We have been iced in for almost a week now. It is amazing to realize the hustle and bustle of life is really just that. Created by us for what? Now I know that we need to work and have some sort of school going on for our kids, but the rest is possibly just distractions. Are all of these children playing sports going to be the next big thing? Quite honestly no. By looking at some parents and coaches they may beg to differ. The reality is if children are doing the activity for fun that is great. If you are picking up all their items to get them out the door it may be more of a parent activity than child activity. Children should be eager to go. They should be filled with excitement. Otherwise revisit the activity. Moms are the worst at eliminating the passion of an activity and creating hustle and bustle because everyone else is doing it. Relax Moms. Your child will find their passion without being strung out along the way. Have your own ice storm and hunker down as a family and realize what is the most important things in your and their lives.

Father's Day

Scott's father's day gift every year is a trip to a baseball stadium with Harrison. This year they chose to see the St Louis Cardinals. We took a long weekend and went as a family to St Louis. We saw the arch, the zoo, ate some award winning cupcakes. It was a fun family weekend.

Boys and Girls

Teaching our girls how men should treat them is an important life lesson we try to work on with them. Daddy/Daughter dinner night is one way we try to accomplish this. Daddy and the girls get dressed up and go out to dinner. The girls get so excited for their special time. He opens the doors, treats them with respect, he is an active listener..... Sometimes telling isn't enough. Sometimes being shown leaves a bigger impression.

Birthday Fun

We try to make birthdays super special for the one celebrating. The night before, after sleep has come to the birthday child, their floor is filled with balloons. Just blow up a bag of bslloons and toss on theor floor. Some people do helium, but our kids seem to enjoy kicking the balloons around on their floor. Streamers are also taped to their door frame. This is jut a fun way to start their day. They are welcomed to the table with a donut cake. (Just stack two donuts and stick a candle on top). A helium happy birthday balloon is also tied to their chair. I found a birthday chair cover at dollar tree to also put on their chair, to make it a special seat. Daddy also buys the girls a bouquet of flowers. Years ago I made a balloon wreath to put on our entry door. You can search the web for directions on this, but basically it is a wreath form, balloons, not inflated, and u pins to hold them on to the wreath form. Just place the balloons all over the wreath. You can use this wreath over and over again. Next, we have our clan pick out a bucket at dollar tree and fill it with things the birthday person would like. Simple, inexpensive and fun. They enjoy going through this in the morning. We also do this same idea for other holidays, like Father's Day. Our family party is in the evening with picking the the birthday person creating the menu or restaurant. We always have cake at home. My mom passed on a cake plate that has been used for birthdays for way longer than I can remember. The last thing I will share is we have a dollar store white plate that I have traced the kiddos hands on, with sharpie markers, and put in the oven to cure. You can look online for directions to do this. My son's plate starts at his sixth birthday. Don't be afraid to start now. Their birthday cake goes on this plate and it is fun to see the growth of their hands. All these ideas are rather inexpensive and relatively quick and easy. The idea is to make memories and create a special experience for the one celebrating.

Remember Me

I received a lovely handwritten letter from one of my mom's dear friends today. She wrote to tell me the favor violet, from our weeding, had once again bloomed. She also went on to write how she missed my mom's sweet spirit of giving, her faith and the love she had and showed to others. What a testament to a life well lived. I hope that 8 years after I have passed this will be something someone says or remembers about me. I love and miss you mom!

Camping

We spent the weekend camping in the rain. Now before you begin the groaning, I wouldn't really change any of it. We do have a camper so I probably should have said glamping, for you diehard tent campers. It was an on again off again rain. The kiddos met friends that they now facetime with. Isn't it amazing how children can pick up friends wherever? There is probably a lesson there for us adults. It was just an all around good time. Sure, we would have biked more or hiked more, but we just hung out as a family. The kids also ran around with their new friends. A tip, I will do again, is I stocked up at the dollar store with glow sticks, water shooters, magnifying glasses, bug viewer boxes, new coloring books, rolled paper to lay out on the picnic table for drawing, paint for rocks... they stayed busy indoors and outdoors. I have also realized to keep it simple. Pinterest can give you a ton of recipes in foil packets or on sticks or on a grate or in a pan....  Do what works for you and your family. Do what makes it fun. We have added things that we love, like "smoreos", using Oreos as the graham cracker(found on the web), but have only done banana boats, a banana sliced lengthwise and stuffed with marshmallows, mini chocolate chips/ butterscotch chips, mini caramels or any other yummies then wrapped in foil and tossed in the coals (saw on Pioneer Woman)once. Really, the only reason is that the bananas don't make it till nighttime. If you are stressing about the food, camping loses its luster. Buy prepared burgers, if that works, or just eat hot dogs. Bring the marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate or Reeses, grab a stick and light the fire. The point is to get outside with your family and make some memories. They won't remember the foil packet meal as much as the creek hike that led to seeing an alligator snapping turtle hiding in the root of a tree, or catching crawdads in the creek, or, or, or.........

Papa Sluss

A lot has happened since my last post. The most notable of that is the passing of my father-in-law, Papa Sluss. After losing my mom, 8 years ago tomorrow, it was hard to be positive with my husband with the usual comments.... things will get better, he is in a better place (which is true, but not helpful in that moment),.... What inspiring thing did I say to my husband at this moment, "I would like to say this pain will get better, but to be honest moments will resurface this same raw feeling. Sometimes when you least expect it. Moments like holidays and pipes bursting. We own an apartment building and Papa Sluss was our go to guy. He would drive through the night to help us out. Moments like your son hitting the ball at little league or walking into the same pipe in the basement that no one can seem to miss with their head. I could name a million more, but sometimes it is simply a song that comes on the radio that will bring the tears to the surface. Hold on because those moments will come when you least expect it and the happy and sad line seems to blur together. This all happened in January and we still look for his quirky texts and his Bravada out back, with his dog, Macky. My inspirational verse for today is: I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11