FAMILY FUN FRIDAY! Bear, Hunter, Maiden.

Today's Family Fun is a throw back to Rock, Paper, Scissors.

The perfect family game, No Materials Required.

Here's how it goes....

Teach your family the new actions:

BEAR: Hands up in claw-like position, "GRRRR"

HUNTER: Pretend to hold a gun, "BANG"

MAIDEN: One hand on your head, the other hand on your hips, "WOOOO!"

Count one, two, three and show your new sign. Be sure you make the "sound" as you show your sign.

How to Win: BEAR eats MAIDEN, HUNTER shoots BEAR, MAIDEN woos HUNTER.

This game is perfect for kids. They love the signs and the sounds that go with them. It also teaches them to think ahead and problem solve.

Wait until you see your husband "WOOO" like a maiden with his hands on his hips. Or your 2 year old "GRRRR" like a bear. Hilarious.

****This is also fun to play with large groups. Divide everyone into two groups. Designate an area of play with two safety lines on opposite ends, with a challenge line in the center. Group members agree on which character they will be (Bear, Hunter, Maiden). Once each team has chosen an action, they line up, team A facing team B, on the challenge line. Count to three and then the two teams do the actions "at" each other. If one team beats the other, the winning team chases the losing team to their safety line. If someone on the losing team gets tagged by the winning team before crossing their line of safety, they become part of the winning team. If both teams choose the same action then they go back to their huddle and choose a new action. This is repeated until one team is taken over by the other team.
Example: Team A chooses BEAR, Team B decides MAIDEN. The two teams stand on the challenge line. Count to three, and the teams show their signs. BEAR eats MAIDEN so the BEAR team chases the MAIDEN team back to their safety line. Anyone they touch before getting to the line, has to join the MAIDEN team. ****

Have a Great Weekend. It is a big one for us. Our son is getting baptized on Saturday.

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*P.S. Don't forget to enter the $50 GIVEAWAY. There is still time.

Time to Stop Beating Ourselves Up

I often find myself working with women who beat themselves up for not being "good enough."

I can relate. There are many times when I can sense the feelings of inadequacy trying to take over and the self doubt creeping in.

I think being a girl (women) can be hard.

We are born into this world with so many gifts and talents, but over time they can become self destructive.

We are naturally team oriented. We want friends and support systems. When taken too far we are so concerned with being a team player that we don't take credit for the great things we do.

We are kind to others, but are we cruel to ourselves?

We are quick to give people the benefit of the doubt, but that means we avoid confrontation.

We are nurturers. But do we get so busy taking care of other's needs that we don't take care of ourselves.

It is not always this way. Research shows that young girls are confident and assertive. It is about the time they hit 8th grade (if not sooner) that they start to loose their sense of worth and efficacy. Young girls are faced with so many challenges. They want to be confident but they can't be conceited and movies, TV and advertising are constantly "telling" them how they should look and act.

It doesn't end with puberty. As mothers and grown women the pressure and stigmas don't go away.

The inadequacy and confusion hit me full force after having our second child. I didn't know who I was. I felt lost for a bit. I didn't have an opinion all of a sudden, and I didn't feel like I could make decisions. It even affected getting dressed in the morning. I didn't know what looked good on me because I didn't know who I was.

As women, we are strong, we are smart, we are influential. There is not room to beat ourselves up because we aren't good enough. Instead we need to celebrate how great we are.

• We can start by taking credit for the good things that we do. We don't need to be arrogant, just confident. We are good mother's and good friends and good wives. We are working hard to do good things in our homes and in our communities. 
• We can't put ourselves down. Reminding ourselves and others that we not "skinny enough", or our house isn't clean enough will not make either happen. Self depreciation is destructive. Not to mention when our kids hear us say these things it affects them and their opinions. This goes for the way we talk about ourselves in front of our spouses also. 

When my husband and I got married I received some GREAT advice. An ecclesiastical leader told me that I didn't need to constantly point out all my faults. He went on to say that most of the time our spouses don't recognize the faults until we point them out. Then they have a hard time forgetting. 

I think about this advice everyday. When I am about to point out something I don't like about myself, I remember to keep my mouth shut. I don't want to give my husband any ideas. :)

If you are always putting yourself down, try a little trick....Put a rubber band on your wrist and every time you say or think something bad about yourself, pull on the rubber band and let it flick you. It won't feel great and you will see yourself cutting back on the "put-downs." 

• We always give others the benefit of the doubt, but not ourselves. She had a rough day, why can't we? We can be quick to accept others situations, why don't we accept that we too have limitations and we are wonderful regardless. It is okay to not bake bread, homeschool, be PTA President, YW President, raise 12 kids, sew all our families clothes, and refinish all our furniture on the side. It is okay. We are all different and we need to cut ourselves some slack. 

We all have internal gauges that tell us if we are doing what we should. We know when we need to do more, or less. Listening to this "voice" and not the "voice" of the world will help us ease up on ourselves. 

• We can surround ourselves with the right support. We know who builds us up and who doesn't. We can distance ourselves from those who don't. 
• We can find some time for ourselves. It is okay to cultivate our gifts and talents. We can pick one or two things that we like/want to do and make time for them. 
• We can recognize that life will be frustrating and hard at times. The joy will come in moments.   

As women we are building and molding future generations. We are strengthening family units. It is our influence that is shaping the world. We can stop beating ourselves up for what we aren't doing and revel in the good things we are doing.

I guess that was on my mind.

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT TEACHING YOUR GIRLS TO BE STRONG? I DO.

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All These Years and I Never Knew...

My Birthday was a few months ago.
We had a family party with my parents, my brother and his family, and my grandma.

Whenever we celebrate a birthday my husband has everyone go around and say something nice, or share a funny story about the birthday person.

Since I was the woman of the hour, the comments were about me.

We worked our way around the room, and then it was my husband's turn.
He is not the kind of guy that is always "gushing" sentiments in public, so I always look forward to his comments.

He explained that when we were newlyweds we would get up and eat breakfast together. I wanted to get up and talk over breakfast. He is not a morning person. He didn't see the need for all the talking.

"The first morning after moving into our basement, we got up to eat and I couldn't focus on anything Heather was saying. Not because I was tired, but because I couldn't stop thinking about how bad Heather's breath was. She was sitting across from me talking with the worst morning breath ever."

WHAT! WHAT is he talking about I thought? I don't have bad breath, he has never said anything, why is he telling this to my family? Couldn't he tell me this in private?

He continued...

"I just kept thinking, she never had bad breath on our honeymoon. This is just great, she wants to talk first thing in the morning, and she has horrible breath."

"A few months later Heather was pregnant and sick. It was a Saturday and she had a chance to sleep in. I got up to eat breakfast alone. I was out of cereal so I poured a bowl of Heathers. Honey Nut Cheerios."

"I took the first bite and thought, argh, my breath stinks."

"I took the next bite and thought the same thing."

"Waiting to take my third bite, spoon up by my nose, it dawned on me. I sniffed the bowl of Cheerios and it was all clear, IT'S NOT HER BREATH, IT'S THE CHEERIOS."

I had been eating Honey Nut Cheerios everyday since we got married. I am a creature of habit. 

So...the nice thing he said about me this year...
"I am grateful it is Heather's Birthday and that she's never had bad breath."

(Insert Sarcasm): Ahhhhh! Thanks for the sweet birthday sentiment. 

ANY SECRETS YOU NEVER KNEW?

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$50 GIVEAWAY! Do You Feel Lucky?

****This giveaway is closed.***

Today was a happy day because the weather brought us a rainbow. Rain and Rainbows in the summer always make me happy.

Giveaways make me happy too.

Up for grabs, a $50 Gift Certificate to any CSN store. Remember CSN? They have more than 200 online stores. You can find board games for family night, beach toys for your summer vacation, cookware, dining room sets, accessories for baby, and anything else you might need.

Our kids browsed CSN with me tonight. They have decided they need more bounce in their lives. And our youngest wants to "wing" all day long.

Would you like to win? Today is your lucky day.

****EXTRA INCENTIVE: Just for fun, If we hit 100 comments today, I will add an extra entry for EVERYONE! Woop woop! ****

Required Entry:

Visit the CSN Store and tell me what you will buy when you win! Please leave your email address on all your entries.

Extra Entries: (leave a separate comment for each entry, be sure you include your email address on every entry)

• Follow Family Volley (it counts if you are already a follower). Just leave me a comment telling me that you already follow. 

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The Giveaway will run until Saturday July 31st at 11:59 pm. The winner will be announced on Monday August 1, 2010.

I have not received any compensation, monetary, goods, or services for this giveaway. I was contacted by CSN and am really excited to help facilitate this opportunity for you. 

Do your kids have NDD? Go Outside and Play!

Happy Monday!
Do you remember a few months ago when we talked about T.V? In the post I mentioned Nature Deficit Disorder. Since then I have gotten quite a few inquires about NDD. Here is more information on one of the newest disorders to plague our homes. The great news, it can totally be prevented. Woo Hoo!

By definition, Nature Deficit Disorder is a lack of routine contact with nature that results in stunted academic and developmental growth. 
NDD is an unwanted side effect of the electronic age. Too much time with technology, means not enough time outside. 


Did you know....
* About 9 million children ages 6-19 are overweight or obese.
* Childhood obesity has doubled over the last 30 years for preschoolers and adolescents. It has more than tripled for kids 6-11.
* ADD, asthma, and obesity have increased over the last few decades. 
* Our children may be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Yikes!
Many argue that these statistics are a direct result of children not spending enough time outside in nature.


Why should we send our kids outside to play?

• Helps build healthy immune systems in children. 
• Buffers children against the effects of stressful events.
• Positive effect on the psychological well-being of children.
• Less anxiety
• Less Depression
• Children feel better about themselves, higher sense of self worth
• They recover more quickly from stressful life events
• Lower levels of behavioral disorders.
• Improved attention span
• Ability to concentrate and pay attention better
• Teaches children to be more creative and to solve problems

So as parents, what can we do...

1.    Be a good role model.
Children do, for the most part, what their parents do. Sedentary parents are more likely to have sedentary children. If we spend all our time inside, or in front of the tv or computer, so will our children. Model the behavior you want your children to emulate. Go outside, take walks, explore, teach children to respect nature.

2.    Plan an outside family activity EVERY week. 
Get your kids excited about being outside by planning fun and exciting activities. Once a week, plan to explore the outdoors with your kids. You could go to your local river, beach, forest, or city park. Let your kids help with the planning and they will be extra excited to see the fruits of their labors. Sometimes our outside family activity is simple, like a picnic, or reading library books on the grass. We have started doing scavenger hunts outside, based on the latest book we have read. It is fun to go out and make correlations between what we have read and what is in nature. 

3.    Limit Screen Time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than 1-2 hours of screen time a day. Turn the TV off and encourage your children to go outside and play. 

4.    Start an outdoor campaign at your children's school. 
Volunteer a little of your time to get kids outside. Teach them to respect the environment, take them out to play games, teach bird watching, or bug collecting. Even teaching them about the different types of clouds will get classes outside in the fresh air. It can be hard for teachers to do these extra activities. Help them out.  

5.    Plant a garden.
Get your children involved and plant a garden. Let them help with every step. The time you spend caring for your veggies will not only build your relationship, but get your family outside more often. 

6.    Be creative with "Outside Toys" and Invest in a few also.

Kids don't need a lot of "equipment" to have fun. Water, trees, flowers, fields, bushes and streams are the best kind of toys because they can be anything the imagination decides. You can have a few purchased options that will also add to the fun.  Invest in a few different balls, some soccer cones, hula hoops, jump rope, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, water guns. You can also make up fun games outside. We love to play "I Spy,"(I spy with my little eye...something....blue). Or "What fell from the sky." (we try to name things that have fallen)

7.     Go on Walks

When the weather permits, our family takes a walk everyday after dinner. The tradition started when my husband and I were newlyweds. Three children later it is still one of our favorite things to do. It is a chance for us to talk to our children, each other, and get fresh air.

8.     Let your children go outside. 

I know this is hard when we hear about a child abduction nearly every week on the news, but we can't be paranoid parents. We don't want our children to live in fear either. Trust and let them play. A lot of our anxiety will go away if we will go outside with our kids. 
And, it's okay to let them get dirty. I have a hard time with this one. I have really had to relax and let our kids be kids. I am still strongly opposed to them eating dirt, but I am not nearly as uptight about the dirty clothes as I used to be. Stunted academic and developmental growth, or a little extra laundry. Easy choice.   

9.    Get involved with local organizations.

I like to check in with the Children and Nature Network. Local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are also a good place to start. Community Centers in your area, as well as your local library will probably have a few outdoor activities planned as well. Also, don't underestimate the Chamber of Commerce. Give them a call and see what your community has planned. The activities are usually free.  

If you struggle to get your kids excited about going outside, start by turning off technology and head outside with them. I know there is lots to do inside, but forget the housework and go outside and play. It is just like teaching children to work. Working and playing with your children will help them want to get involved. 


NDD DOESN'T JUST AFFECT KIDS. DO YOU GET ENOUGH TIME OUTSIDE?

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FAMILY FUN FRIDAY! Bubble Art

Young or Old, everyone loves bubbles. This week our Family Fun Friday makes bubbles even better. This is a great activity for your whole family.

All you need is...
Bubbles
Food Coloring or Tempera Paint

OR

To Start...
Stir 15 drops of food coloring, or 2 Tablespoons of tempera paint, into a 1/2 cup of bubble solution. We like to make the primary colors, and then because we have two girls, they always request pink and purple. We like the big bottles of Miracle Bubbles that you can get at Toy's R'Us. They come in a huge bottle so they last all summer and into the fall. I pour them into old bubble containers with lids so that we can close them up when we are done.

Take a large piece of paper, or a couple smaller pieces of paper and tape them up outside. We like to put ours up against the fence, or between two trees.

Then start blowing. Using your colored bubbles, blow the bubbles so they pop on the paper. You and your kids will see colorful bubble circles "pop" before your eyes and splatter into beautiful art.

THINK YOUR KIDS WILL HAVE FUN WITH THIS ONE?

Have a great weekend.

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Cookie Request

My daughter informed me today that we have not made cookies in a loooong time.

She wanted Chocolate Chip, but there were no chocolate chips in the house. A sleeping baby meant we couldn't go to the store.

So after a quick look through my recipe box and the pantry, we decided on Magic Middle Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies. I found the recipe a few years ago, but never got around to it.

Boy am I glad we were out of chocolate chips. These are unbelievably good. I had to share.

You will need...

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg

- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter

In a bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking soda, until well blended.

In a larger bowl, beat sugar, butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg, beat. Stir in the flour mixture until blended. Set aside.

To Make the Filling: Combine confectioner's sugar and 3/4 cup peanut butter, and mix well.

Roll the filling into 25-30 - 1 inch balls*. I used a small cookie scoop to keep things uniform.

For each cookie, flour your hands and shape about 1 Tablespoon** of dough around 1 peanut butter ball, covering completely. I used a cookie scoop for the cookie also.

Once the cookies are "stuffed", roll them in the palm of your hand to make a smooth ball. Then roll them in sugar. Like you would a snicker doodle.

Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies, slightly.

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. When the cookies are done they should be set and slightly cracked.


A few helpful hints...
*We found that putting the peanut butter filling "balls" in the freezer while you prepare the cookies helps. Just a few minutes makes them easier to work with.

** I ended up using a little more than 1 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie.

***If your children are working with you, it might take a little longer to get things put together. If the dough starts to dry out, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.

These cookies are fantastic. They take a little more time than chocolate chip, but it is worth all the effort. Try them, you can thank me later.

HAVE YOU MADE COOKIES AT YOUR HOUSE LATELY?
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE? DO SHARE.

I Don't Think I Will Sleep Much Tonight

First, let me preface. I have debated about this post for the last three hours. I recognize in writing this post that the situation itself places judgement. I do not mean to judge, but simply recap a very difficult situation I was a part of today. Just the facts. No strings attached.

You see, in the summer, if we are not home, we are at the pool. We live there. Our kids wake up and immediately want their swim suits on. The question is asked a million times, "is it time to go swimming yet?" They wait all year for these few weeks of water.

Today was no different. It was around 1pm and everyone was in the water. Our 8 and 5 year old were doing tricks off the high dive while I sat on the steps with our daughter. She is almost 2. Once off the steps, the water is 3 ft deep. The further you get from the steps, the deeper the water. It gradually goes from 3ft to 5ft etc.

As I was sitting and playing with our youngest, I noticed a little boy who looked about three. He was tall enough to stand on the bottom of the 3ft pool, and was playing in the water. Before long he was making his way further away from the steps. I was watching our oldest children at the other end of the pool, watching our youngest, and now, couldn't stop looking at this little boy.

He started to look like he was in trouble. The water was above his mouth but he didn't seem to be panicking. I couldn't tell. I looked around for a parent. I looked up at the life guard. She was at the edge of her seat also trying to decide if this boy needed help.

The "watching game" went on for about 60 seconds. It seemed like 5 minutes. Both of us honed in on this young boy. I hollered at the life guard and asked her if she wanted me to get him.

She didn't have time to answer me, she was too busy jumping in. As she was jumping in I was grabbing my daughter off the steps, heading toward the little boy.

The life guard wrapped her arms around him just as I grabbed his arm.

He was in trouble. He was drowning. Really drowning. He was in shock and showed no dramatic signs of distress. He was just sinking. Seeing a child drowning is unsettling.

The life guard was great. She got him out, got him breathing correctly, and went through all the correct procedures.

Other lifeguards came to help, but when all was settled she said to him in a very friendly voice, "Let's get a life jacket on you, okay?"

Then she asked "Where is your mom?" No one had huddled around the drama to claim him.

The life guard got the boy's life jacket on and then they started to find who he belonged to.

They found his mother, at a table, her back to the pool.

Painting Her Nails.

I spent extra time putting our children to bed. I just couldn't leave them. They didn't see my tears, but I shed them.

It will be a long time before I forget today. Probably Never.

Family Volley

Common Parenting Practices....To Avoid!

Bad hair styles, Bad parenting styles, Both should be AVOIDED.

Let's be honest. Do we use any of the following parenting techniques?

If so, we should consider: Before we can see changes in our children, we need to change how we respond to our children.

Avoid... Paranoid Parenting
It's true, the world is a scary place. It is important to watch over and protect our children, but becoming paranoid is not a good parenting approach. Obsessively controlling our children will not make the world more safe. Constantly worrying about dangers that "could" happen only breeds fear into our children. Actually, the tighter we rein our children in, the more obsessed we become and the more anxious and less confident our children turn out.
Do you hear yourself saying, "Don't touch that!" "Don't go over there!" Stay right next to me!" "Don't do that!" "Don't go too far!"

If you are saying these things All. The. Time, it needs to stop. Today's generation of kids is more paranoid than any other. As parents we need to relax, and let our children deal with life. It is important not to pass our fears on to our kids. Constantly reminding our children of all the dangers in the world is not necessary.

I really have to watch myself with this. From germs to kidnappers to school shootings, I find myself telling my kids what they can't do more than what they can. I especially run into this when something horrible happens. A few years ago there was a deadly mall shooting about 40 miles from where we live. My poor kids. They couldn't even let go of the shopping cart at the grocery store. When I watch the local news too much, I become so paranoid I am sure my kids feel like they can't even breath. Paranoid parenting undermines a child's ability to make their own decisions with confidence. Not a good way to go about raising kids.

Avoid.... Best Friend Parenting
Kids need parents who set rules and boundaries and don't muddy the line between parent/adult and friend.  Remember we are their parents, we can be friends later. We find ourselves avoiding making the unpopular decisions because we want our kids to "like us." We avoid disciplining our kids because we don't want them to resent us. If you want spoiled children, seek to be their "best friend." If you want kids who are secure, resilient, compassionate and responsible, be a parent.

Set clear limits and boundaries, and be in control. Our children need moms and dads, not best buddies.

Avoid... Do Everything Parenting
Do you solve every one of your child's problems? Do you finish their homework for them and do their school projects? Are you always swooping in to rescue? Do you finish their sentences and micromanage their lives?

This parenting practice teaches kids to be dependent their entire lives. They grow up to be unprepared to handle life's difficulties. Kids raised with this parenting technique have trouble developing self-reliance, problem solving and decision making.

The goal is to be involved, but not intrude. Then your child can develop independence and live on their own one day. Sounds good, doesn't it?

Avoid... Quick Fix Parenting
Remember last time when you were at Super Target and your child threw a temper tantrum. So instead of leaving the cart and removing your child from the situation, you bribed your child with a new toy and a treat? It fixed the situation that day, but in the long run it will make things worse. We are all guilty of quick fix parenting. We find ourselves willing to do anything, as long as it works right now. We warn, we threaten, and we give in.

This parenting style is reaching far beyond SuperTarget. Children are being over medicated because it is easier than teaching children to behave. Don't misunderstand. There are some very good reasons why children need medication, and it is a blessing that we have the "tools" to help kids who need it. Regardless, there are a lot of cases where medicine might not be the best choice.

Being tired, stressed, and over scheduled can lead to quick fix parenting, as well as being in public. :)

These techniques teach kids to act right...for the wrong reasons. It might be a temporary solution, but never brings lasting change.

We will be most effective as parents, when we take a few minutes to help our children understand what is wrong and make things right.

Avoid... Substitute Parenting
It seems that in this day and age, everything but parents are teaching kids. We are letting someone else parent our children. Media and television. Kids are spending so much time in front of the television, computer, on their phones, and with video games, parents have taken a back seat.

When was the last time you saw a T.V. show you would trust to teach your child? Kids, on average, watch over 3 hours a day. Young children are especially at risk because they believe everything they see and hear.

All this technology means less real time with parents. Technology takes over and as parents we begin to lose power and influence with our children. The prevailing culture becomes our substitute.

This type of parenting makes children vulnerable to outside pressures and teaches them to rely on someone else to guide them, instead of you. They are also more likely to adopt someone else's values.

As parents, we are the most powerful influence for teaching our children values, attitudes, morales, and appropriate behavior. We need to find more ways to be in our children's lives. The first place to start, limit technology.

Avoid... Trophy Parenting
As parents, our goal shouldn't be to create a child we can put on a pedestal. This type of parent shows off and brags about every accomplishment and award. Feeling it is a direct reflection of how well the child has been parented. When the child fails, or doesn't take first place it means that the parents have failed.


This parenting style is about making our children an extension of our own dreams and wants. It creates pressure and stress if our kids don't measure up. Then our kids feel like they have let us down. If it continues, both parent and child become dependent on each other for their sense of self-worth, and the child's identity is threatened.

We need to learn to see our children as individuals, then adapt our parenting to their talents and needs.

It's pretty easy to see that we all adapt these parenting styles now and again.
No one's perfect, right?


Guilty as Charged.
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What I Know To Be True

Hello Hello. So good to be back. I hope everyone had a great week.

I spent the last 5 days in the Utah Mountains. At Girl's Camp. It was a great experience, but I am really glad to be home. As a leader, our days started at 4:30 and ended about 12:30. No vacation, that's for sure. Although it was to teach the girls, I always end up learning a lot.

Camp reminded me that...

1. There is a God.

How else do you explain the mountains, the stars, the lake, and the sun rise.

2. Our Youth are Good.

Youth get a bad rap. There are teenagers out there causing problems and wreaking havoc. But, there are more young people trying to be strong, smart, confident, and hard workers. They dream big.

3. God Made Dirt and Dirt Don't Hurt

You can go 5 days, without a shower, living in dirt, and survive. Although, I don't recommend it.

4. Girls will always be girls.

12-18 or 30-60. We have the same insecurities, the same dreams, and put us together and we still stay up late talking and giggling.

5. A Mother's job is never done.

It doesn't matter how far away I am from my family, my mind never leaves them. As I juggled my responsibilities at camp, my mind was still running through the minute by minute details of my family. I thought about how work was going for my husband, how our son's piano lesson was going, hoped they remembered their goggles for swimming, and prayed they got good nights sleep.

6. You love them like your own.

We are taught that when you serve others, you come to love them. My family just grew by 250, all girls.

7. All families have problems.

Some are just easier to hide than others.

8. Nothing is better than a welcome home hug.

No explanation needed.

9. Fancy sleeping bags are overrated.

I still prefer the big old sleeping bags. Plaid, puffy, and wide.

10. There is no recovery period.

I relearn this lesson every time I come home. You don't get to come home and rest, recover, unpack and relax. Nope, it's right back to being a mom.

11. Service (especially church service) and Motherhood can get complicated. 

This is a post for another time. When I have the guts to write it.  

12. Hot showers fix most things.

No explanation needed.

HAPPY MONDAY.

WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR FAMILY THIS WEEK?

Till Then....

I sure am going to miss those eyes.  

In about 5, make that 4 hours I leave for Girl's Camp. I get to help take 250 girls ages 12-18 to camp until Saturday. Pray for me will you.

It will be a great experience, once I get there. I have decided that more stress comes from making sure my husband and kids are taken care of then planning the actual camp. They have meals ready, clothes clean and in their drawers, and schedules written out. Plus I have a wonderful husband who can handle what ever comes his way this week, and parents close by that take great care of our kids when I am gone and my husband is at work.

I had intended to have posts waiting on auto publish, but it just didn't happen. So, until Monday, have a great week, a great weekend, and enjoy your family, and a hot shower for me. Because where I am going, there are not showers, let alone hot ones.

ANYONE ELSE HEADED TO CAMP THIS SUMMER?

Family Volley

Kids Say the Darndest Things....

Who needs a good laugh?

After all, Kids Say the Darndest Things. 

Our funny experiences this past week have revolved around bathrooms. 

First, I don't know about your kids, but why is it that when our kids get into public restrooms they want to touch, explore, check out, and enquire about everything? Some of the funniest things our kids have ever said have been while we are in restrooms. 

I was in a public restroom with our daughter on Friday. When we walked in it didn't smell very good. She proceeded to say, out loud, "Mom, that's not very nice for the lady with the blue shoes to make the bathroom stink.

Yep, she could see the shoes on the lady in the stall next to us. Can you say embarrassing? 

Then, our youngest was using the bathroom while we were visiting my parents after church. Our daughter started calling for her. My mom rushed in to find our daughter sitting on the toilet plugging her nose. Before my mom could say anything, our daughter said...

"Grandma, what is that smell?"

Through tears of laughter, my mom informed her that she was causing the smell.

I have been laughing about it ever since. 

WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF YOUR BABES? 

Laughter all around. 

Happy Monday!

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FAMILY FUN FRIDAY!-Sushi...Sweet!

Our family loves Sushi. Especially the kids. Prepare to have some Family Fun. 

YOU WILL NEED

Twinkies - Fruit Rolls - Candy

FIRST: Fruit Rolls. Use the Grape and Green Apple because they look just like Seaweed. Unwrap your fruit rolls and use a pizza cutter to cut them into strips. 1 1/2 inches or so.

NEXT: Unwrap your Twinkies and cut each Twinkie into three pieces. 

NOW: Take one piece of the Twinkie and roll it up in a strip of Fruit Roll. Be sure you roll it with the filling up. See the cream filling?

Roll them all up so that you have plenty. 

NOW comes the fun part. Remember the candy. We used Skittles, Sugar Babies, Gummi Worms (cut in half) and Mike and Ike's.

GET CREATIVE: Add a few pieces of candy to each piece of sushi. Just push them right into the filling. I also like to use the left over strips of Fruit Roll to make things Fancy.

There you have it. Sweet Sushi. 

Your kids are going to love them. 

SEAFOOD ANYONE?

p.s. You could also wrap the Twinkie in the Fruit Roll, forming a "roll" and then cut it into pieces like they do at the restaurant. If you do it this way you will want a very sharp knife, and the activity won't last as long.

p.s.s These would also be great for a birthday party. 

Enjoy your weekend. 

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Inquiring...Beauty Secrets

Today my daughter asked me what a "beauty secret" was.


I laughed out loud. Then I tried to explain.
The explanation must have made sense because then she asked me if I "had any?" Beauty Secrets that is.


I have been thinking about this all day.    Do I?....   Have any beauty secrets.


Yes, I have three...


I use q-tips to carefully remove any misplaced mascara that finds its way around my eyes. I run them under the water really quick so they are damp, and then carefully clean up the stray marks. I always curl my eyelashes and I appreciate that the q-tips will remove the stray mascara without ruining the curl. I use them to clean up my eyebrows also.


In college I had a roommate who read in a magazine that if you will get your hair really wet in the shower, the shampoo and conditioner will work better and you will have shinier hair. Since then I always let the water run on my hair for an extra minute. I really count to 60.


Bare Essentuals Faux Tan, Sunless Tanner.
Growing up in Southern CA, I didn't even know what sunless tanner was. Now I live in Utah and I miss the color my skin used to be. A little color in my skin helps to keep the "winter blues" at bay. It gets me through until I can hit the pool with the kids again. It is the best. No orange, no staining, just sun kissed. And it has an application brush that means it never touches my hands. Until now, no one even knew I used it, except my husband. Now the secret is out. 


SO... Do you? 
Have any beauty secrets?
Please Share.


Family Volley

How Have You Gone Green?

Our son is very diligent. For the last two years he has talked about recycling. It started with statements about how they recycle at school. Then it turned into direct questions.

"Mom, why don't we recycle?"

"Mom, if we don't recycle, who will?"

Now it is orders.

"Mom, we need to recycle"

Mom, we should recycle"

I told you, diligent.

My excuses aren't cutting it anymore. My ignorance is no longer acceptable.

So... we have planned to sit down next Monday and make a "Green Plan."

Our son is ecstatic.

I am nervous and worried. I am a very busy mother of three young children. Like most people who don't know a lot about going green, it seems to be expensive and time consuming. Two things I don't have. Extra money and extra time. 

I am ready to support the green movement but don't know where to start, besides recycling. I want to do a better job of working it into my everyday. 

My first step...call in the morning and find out how we start recycling. I just hope is doesn't cost money. 

My second step.... no more plastic water bottles.

My third step....I don't have one.

Have you gone green?

What have you done?

This Year Felt Different

I have always "loved" America. I feel very blessed to live in a free land. 

As a child I was taught that it is a blessing to live in this "promised land." I believe that. 

In the 8th grade I went on an East Coast Trip. I saw the monuments and the battle fields and I went to New York and saw Les Miserables on Broadway. The trip was great, the sights made an impression. Les Mis made a bigger impression. I didn't take political science classes, but I did study French for the next 5 years. 

Then, about ten years ago I had the opportunity to spend 5 months working in Washington D.C. I spent every day associating with people who not only believed in America, but loved American. While there my testimony grew. My patriotism grew. D.C. people don't learn about America from a text book like I did on the West Coast. They learn because it is in their backyard. They see it, they visit it, they remember the stories and the battles because they stand on the ground where the battle took place. It is different there. I liked it. It stuck with me. Since then my feelings about our country are different. They are stronger and more reverent. 

When I think about America it stirs up emotions. Strong emotions. This year as I sat and watched the fireworks my feelings were different. There was emotion, but it was tinged with something I didn't recognize. An anxious frustration that I have been trying to place for the last 48 hours. 

Tonight, I have finally realized what it is. This year, for the first time, I have felt helpless. I have disagreed with most political decisions that are taking place in Washington and have watched as changes have been "passed" that I don't agree with. These changes and decisions have hurt our family and a lot of other families. I feel helpless. I feel like vote or not, I can't do anything about what I don't agree with. I feel like America, this country that I am loyal to, is not going in the best direction. That is why this year felt different. 

This is all personal opinion. I am by no means suggesting a "political discussion." I am not qualified to have a discussion like that. 

I laid awake last night and fought the helpless feelings. My vote is not changing things. Maybe there isn't anything I can do?

Then I realized there is a lot I can do. I can teach my children about America. I can teach them that this is a "promised land." I can teach them how important it is to vote, and fight, and stand up for what is right. More than that, I can teach them to be moral men and woman. I can teach them manners and kindness and patience. I can teach them how to love and work and serve, and how important it is to be a good father and mothers. I can teach them to be true to themselves, their virtue, and their beliefs.  

 I am not a senator, or congressman. I am a mother. Mothers CAN change the world, one household at a time. My vote always matters. 

MOTHERS ARE STRONG. DON'T YOU AGREE?

DO YOU EVER FEEL POLITICALLY HELPLESS?

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