As my children are getting older and making more friends (and as my adult friends are having more children of their own) we find ourselves invited to more and more birthday parties and trying to come up with fun yet unique gifts to give. Some parents say, NO GIFTS while others register for gifts at various shopping establishments around town. I am great with either extreme and everything in between because I know that every family has their own reasons for why they do what they do.
I am happy to announce that I have come across a new shop that fulfills my ideals when both purchasing and receiving gifts is required. No, this is not a new shop, and yes I have heard of it before, but I passed through their doors for the first time last week and both my children and I fell in love with this place. It is called The Learning Express. I love that it has educational and free play toys for all ages, various price ranges, and fun curriculum and science/math kits for those home school families out there. It also has wishlist and gift registries if you are into that kind of thing.
For our family, every year we tell people that gifts are not needed for both birthdays and Christmas, but every year we are asked what the kids want any way. I think this next year we will register at The Learning Express and say 'Gifts not required to join in on the fun but if you insist and want some ideas check us out HERE'. Now I just need to see if Mardel Christian Book Store has a registry; I love that place - lol.
What do you do for your kids and gifts? Is a registry to presumptuous or rude? What are your stories?
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Remember When!
Tonight I was reminded of the first time MY PARENTS met my HUBBY'S PARENTS. Back then my hubby was just my boyfriend, and the parents meeting parents was a pretty big deal in my mind. No one else seemed to be altered by this event, but for some reason it made me really nervous. I am not sure why. Actually, looking back I realize that if my parents had to meet any other parents I am glad they were the parents of my now husband. They are great people and wonderful second parents to me. They are easy to talk to, easy to get along with, and just overall wonderful people; and quite frankly, I am glad they are my in-laws and not some other nightmarish family!!!
I actually remember it clearly. They were coming over to my family's house and I was so nervous that I kept trying to hold back a nervous giggle. And if that wasn't enough, I was compulsively cleaning. I seem to do that when I am nervous...clean...compulsively! I am sure there are worse things to do when you are nervous, but I remember that I was driving my parents crazy by moving things around and cleaning things that either I or my Mother had already cleaned.
If you are wondering, the night went off without a hitch, and eventually that boyfriend and I were engaged and now married. Yes, married for 10 long (uh, I mean wonderful) years!
What is your parents meeting parents story?
I actually remember it clearly. They were coming over to my family's house and I was so nervous that I kept trying to hold back a nervous giggle. And if that wasn't enough, I was compulsively cleaning. I seem to do that when I am nervous...clean...compulsively! I am sure there are worse things to do when you are nervous, but I remember that I was driving my parents crazy by moving things around and cleaning things that either I or my Mother had already cleaned.
If you are wondering, the night went off without a hitch, and eventually that boyfriend and I were engaged and now married. Yes, married for 10 long (uh, I mean wonderful) years!
What is your parents meeting parents story?
Things That Make You Go, Huh?
I realize that the perception of me, by many, is that I live a perfect and non-disastrous life...maybe even boring. That is true in part, but it is also false in part. While I give off the air of confidence and calm in most situations (even those situations that are completely life altering), I do have those moments that just make me want to go HUH? Actually, I have them on a fairly regular basis - even more now that I have children - but I simply forget about them or do not find time to blog about them.
Tonight, while brushing my teeth, a drop of toothpaste flew into my eye. How? I have no idea! My mouth was shut and I was brushing away, yet somehow that sudden and shocking sensation of tingly mint hit my eye and I just said to myself, 'how on earth did that happen?' So, if you ever wondered if you could get toothpaste in your eye while brushing your teeth, the answer is YES. Also, I do not recommend trying to do so unless you just want to see what it feel like to have baking soda and peppermint in your eye.
Tonight, while brushing my teeth, a drop of toothpaste flew into my eye. How? I have no idea! My mouth was shut and I was brushing away, yet somehow that sudden and shocking sensation of tingly mint hit my eye and I just said to myself, 'how on earth did that happen?' So, if you ever wondered if you could get toothpaste in your eye while brushing your teeth, the answer is YES. Also, I do not recommend trying to do so unless you just want to see what it feel like to have baking soda and peppermint in your eye.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Teenage Years
OK, so this title is going a little overboard, but I must admit that I have had several experiences this past week when I have been watching my children interact with one another and thought, 'they will be doing that exact same thing as teenagers!' No, my kids are not teenagers. Actually very far from it at 4-years old and 18-months old, but still there seems to be a dynamic between them that I can see carrying on forever. My oldest is a girl (and very girlie at that) and my youngest is a boy (and VERY BOY), so I am sure that plays a part in the dynamics.
EXAMPLES PLEASE! Sure, I have two specific ones I can share. Now, you must remember to picture a girlie girl with long hair that does not want to get wet or dirty or do anything out of the normal scheme of the rules and on the opposite side you must imagine a boy that colors outside the lines! Got it?
Example One is bath time: Yes, I give my opposite gender kids a bath together, but at their young ages I think it is perfectly fine. If you don't like it; I'm sorry, but I am not changing my routine now. Anyway, my kiddos decided to take their plastic tea set with them to bath time, and everything was going perfectly as planned in the eyes of my 4-year old. She would set up the tea, my son would pour the tea and we would all 'drink' the tea. This was going great until child number 2 decided that this was not exciting enough and decided to splash the water as wildly as possible, getting it everywhere...including in my daughter's face. She is then protecting her face and crying and yelling for him to stop, so what does he do? LAUGH really loud and hard and splash even harder. Do you know what I saw? I saw two teenagers in a swimming pool with the younger brother terrorizing his older sister, and I couldn't help but laugh and allow this to go on for a few moments before I intervened. It was really funny; especially thinking about an 18-month old reasoning out in his mind what he is doing and then doing it on purpose and laughing about it.
The second example is similar, but this time we were outside watering the plants with the garden hose. Daughter is watering the flowers and plants and staying perfectly dry. When it is my son's turn he makes a mud puddle to splash and sit down in, then gets up and takes the hose and puts it on big sister's toes! She is yelling for him to stop and then he giggles the most evil, funny, mischievous giggle/laugh I have ever heard (and it came from and 18-month old) and continued to do it again every time big sis would look away or turn her back. Yup, I could see my two teenagers washing the car!
Do your kids ever do things that seem to warp speed you ahead in time? Well, apparently mine do, and it is fun!
So go out and enjoy your kids today!
EXAMPLES PLEASE! Sure, I have two specific ones I can share. Now, you must remember to picture a girlie girl with long hair that does not want to get wet or dirty or do anything out of the normal scheme of the rules and on the opposite side you must imagine a boy that colors outside the lines! Got it?
Example One is bath time: Yes, I give my opposite gender kids a bath together, but at their young ages I think it is perfectly fine. If you don't like it; I'm sorry, but I am not changing my routine now. Anyway, my kiddos decided to take their plastic tea set with them to bath time, and everything was going perfectly as planned in the eyes of my 4-year old. She would set up the tea, my son would pour the tea and we would all 'drink' the tea. This was going great until child number 2 decided that this was not exciting enough and decided to splash the water as wildly as possible, getting it everywhere...including in my daughter's face. She is then protecting her face and crying and yelling for him to stop, so what does he do? LAUGH really loud and hard and splash even harder. Do you know what I saw? I saw two teenagers in a swimming pool with the younger brother terrorizing his older sister, and I couldn't help but laugh and allow this to go on for a few moments before I intervened. It was really funny; especially thinking about an 18-month old reasoning out in his mind what he is doing and then doing it on purpose and laughing about it.
The second example is similar, but this time we were outside watering the plants with the garden hose. Daughter is watering the flowers and plants and staying perfectly dry. When it is my son's turn he makes a mud puddle to splash and sit down in, then gets up and takes the hose and puts it on big sister's toes! She is yelling for him to stop and then he giggles the most evil, funny, mischievous giggle/laugh I have ever heard (and it came from and 18-month old) and continued to do it again every time big sis would look away or turn her back. Yup, I could see my two teenagers washing the car!
Do your kids ever do things that seem to warp speed you ahead in time? Well, apparently mine do, and it is fun!
So go out and enjoy your kids today!
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