Family Musings

Sometimes I go back and forth as to whether or not I want to continue reviewing and giving things away on this blog. But then, an opportunity to give away a family four pack of tickets to see Sesame Street Live at the Lakeland Center comes along, and I remember that I love blessing people with free things like this. So I agreed to share a little about the upcoming show in exchange for a four pack for myself and for one of my readers. This year, the theme for Sesame Street Live is “Elmo’s Super Heroes.” And according to the press kit, Super Grover has lost his super-ness! But never fear, the fabulous five Super Heroes are here -- featuring Elmo as Captain Fuzzy! Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Zoe and all their furry friends are on a quest to put the “super” back in Super Grover. Singing and dancing their way through fun lessons on healthy habits, they discover how exercise, rest, nutritious food and good hygiene can save Super Grover -- and turn your children into Super Heroes, too! You’ll b...

Some times my giveaways are fun things for the family. Some times they are useful things for the kitchen. And some times, I have the privilege of giving away something that is so meaningful every life touched by it will be moved. Today, I have the blessing of sharing Shop To Stop Slavery with you. It was started by Robin, a MOPS mom, who knew there had to be a better way to give lovely gifts to our friends and family, a way that didn't rely on slave labor. So, she opened Shop to Stop Slavery and now connects people all over the world with fair trade vendors through mutually beneficial purchases. When I met Robin in person, her passion for helping the impoverished and victims of human trafficking was clear. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the realities of forced labor around the world. Robin told me that she designed her store to be "the online resource to buy slave free products and abolish slavery through socially responsible shopping." As you consider the...

As a team, nothing can stop them. When she sees danger, she gets down to business. Her super power is her super cuteness! They can fly anywhere in the world. Fast. Not only can they bust the bad guys, they can also bust a move. Even blindfolded, they can get the job done. The pins fell down before the pumpkin even got there, just at the sight of this dynamic duo. Tall ladders are no match for this super hero. She can (and did) climb that ladder all by herself. Super heroes always need to keep themselves well hydrated. And well nourished too. Look at how this super hero tamed the wild beast, "Princess." It's important for even the tiniest super heroes to practice so they can keep their game sharp. What fun events did your family participate in this weekend?

I'm a reluctant sewer. I know how to do it, but I just have never put in the practice to get good at it. Sewing a straight stitch is nearly impossible for me at this point. Well, after thinking that I might be ready to give my new serger a spin, I tried staring at it until a sewing project came to mind. I had some white t-shirts with stains on them. They weren't mine though. They belonged to my 2 & 4 year old. I'm not sure why I kept them, but I did. I also had a set of bed sheets I bought for about $2 at a Lighthouse Ministries Thrift Store. I liked the pattern but bought them with no intention other than possibly repurposing them into clothing. There was no plan in my mind, just a love for the light florals and the so soft to the touch fabric. Then today, inspiration hit! I remembered making t-shirt dresses with my mom when I was a kid and I decided to do the same thing for my girls with the stained shirts and sweet looking bed sheets, based on a tutorial at My Cr...

I've been in a nutritional glut recently. In addition to experiencing a loss of appetite due to new medication, I've been too preoccupied with life to take the time each day to eat any decent food. A recent experience with vitamin supplements really woke me up to the fact that I need to do a better job of caring for myself. So, during a brainstorming session with Karissa , I decided to make a list of 31 quick snacks for moms. Most of these items can be eaten on the go, though some don't travel as well as others. To make it on this list the snack has to be made in 5 minutes or less and be reasonably healthy, in other words no homemade chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, or drive-thru french fries. I also tried to mostly include things that had some protein and good carbs in them. Crackers or pita chips w/ hummus Homemade microwave popcorn (the pre-made stuff is awful once you've made your own) Half a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread w/ a small glass of ...

Another week of wearing the same fuschia dress every day is over. And I still like the dress! The half-way point is almost upon us and I haven't duplicated any looks yet. Plus, I still have more ideas from my closet. I've really learned that my closet is more versatile than I thought it was. It's really hard to say, "I don't have anything to wear," when I can make the same dress look so many different ways. Last week, in addition to showing you my daily outfits, I also shared with you my creative reason for participating in the October Dress Project. This week, I want to share another reason I took this challenge on - to practice humility. But I have a confession to make. I haven't felt very humble about my dress at all this month. Besides the taking and posting daily pictures of myself in the dress, I'm also getting a lot of positive feedback about how I look. It's hard to be humble when I am getting so much positive attention (which I...

Here is one way I get my girls to eat a variety of food at a meal. Otherwise, they'd eat half a box of pasta without blinking. I call this "Flower Dinner." I hope you can figure out why. Grapes, applesauce, pasta, yogurt, plus an unseen cheese stick. These are silicone baking cups that are more useful as single-serving snack cups.

A good friend of mine was guilted into throwing a fun, pumpkin decorating, candy-necklace making, yummy snack eating Fall Party. We were on the lucky end of a 5 year old convincing her pregnant momma that this might be the last chance for a play date before the newest member of their family arrives in about a month. It was also a costume swap, which coincided with National Costume Swap Day. Who even knew such a day existed? Charlotte enjoyed everything about the day - crafts, friends, food, and fresh air. I think the weather was perfect for an out door play date like this one. Mary had a good time too. It was one of her first being let loose with a lot of craft supplies. And I think this is the dirtiest she has ever been. Check out those "little dixie" feet! Our friends,  the Dearies . Other friends, like Brittany of A Flower In The Rain , were there, but not pictured because apparently, I didn't make sure I took some of everyone. And the lovely ...

It's so convenient that I decided to share some of my fashions with you last month . Because now, you'll be treated to a whole week of outfits all throughout October. That's because, as I mentioned last week, I'm participating in the October Dress Project . There are many reasons why I have committed to wearing the same dress for 31 days in a row. I'll try to share one reason each week, in no particular order. Last year I dove into the project because it seemed like a fun challenge that could break up some of the humdrumness of my daily life. And while it will do that for me again this year, one of my real reasons for participating is to work on my wardrobe creativity. I want to make a good impression each day when my husband comes home. By no means does this mean I have to fake anything, but it does reflect my belief that home should be a haven. And that means he doesn't need to walk in the door to a disaster zone, in the living room or on his wife. I just...

Karissa has great taste. And a great sense of style. She also knows how to make things her own. Take her recently redesigned entryway for example. It is perfectly functional, yet still fits her family's personal style. Here it is, in all of it's simplicity and beauty. And I've decided, if my husband agrees, to copy her idea for my own entryway. The girls need a place for backpacks and jackets (yes, we will at least need light ones for our Florida "winter). And I'd like a place for my purse that has nothing to do with cluttering up the dining room table. Here is my non-artistic, yet functional rendering of  what it might look like if I actually follow through on this home improvement project. This is a longshot of what the whole space looks like. There is a window just to the left of this photo. A medium shot of the door and wall. The brown dots represent the three hooks I'd install. Five hooks would be better, but I can't work around th...

Mary's favorite game, since she was a baby, has been something we call "Where's Mary?!" It can be played anywhere. All you need are hands, napkins, hand towels, wipes, blankets, a shirt. Pretty much anything you can cover at least your eyes with will work. Even a rug. Where's Mary?!   There she is! And repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Until she either gets distracted or you get bored. You can probably guess which happens first!

I love that my husband is a teacher. But it never fails that, at the beginning of each school year (and during cold & flu season), he brings some sort of cold home to us. It's inevitable. Sometimes he gets sick too, but usually he is just the carrier for one of us to get sick. He is not to blame. It happened when I was a teacher too. And it happens to most of my friends who are teachers. Colds are an occupational hazard. I've got some ideas for ways we can minimize our exposure to those cold germs and thought it would be appropriate to share them with you as we enter into another cold & flu season. First, I've taught (or am still teaching) both of my girls to sneeze or cough into their elbows(edited to add that I now know this is called the "Dracula"). It really does lessen the chance of spreading germs, especially considering they no longer have "sneeze" on their hands waiting to be shared with the nearest toy or family member. I even h...

For years, I thought that I couldn't wear belts. My perception of the plus-size figure caused me to shy away from anything that came close to nipping me in or being close to the skin. Then I started noticing Shauna's blog, Penny Chic. She had a plus size model or two and they rocked the belts. It was amazing how they could pull it off. So, I started experimenting with the very small collection of belts in my closet. And I realized that they actually really work for my figured. It really helped when Penny Chic offered a Just My Size belt giveaway . I won and the belt arrived yesterday. With my new belt in hand, I dragged my husband outside to take some pictures so I could show you how the belt changes the way I look. (Plus, you get a sneak peak at my October Dress Project outfit for day 3!) See what I mean? The picture on the left makes me look a bit frumpy. And the middle picture is definitely an improvement. But the last picture... that's the winner! In my ...

It might seem obvious that I love my daughters. That's what moms are supposed to do. But it doesn't mean that I've always "loved" them. There was a time, about a year ago, where I was really just phoning in my mothering duties. I did what I needed to do to make each day work. We had good times and did fun things, but my heart just wasn't into it. It's kind of difficult to explain. The honeymoon period of being a mother was over. Mary was 1 and Charlotte was 3. The daily tasks of raising them exhausted me. I don't think this was post-partum depression but I'm sure it was related to my general depression over the years. Maybe it was their daily behavior and the natural stretching of mental muscle as they explored the boundaries in our house. Or possibly the weariness that comes from spending the previous 12 months in speech and physical therapy with Mary. There was absolutely nothing unlikable about my girls at all. They were, and sti...