The Box

So that I don't go crazy over Christmas break with my daughter trying to get me to do something every second of our vacation, I cut up some slips of paper and placed them in a box.  Each day, she gets to choose one slip out of the box and we only do that activity.  She does not get to pick until her room is clean each morning.  This seems to be working so well, that I will probably re-fill the box and use it during the summer too!  Here are some ideas for activities:
Pedicures
Play at the park
Sandcastles at the beach
Ice skating
Movies
Play 2 board games together
Cook in the easy bake oven
What do you do to keep your child busy during breaks from school?

6 word Saturday

Christmas Eve and we are SWIMMING!

Wearing my Christmas t-shirt and shorts!

I have been on Christmas break all week and it has been over 80 degrees here in Florida every day.  I just can't get over this summertime weather we are having here!  Even though the weather is beautiful, it has not helped much to get me in the Christmas spirit this year.  What this weather has done, though, is make me blow off sending out my Christmas cards and doing last minute Christmas shopping, for hanging out at the beach making sandcastles instead (the water was a little bit cold for swimming!)  It has also helped me run up a large power bill from keeping my AC running in my house!  So, it does not appear that it will be a white Christmas in my neck of the woods- how about yours?

Can you describe your life in just 6 words???

New Years Resolutions

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

I like to make them, but I try to make them a little more creative- for example, one year, I decided to read the bible- took two years, but I did it! One year I decided to exercise for at least 10 minutes every day- I did pretty good with that one too! Last year, my resolution was to do a better job taking care of myself. I do so much taking care of others- my daughter, my students, etc... that sometimes I leave myself with nothing- see here. I'm going to keep on trying with this one, because if I don't take care of myself, then there will be no one to take care of everyone else!


I have a friend who makes the most creative resolutions! Last year she tried one vegetable she hadn't tried before each month. This year, she is going to try one new chocolate each month. She is also going to go through all her CD's, listen to them and either toss them, or convert them to MP3's.  I like her approach to resolutions. It makes them fun to keep.

This year I have decided to make one fun resolution, and one tougher one. For the first one, I am planning to play one game a week with my daughter.
For the second one, I don't want to go to bed with dirty dishes in my sink.
Anyone who knows me, knows which one will be the tricky one!


What resolutions are you planning on making for the new year?

Sneaking in

It all started with a thunderstorm.  It was thundering, and there was lightning and my daughter was scared in her room, so I let her crawl into bed with me.  A few days later, there was another storm, and she did the same thing.  Next thing I know she is trying to sneak in every night- "Mommy, do you hear thunder?  I think I hear thunder..."  

I have never been a fan of letting my kid sleep in my bed.  Even when she was a baby, I always put my daughter down in her own bed at nap time and bed time.  As a single mom, it is important to me to have my own space after a long day of trying not to kill taking care of my kid.  Now, she wants to sleep in my bed every night, and I am drawing the line!  There is a lot of research out there about the wonders of having a "family bed", but I am definitely trying not to have one in my house!

Kids and Nature

Teaching my students all about nature!

Many kids today don't get to go out into nature much.  It is too bad, because when I was growing up, I remember running around outside from after breakfast till the streetlights came on!  We caught crayfish and minnows from ponds, went exploring in the woods, tried to catch birds, picked berries, built tree houses and had great times in the outdoors.  These days we have to take our kids on field trips to get these types of experiences.  In our area we take a field trip out to the woods where our kids get to ride in a boat, catch critters from a river, hold snakes, turtles, gators and chicks, learn to use a compass, build a shelter and run around in the woods.  Many of my students have never done anything like this in their life!  They ask a million questions, take two million pictures with their cell phones and have the time of their middle school lives!  What are you doing to introduce your kids to nature?

Can you describe your life in just 6 words???

Christmas Music

I love Christmas music!  Here are a few of my favorite Christmas CD's.

I am a huge Chris Tomlin fan!  My favorite song on this CD is Glory in the Highest and Winter Snow by Audrey Assad!

A very upbeat Christmas CD I never get bored of

Can't believe I got this CD, but it is really good- Under the Mistletoe is my favorite!

Christmas morning in Florida just isn't complete without the Jimmy Buffett Christmas Island CD!

What is your favorite Christmas CD?

bah humbug

I know you are going to gasp when I say this- but I am not a fan of Christmas.  (I heard the gasp from here!)  I'm sorry, but to spend more than a month of preparing, fighting crowds, desperately trying to get great presents for everyone without going broke, the sneaking around to hide then trying to find and wrap the gifts, and the last minute freak-out over the stockings are just all too stressful for me.  Then your family opens all the presents in 5 minutes and you are done!  I get the worst after-Christmas let-down.  My dad used to be the same way, and now without him here, I am all alone in the down-with-Christmas parade.  Some things that I do love about Christmas are the music, movies, the Christmas Eve service at church, and my book club Christmas cookie exchange.  I am trying so hard to stay focused on the positive things and not let the rest of the madness get to me!  How do you stay sane during the Christmas season?