This same type of thing happened twice this week for me.

1. For the first 2-3 years of high school, my number one choice for college was Harvard. Then, after I realized that it may not be a great cultural fit, I fell in love with NYU. During my senior year, when I eventually came to grips with the fact that even with financial aid I wouldn’t be able to afford it, I shelved it. But, quietly I knew somehow it would turn up in my life again. Fast forward to last week. I had to make a dermatology appointment to make sure an issue I’d had with my foot was healing properly. Without knowing who was good, or who to trust, I picked the closet available derm to where I’m living. And his office just happened to be where…? Greenwich Village! I literally had to walk through NYU Law buildings to get there. I was immediately transported to my junior/senior years of high school, when I was making college decisions, and (of course) wondered how different my life would be (if at all) if I’d gone to NYU 8 years ago.

2. I started subscribing to Parents magazine last spring after I left the Nanny school. I wanted to keep up with the latest information on children, and get ideas for fun things to do. But, if anyone knows the mag… they are thick and full of articles, and I got behind, way behind, on reading them. So, I ended up bringing 6-7 issues with me here to New York. As I sat on a bench outside of Starbucks the other day, I read an article from the May 2012 issue that I’d been carrying around for a whole year. I’d previously read that particular article – one on ‘the best mom bloggers’ – but for some reason I decided to read a small section again. So as I’m reading the article, I realize that one of the boys the writer is using as an example, is one of my charges (the 6yo). I quickly scanned the authors information, and when I read she was from Brooklyn, there was no mistaking it. I’D BEEN CARRYING AROUND A MAGAZINE – FOR A YEAR(!) – THAT MY FUTURE (charge) WAS IN. I mean, COME ON! I showed his mom, my boss, and she was surprised that her friend, a well-known writer and blogger, hadn’t told her that she’d not only written about the 6yo on her mom blog, but that the story had been published in a mag that has a circulation of over 2 million. Does this stuff happen to most people?!

Here’s some other stuff that as gone down since I started this job. Pretty much super nanny status here, y’all…

Taught the 10yo how a breathalyzer works.

Successfully integrated ‘Captain Planet’ into the cartoon repertoire.

Stood over the 4yo as he flailed on the sidewalk (busy NY streets remember) because he couldn’t get his new toy on that day (he had to wait till ‘treat day’).

Watched a dog poop on the sidewalk (multiple times).

Patronized a café that smells EXACTLY like France. (I would not lie about such things.)

Taught the boys the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang theme song, even though they’ve never seen the movie.

Done 10 loads of laundry in an old, tiny apartment sized washer and dryer (and I only did about 40% of the total laundry).

Explained to the 10yo (with the help of his mom) what HIV and AIDS stood for, and what that meant.

Gave the 10yo my own opinion on gun lobbies (which is just slightly more conservative than his mothers’).

Listened as the 4yo firmly said that “people who smoke get addicted, and then they get sick, and then they die” AND “people who eat bacon don’t live as long”.

Listened as the 10yo reasoned that the rebels in Egypt must be about the same amount of people who don’t like Mitt Romney. And then sat, amused and confused, for a while about that.

Went to the park with the 4yo at least 5 times.

Read the 10yo and 6yo African stories out of one of my college textbooks that the bookstore wouldn’t buy back (full circle, y’all).

Put the 4yo to bed 3 times, each involving squeezing him and myself into his tiny ‘boat bed’ (the width of a crib mattress).

Met several other nannies- the Caribbean ones are the most outgoing and friendly.

Learned A LOT more about how Montessori Schools work.

Turned into one of those people who live and die by their phone calendar.

Successfully integrated the term ‘play date’ into my vernacular. (When did “my friend is coming over after school” change to “I have a play date with Ryan today”?)

Played 2.5 games of CandyLand. Let children make up their own rules, and therefore let them win.

Taught the 6yo how to play the Chinese equivalent of Connect 4 called “wu zhi chi”. Did not let him cheat, and therefore I almost lost. Kid is smarter than he puts on.

Laughed (and cried inside) when an article came out in the NY Post telling parents not to send their nannies to school events in their place. (My employers are not like that at all- the mom went to the 6yo class’ butterfly release party this week.) http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/poor_li_rich_kids_Lttwpt6HbYd4MKG9YxJEUJ

Helped with, and supervised, the children and their friends have 3 sidewalk bake sales. All goods were sold were gluten free. While conducting the 2nd bake sale, they decided that they would give 50% of the profits to charity (they chose a local animal shelter and Greenpeace). Now they are thinking of other things to sell, and are excited about how much they can eventually get to give away. Sweet, huh?

Wrestled with the 4yo till we were both laughing hysterically. I’m still working on teaching him to use open hands instead of fists.

Shopped at Trader Joe’s with an old stroller to push the loot back in. S (the mom) thinks push carts are too old-ladyish, and carrying groceries 3 blocks home is impossible when you’re shopping for 5+ people.

Prevented the 4yo from going postal when I told him that no, we could not get a leash, chew toy, and dog treats for a dog we weren’t getting for at least 2 more months. (Hint: Saying “I’ll take a picture of you with it, and show your mom, so she knows exactly which one you want” works like a charm. Every time.)

Told the 6yo that in China people eat all parts of the animal… head, feet, intestines, etc. Then, he asked “even the penis and vagina?” I said I didn’t think so. He asked, “Even the balls?” Ah… to be 6 with a 10yo big brother who tells you too much…

3 boys. 3 pairs of Crocs. A lifesaver when trying to get out the door quickly.

How have your past few weeks been?

2. As we turned into the church’s driveway on Sunday, Aidan yelled “NO!”  I asked him what was wrong.  He answered, “NO CHURCH!”

3. I spent most of the week getting everything set up for Sean to be assessed this summer and lining up the pins to make sure next school year goes smoothly.

4. Sean’s graduation from kindergarten was Wednesday.  He decided to act goofy for laughs.  He gets that from my side of the family.

5. I had two earaches on Tuesday night.  That sucked.  A lot.  I haven’t had an earache since high school.

6. I’m studying for my teaching exam.  I’m not comfortable with the amount of studying I’ve accomplished so far.

7. I’m really going to miss Evan’s teacher next year.  She was so awesome for Evan.  She was strict with him but understood him, his needs, and his sense of humor.  She even put Sean with the first grade teacher she felt was best to help him AND introduced me to the teacher.  AND told me she talks about me being the best role model for other parents.

8. Evan’s last day of school was Thursday.  He spent most of the day playing “Battleship” and watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

9. We replaced “Mario Go-Kart.”  We’re having a blast.

10. We made bookmarks for teachers’ gifts.  I should post that.

The  5: Holy crap, I was busy this week.  With the end of the school year stuff, trying to get Sean set up with OT, studying for this exam, and then the other normal stuff.  I did well on everything but apples and reading blogs.  Stupid apples.

Photo courtesy of ComputerParenting.com

By Tanya Kiesha Thompson

Teens are actually getting fed up with Facebook, according to a report released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center which surveyed 802 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 last September. An article was written about the report’s findings by the Huffington Post on May 21 of this year.

Apparently, Facebook’s investors have been seeing signs of this even before the study came out. This new evidence confirming their fears is no doubt troubling given that the teen demographic has long been crucial to Facebook’s massive success.

The root of the “problem” (which is most likely how Facebook phrases it) is spelled out thus in the report of the study:

“Facebook has become a ‘social burden‘ for teens. While Facebook is still deeply integrated in teens’ everyday lives, it is sometimes seen as a utility and an obligation rather than an exciting new platform that teens can claim as their own. Facebook, teens say, has been overrun by parents, fuels unnecessary social “drama” and gives a mouthpiece to annoying oversharers who drone on about inane events in their lives.”

Of course, Facebook won’t reveal how bad things have gotten for them, saying they “remain really pleased with the high level of engagement on Facebook by people of all ages around the world,” including young people.

The Huffington Post summed up another important part of the study:

“They’re deleting, lying and blocking- Some three-quarters of Facebook users have purged friends on Facebook, 58 percent have edited or deleted content they’ve shared and 26 percent have tried to protect their privacy by sharing false information. Among all teens online (not just Facebook users), 39 percent have lied about their age.”

Another interesting find of the Pew study is that the typical teen has approximately 300 Facebook “friends.” But exactly who are these friends? Well, seventy percent of teens are friends with their parents, 30 percent are friends with teachers or coaches, and 33 percent are friends with people they’ve never met in person.

In some ways, the results are surprising- most people, teens and adults alike, have Facebook pages. In fact, a majority of the teens in the study, including those that complained about the site, still maintain pages on it. Some, but less than half, said that they continue using the site because they want to stay up on the social scene. Yet, as the study clearly shows, a large portion of their Facebook social circles are not real-life friends. A second possible reason for continued use of the site, though not suggested in the report, could be peer-pressure. Teens are very sensitive to what their peers say and do, and feel that if they don’t follow the crowd, they will be socially penalized by way of bullying or simple exclusion from peer activities, such as parties and dating.

To adults who have either never used the site, have an account but use it rarely, or have had accounts and deleted them, the news comes as no surprise. These adults often give the same reasons as the teens in the study for their own lack of interest in Facebook. Which begs the question- is Facebook just a failed social experiment, or is it here to stay? It seems society (and the social media industry) has yet to fully understand the human mind enough to properly predict how it will respond to new technology. After all, we didn’t exactly evolve to meet and interact with each other using machines.

Copyrighted. Amber Robidoux.

Some people think I’m mean.

If I’m asked a question – particularly one I should say no to I’m noticing – my mind reels looking for an appropriate answer to avoid doing whatever it is I’m asked OR an answer that will prevent the real question from ever coming up.

For example:

“What are you doing today?”

Seems like a simple question, huh? Not for me. Immediately I detect they want me to do something (usually involving watching their kid – which I don’t enjoy in the least) and I search for an answer that will allow me to get out of it without actually saying “no.”

The problem is I hesitate.

What looks like a two second pause is actually a stream of thoughts going at nitrous speed. It’s like watching a bunch of commercials in fast forward – or for the younger crowd: hitting skip repeatedly. My brain turns into a filing cabinet. Zipping through all the tabs at an incredible rate looking for the right answer.

The hesitation comes across as me being a jerk. Which oddly, is not the case. Or the intent.

No, I don’t enjoy watching other people’s children but that doesn’t mean I can’t be helpful and won’t do it.

I get it. Help is nice.

My biggest issue, in most cases, I end up getting taken advantage of… and I resent them for it.

While some mom’s go through life serving everyone and catering to everyone’s needs – after a few decades she finally has had it. She’s miserable and wants to voice it. And everyone applauds her for her bravery and doing something for herself. Fortunately (and unfortunately) for me: I’d rather not go down that road at all.

I’m a nip-it-in-the-bud sort of person.

I refuse to get locked into something that I know will make me miserable. (Ever hear of the term “caged animal?” That’s this girl right here.) I’ll help but one whiff or act of disregard, disrespect, or “tip toe-ing” the line – I’m done. Once you have taken advantage of me “here let me help you,” completely leaves my vocabulary.

Does that make me a hard ass or uncaring?

I really don’t know the answer to that. Living on egg shells because you feel like someone is going to ask an undesirable question is not a way to live. I don’t feel “here let me help you” should leave my vocabulary but NO most certainly should enter it.

——————————–

How do you politely say no?

Some kids created their own art, but most copied the covers.  We don’t do copying very often, if ever, but I have to say, they LOVED it.  Every age group was successful and the overall effect is pretty spectacular.  It’s so much fun to see kids walk by and comment on the different covers.  You hear things like “Ohhh, I love that book.” or “Oh man, I wish I did that one.  That is so my favorite.”  All the parents love to come by and find their child’s cover.  Each time I pass I notice a different fantastic cover I hadn’t noticed before.  The most popular books wereThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Wonder by R.J. Palacio, which I can’t wait to read this summer.  I think eight kids did Wonder.  So, if you’re looking for a great bulletin board for your school, here’s a great one.  I’ve included the book template to make it easy.  We printed it on card stock and only gave the kids sharpies to use.

One of the many awesome Wonder examples.

We have about 200 students in our school so I had to find room in a different area for all the covers.  Those little clothespins are the cutest.

I love that the kindergarteners book covers are just as awesome as the sixth graders.

Here is the clip art we used, photocopied onto white card stock.  I only had this picture of it blank which you can print, enlarge and trace if you want.

I’m happy this bulletin will live throughout the summer.  I’m going to put up a little envelope on the side with papers and little pencils so that kids can write down which books they are interested for summer reading.  Happy summer everyone!

The kids quickly were drawn into Laurel’s world and noticed a ton of  details that made her work intriguing, especially the way Laurel painted the cat’s eyes.  After our discussion we went on to do directive draw’s on canvases.  Each child had their own canvas and followed simple step by step directions to draw their cat.  Then they were let free to add whatever details they wanted with paint and then puffy paint.  They really enjoyed this process and each kid felt really successful.  Directive draws can be really great for so many kids, especially the ones who don’t feel like they are “artists.”

Since the kids were really into the whole Laurel Burch theme we stayed with it and made popsicle stick puzzles with the same design.  The kids were excited to practice the cat they had just learned to do.  They helped each other a lot with this, reminding one another of different steps.  The trick when doing a popsicle stick puzzle is to tape one side with masking tape while you draw so the pieces don’t move.

Lastly, we made sculpey cat pins.  I gave the kids a cardstock paper cutout of the cat shape that they carved out of the sculpey.  Then we added the details with different sculpey tools.  The pins were really cute.  I still have mine and love it.  Maybe we’ll do paper mache cats this summer or cat shaped pillows.  Thank you Laurel.  Your inspiration lives on.

Day #14 Hubby’s Hard Rock Café Berlin T-shirt

Day #15 Hubby’s green USA T-shirt

 

Day #16 Hubby’s Bomb Tech Shirt (“If you see me running try to keep up!”)

 

Day #17 Hubby’s grey t-shirt with pink belt. And, I’m actually wearing makeup for a change

 

We’ve survived nearly a whole month, hooooooray! This past week definitely went quickly! Today is my darling Evelyn’s first birthday, which now means I officially have a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old! Tomorrow is birthday party day, and we’re also entering Memorial Weekend.

Thank you SO much to all our military, past and present. We have so much to be thankful for because of the awesome dedication, service, and sacrifice of these outstanding people.

 

Not sure where this image originated from, but I found it floating around on Face Book. Good reminder to pay respect to the military families as well as the service member.

 

 

 

 

 

]]> http://drivingmisty.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/115/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:38:23 +0000 drivingmisty http://drivingmisty.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/115/ I’ve had this discussion with fellow parents before but have never actually put it in to writing. I was inspired to do so by a comment on my blog by ceruleanstarshine, who it seems has the same views as I do when it comes to children, vocabulary, and education.

To begin, let me just say that I hate baby talk. I have never used it with my girls, I have never used it with other children. Any time someone has used it with my children, or has spoken to them with that sort of dumb-downed language that one might use with a puppy, I have politely requested that they stop it and that they speak to them as they would any adult. Clearly, some topics are off-limits – we don’t discuss sex, or politics, and because I am an atheist, I try to avoid religion entirely. I have no interest in shattering their belief in fairy tales or wrecking their innocence by telling them there’s no Santa Claus. But, in most regards, the verbal exchanges with my 4-year-olds differ little from those I have with a 40-year-old.

It irks me to no end when someone points out that my child “doesn’t know what a word means.” Of course a preschooler doesn’t know the meaning of the word monotonous, or audacity, or pragmatic? Any guesses as to how they’d find out?

That’s right – you tell them. The four-year-old is an inquisitive creature; the strongest word in their arsenal is why, followed closely by what. As in, “What is monotonous?”; “What is audacity?”; “What is pragmatic?”. How difficult is it to give them a simple, articulate definition and then solidify the meaning by using the word in a proper context:

“Asking me if you can have a piece of candy ten times a day gets very monotonous.”

“You have a great deal of audacity, suggesting that I go to the bank and tell them to give me money to buy you candy.”

“It would not be very pragmatic for the bank to give out loans solely so that I can stock up on candy.”

The biggest mistake a parent can make is to speak to their child with the same vocabulary that the child uses. It limits them. Is your kid stupid? Of course not. There is no such thing as a stupid child; every child has the capacity to be a goddamned genius. So why would you talk to them as if they are anything less than brilliant? I’m not claiming to raise tiny little prodigies, but I’ve got a better shot at raising future Harvard grads simply because I do not assume that my girls are not smart enough to understand or curious enough to ask about that which they do not understand.

If your first grader is reading at a first grade reading level that is not, as far as I’m concerned, something to be proud of. You should want them to be ahead of the curve rather than fall in line with it, to exceed expectations instead of just meeting them.

Before my children turned four, they knew what gravity was. They can name the closest star to Earth, and they know that the sun is actually a star. They know the nearest galaxy is Andromeda and that the Milky Way is a spiral galaxy. They know what a black hole does, that there is one in the center of the Milky Way, and that they are formed when a star goes supernova. They know all this because Kyle and I were watching Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” and they happened to walk in the room. They asked us questions. And, rather than assume that physics was too far beyond the scope of their intellect, we answered them in a way that was both easy to comprehend and inspired them to ask us more.

So if you are the type of person who looks at people like me weird when I use polysyllabic words around my children, when I correct their grammar, or when I explain abstract concepts to them, I feel bad for you. But mostly, I feel bad that you don’t have the faith or confidence in your own offspring’s ability to learn. After all, school can only teach them so much – it’s up to you to fill in the gaps.

]]> http://parentingenergy.com.au/2013/05/25/bread-n-banana-cups/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:37:49 +0000 parentingenergy http://parentingenergy.com.au/2013/05/25/bread-n-banana-cups/
Our 3yo DS was so impressed with his cooking idea yesterday I thought I’d share this one for other parents of young children. Very easy and fun for little hands, and a delicious hot morning tea for the family… especially in cold weather.

You will need:
- A lightly greased muffin tray (or silicon muffin/cupcake wrappers)
- Bread mix and water
- 2 bananas
- Ground cinnamon
- Fan-forced oven pre-heated to 170 degrees Celsius

1. Mix the ingredients you usually use to make a small quantity of bread dough.
NB: You can mix roughly 1 cup wholemeal SR flour and 1/2 cup water with a teaspoon of salt, raw sugar, and olive oil to make your own basic bread dough. Alternatively use a pack of multi-grain or wholemeal bread mix as we do for our regular bread-making activities – that way you can just grab a cup out of the pack and mix it with approximately 1/2 of water. Mix with a wooden spoon.

2. Knead your dough with the help of your kids. Add water if the dough is too dry, or more flour if it’s too sticky – you just want to reach a good, firm, soft and silky consistency so it does not stick to your fingers when kneading.

3. Spread flour around the board and rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out thin.

4. Using a round cutting shape, like cookie cutters (or just a glass turned upside down), cut round circles out of your dough.

5. Set the dough circles aside. Combine the remaining scraps of dough, knead, roll out flat and cut out more circles – until your dough is all used.

6. Place each circle of dough in its own hole in your lightly greased muffin tray. Press it down so it fits the hole. (I used silicon muffin/cupcake wrappers instead of a muffin tray. If you have these it’s fun to eat out of them later).

7. Mash 2 bananas in a bowl.

8. Add a spoonful of mashed banana to each of these bread cups. Fold the sides of the bread dough over the banana.

9. Sprinkle each closed bread cup with cinnamon.

10. Bake in a moderate oven for 20-25 minutes.

Allow your Bread ‘n Banana Cups to cool slightly before you remove them from the tray and start eating. Warning: hot banana! Let let your kids know the banana inside the bread could still be hot.

This is nice when served with slices of orange – or when a quarter of an orange is gently squeezed over the top.

Enjoy!

]]> http://addisonspeaks.com/2013/05/25/let-them-have-cake/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:37:46 +0000 Addison Speaks http://addisonspeaks.com/2013/05/25/let-them-have-cake/ So after a looong grueling day of babysitting my wonderful sister’s wonderful children I’ve decided that children

NEED HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

Better yet, I as the sitter NEED them to have it. Read on before you judge me.

 

My nieces and nephew are on an awesome high fiber low sugar low carbs diet consisting of all manner of raw fruits, veggies, amino acids and some more. Which is great! They are truly very strong, and healthy and smart all the things you’d expect them to be. No soda, limited candy all homemade everything. I mean these kids are in deep. They eat hummus for snacks and the 7 year old craves bell peppers (I know)

But have you ever offered a nap to a Super Kid?

My sister bless her heart is  so confused “Why are they never tired?”

Because of all the damn vitamin C and Omega 3 and junk.

They can be outside playing allll day, they come in the house dance around running up and down the steps all night and nothing. When I was a kid running the steps and doing pushups was a PUNISHMENT to them it’s a game. They friggin love it! Yaay exercise

WTF/!

When I was  a kid we ate ham and cheese sandwiches, cheese puffs, lunchables, kool aid and you know what we never had a nap time. My mom would make a bowl of oodles and noodles turn on Nickelodeon come back in 20 mins and see us all passed  OUT.

So parents I know you’re trying to do what’s best for children, but think about what’s best for you. It’s ok they won’t die. Give em a Happy Meal I promise you’ll see positive results at nap and bed time

 

Thanks for reading

 

]]> http://julieabbymac.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/spunky-2/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:35:58 +0000 julieabbymac http://julieabbymac.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/spunky-2/ Pulled out the winter hat and climbed on the furniture.

Really, the whole story is told on her face.

]]> http://mericherry.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/salt-dough-sculptures-for-toddlers/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:33:51 +0000 Meri Cherry http://mericherry.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/salt-dough-sculptures-for-toddlers/ Man oh man, salt dough is easy.  It’s 1 cup salt, 1 cup water, and 2 cups flour.  That’s it!  Just mix it up and add food coloring if you want.  Gigi and I made it together and it was so much fun.  She doesn’t have the whole mixing thing down quite yet but she’s getting there.  She loves to add food coloring to absolutely anything so that part was a hit.  We did a mix of blue, green and purple.

After we made our dough, I set up a carousel of art supplies including toothpicks, popsicle sticks, wood shapes, beads, sparkles and gems.  By far the biggest hit was the toothpick dispenser.  Gigi loved shaking it to get the toothpicks out.  She also managed to get a few beads on the toothpicks which was a nice surprise.  Almost two!

]]> http://my3monsters.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/bears-in-the-backyard/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:30:10 +0000 My3Monsters http://my3monsters.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/bears-in-the-backyard/ http://mericherry.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/awesome-book-alert-unbored-the-essential-field-guide-to-serious-fun/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:22:06 +0000 Meri Cherry http://mericherry.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/awesome-book-alert-unbored-the-essential-field-guide-to-serious-fun/ Any book that suggests De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising has to be good right?  Unbored – The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun kind of knocked my socks off today.  One of my students brought it in as recommended summer reading and I couldn’t get enough of it.  There is something in here for every kid.  It’s equal boy stuff and girl stuff.  There are things to do outside, inside and everyplace in between.  There are also great lists of musicals for kids dating back from the 50′s to today.  A TON of work went into this book.  It’s really something special.  So happy to have stumbled upon it.  It will be my new go to gift for kids.  Highly recommend!

]]> http://luluchris58.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/show-and-tell-memorial-day-july-4-high-waist/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:11:15 +0000 luluchris58 http://luluchris58.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/show-and-tell-memorial-day-july-4-high-waist/ Hi guys! How is the night going for you all? I hope that its going excellent! I just finished a project for LuLuChris58′s Etsy store!

Would you guys like a DIY tutorial on these?? They are real simple and fun to make!! I figured with Memorial Day right around the corner and Independence Day skipping along with it, why not make a pair! They will be on sale at the Etsy store in June! Now if you want them before they list, you know the rules, Lolx. I will post a picture of them on Instagram with the username of @luluchris58.

So what do you guys think?? Comment below any thoughts below! Lets chat! Til next post…✌duces and 🙏truces❤💜❤♥💜💚💚💜❤

]]> http://clairebogdanos.net/2013/05/25/little-big-men/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:10:17 +0000 bogdanosclaire http://clairebogdanos.net/2013/05/25/little-big-men/ My little men are playing hard

their jumbled shrieks of glee

Will prove an ever constant source

of wonderment to me.

It is not meet that we should know

of all the words they speak

For half the joy of their long day

are secrets they need keep.

And in their world of little men

where adults cannot be

All men are brave and strong and good

in faith, they’re not yet three.

]]> http://themfresh.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/last-day-of-second-grade/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:09:39 +0000 Michelle http://themfresh.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/last-day-of-second-grade/

Wow. What a year. When I think about this past year, I think about how the lyrics of one of my favorite Grateful Dead songs describes it so well:

“The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down,
You can’t let go and you can’t  hold on,
You can’t go back and you can’t stand still,
If the thunder don’t  get you then the lightning will.

Won’t you try just a little bit  harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?
Won’t you try just a  little bit harder,
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?”

First, it is NOT FAIR that 1) We had to wear pants due to the weather on this last day of school; and 2) We came home to find out we are battling fevers – most likely due to strep – AGAIN. FOR THE FIFTH TIME SINCE DECEMBER.

The good news is that my three little beautiful children are home and safe and healthy. There truly is no greater gift than that.

Here is a photo of one of the highlights of Second Grade: Bryson’s 1st Holy Communion.

I can’t think of a reason to write about the “lowlights” in the same blog post after looking at the above picture.  Second grade was a big year. We are lucky to live in a country where we can practice our religious beliefs, make a living for our family and enjoy life’s many treasures. I’m ready for next year, even if my sweet little 8-year-old was the only child with tears in his eyes at pick-up today.  He told me he was going to miss the second grade. Me too, buddy. Me too. I will try harder.

 

 

]]> http://plantbasedmunchies.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/fluffiest-wheat-pancakes-ever/ Sat, 25 May 2013 01:02:22 +0000 Rah http://plantbasedmunchies.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/fluffiest-wheat-pancakes-ever/ http://whatkeepsmerunning.com/2013/05/25/great-night-for-a-swim/ Sat, 25 May 2013 00:44:29 +0000 What Keeps Me Running http://whatkeepsmerunning.com/2013/05/25/great-night-for-a-swim/

Boys are having a great time at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee, FL.

Much needed relaxation after the day we’ve had.

]]> http://everythingsover.com/2013/05/24/dear-pope-francis/ Sat, 25 May 2013 00:44:05 +0000 E O http://everythingsover.com/2013/05/24/dear-pope-francis/ Now that some time has passed and you’re settled into your bulletproof life, I’ve been thinking of ways to breath new life into the Catholic church, and I’d like to run them by you. The focus here is Catholics, everyone else is going to Hell! Anyway, in just under a minute I thought of a way to start cracking down on your churches more persistent problems.

First and foremost, captivate your denomination with, follow me here, sex. Tell people it’s okay to fap off! It’s normal and no one should feel any shame for being human. Now that you have everyone’s attention, you finish what was started with disease prevention, and let people family-plan. I know you want a “church for the poor”, but you’re going to need a “church for impoverished and starving” if people keep having babies.

OK, you’re established as a go-getter; you grabbed God by the balls! Unfortunately, your church has a bad reputation for grabbing kids by the balls too. I don’t know how shit works at the Vatican. Maybe, your imaginary buddy forgives these people. Maybe your imagination inspires you to move the perverts around from church to church, and all this shit is perfectly acceptable in Bible-land. What I do know is: back here in reality, you go to prison for that, cause pedophiles need serious mental help, you do too if you can’t fuckin’ see that. So, outside of the occasional scandal, I think a lot of issues will take care of themselves from here!

]]> http://outdoorexplorers.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/the-reason-for-it-all/ Sat, 25 May 2013 00:40:03 +0000 Outdoor Explorers http://outdoorexplorers.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/the-reason-for-it-all/ It’s one of the best times of the year.  Winter and spring are finally behind us, and summer is about to hit its stride.  As is common in the northwest, when the temperature increases, so does the pace of life.  We all have summer projects to tackle.  The fence needs fixing, the house needs painting, the garden requires attention.  There’s also the vacation to plan, and a million coffee dates with long-time friends.  But as we fill in our calendars and try to get to as many places to do as much as we can with these three months of bliss, we find ourselves walking on a slippery slope.  In the midst of the busy schedules, we might end up forgetting the very reason for it all.

Life Gets Busy During Summer

Here at Outdoor Explorers, we ask ourselves that question on a regular basis: what’s the reason for all this?  Why do we spend hours and hours filling out planning forms and meeting with partners?  Why do we allocate hundreds of dollars to trips?  It’s a question everyone will ask themself someday: what is the point?

For an outdoor youth program, there are a few easy answers.  I could tell you about the obesity epidemic in America that everyone talks about.  I could give you stats on how being out in nature is psychologically beneficial to kids.  I could talk about how kids (and everyone else) are hooked on technology.  But let’s be honest, numbers are shallow to most of us.  Ultimately, the main reason the Outdoor Explorers Mentoring Program exists is this: the future.

The outdoor experiences for matches and volunteer opportunities for students that OEMP provides are our investment in the future of America and its public lands.  Yes, we’re a small program.  But whether it’s just two matches or 12, we believe even the smallest seed will bear fruit in time.

The Outdoors is a Great Place for Mentorship to Happen

Europe has its castles and chapels. South America has its ruins from ancient civilizations.  In America, we don’t have much of either.  What we do have are forests, rivers, grasslands, canyons; the list goes on.  America’s public lands are our heritage.  We might not have castles, but no other nation in the world has public lands like we do.

The point is this: we run Outdoor Explorers to mentor the next generation of land stewards.   America’s public lands are beautiful, extraordinary, and priceless.  The fate of these places depends on the choices of the next generation of Americans, including both college students and young kids.  The future of America’s public lands can’t be set in stone, but we can teach land stewardship and create connections between program participants and public lands.  That’s why it’s worth it.  The hours we put in, the meetings we attend, and the funds we allocate, and the lessons we teach all converge to be our contribution to the future of our nations treasure; our land.

I encourage you, take a minute this summer before beginning something and ask yourself: what’s the reason for this?  You might weed out some unnecessary things, and find more meaning for others.  Here’s to a summer filled with adventure, purpose, and memories.  Keep exploring!

The Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness, Central Idaho

]]>