Category: Life

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Toys Now vs. Then

Growing up I don’t really remember having a lot of electronic toys.  Yes we did have our game console but most things were not battery operated   I had crayons, markers and coloring books.  We had dolls and slip and slides.  Kids of today are surrounded by soo many technological toys.  It amazes me how young a child can figure out an electronic device like a smart phone or iPad.

I see kids in the grocery store playing on hand held devices whether it be made particularly for children or if it’s just their parent’s cell phone.  I’m grateful for our technological advances that we have but I don’t want our kids to miss out on all of the fun they can have without technology.  I try to encourage their imagination with dress up clothes, lots of materials to build castles and forts to let their minds go wild.

I love seeing the light in my kids’ eyes when they create something.  They look like they have the biggest sense of accomplishment.  It warms my heart to see all of the new things they make.  Just yesterday my daughter had me put a skirt on one of her dinosaur toys because she wanted a dinosaur princess.  That takes imagination if I do say so.  She’s a genius.

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Cell Phones for Children at What Age

It took me a very long time to get a cell phone.  I was very anti-cell phone actually.  I thought of them as electronic leashes and I didn’t want to have anything to do with them. That changed one year when I was a senior in college and my car broke down in the middle of an intersection.  I was all alone and needed help.  At that moment I realized that having a cell phone in case of emergency was probably a good idea.

Now, my kids are starting to ask when they will be able to have a cell phone of their own.  They use mine all of the time to play games.  They don’t use it to make calls because they aren’t old enough to want to hang on the phone for hours.  Right now I think it’s more a fascination with all of the apps on the phone that serve as entertainment.  But I’m starting to ask when will that age be gone and it be time to get them phones for emergencies.

I’m thinking when the kids are in middle school will be a good age.  I will have strict rules about NOT using the phones during school to play or chat or text friends.  I don’t want them to disrupt other students or break school rules.  However, I do want them to be safe if they are walking home from school or are hanging out at the mall with friends.  I guess I’ll take it one day at a time for now.  I still have a few years to go before I really have to worry about it.

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Fridays and Why They Are So Special

Fridays are one of the best days of the week.  On Fridays you’ve accomplished most everything you need to get done for the week. I love crossing everything off of my to do list as the week goes by, and usually on Friday most everything is crossed off. It always makes me excited to know that I’ll be able to have the entire weekend to relax and not worry about the stress of the week from work. In the afternoon I always get a sense of euphoria as the weekend draws near.

Fridays bring a smile to my face just thinking about them. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love Fridays.  T.G.I.F. Thank God It’s Friday!  Who doesn’t celebrate Friday when it rolls around.

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Ms. Leach, The Best Teacher Ever

The first day of school is coming soon.  It’s the time of year when school supplies are on sale at every store and there are specials for students and teachers.  I remember my fourth grade teacher very well.  She just happened to end up being my fifth grade teacher too!  She made our school time very special.

Each day we would sing songs and have learning activities.  But the one thing that made her very special was that she took time out of her busy day to talk to us about what was going on in our lives and how we were doing.  She asked us question about how we felt about learning and what we liked and didn’t like.  She worked really hard to tailor her lessons and activities to fit and and every one of us.

She always had something special planned for us each day.  I couldn’t wait to get to school in the mornings to find out what Ms. Leach had in store for us.  I hope my kids have teachers like her this year.  I want them to think learning is fun.

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Family Game Night – What Game Are You the Champion Of?

The Game of Life, Risk, Sorry, Monopoly. It’s family game night and time to break out the board games. I am our family champion for Monopoly. I can’t get enough of that game. I always have to be the banker, I think it has something to do with controlling all of the money.

My husband loves to play Risk. He seems to be great at all of the calculated risks and determining when to sacrifice something in order to come out on top. I am not the biggest fan of this game to be honest. It seems long, drawn out, and boring. However, we take turns choosing what games we are going to play and I am always a good sport when someone selects a game I don’t really like.

What games do you play for your family game nights for entertainment? Do you play board games, have tournaments with game systems, or maybe just play with a deck of cards? All of the above can be lots of fun. The important part is spending quality time with your family and having fun.

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Do You Need Coffee to Wake Up in the Morning?

Regular or decaf? That is the question. Are you one of those people that absolutely must have a cup of coffee in the morning in order to wake up? I used to be. I’m not anymore. I make sure to get a good 8 solid hours of sleep every night. Then when I get up in the morning instead of relying on coffee to wake me up I like to take a shower.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy a cup of joe in the morning, it just doesn’t have to be caffeinated. As long as it tastes good I’m absolutely fine with decaf. I invest in quality coffee and haven’t had a problem with poor flavor in my decaf coffee at all.

I know I don’t need coffee to wake up in the morning. If you are one of those people that do need coffee in the morning, what would your day be like without your coffee? I’d love to hear from you.

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Next Book On My To Read List Is…

The Hunger Games is the next book on my to-read list. I’ve been hearing all kinds of great reviews about this series. I haven’t seen the movie yet, and I don’t want to until after I read the book. I like to form a picture in my mind from what I read in the story instead of just taking and accepting what is given to me by Hollywood.

I’ve heard that there are a few blood and gore moments in the story. I know the short synopsis of the story, and I can’t imagine sending my children off every year to be slaughtered in some dumb competition for entertainment purposes. It seems pretty insane and barbaric if you ask me. Maybe there is more to it than what I’ve gleaned from the gossip I’ve heard. I guess I will find out after I read the story for myself.

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Food to Toss on the Grill

It’s summer and our grills are out and ready to be used. I like to toss all kinds of food on the grill, not just your average meat like hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks. I’ve been known to make entire meals on the grill. There is nothing wrong with using a pan on the grill in order to make a side dish to accompany your meal.

Grilled fruit is absolutely divine. I like to eat it along side a big giant scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pineapple is one of my favorites. Peaches and nectarines grill up pretty great as well.

What kind of food do you like to cook on your grill? I’d love to hear any tips and tricks you might have.

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The Best Way to Start Your Day

I’m a firm believer that the best way to start your day out is by getting up, making your bed first thing, and then going to the bathroom. In your first few moments you’ve already accomplished something. I hate making my bed, so I always make it first thing in the morning so it’s done for the rest of the day and I don’t have to look at a messy bed as I walk past it.

Taking a shower is a nice way to wake your body up as well. I like to take a warm shower so I’m not shocked awake with cool water. I let the water give me a big giant wake up hug. After I get out I feel nice and refreshed and ready to start my day.

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The Wizard of Oz, An Old Favorite

The Wizard Of Oz is a classic in my book. I remember watching it on television as a child with my parents in our living room. I thought it was completely amazing when I saw Dorothy walk out of her house into Oz when it was all in color. It seemed like magic to me.

I loved the Lollipop Kids too! I thought they were adorable and I asked my mom if I could visit them and play at their house. I saw their giant lollipops and fell in love.

The movie had its scary parts too. The flying monkeys creeped me out. I hid my face in my daddy’s chest and asked when they disappeared. I wasn’t only afraid of the monkeys; the talking trees also gave me the heebie jeebies. I could handle talking scarecrows but when the trees started talking I thought they were nuts.

Every time I see this movie on television now, I always stop changing the channel and enjoy the rest of the movie. It’s a wonderful movie to share with your family.