Monday, March 14, 2011
Funny Thought
So I have this magnet on my refrigerator that says, "Cleaning the house when kids are growing is like shoveling snow when it's still snowing"! That pretty much sums up my whole day. My three small kids are like a moving tornado through my house!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
It Takes A Village
I often ponder my own difficulties and frustrations with raising my children. Child rearing is one of the most natural and beautiful life events a woman can experience yet there are times that I find myself completely incapable of this task. How can an experience so innate and wonderful be so difficult and perplexing at the same time?
I often wonder what is really important in my life and the lives of my children. I do believe that my life would be less complicated if there was no television in my living area and if my kids didn't have so many "things" at their disposal. I think it is easier at times for kids to sit in front of the television than to come up with more constructive uses for their time. I also feel that there would be far less time arguing if there were less things to argue over.
I think one of the biggest things I have discovered over the last couple of years is that it really does take a village to raise a child. Raising children is no easy task no matter how patient a person you are or how good you are at it. We are on the clock 24 hours a day, seven days a week and no matter what else we are doing in our lives this is by far the most important job we have.
I think in order to be most successful at raising our children we all need to find our own "village". This might be extended family, the neighborhood within which one lives or the Church to which one belongs. There are also Mom's Clubs, the YMCA, and other social organizations that exist in the community. My village includes my neighbor, mother-in-law, cousin and other mom's in the community. I call on my village to watch my children when needed, to help nurture and guide my children through different stages of development and to offer emotional support so I can vent frustrations and seek encouragement and advice from those I love and respect.
I feel that emotional and physical support from those around us is key in helping us be successful as both individuals and as parents. It is essential that we give and receive help with raising children. We need to take the time to exchange babysitting services, arrange play dates and social outings, share information, and exchange ideas. We need to not only be a source of support to those in our villages but also allow those in our villages to support us.
I often wonder what is really important in my life and the lives of my children. I do believe that my life would be less complicated if there was no television in my living area and if my kids didn't have so many "things" at their disposal. I think it is easier at times for kids to sit in front of the television than to come up with more constructive uses for their time. I also feel that there would be far less time arguing if there were less things to argue over.
I think one of the biggest things I have discovered over the last couple of years is that it really does take a village to raise a child. Raising children is no easy task no matter how patient a person you are or how good you are at it. We are on the clock 24 hours a day, seven days a week and no matter what else we are doing in our lives this is by far the most important job we have.
I think in order to be most successful at raising our children we all need to find our own "village". This might be extended family, the neighborhood within which one lives or the Church to which one belongs. There are also Mom's Clubs, the YMCA, and other social organizations that exist in the community. My village includes my neighbor, mother-in-law, cousin and other mom's in the community. I call on my village to watch my children when needed, to help nurture and guide my children through different stages of development and to offer emotional support so I can vent frustrations and seek encouragement and advice from those I love and respect.
I feel that emotional and physical support from those around us is key in helping us be successful as both individuals and as parents. It is essential that we give and receive help with raising children. We need to take the time to exchange babysitting services, arrange play dates and social outings, share information, and exchange ideas. We need to not only be a source of support to those in our villages but also allow those in our villages to support us.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tsunami Relief
As many of you are aware the Tsunami that hit Japan was one of the worst in history. As a result the people of Japan and surrounding areas are going to need much assistance with rebuilding their lives. I am sure that there will be many organizations reaching out to help the victims of this disaster. One such organization is Save The Children. I am sure every little bit they are able to collect will help the children and families who have been affected by this disaster.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Rubbermaid Deal
Walmart.com has the Rubbermaid 24-Piece Food Storage Set with Easy-Find Lids for $10.00. Free Shipping when you use Site-to-Store.
What do I love about this product? I love that the containers and lids stack together so that it is always easy to find them. I love that this is a reusable product and discourages the use of disposable products such as plastic bags. And according to the Rubbermaid website these containers are BPA-free, which means they are safer for you and your children.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
International Women's Day
Check out Ten Thousand Villages today for their Buy One Get One Half Off Sale in celebration of International Women's Day. This sale is limited to the 100 items you will see listed through this link. All 100 items were made exclusively by women!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Book Club Meeting
Sorry to keep you all in suspense.....the Book Club Meeting was WONDERFUL! We met at about 7pm and had a casual dinner that everyone contributed to. During dinner we caught each other up on what we are up to and the various goings on in the community...preschool and elementary school issues, children's libraries and recreational activities.
Following dinner we retreated to the Family Room area where we sat around a fireplace and began discussing our thoughts on the book The Help. Everyone agreed that this is a wonderful book and we all enjoyed reading it very much. For some of us this is one of the best books we have ever read. We talked about the characters in the books, how we felt about the social climate of the time and the strength and characters of some of the women. It was a great conversation. Not just because I loved this book but also to have the opportunity to engage in meaningful grown-up conversation with other thoughtful and intelligent women. I SO needed this!
Following our discussion of The Help we began discussing possibilities for our next book. There are so many wonderful books out there to choose from. We looked to recommendations from other women in book clubs, Amazon recommendations, and the NY Times Bestseller Lists for inspiration. We were able to narrow the choices down to two pretty easily. We all were interested in either The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff or Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. After some deliberation we settled on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Check out the link to find out more information about this book...It looks like a great read!
As soon as I went home that evening I reserved my copy through our local library in my continued quest to utilize community resources and save money. I haven't received it yet but am looking forward to having it in my hands soon.
So our next meeting is on April 8th. We will be bringing desserts to this meeting! YUM!
So anyway waiting until April 8th gives us plenty of time to read this book and also allow us time to read other books of personal interest. If any of you are interested in following along with this book club please let me know in the comment section. I will then follow-up with you all prior to the next meeting with any thoughts or discussions you would like for me to present to the group for you. I will then give feedback following the meeting. In the future maybe we can even have a representative of the group "Skype" with us during the meeting.
Following dinner we retreated to the Family Room area where we sat around a fireplace and began discussing our thoughts on the book The Help. Everyone agreed that this is a wonderful book and we all enjoyed reading it very much. For some of us this is one of the best books we have ever read. We talked about the characters in the books, how we felt about the social climate of the time and the strength and characters of some of the women. It was a great conversation. Not just because I loved this book but also to have the opportunity to engage in meaningful grown-up conversation with other thoughtful and intelligent women. I SO needed this!
Following our discussion of The Help we began discussing possibilities for our next book. There are so many wonderful books out there to choose from. We looked to recommendations from other women in book clubs, Amazon recommendations, and the NY Times Bestseller Lists for inspiration. We were able to narrow the choices down to two pretty easily. We all were interested in either The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff or Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. After some deliberation we settled on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Check out the link to find out more information about this book...It looks like a great read!
As soon as I went home that evening I reserved my copy through our local library in my continued quest to utilize community resources and save money. I haven't received it yet but am looking forward to having it in my hands soon.
So our next meeting is on April 8th. We will be bringing desserts to this meeting! YUM!
So anyway waiting until April 8th gives us plenty of time to read this book and also allow us time to read other books of personal interest. If any of you are interested in following along with this book club please let me know in the comment section. I will then follow-up with you all prior to the next meeting with any thoughts or discussions you would like for me to present to the group for you. I will then give feedback following the meeting. In the future maybe we can even have a representative of the group "Skype" with us during the meeting.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Peroxide vs. bleach: the greener alternative
I will admit that I definitely overuse bleach products. This is something that I have felt very guilty about in recent years so I was very happy to stumble upon this article. I am always looking for ways to accomplish everyday tasks in a more environmentally friendly way and I want to share what I learn with all of you. So please take a moment of your time to check out this article.
Peroxide vs. bleach: the greener alternative
Peroxide vs. bleach: the greener alternative
Friday, March 4, 2011
Book Club Meeting
So, tonight is my first book club meeting and I am way excited. Our first book was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I absolutely LOVED this book. It was one of those books that you just do not want to put down. It had mystery, romance, friendship, and humor. It made me sad at times and angry at other times. Sometimes I even laughed out loud. It was a beautiful story.
So tonight I get to go and share my thoughts about this beloved book with some wonderful women friends. I am excited about re-living the story and re-feeling the emotions. I am also thrilled at the opportunity to share good food and discussion with some amazing women.
Tonight we will also choose our next book. I look forward to a new adventure and cannot wait to get started. I will keep you updated on the books we read and let you know my personal thoughts on them for any of you looking for a good read......
Good night...I am off .....
So tonight I get to go and share my thoughts about this beloved book with some wonderful women friends. I am excited about re-living the story and re-feeling the emotions. I am also thrilled at the opportunity to share good food and discussion with some amazing women.
Tonight we will also choose our next book. I look forward to a new adventure and cannot wait to get started. I will keep you updated on the books we read and let you know my personal thoughts on them for any of you looking for a good read......
Good night...I am off .....
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Happy March!
This is the month of new beginnings! In a mere 21 days Spring will be here....I cannot wait! I can almost smell the fresh air and feel the warm breezes. Soon we will discover new growth emerging from the ground and sprouting from the branches.
There is nothing like Spring to give me a renewed sense of well-being. It is a time for re-energizing and re-connecting. There is nothing I enjoy more than hikes in woods or walks in the neighborhood exploring new life with my children. Whether it be tadpoles in a pond or baby bunnies in the yard... it is exciting! I love watching the looks of awe of my children's faces as they explore, discover, and just plain experience nature.
It is also the time for sidewalk chalk, sandboxes and playgrounds and dragging out the bikes, scooters and frisbees! There is a limitless supply of activities to participate in on warm spring days. Let us say goodbye to cooped up boredom and feelings of listlessness.
So for those of you in the throes of winter I encourage you to hang in there. Complete all those indoor winter projects and restock your outdoor supplies of chalk and bubbles because time is certainly running out! Spring is on the horizon and oh how I cannot wait!
There is nothing like Spring to give me a renewed sense of well-being. It is a time for re-energizing and re-connecting. There is nothing I enjoy more than hikes in woods or walks in the neighborhood exploring new life with my children. Whether it be tadpoles in a pond or baby bunnies in the yard... it is exciting! I love watching the looks of awe of my children's faces as they explore, discover, and just plain experience nature.
It is also the time for sidewalk chalk, sandboxes and playgrounds and dragging out the bikes, scooters and frisbees! There is a limitless supply of activities to participate in on warm spring days. Let us say goodbye to cooped up boredom and feelings of listlessness.
So for those of you in the throes of winter I encourage you to hang in there. Complete all those indoor winter projects and restock your outdoor supplies of chalk and bubbles because time is certainly running out! Spring is on the horizon and oh how I cannot wait!
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