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Aug
30
It was no surprise to me that my baby, Marigrace would love to dance. It all started with her swinging on the umbilical cord in the womb. Whenever she heard music she would have a dance party in my belly. She practically did the “running man” on her way out.
My oldest daughter also loves to dance. She lives and breathes it. Much of her free time is spent dancing in our basement. Marigrace has been dancing along since before she could walk. She would sit in her bouncy seat and kick her legs to the beat of the music. Once she was finally up on two feet she was able to perfect her dance moves. The “One Shoulder Shimmy” is our favorite but “The Travolta” and her moonwalk are also pretty impressive for a twenty month old.
Don’t believe me? Here’s video proof to show that I’m not just a bragging mother. Okay, I am bragging but her dance skills are too good to not brag about. I’m thinking she could win the Best Little Dancer in America competition or at least some Stride Rite shoes from the PBN Blog Blast. C’mon people. Indulge me. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Aug
29
Trail Blaze Energy Bars
Filed Under snacks/meal planning | Leave a Comment
I recently was sent Trail Blaze Bake-At-Home Energy Bars for review. I’m up for anything that is quick and easy plus good for my family. The true test though is if my kids will eat them. They are extremely picky and it seems the healthier something is the more likely they are to hate it.
My kids helped me make the Cranberry Walnut bars. They are more apt to try something new if they help make it. There are three wet ingredient options to choose from. We used the applesauce and yogurt option since my kids love both. We mixed the ingredients together and spread into a greased pan. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Half an hour later we had our wholesome snack.
Two of my four kids loved them. That says a lot for how picky they all are. Hubby loves them too. We prefer them cold and I’m thinking they are a perfect snack to put in their lunch boxes. Junk free and guilt free.
Matisse & Jack’s Bake-At-Home Energy bars are made with organic rolled oats, flax seed, nuts and dried fruits. They have no hydrogenated oils or preservatives. Each bar contains a healthy dose of Omega-3 fats and protein. You can find their nutritional information here.
They sell for only $4.99 a box which is much cheaper than prepackaged energy bars. If you purchase five or more boxes the shipping is free. You can order them from the Matisse & Jack’s website.
Aug
22
Fathering Your School Age Child
Filed Under books, family life, for dad | Leave a Comment
I signed up with the Parents Blogger Network to review Fathering Your School-Age Child: A Dad’s Guide to the Wonder Years
because I thought it would be a good read for my husband. Three of our four children are between the ages of five and nine but we are far from experts on parenting.
I gave the book and a deadline to my husband. The book sat untouched on the counter for a week. Not surprising. He doesn’t read much beyond the daily newspaper, business journal, or People magazine so I read it for him. If I came across something that I thought would be of interest to him then I bookmarked the page and put in place of the People magazine on the bathroom counter.
We both tend to be cynics when it comes to parenting books. Most of the ones that we have read preach more of a perfect parenting type of approach. They left us feeling inadequate especially since we have children with ADHD, learning disabilities, and sensory issues. Most parenting books don’t address these issues unless the book is specifically written for one of these issues. This book scored big points with us on this matter. Armin A. Brott addresses how to be a dad to a child with ADHD or LD throughout the book. We like that he didn’t single these kids out. He also sends a clear message that it’s okay to be a good enough dad.
The book is easy to read and will be great for referring back to as our children grow. He breaks the book down into chapters for each age between three and nine. Then he breaks down each chapter into the physical, emotional, and intellectual milestones of each age.
The book is current and up to date on technology. He gives recommendations for toys and video games in addition to instant message acronyms. The back of the book is chock full of resources for parents which could be a book its self. Brott definitely did his homework.
Overall the book is a fun and informative read for dads AND moms.
Aug
9
Quality family time is a pricless gift
Filed Under family life | 2 Comments
School starts for my kids in a couple of weeks so I’m doing my best to enjoy the more than enough quality time I have with them during the summer months. Once school starts so does our very busy schedule of homework, sports, dance classes, and music lessons. Squeezing quality family time in is not easy so we have created “family traditions”. These are traditions that our kids look forward to and will hopefully remember with fond memories when they are adults.
Our first tradition was our commitment to our faith. We attend mass on Saturday nights as a family followed with going out to dinner and letting the kids take turns deciding what restaurant we should dine at. Church may not be their favorite thing to attend but they really look forward to dinner out. I hope we can keep them enjoying this tradition into their teenage years even if it means them bringing a friend.
Another tradition is our Family Council which we have every month or so. We come together at the kitchen table and take turns telling each family member what we love about them then we go back around to tell each other any concerns or problems we have. This has been a great way to improve our family communication. Our kids love it because it gives them an open forum to tell me and my husband what their beefs are with us.
Our kid’s favorite traditions involve play. They all love to perform so they love putting shows on for us. Their dressing up, dancing, and acting out plays will be such a treasured memory for us once they outgrow this tradition. “Hard Tricks” with my husband is another tradition we will miss once they are grown. They have some very impressive balancing on daddy’s feet and flip-over tricks.
We also have some very important holiday traditions with our extended family. There’s the Annual Turkey Contest where the kids use their imaginations to come up with a turkey creation. All the kids win first prize but they don’t seem to catch on because one may win first prize for best use of pine cones and another wins for best use of a rubber glove and feathers. They all win a cheap dollar store prize and then an announcement is made for the first place winner to get their picture taken so they all run in to stand for their photo. They are either truly oblivious to the fact that they are all first place winners or are just pretending because it’s so much fun.
We also have an Appreciate The Christmas Tree party the Saturday after Thanksgiving where we honor our godchildren. Godparents and godchildren swap gifts and Santa stops by for a visit.
Another way we spend quality time with our kids is to take two family vacations a year. We kick off every Christmas season with a trip to Branson, Missouri and take a beach vacation every summer.
Quality time is the best gift I can give my kids and it doesn’t have to cost a dime. Cuddling before bed, reading books, playing board or card games, and listening to them with my full attention is the kind of quality time my kids want most. I’m doing my best to give them my most quality time now because all too soon will come the time when they won’t want it as much as they do now.
This post is brought to you in conjunction with Parent Bloggers Network & EA’s Wii-Boogie, a family gaming experience. Shake it. Sing it. Create it.
Aug
5
emealsforyou: The "e" is for easy
Filed Under snacks/meal planning | 1 Comment
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It’s the perfect resource for busy moms. Planning a party? Check out their wine pairing ideas and recipes. Have a question? E-mail their chefs for help.
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