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Author: momonthegoinholytoledo
Huge fan of living life to the fullest! You're only given one life, it is a gift, don't waste it! I'm a mom of 3 and enjoy sharing and living this philosophy with my kiddos...I share our adventures, experiences, the extraordinary and mundane.
We started off Christmas Eve at my parent’s house. We exchanged gifts then headed to Rosary Cathedral for 4pm Christmas Mass. After Mass the children wanted to take photographs of the nativity with their new cameras, we have future photographers in our family.
My little photographer
And in support of their new-found interest I will be adding a new installment to the blog titled, Kids Click and Pic, coming soon. After Mass we took a slight detour back to Nana and Papa’s so we could listen to Christmas music and look at Christmas lights. I so enjoyed the Chorus of “Wows” from the backseat, especially our little 16 month-old who just learned the word a few days ago.
Once at Nana and Papa’s the kiddos joined the rest of the family and grabbed a plate and started munching on some yummy hors d’oeuves.
After hors d’oeuves we had dinner, lasagna from Spaghetti Warehouse, garlic bread, and Salad. We all sat and toasted to an exciting announcement, my grandfather is officially cancer free (he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer five years ago and has under gone surgeries, radiation, and has a permanent colostomy bag), the best news ever! After dinner we all made our way into the Family Room where the smell of pine from the Christmas tree and a warm fire in the fireplace greeted us. Once everyone found a cozy spot Papa Joe began to recite Twas the Night before Christmas, a family tradition.
The girls wanted a closer look at the pictures.
After Papa Joe has finished reading we begin to sing Christmas Carols. We always starting with Santa Claus is coming to Town, and low and behold, guess who shows up? Santa Claus!! He has been showing up for Christmas Eve at my parents’ house since I was two, I think they have his direct line.
The kiddos were so excited to see Santa, well, almost all the kiddos. The youngest was not a fan.
Not everyone was a huge fan of Santa.
Once Santa left we began singing again and at the end of Twelve days of Christmas we received a great surprise. My cousin called, he is a Marine stationed in Afghanistan and this is the first Christmas he has not been with family. My Aunt passed the phone around and we all had an opportunity to say Merry Christmas. It was an incredible way to end the best Christmas Eve ever.
Christmas morning…..
It seems like Christmas morning comes earlier and earlier each year. The kiddos became overwhelmed with excitement at 6am when they saw that Santa arrived and he ate their Christmas cookies.
I popped some Cinnamon rolls into the over, made some coffee, and then it was GAME ON!
Each child took turns opening their gift and our eldest was so eager to give us, my hubby and I, our gifts that she purchased from her school’s Santa Shop. She gave my hubby a beautiful Santa ornament which he instantly jumped up and placed on the tree. While she gave me, a woman who is, and comes from a long line of individuals who have graduated from and/or are huge fans of Ohio State, a Michigan state ornament. Seriously!?! I wasn’t sure if I should disown her or hug her? So hug her I did, and graciously thanked her for the lovely gift.
Future American Idol
The kiddos all seemed to really enjoy their gifts. We keep it small, each child receives four gifts, and it is perfect. We figure their birthdays are their big celebrations and Christmas is more about spending time together and giving.
This does not taste like chocolate chip.
Oh, and our four-legged friends also received treats from Santa which our toddler had mistaken for human food, yuck!
All three kiddos now have a table for Family Movie Night.
After we opened our gifts we packed up the car and headed over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house (and grandpa’s, my hubby and I are very fortunate that our parents are both still married, that means we only have two houses to visit).
Looks like someone else wants a VtechI love my new Vtech game!
Once there we opened gifts, ate dinner, and enjoyed spending time together. Then it was home for a long winters nap (until the 26th when we headed to Sauders Village for a Christmas gathering with extended family).
Then it was time to settle in for a long winters nap in matching PJs
How was your Christmas? Any funny moments? ….Sad moments? …..Crazy gifts? Please share.
Lookout Martha Stewart!Oh, yes, my son is wearing his sister’s boots. He is bitter because we have not gotten his yet.
In the past I have participated in Cookie Exchanges and I think they are magnificent. The idea of only having to bake a baker’s dozen of one type of cookie and yet you leave the exchange with eleven more varieties to share with family and friends is splendid. I also admire the fact that there is often sampling of the cookies over conversation with the other women; it is nice to chit-chat and catch-up on everyone’s lives.
Cookie station
This year I did not attend a Cookie Exchange, I think life simply got in the way. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I do not miss the cookies, although they are a nice bonus, I miss the conversation with friends while we sip on wine and discuss the latest happenings. Through my dismay I am finding comfort in the book The Christmas Cookie Club. Below is a description of the novel from the authors website.
Mark your calendar. It’s the Christmas Cookie Club! Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her twelve closest girlfriends gather in the evening with batches of beautifully wrapped homemade cookies. Everyone brings a dish, a bottle of wine and their stories. This year, the stories are especially important. Marnie’s oldest daughter has a risky pregnancy. Will she find out tonight how that story might end? Jeannie’s father is having an affair with her best friend. Who else knew about the betrayal, and how can that be forgiven or forgotten, even among old friends such as these? Rosie’s husband doesn’t want children, and she has to decide whether that’s a deal breaker for the marriage. Taylor’s life is in financial freefall. Each woman, each friend has a story to tell, and they are all interwoven, just as their lives are. On this evening, at least, they can feel as a group the impulses of sisterly love and conflict, the passion and hopefulness of a new romance, the betrayal and disillusionment some relationships bring, the joys and fears of motherhood, the agony of losing a child and above all, the love they have for one another. As Marnie says, the Christmas Cookie Club, if it’s anything, is a reminder of delight. The Christmas Cookie Club is about the paths Marnie and her friends have taken, the absolute joy they take in life. Ultimately, The Christmas Cookie Club is every woman’s story. Celebrating courage and joy in spite of hard times and honoring the importance of women’s friendships and the embracing bonds of community, you’ll see yourself and some of the ingredients of your own story.
Looks like someone grabbed a Peanut Butter blossom before it cooled, I caught ya!
In-between each of the Chapters the author has provided history on the ingredients used in Christmas Cookies, such as flour, sugar, almonds, etc. Each chapter focuses on an attendee and also begins with that Cookie exchange attendee’s cookie recipe. I know I have been raving about this book to family and friends, I am just elated to find a novel that I can’t put down and it addresses an exciting Christmas event. An event that I unfortunately did not attend this year, so, I will be living vicariously through the Christmas Cookie Club book. (Please note: I am not receiving any endorsement, I am just sharing a great book with great friends, nothing more).
If you do not place a sign next to them they have a clever way of disappearing.
So, in an effort to at least add to my own recipe book and maybe make a few new friends I would like to launch a Virtual Cookie Exchange. Granted we can’t conveniently exchange real cookies but we can share recipes, photographs of cookies/baking, and stories about cookies, traditions, and more. So pour yourself a glass of wine and let the Virtual Cookie Exchange begin.
I will be making thumbprint cookies for the virtual cookie exchange.
Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup of butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces), room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of your favorite jam
Directions
Cream the butter and sugar on high-speed for about 3 minutes.
Separate the eggs. Add the yolks and vanilla extract to the butter mixture.
Add the flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350F.
Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Press down with your thumb to make a small well in the center of the cookie. Do not press too hard or the cookie will fall apart. Fill with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly firm. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
I came across some really cool ideas that I think I will try next year and wanted to share.
These are adorable and the kiddos would get a kick out of them.
Please share your cookie traditions; do you make them with your children, girlfriends, grandparents? What kind of cookies do you make one and contribute to a cookie exchange or lots of different kinds of cookies? Feel free to link your post or simply post a comment below.
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I am finding it difficult to maintain the “normal” day-to-day routine while preparing for Christmas festivities. I woke up this morning wanting to throw a full-fledged mommy tantrum. I am talking kicking and screaming until my face turns blue tantrum. I have this overwhelming anxiety that just hit me like a freight train this morning. I kinda knew it might hit me eventually because I have been breezing though the past few weeks cool as a cucumber, eager to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and spend time with friends and family (you know, the true meaning of Christmas). Then this morning I awoke with a Scrooge attitude, I realized that I have exactly one week, not even, make that five days, to complete everything for Christmas (mostly the materialistic things).
Then I started going through my “To Do” list in my head:
Need to get my 16 month old in for her 15 month doctor’s appointment (feeling sooo guilty for this one).
Need to fill out permission slips and get money for field trips, due today (it’s gonna be late).
Son needs a dress shirt for Christmas (sounds so simple but those crazy stores strategically place all toys or “cool” expensive character PJs next to the dress clothes, I am sure he will be asking for everything under the son. I need one of those “that was easy” buttons that say “no, it is not in our budget right now”).
Need to finish purchasing some Christmas Gifts, I would rather go into labor again than fight the traffic and crowds of crazy people, seriously, is there such a thing as a surrogate laborer? Sign me up!!
Contact family and see if anyone can make it to son’s Christmas program tomorrow (so last-minute, I meant to say something weeks ago, honestly!)
Need to wrap gifts, I am a greenie so, I try to wrap with whatever I have on hand at home. Last year it was brown packaging paper with pine cones, twine, and clips of evergreen. The year before I included cloth/linen, you can wrap small gifts in linen napkins and the person receiving the gift gets a bonus gift, linen napkins! This year I am using magazine pages to wrap gifts.
Reusing Magazine pages as gift wrap this year, going green and saving green!
Need to finish a few gifts for our playgroup kiddos.
Gift for kiddos’ friends - Noodles, the Dog, I love Christmas book and Scooby Snacks
Remember to move the elf! Poor guy has spent a few days just hanging around in the same location, I think he had one to many eggnogs and couldn’t fly back to the North Pole; he took the mature route and avoided a DWF (Drunk while flying).
Fisbee, our Elf on the Shelf
Finish teacher’s gifts. This year they are getting Eco-friendly soap and air fresheners.
Teachers’ gifts
Get Christmas morning PJs for my daughter (it has been tricky trying to find little girl PJs in a size 8, she is really tall for her age)
Address and send Christmas Cards (or save them for next year?)
Change sheets and much more but I don’t want to eat up any more of your time, you have your own list that I am sure is escalating as we speak/type.
I would like to just go back up to bed and call in overwhelmed. I need an assistant but I think they are expensive, anyone know anyone willing to work for Cheerios? Or, maybe I could multiply myself like in that Michael Keaton movie multiplicity? Although, if I remember correctly that just ended up being more work keeping track of all of his multiple selves. So, instead I am going to put some Christmas potpourri on the stove to get back into that Christmas spirit and take Julia Andrews /Froilan Maria’s advice and start at the very beginning; it is a very go place to start.
Christmas Potpourri from my friend Tammy, the aroma of Christmas will be lingering through my house. It’s a great way to get you back into the sprit of Christmas.
Please share your “to do” list, what’s the weirdest thing on your list? What are you dreading the most? Or, maybe you are on target, and have little left on your “to do” list, if so I am jealous and I would love to hear your secret.
As moms, the holidays mean adding more “to do” to our already lengthy “to do” list. There is decorating the house (both inside and out), buying and coordinating the children’s Christmas clothes, determining the best gifts for everyone on the list, purchasing those gifts (gotta keep within that budget!!), wrapping gifts, children’s Christmas performances, baking cookies, sending out Christmas cards, trying to keep the peace with extended family members/in-laws, and doing it all with Holiday cheer (come on big smiles ladies!). Wouldn’t it be nice to just escape for an evening?
Why not make this dream come true and host a Stress-free Christmas party for all your girlfriends.
Last night I hosted my first (what will hopefully become annual) Stress-free Christmas Party. All the moms in my playgroup were invited to escape from their holiday obligations and head on over to my home for some holiday fun. But there were a few rules in order to truly endorse a stress-free party .
Here are the rules for a Stress-free Christmas party
1. Everyone is to bring a food item/dish. 2. NO COOKING or BAKING!! No one is to cook or bake anything that they bring. You must grab whatever is in your refrigerator or pantry. (Half eaten bag of chips, olives, cheerios, apples, slices of cheese, you get the idea). 3. NO DRESSING UP! Everyone must come dressed in comfortable clothes. Come dressed in your comfy PJs, lounging clothes, anything that is relaxing and comfortable. 4. Everyone is to bring a gift to share. 5. NO ONE IS TO PURCHASE A GIFT!! You must look around your home for an item that you are not attached to and wrap it. (Pot holder, book, sweater, figurine, anything!!)
It is beginning to look a lot like ChristmasChristmas decorations
The moms arrived around 7pm dressed in their comfy lounging clothes or PJs, with their Christmas gifts in hand, and food item from their pantry/fridge. I was excited to see what they would bring but surprisingly there was not anything too random. Just your basic shortbread cookies (I think she cheated and bought those), half bag of coconut marshmallows, M&M ice cream cake, and Pop corn. I had some food on hand for us to munch on.
The table of hors d’oeuvres included Sushi
Vegetables and DipPetit FoursRoasted vegetables pizza cooked on a stone, yummy!Aunt Cami’s famous Rum BallsCucumber water, so refreshingCenterpiece on the hors d’oeuvres table
Once everyone had a plate of food and a glass of wine we made our way over to the non-existing fire (try as I might I could not get that thing going, we have a wood burning fireplace) and talked, and talked, and talked. It was so nice to have a conversation with friends without being interrupted by a child whining, falling, or needing their butt wiped. I hated to interrupt the conversation to do the White Elephant exchange but it had to be done.
So we started the exchange and I can confidently say that it seemed like everyone actually received a gift they enjoyed. There was a beautiful metal sign, placemats, cookbook, candle, earrings, and vase with flowers (which I snagged from another mom).
I snagged this awesome vase and flowers, jealous?
It was such an enjoyable fun evening I hated to see it end. But, like Cinderella’s fairy Godmother said, when the clock strikes midnight the magic will disappear, and that it did. At midnight the magical stress-free party transformed back to reality and moms came to the realization that morning will come early and many people would be depending on them.
Each guest left with a Peppermint Stick Coco mix in a Mason jar.My son had fun choosing the fabric we used on the jar lids and helping make the coco mix
Thankfully, like Cinderella, each mom did get to leave with proof that the stress-free party did actually occur. No, they did not receive glass slippers but they did receive small gift to help them live happily ever after. Each mom was given Peppermint stick coco mix to share with their family after sledding, making snow angels, and snowmen, on cold winter afternoons.
“Me time”, how relaxing! Really lowers that blood pressure, NOT!
Okay, kiddos are down for a nap, or, quiet time (my 4 yr. old is quick to remind me he doesn’t take a nap, only babies take naps). I have exactly 45 minutes to work on Christmas gifts, check emails, check texts, and go through and delete shows from the DVR (gotta make room for Holiday specials!). When did “me time” involve multitasking? What are you doing with your “me time”?
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It is inevitable that somewhere along your Christmas celebration journeys your child will receive something they do not like, they do not understand, or a duplicate. As moms we try our best to prepare our children for gracious gift acceptance prior to the guests arrival or arriving at the individual’s home who is hosting the gift exchange/Christmas celebration.
The classic mommy preparation involves trying to address all possible scenarios for various angles, as if we are preparing a politician for a press conference, tricky business. And no matter how much time or effort goes into your preparations you still find yourself starting to sweat a little once your little one begins to open their gifts. You even find yourself praying that they do not receive that particular toy that you have been ranting about for weeks every time the commercial comes on or you see it in the stores. You were partially impressed when your child had your rant down to a tee but now you realize that maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to vocalize your opinion repeatedly.
So, for this Momup! Monday I am posting a few humorous clips of children receiving Christmas gifts and asking you to please share your stories and how you prepare your children to graciously receive gifts.
We hosted our very first Movie night last weekend courtesy of Mommyparties.com and Oral-B Stages and it was a blast!
Two weeks prior to the viewing of Winnie the Pooh the kiddos sat down and made a list of the friends they would like to invite to the Movie night and we sent out the invitations (movie tickets provided, too cute!). We requested that all our guest come in their pajamas, bring a pillow pet, snuggy, or pillow/blanket of their choice to cozy up with while they watched the movie, and to be certain to bring their movie ticket.
These adorable movie admission tickets were provided as exclusive invites to the private showing of Winnie the Pooh movie. They really helped define the night and add to the excitement.
The anticipation seemed to mount with each passing day until it was finally the day of the movie viewing. When the doorbell rang announcing our first guest the kiddos made a mad dash to the door, screaming in pure excitement as the greeted their friend. When the next guest arrived they all joined in again, stampeding to the door and screaming with delight, (why do we lose this genuine excitement as adults? I can’t remember the last time I greeted my husband after he came home from work in the same fashion, I might try it some time. He will either love it or think I am a raging lunatic). It continued on like this until the last guest arrived.
As guests entered our home they were greeted by one of our little ones who took their coats and this visual.The Best of Pooh CD played in the background as guest were greeted and made their way to the concession stand.
After the kiddos greeted our guest and took their coats they then directed them to the concession stand where they could get some goodies to eat and enjoy during the show.
The Concession StandLittle Roo Juice (apple juice) and cup with each child's name on it.Eeyore’s Tails (Pretzel Rods with Pink Marshmallows for Eeyore’s bow)Pretty Pink Piglet Treats (Graham Crackers with strawberry cream cheese and a slice of strawberry on top).Mini Pooh Kabobs (small pretzel sticks with sliced grapes, strawberries, and bananas).The kiddos favorite treat that night was the Make your own Hundred Acre Wood Trail Mix (Chex cereal, Cheerios Cereal, chocolate covered pretzels, mini M&Ms, and peanuts).Rabbit’s Carrots (of course no a single child touched these, wishful thinking).
By far the favorite treat was the Make your own Hundred Acre Wood Trail Mix.
Once everyone had their goodies it was time to form a line and hand your tickets to the usher (one of our kiddos) to enter the theater (our family room, we rearranged the furniture and moved out the coffee table so that there was plenty of space for the kiddos).
The kiddos lined up for the show (it was difficult to capture the moment; they were so excited they could stand still).
Once everyone located a spot to call their own on the floor, had there goodies in their hands, the excitement started to build again and the noise level was rising. So, as a nice way to introduce the sponsor of the event and calm the children down prior to the movie, they were instructed to put on their thinking caps for a fun Oral-B Stages Flashcards game. The flashcards illustrated images that help maintain healthy dental care (included apples, milk, dentist, child brushing their teeth, etc.)and fun Oral-B Stages products (toothpaste and toothbrush) and a few questions towards the end acted as the perfect transition from the flash card game to the movie quite nicely (for example, one card had a picture of Oral-B Stages Toothpaste with an image of Winnie the Pooh on it and asked, what color shirt is Pooh wearing?).
The flash cards were a great way to promote dental health for youngsters.The flash cards really captivated their attention and the moms were impressed to hear their children shouting out the answers.
After the Flashcards it was time for the movie. Lights were dimmed and the movie started.
I was amazed at how well the children did watching the movie giving the fact that the viewing audience was between 15 months and 5 years-old. Granted there were one or two who had a difficult time staying seated but for the most part the children stayed engaged in the movie until intermission.
Some kiddos hit the concession stand a few more times…CAUGHT YA!
¾ of the way through the movie it was paused for a brief intermission. All the children were asked to go back to the front room where they first entered the home to receive their goody bags. Each child was handed their bag and then found a spot on the floor to go through the exciting gifts that waited inside. You would have thought it was Christmas morning as each child removed the items from their goody bags, the noise level rose, excitement was in the air. The children could be heard yelling “I have Toy Story Toothpaste….I have Princess Toothpaste….Me got Winnie the Pooh teeth brush….Cars, I have Cars toothpaste” while the youngest ran up to the nearest adult trying to get them to open her toothbrush. It was amazing to see how excited the children were but the excitement wasn’t just limited to the children. The parents’ faces also exuded enthusiasm realizing that they were going home with a new toothbrush for their kiddo, toothpaste, Naturals Lavender & Chamomile Hair & Body Baby Wash, and coupons for future Oral-B purchases, AWESOME!
All the kiddos were so eager to brush their teeth…a mother’s dream come true, thanks Oral-B!
To add to the fun all the kiddos were told that they may go upstairs to the restroom and brush their teeth.
Bathroom
And off they went, it was a mad dash to the bathroom were the kiddos crowded into one of the more confined spaces in our home and took turns brushing their teeth with their new toothbrushes and tooth paste while the parents stood directly outside in the hall where a conversation started brewing.
Surprisingly with all those brushers not one child accidentally spit on another child
Moms started talking about the various dental products on the market for children. We all agreed that we are no dentist and we do not know much about the ergonomics or constructions of the toothbrush. That being said we did like the fact that the littlest ones could hold their toothbrushes and brush their own teeth with little, if any, assistance.
15-month-old learning that this teeth brushing thing is fun with characters like Winnie the Pooh and thanks to Oral-B Stages the tooth-brush is just her size.
The moms also discussed the fact that some of us have tried products by competitors, in particular a toothpaste brand that allows kiddos to decorate the products. Most moms agreed that the children had a blast decorating the products as they pleased but when it came down to actually placing the toothpaste on their toothbrushes they had difficulty. So mom or dad always had to step in when they used that product to help the child place toothpaste on their toothbrush which was not facilitating independent teeth brushing, which is our ultimate goal as parents. On the other hand Oral –B stages makes teeth brushing fun for the children and fosters independence, all the parents gave it two thumbs up. The only suggestion that was brought up was to better the products by including toothpaste for the youngest teeth brushers.
After the kids had a chance to brush their teeth everyone went back downstairs to finish watching the movie eager to see if Piglet ever gets all of his friends out of the hole.
Towards the end of the movie the kiddos almost got too comfortable.
Once the movie was over (tip for those who have not seen it yet, watch all the credits or fast-forward to the end there is a surprise waiting for you) the kiddos packed up their pillow and blankets, grabbed their goodies and placed them back in their bags, and put on their coats.
Then it was time to say goodnight to our friends.
It was homeward bound where parents appreciated the fact that the kiddos were already in their pajamas and had already brushed their teeth so it would be straight to bed when they got home.
A special thanks to Mommyparties and Oral-B Stages for making our movie night a night to remember.
A special thank you to Mommyparties and Oral-B Stages for providing the movie ticket invitations, balloons, popcorn boxes and popcorn, the Winnie the Pooh Movie, flashcards, bags, coupons, toothbrushes, toothpaste, product literature and hair and body washes for all the guests.
I grew up being taught that you address adults as Mr. and Mrs. followed by their last name as a sign of respect. However it seems as though this value, like so many others, is becoming more lenient in modern society.
This question has come up before in our playgroup and for the most part, once our children can speak, we have them address other moms as Mrs. followed by their first names. It is sort of a middle ground title if you will, but it seems to be pleasing for the adults and the children can actually pronounce our first names. To be totally honest I always thought my last name would be a tricky one for children (I know it was for me when I changed my name after marriage, I was like, “How do I say my last name again hun?”) and I don’t want to put any child through that so I am fine with Mrs. Kat. However, that being said, we had a party on Friday and their was a young man, only 5 years old, who addressed me as Mrs. followed by my last name and he said it clear as day. At first I was like my mother-in-law is here? Then I realized he was addressing me and what is more, I kind of liked it, it felt more respectful than Mrs. Kat.
The gentleman in the following clip also brings up some valid points. Please take a moment to review it and reply to the questions below.
People are always complaining about how children are less respectful these days do you think requesting that a child address you as Mr. or Mrs. followed by your last name would foster a more respectful relationship? Or maybe you think the more relaxed method of addressing adults by their first name, as the clip indicated, is better and a child might be more willing to discuss a concern with you and have a closer relationship?
As our 30 days of gratitude culminates we are gathered in the kitchen to help our daughter complete her thank you notes for family and friends. What a beautiful way to complete our 30 days, together helping a family member complete her notes of gratitude towards family and friends.
Our family has truly enjoyed the past 30 days and we hope your family has as well. We have received so much more in return for our small acts of kindness, it seems like the outlook in our home has become more positive and encouraging.
Our son asked, “Do we have to stop our gratitude attitude now that November is over?” To which I replied, “How would that make you feel if we stopped doing nice things for others?” As he looked at me with pure disgust he exclaimed “That would make me feel not happy, I like to help, and I am a good helper”. I gave him a big hug and stated that I agreed. So, it has been decided, in our home an attitude of gratitude is not something we merely express during the month of Thanksgiving but year round.
An attitude of Gratitude has become a way of life for our family and we hope this is true in your family as well. Remember that gratitude, no matter how small or large the act is gratitude no less.
We have collated some of our acts of kindness from the past 30 days to share.
Hannah’s Socks, a non-profit organization founded by a young Toledo girl to help homeless, victims of domestic violence, and underprivileged children. http://www.hannahssocks.org.
Good Egg awards- I like expressing my gratitude to my children this way. It is important that as parents we address and reward the good behavior, not just address the bad.Image of Crunch Krispies on a stick, for the bake sale to raise funds for Special OlympicsPreparing a meal to take to a friendA surprise visit to a family member’s home (Tip- if you are visiting an elderly person, or someone without children, bring something for your children to do, it is your responsibility as the parent to occupy your children’s time).Kiddos helped make muffins for a friend.Toby our Gratitude Turkey, it was fun listening to the things each child was grateful for and helping them sound out and spell the words. We are going to miss that turkey; he is packed away for next year.Thanksgiving package for friends that live out-of-town, kiddos had fun picking out the card and stickersDropped off donations at the Animal ShelterBubbba was adorable, an 8 year-old Labrador. I wanted to take him home but my house is very small as it is with only one Labrador. We did pray that Bubba found a safe and happy home with a family to play with him.Sassy was also cute. Again, it was so tough walking away from those cages. If you are a family looking to expand your family by four-legs, do consider stopping by your local shelter first. There are some amazing animals there, some have even been trained but the owners lost their homes or moved.Kiddos donated their candy to Make-a-Wish
And many more….
Though I enjoyed all the larger acts of kindness we shared as a family what truly moved me was watching my children illustrate small acts of kindness towards each other. I enjoyed watching my four-year-old Power Ranger rushing over to help his one-year-old baby sister get back up and placed her crown back on her head after she slipped on her princess dress. I enjoyed listening to a conversation between our six-year-old and four-year-old where one gave their favorite toy to the other to borrow (there were some stipulations of course). But the fact that they are learning to illustrate kindness towards their siblings makes this mom so grateful. I leave you with the following quote and hope you will share some of your family’s acts of kindness and reflect on how the exercise affected your daily activities and life in general.
There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude. It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance. ~Joseph Addison
These make the entire house smell amazing. The nutmeg and cinnamon mixed with the sweet aroma of the potatoes is so comforting.
Here I stand in the kitchen preparing sweet potato stix and Crunch Krispies on a stick, yet again, this time for my daughter’s Girl Scout meeting (it is their thanksgiving feast and her birthday celebration treat) this afternoon (I think I am the one who should be earning a badge!). Our toddler is running around the kitchen carrying a large Tigger around with her saying “moo, moo” (Not sure where she has seen an orange and black stripped cow, maybe Dr. Oz is right, there is some weird stuff in the children’s juice?) Meanwhile our preschooler is coloring in a Winnie the Pooh coloring book and repeating, “It is not Moo, It is no Moo, It is not Moo”, you get the idea), as Winnie the Pooh plays in the background (if you can’t tell we are getting very excited about our PJ party & Movie Night sponsored by Oral-B, we can’t wait!!).
I have gotten smarter; I am now spraying an ice cream scoop with PAM to form the balls more efficiently.Had a little fun displaying them this time and I am thinking about making them again (shocking right?) and displaying them as a center piece for a future party.
Anyway, I have somehow managed to block out all the mooing, and, “it’s not mooing”, and have put my body in auto pilot dipping the Krispies in chocolate, sprinkling with silver sprinkles, cooling, wrapping, etc. (who is kidding who, I have made these darn Crunch Krispies on a stix so many times I could do this in my sleep!). So I freed up some space in my mommy brain to focus on my mental Christmas gift list and I thought I would share. I personally always appreciate another mother’s perspective. So here are some gifts this mother would highly recommend and a few that are sure to make some great memories for your friends and family.
If you are looking for a gift for a child between the ages of 4-12 (says 6 but my 4 year-old had no problem with the Disney version) years look no further! This makes for a fun family game night….
Loving this game!My sister even joined in the fun!
Disney Hedbanz is so much fun; we went through the entire stack of cards the first time we played. Unlike other games were I try to shorten the length deliberately I actually found myself sneaking cards back in the pile so we could play longer.
There is also the original version.
Spice up your family game night with the Hedbanz Board Game, a fun, fast-paced, and simple question game that everyone aged 6 and up can enjoy. In a group of two to six players, you’ll draw an identity card for an animal, food, or common object but with one catch–everyone but you will see the card, displayed by the headband on your forehead. The goal is to deduce who or what you are by asking the players questions before the clock runs out. Educational Gameplay for Kids
Hedbanz is not only fun, but inherently educational. Kids will flex their deductive reasoning skills with the game’s simple question-and-answer premise. By making connections and coming up with questions that will lead to answers, kids will also practice creative critical thinking skills. (Amazon write-up)
If you are shopping for a young lady (ages 6-12) who is on the girly side I highly recommend the Pretty Pedicure Salon. My hubby and I got this for our daughter for her birthday and we had a memorable mommy & me morning the day after Thanksgiving. It was so much fun being able to pamper her. I gave her a scoop of yogurt to enjoy while she soaked her feet and I gave her a pedicure. I also let her select a CD to listen to, she chose Muppets: The Green Album.
Pretty heart shaped petals sprinkled in.
The pedicure set is safety tested and skin safe, these cosmetic and body products will make you feel good about yourself inside and out. Deluxe heart-themed pedicure salon kit includes an inflatable pedicure pool, towel, spa slippers, toe separator, nail buffer and file, confetti soap, three bottles of nail polish (including French white), nail art and sparkling rhinestones. After you are finished, store all your supplies in the handy spa tote. (Amazon)
A Special Mommy & Me morning
I won’t quit my day job but they turned out okay.
If you are shopping for any child this CD a perfect fit. The Muppets: The Green Album is fun for the entire family, seriously. It is not one of those children’s CD’s that require two Advil before listening. It is tolerable by all family members, even my hubby, and each member of our family now has a favorite song that we take turns listening to. It is also a great incentive to get the kiddos in the car on time (“whoever gets their coat, boots, mittens, and hat on first and is seated and buckled in the car will get to select what song we will listen to” are the precise words that I uttered this morning, and it worked!).
I have a copy in the car and in the house, yes, that is how much we like this CD.
I am off to run my daughter to all her after school activities (Ever since her social life started mine has been sitting on the back-burner, I use to have a social life too!)
