if you give them a call. They also may need people to help sort, organize, unpack, or repack items for distribution. Of course, you’ll want to call your local food bank first to see what their biggest needs are, and also to confirm that your child can help you serve. Most kids are able to sort items at a fairly young age, but even if you can’t help by serving at the food pantry, you can make a special grocery trip and allow the children to help you locate the most-needed items!
Donate Outgrown Clothing. This one is a great one for opening the door of conversation to show how blessed we truly are. As kids outgrow clothing, they can help go through the closet, find items they no longer wear or have outgrown, and can box them up. Then, you can help them sort the clothing and donate it to a local clothing closet or clothing drive. By doing this, you’re helping kids see that they have items that some kids simply don’t have. A lot of kids don’t have clothing that they need, let alone cute clothing they like, and by donating outgrown clothing, kids can serve other kids and learn how not everyone has access to some of the resources you might have. I’ve found that, even when money was limited and I had very little, this was one area where I could still afford to donate and serve others.
Adopt a Neighbor. You know that neighbor who lives near you, the one who is elderly and doesn’t have family nearby? What about the single mom with several kids who works full time? Maybe the family who just had a major medical event happen and it’s causing them to fall behind a little bit? How about adopting that family or neighbor, taking them under your wing, and finding ways to serve them? Perhaps one week it is getting the whole family together to shovel their snowy driveway. Maybe it means dropping by with a meal, or asking if there are any groceries you can pick up for them when you do your shopping. Your children could deliver a card telling them to get well soon or let them know that you’re thinking of them and praying for them. With permission from the neighbor, an older child could mow their lawn for free. Sometimes, adopting a neighbor can be a short-term thing– helping a family out through a rough patch in life. Sometimes, it can be a long-term commitment to help out a neighbor who needs an extra hand with a little help around the house. Consider an elderly neighbor who lives alone, and think about asking if they need any little tasks done, like changing lightbulbs or testing smoke detectors. Let older kids offer to clean out gutters, or wash windows. By chipping in and doing these little tasks, you’re helping out someone who might not be able to do it themselves, and also forming a lasting bond with someone you live near.
Serve at a nursing home. A nursing home can be a great place to serve, especially as a family! Often, residents have no family or limited family, and could use some interaction from kids. Ask your local nursing home if you can stop by and play games or cards, adopt a resident to spend regular time with, or have your children read to them. It’s a great opportunity to form a lasting connection, again, and also helps you bring some light and joy to someone’s life. Make sure you get permission before bringing items, like flowers or baked goods, to ensure there are no health risks associated with it, but if you get permission, a bouquet of flowers could brighten up someone’s windowsill, and a hand-drawn picture makes all the difference!
Send Cards to Children’s Hospital Patients. Most children’s hospitals have patients who are there for long-term care. It’s a sad reality that there are some kids who are spending weeks, months, or even years within the walls of a hospital, and that can get very monotonous! To help make kids feel a little less sad about missing out on holidays spent at home with family or friends, a lot of children’s hospitals have organizations that are set up to collect cards for the patients. Most will request a card that has a holiday theme and will ask you NOT to send Get Well Soon cards. Around Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and other holidays, or even just for no occasion at all, these organizations deliver handmade greetings to children in the hospital. It’s great to have your child make a greeting that will be delivered to another child!
Make a Spaghetti Dinner for the homeless. Especially when it’s cold, people who don’t have a place to call home find hot meals to be few and far between. A great way to remedy that is to deliver a hot meal of your own that your family worked together to prepare. Spaghetti is great for a couple of reasons. First, most homeless don’t have access to dental care, so some will have trouble with foods that aren’t on the softer side. Second, Spaghetti is something that every age can help prepare. Start by taking a trip to the store and buying 2-3 large packages of spaghetti, 2-3 cans or jars of sauce, some bags of parmesan cheese, and some garlic bread. Also pick up 20-30 takeout boxes and forks while you’re at the store. Don’t forget to buy bottled water, as well. Spend time as a family preparing the spaghetti, then boxing it up in the takeout boxes. Put those in bags, and load up the car with bottled water, parmesan cheese, and the spaghetti and bread. Drive around an area with a larger homeless population and deliver fresh, warm spaghetti, then ask them if they’d like some fresh cheese. After delivering, make sure to sit down and talk to someone one-on-one and ask them their story, or just talk to them about life in general.
Kids of all ages can learn to serve, but when they not only watch you serve, but help you serve, with intention, they’ll learn a lasting history of serving others and begin to really understand what the Bible means when it says to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Looking for more on faith and kids? Here are some ways to pray for your children. You can also show your kids that you love them– without using the words “I love you.”
Being sick sucks. It especially sucks when a little one is sick, since they can’t always express their feelings or understand why they just feel awful. Zach recently had a teething-related bug, the kind you tend to get when you’re chewing on everything because you just can’t get those molars in fast enough.
While recent studies have suggested that it’s okay for kids to run fevers to a certain degree, since it helps kill whatever bug is ailing them, it’s also widely accepted to give your toddler some meds if they’re lethargic and having other issues, like not eating.
However, when your kiddo is sick, it’s sometimes hard to get them to take their medicine. It seemed with Zach that I’d pour the liquid in his mouth, and he’d spit it back out. I’d try to make sure he got the full dose, sweeping the liquid back into his mouth, but he’d resist so much I’d start fearing he might choke on tears and Tylenol. I would give up, frustrated, and he’d still be miserable after not getting even a few drops into his system.
Finally, something had to give, and I started exploring ideas to get him to take his medicine more easily.
For liquid, a dropper often works better than a spoon or cup. You can squirt the medicine into their cheek near the back of their mouth, and it’ll slide right down. Be careful not to stick the dropper straight back– they can wiggle and end up activating their gag reflex, and you’ll wind up with a lot more of a mess on your hands. By squeezing it into the pocket of their cheek, it goes down without too much taste even hitting their tongue. With that said, some older kids may really enjoy the process of being a big helper and drinking the medicine straight out of the small cup that comes with many medications instead of a dropper. If you go this route, give supervision and have something on hand for them to chase it with (like juice or water).
Mix it with fruit juice if you need to– just a little bit of juice with a similarly flavored medicine (like sticking with grape juice for grape medicine) will help mask the taste as it goes down.
Have water on hand, or another favorite drink, for after the dose is given. The easiest way to quell arguments of nasty medicine taste is to make sure kids can flush it out immediately after taking the medicine with a favorite juice or water.
Switch to chewables, if your child is old enough. I thought you had to wait until 4 for chewables, but I finally discovered that there are some name and off-brand chewables on the market for children as young as two years old. While you should never bill it as being candy-like, the little tablets are quite similar to Smarties, and allow kids a little less fear than a nasty syrup.
Hide the pill in some applesauce or pudding. If your child is still resisting when it comes to tablets, tuck it into some applesauce or pudding and have them eat it that way– they’ll be less likely to taste it as it goes down.
Ask for a different flavor. Some pharmacies can add or change the taste of certain prescription liquids if requested, or can point you in the direction of a different flavor when buying over-the-counter medicine. Most pharmacists are happy to help you find a flavor that works for your child.
With the tips listed above, your child might even become excited about taking their medicine. Because of this, you’ll want to be sure all of your medicine is out of reach and locked away to prevent over-medicating. Also be sure to check dosage instructions with your pharmacist, or consult a website like Dr. Sears’ website if you’ve lost the dosage instructions for an over-the-counter medicine. One of the biggest hospitalization causes for kids is over-medication or accidental overdose, so use caution when dosing and make sure that all medicine is put away where your child cannot access it easily.
As always, I am not a doctor. Be sure to consult with a doctor or pharmacist before trying the tips listed in this article. If you do have a concern that your child accidentally ingested medicine, contact poison control and get them to the nearest emergency room immediately.
One of my favorite things to do is to visit the craft store. There’s always so much creativity in store, so many blank canvases and exciting things to try. I can’t resist buying something new to create. When I stumbled upon Jumbo Craft Sticks, I realized they’d be an incredible blank canvas to work with, but… I didn’t know for what.
Then, I remembered seeing some fun projects using popsicle sticks as puzzles, in addition to ideas where you could build with them, make puppets with them, and more.
This craft is so simple– all you need is an 8×10 image, 10 jumbo craft sticks, some glue, and some scissors. In this post, I’m providing you with a printable that is perfect for Valentine’s Day, but using a copy of a family photo or any picture your child loves is another great option.
Start by trimming the excess paper off of the printable or off of your image using a paper cutter or scissors. This is a great project for kids who are old enough to manage scissors themselves. I printed mine on a thick cardstock, but a photo paper will also work.
Spread a thin, even layer of glue across the back of the paper. This is definitely a task that even young kids can do!
Arrange the jumbo craft sticks on the glue, making sure to leave a small gap to allow for your cutting device (scissors, x-acto knife, etc) to cut between them when it’s dry. Let this dry for several hours (or overnight, if you can wait! The longer, the better).
After your glue is dry, cut the craft sticks apart carefully. An x-acto knife will leave you with fewer touch-ups later, but scissors work in a pinch, too. If you notice any loose edges, of course, they can be glued back down.
You can also use a nail file or some fine-grain sandpaper to soften the slightly rugged edges if you have jagged stuff like I do.
Now, let your kiddo play and assemble the puzzle again and again! This makes a great quiet game for church, a fun snowy day craft to create and then play with together.
You can also create multiple copies, tie them up with pretty bakers twine, and hand them out to friends or as class Valentines! It’s a fun twist on a typical card or sweet treat. If you’re using cardstock, your child can even personalize it with a message by writing directly on the image/printable!
You can download your free printable for this popsicle stick puzzle here!
If you do this craft, I’d love to see pictures! You can share your pics on Instagram with the hashtag #MamaPlusOne!
Looking for more fun Valentine’s Day activities? Try this awesome heart chain, or make some strawberries and cream cookies or Valentine’s Butterfingers!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links help financially support MamaPlusOne, and I only recommend things that I actually LOVE.
I’m pretty much always on the hunt for awesome books to add to my son’s bookshelf each season, to the point that our bookshelves are overflowing! As an avid reader as a child, I’ve worked hard to instill that same passion in Zach. Because of that, I try to keep his selection fresh, and I’m realizing that there are a ton of great books or kids out there in various seasons and subjects. Valentine’s Day books are no exception. Growing up, my mom would always take my brother and I out for Valentine’s dinner– after all, love isn’t just about a couple… love resonates in an entire family. It makes sense that, in the season of love, it would be nice to include kids in the gifting, and books are a great option there! Here are my top picks for February!
If I Could Keep You Little by Marianne Richmond
When I first saw this book in Walmart, I decided to peek through it. That peek turned into me reading the entire thing, and crying right there in the middle of the store. No, not some discreet, teary-eyed cry. This was one of those “tears streaming down my face, ugly cry where I’m practically choking on my tears” kind of crying. I don’t know if it was just knowing my son was growing up, or seeing the changes he goes through every day, but this book hit me hard.
It seems simple enough… “If I could keep you little, I’d kiss your cuts and scrapes. But then, I’d miss you learning from your own mistakes.” Essentially, the book is saying, if I could keep you little, I’d be able to take care of you, and make sure you have everything you need, but at the same time, I’d be missing out on the child you’re becoming, on watching you grow into something special.
And that, well, it’s worth a really good cry. I dare you to get through the entire book without at least welling up with a few tears.
You can purchase this book here: If I Could Keep You Little
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! by Laura Joffe Numeroff
On a less serious note, Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! features all of the best characters from the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series, and talks about Mouse creating a special valentine for each of his friends. I think the book is great in that Mouse lovingly considers each of his friends and what he likes about them as he creates their valentine. That is a very special thing to teach kids, making this book a perfect start for a conversation about thoughtfulness, and also helping them more clearly share what they like about the people they care about.
Of course, it’s lit with fun illustrations and familiar characters, making it a staple in any home that loves the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie books.
You can find this book here: Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! (If You Give…)
Duck and Goose: Goose Needs a Hug by Tad Hills
I wasn’t familiar with the Duck and Goose stories until just a year or so ago when I picked up “Duck and Goose: It’s Time for Christmas.” My son and I had so many giggles over lines like “Goose! It is not time for making a SnowGoose!” that it quickly became a favorite during the winter time. While the Goose Needs a Hug installment isn’t necessarily specifically Valentine’s themed, it does show an important way to express caring for individuals through hugs. A simple hug can cheer up someone’s day and take them from sad to glad in just one brief moment of physical touch; if that wasn’t so, then Free Hugs campaigns wouldn’t be so popular! Goose Needs a Hug is a heartwarming tale for those who already love Duck and Goose, but it’s also a great introduction to Duck and Goose books if you’re not already familiar with them.
You can find this book here: Duck & Goose, Goose Needs a Hug
Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter by Mercer Mayer
I feel the need to include this one because Little Critter was a staple of my childhood. Truly, it wouldn’t have been a childhood for me without spending countless hours reading and re-reading, searching for that little spider hidden on the pages. I loved devouring the Little Critter books, and of course, this cute tale is no exception. It’s mushy-gushy in the right places, with just a touch of that Little Critter snark everyone knows and loves, and it’s destined to become a classic, especially if you’re a parent who loved Mercer Mayer as a child.
You can find this book here: Little Critter: Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter!
If you’re a big Little Critter fan, you may also like Little Critter: Just a Little Love (My First I Can Read)
The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
The name of this author may look familiar to some, but even if the name doesn’t, a quick flip through the pages will refresh your memory. Felicia Bond is the well-loved illustrator of the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie books. These cute drawings are perfect, and the storyline is just so wholesome and fun. It starts with a girl seeing hearts begin falling from the sky like raindrops. As she catches them, she realizes each one is unique… and that each would make a great valentine for one of her friends! A cute book with darling illustrations, it’s one that will be read again and again, especially by families with younger children.
You can purchase this book here: Day It Rained Hearts
I Loathe You by David Slonim
I think we can all admit that sometimes, the “I love you THIS much” genre gets a bit mushy gushy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love a good, sweet, overly mushy book– if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be crying over books in the middle of Walmart, would I? But this book has it right when it comes to providing that amazing unconditional love… without really going the mushy-love route. As two monsters talk and get so disgustingly silly with their loathing for one another, you quickly realize that this is a tale of love, albeit a different kind of love, expressed in an atypical way. This book is especially good for the kids who wipe away kisses saying “YUCK!” like my own son. It’s perfect in a secretly-loving, but extra-awesome way.
This book can be purchased here: I Loathe You
Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story by Andy Rash
Okay, so, I have to warn you here, this isn’t exactly a children’s book. Or, well, it is, but it kind of depends on the type of kid you have. You won’t see anything worse than an episode of CSI in here, but there are bits and pieces about zombie dismemberment, including the use of chainsaws, acid, and other horrifying stuff. It even has a special twist ending! But really, for an older kid, or a kid who has been exposed to their fair share of zombies, you’ll find tons of giggles in this silly counting book. It has a little bit of everything– humor, grossness, and even some love. It’s a cute story, and the illustrations are rudimentary, so it isn’t the stuff of nightmares so much as the stuff of “Eww! Dead zombie blood!” I think it’s well worth reading, especially if you’re an off-beat parent.
You can purchase this book here: Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story
Do you have a favorite Valentine’s book for kids? Share it in the comments below!
It is so strange to me that having just one or two rooms out of commission for renovations can so throw off my entire schedule! It seems like while we’re in the process of these renovation products, I am not getting as much accomplished, but then I remember how many things I am accomplishing around the house.
It’s hard, though, because I miss being here to check in with the blog daily as I was before. With any luck, though, the house will be done soon and we’ll be able to share some amazing before-and-afters with you.
One of my biggest projects lately has been getting our photos and art back on the walls as we finish each room, and in the meantime, updating what pictures are shown in our frames. We’ve always had a hall of fame approach in our hallway, with photos from posed to candid lining the walls, featuring every member of our very large family. Many of the photos show off our individual talents and passions… a photograph of me holding my Cherry Masher Sandwich Cookies from my Duncan Hines win, photos of Jeffrey being a soccer star, and photographs of Zach drumming.
It truly is like our own Hall of Fame, showcasing the best of our lives, and I love that. It makes me feel accomplished, proud, and enthusiastic to continue.
We also have our own set of candid shots of us just being us. No special significance, no special skills… just each of us, doing what we do. To me, this is great, because it helps me remember that in life, we have just as many bloopers as we do highlight reels. It’s a mixture of both.
This song by The Script and Will.I.Am shares a lot about how I feel about our own Hall of Fame. It also shows a lot of my wishes for Zach, so every time I listen to it, I get a bit teary-eyed. I’ve never understood those parents who said “My child can be anything.” I always thought, “yeah, but surely there’s some sort of caveat there, surely you know there’s got to be something they’ll not do.” But really, seeing my son, day in and day out, seeing him explore and change and grow and learn, I firmly believe, right now, he can be anything he wants to be. He can be a politician, a leader, a teacher, an astronaut… he has all of that potential inside of him, and I know he can do any of it.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk48xRzuNvA]The best part is? No matter what he does or where he goes, he’s my son, and I will be proud of him, and I will love him.
Tell me about your personal hall of fame moments. What is your biggest accomplishment? Did you ever think you’d get there when you were younger?
