I'm a mom on a mission to get my kids through the jungle of puberty while keeping my sanity along the journey.
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Join me in my daily walk through the joys and struggles of parenthood. Share a word of encouragement or be encouraged. Cry a little, laugh a lot, but know it is all in divine order.
Holiday basketball tournament - Battle Creek Central High School
A family outing
Our Muffins
with Mom excursion today again deviates from a muffin treat. In light of the
Holiday I’m trying to clear all of the sweet delectable from my home. Pull up a
chair and join me for Sweet Potato Pie with a scoop of ice cream as we jump
into the story.
A family
road trip is a great time for discovery. Recently my son played in a holiday
basketball tournament. On the hour drive home we talked about the game, past
family vacations and other stuff. It was the “other stuff” that prompted my
number one New Year’s Resolution – Spend more time with the kids. We reflected
on the things my son did on his trip to Europe (People to People program) three
years ago. He told me there was a riot going on while his group was in Ireland.
He also reflected on his horseback riding experience through rain and mud. My
first response was, “You didn’t tell me about a riot.” So here are
my top picks for New Year Resolutions for parents:
1.Send time with your kids - listening to them, talking with them...
As the year
comes to an end and we anticipate new beginnings in the coming year, what will
inspire you to reach your goals? A quote, a poem or a kind word from a friend
can serve as a source of inspiration.
Today’s
inspiration comes in the form of quotes on perseverance.
·When
the world says “Give up,” hope whispers, “Try it one more time.” – Author Unknown
·Fall
seven times, stand up eight. – Japanese Proverb
·When
your dreams turn to dust, vacuum. – Author Unknown
·People
often say that motivation doesn’t last. We’ll neither does a bathing – that’
why we recommend it daily. – Zig Zigglar
·Our
greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we
fail.– Ralph Waldo Emerson
·With
ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all thing are attainable. –
Thomas Foxwell Buxton
·Never
think that God’s delays are God’s denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out.
Patience is genius.
For more inspirational
quotes visit The Quote Garden by clicking here.
What would
you add to the list of inspirational quotes?
Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa. I recently had the opportunity to attend a Kwanzaa celebration. During the celebration there were art displays, readings and entertainment by a group of youth drummers.
I was able to capture a portion of the drumming on my phone. Here is a view of the talented youth.
Today, I
thought a slice of Red Velvet cake would be appropriate in the spirit of the
Holiday season. Pull up a chair and join me for a slice of cake and a slice of
life. Journey with me to December 2012 as my son prepares for a Christmas program.
“Why do I
have to be a shepherd?” my son asked.
My son and I
stood in the vestibule of our church, preparing for the annual Christmas
program. Although we were surrounded by other Sunday school teachers and
children sorting through costumes, I felt like I was the only one dealing with
a complainer.
“You said
you would take a non-speaking part in the Christmas program this year” I reminded
him.
He quickly
found an excuse to worm his way out of the obligation. “My hair is too puffy to
fit under the head wrap,” he said, forcing his hair under the cloth.
But I wasn’t
letting him off that easily. “The people in biblical times made it work, so we
will too.”
It was our
family tradition to participate in the annual church Christmas program. But
once my boys became teenagers, they thought they were too old to participate.
At thirteen-year-old, Joshua, thought he had seen his final curtain call at age
twelve. However, due to several youth going out of town for the holiday, we
needed him once again.
During
rehearsals Joshua slouched in his chair as other kids recited their parts. He
twisted and turned uncomfortably. When his eyes met my gaze, his brows furrowed
and he looked at me, pleading. You would have thought he was having a tooth
pulled without any anesthetics.
My friend
and co-director of the Christmas play crouched down near Joshua and spoke
softly. She still used her pet name for him. “Baby J, if you participate in the
play, I’ll take you to your favorite restaurant.” His face released a little
tension as he said, “Ok.” The Reluctant Shepherd now had a new purpose for his
performance.
A few days before
the big production, Joshua and I talked about the real reason for his
participation in the play. I relayed to him the importance of the role of the
shepherd. “The shepherd is a leader who protects and guides. You shouldn’t have
to be bribed to play such an important role.” He looked at
me intently then said, “Ok, but can Ms. Jones still buy me a hamburger?” The big day
finally arrived and the actors took their places in anticipation of their
roles. The double doors leading into the sanctuary were closed. Joshua was at
the front of the line followed by two other young shepherds.
When the
doors finally opened, Joshua led the other shepherds down the red carpeted
aisle. As the narrator read about the star in the east, the shepherds pointed
skyward and continued on their journey.
The
shepherds made their exit and the play was over. With delight in his voice
Joshua said, “That was over quick. I’ll help again next year, but I want to be
the director.”
Months went
by and Joshua forgot about the bribe of a free meal at his favorite restaurant.
But he didn’t forget about the sense of accomplishment he felt when he completed
his role in the Christmas program. The reluctant shepherd had become the good
shepherd.
Snap, snap,
snap, it’s the sound bubble wrap being popped. Have you ever taken a piece of
bubble wrap and twisted or pounded it until it sounded like popcorn? In
addition to serving as a protective wrap, bubble wrap has the reputation of
being used for stress relief and even for amusement.
If you
receive a gift secured with bubble wrap, admire and enjoy the gift, but save
the bubble wrap for fun and entertainment. Have you ever bought your child a
gift and he plays with the box more than the gift? It’s your turn now. Here are
some fun things to do with bubble wrap…it’s ok to include the kids too.
1.Crafts – if you’re looking for
something fun for the kids to do while out of school for the Holiday, make a
few craft projects. They could make a crafty bug, a bubble wrap butterfly or
even a game of hopscotch. Click here for the directions.
2.Bubble Wrap Pom Poms – cut two dozen
strips of bubble wrap 16 inches in length; fold the strips in half and tape
with clear packaging tape or duct tape in the center. Repeat with the other
dozen.
3.Welcome Mat – with this project
you’ll be sure to know when guests arrive.
4.Volley Bubbleball – create a
volleyball net using bubble wrap, then create a ball with the same material.
Start playing.
5.Place Mats – cut and decorate a piece
of bubble wrap and it’s ready for your table; meals are sure to be a hit.
Check out more of these ideas at the bubble wrap website by clicking here. You can even play a game at the website where you are timed to see the number of bubble wrap bubbles you can pop.
Sooo, to wrap things up; have a little fun with
bubble wrap over the Holiday season. Smash it, twist it or create with it.
What would
you add to the list of uses for bubble wrap?
Guess what?
It’s National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, December 16th. Chocolate lovers
everywhere have an excuse to indulge in anything chocolate covered. Instead of
having a simple muffin today, join me for a special chocolate treat. I’m having
chocolate covered strawberries, and maybe a mini muffin. As I savor
the flavor of sweet strawberry with a dip of chocolate, I am reminded of a few
holiday habits that my boys engage in. A package arrived the other day, a
Christmas gift for the boys. It was neatly wrapped in brown paper and a
generous amount of packaging tape. This didn’t stop them from taking turns
shaking the gift.
“Can we open
this now?” one son asked.
With a scowl
on my face and base in my voice, the answer was resounding, “NO.”
This was
only one of their habits…to shake gifts and try to identify the contents.
Another one of the boys’ habits consists of helping to hang candy canes on our
Christmas tree, then eating them daily until gone. Leaving none for our
Christmas dinner guests.
Only a single candy cane left.
This year we
decided to create a few new holiday habits, below is our list.
1.Each family member has to come up
with a healthy meal idea to try over the holiday.
2.Select an activity to do together
that will get us up and active. One of the ideas is to go roller skating.
3.Dedicate a day during the holiday as
Random Act of Kindness Day.
Are there
any holiday habits that you would like to change or add to your traditions? Don't forget to enjoy a bite of chocolate covered something.
How would
you complete the statement, “parenting is…?” There’s rarely a dull moment in
the life of a parent. No matter what stage of parenting you’re experiencing
right now, you could probably find something interesting about the experience.
·Watching
the same video over and over when your child is a toddler.
·Driving
a car so dirty that you’re embarrassed when you have a passenger other than
your child.
·Having
to respond to the word “why” a million times a day. If your child is a teen it
may be that you hear the phrase, “why do I have to…?”
·Fantasizing
that your teen children will do their chores without you asking.
·Wishing
for more time to get things done.
·Watching
your child score a goal for the opposing team.
·Being
excited over a drawing your child made even though you have no idea what it is.
·Preparing
to enjoy a night on the town while the kids are with Grandma. Once they’re gone
you realize you’re too tired to do anything.
·Enjoying
a good laugh with your child.
·Loving
your children unconditionally.
Just when
you thought parenting couldn’t be more interesting…enters late night host, Jimmy
Fallon with a video of moms freestyling.
Youtube video credit: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Today’s
muffin talk begins with a chocolate chip muffin and a warm cup of coffee with a
shot of Vanilla. Join me as you read.
Do you know
where dead basketballs end up? Apparently in the basement of my home. I went to
basement to retrieve Christmas decorations, when I stumbled upon forgotten
treasures. It was like the Island of misfit toys in Rudolph the Red Nose
Reindeer. Some kids outgrow
their clothes and the clothes are given away or donated somewhere. My kids
outgrow their toys, but they still seem to remain around the house. There are
flat basketballs, footballs, old Nerf guns and so much more.
What do you
do with toys that your child no longer plays with? One idea I had was to pack
some of the items into a suitcase and send them with my son when he goes away
to college. The forgotten treasures could serve as nostalgia to remind him of
home.
Below are four
ideas I found around the web for finding a new home for old toys.
1.Sell old toys and baby clothes on E-bay
or Craig’s list.
2.Trade items – organize a swap party
where you could trade clothes, toys or maybe even fun items such as jewelry.
3.Repurpose – use old building blocks
to make a wall hanging or animal head toys to make a coat rack.
4.Donate – there may be a number of
places in your area to donate items. Some fire departments and EMT’s keep
stuffed animals on hand for children they transport to hospitals. Check local
churches and business to see if they are having a toy drive.
Check out the website at donationtown for items that may be donated to
local charities and picked up free of charge.
Just for fun
check out the clip below of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and the Island of
Misfit Toys.
Youtube video credit: Holiday Favorites
Do you have
an island of misfit toys? What do you do with old toys?
It began as
a typical family game night at my house, but soon turned competitive. We hadn’t
played Boggle in years and decided to
pull it from the back of the closet. Once we familiarized ourselves with the
rules again, the game was on.
As my son
shook the letter container, his brother made a comment, “Why are you shaking
the letters so aggressively?”
“To make sure
the letters are mixed well,” came the reply.
As the game
continued, my aggressive son even made up words that only existed to him. No
worries. After we scowled at him, the words were crossed off his list.
Here’s how
the game is played. Players have three minutes to create as many words as
possible. If you have the same word as another player, you must cross it off
your list. Words can only be made using letters near each other. You can look
up, down, side by side and diagonal.
Give it a
try. Set a timer and see how many words you can make using the letters in the
photo above. Here an example – lot (do you see it). Leave a comment and
indicate the number of words you made.
Don’t look
yet, but below are the words I came up with. If you have any of these words
cross them off your list.
As I watched
a group of kids playing with dominoes, I wondered how many they were going to
line up before toppling it over. This led to my search of world record holders.
Below is an interesting video I found showing the longest domino structure in
action.
Are you
ready for another episode of Muffins with Mom? Today I’m having homemade gingerbread
(with the help of Betty Crocker). Sit down with your favorite treat and listen
to how my son became my teacher.
As I was
preparing to work on an upcoming writing project, I grabbed a Diet Coke as I
usually do when I’m writing. Only this time, my son knew I was trying to cut
back stop drinking my favorite beverage.
My son
blocked my path and said, “You don’t have to do this, there are other ways. Don’t
go down that road again.”
As I doubled
over with laughter, my son tried to wrestle the Diet Coke bottle from my hand.
And he kept talking, “If you keep doing this, we’re gonna have to have an
intervention.”
I learned a
lesson from my son that day…don’t drink Diet Coke in front of him.
Here are 8 other
lessons I have learned from my children:
1.It’s hard to reprimand a child when
he makes you laugh.
2.Laughing makes you feel better.
3.Sometimes doing nothing is if fun.
4.You’re never too old to have fun.
5.No matter how much you plan ahead,
you can still end up rushing somewhere.
6.Complaining doesn’t make things
better.
7.Splashing through a rain puddle is not
the end of the world.
As you read
this post I am either gone shopping or putting up the Christmas tree with my
boys. Today is Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days in the United States.
When our kids were younger, my friend and I would do a little early morning
shopping, then it was off to breakfast for us. Door buster
sales aside, the best part of shopping is time spent with a friend. Last year
was the first time my friend and I decided to change the tradition. Since my
son wanted to experience the thrill of Black Friday shopping, I took him. Then
we to breakfast, and the tradition continues.
Shopping is
not our only holiday tradition, it’s the kickoff of many things to follow. Here’s
a short list of things my family likes to do to celebrate the holiday season.
1.Put up the Christmas tree the day
after Thanksgiving.
2.Watch holiday movies
3.Play family games
4.Unwind with a good book (this one is
my favorite pastime, not necessarily that of my boys)
5.Have family and friends visit
What are
some of the traditions you are looking forward to this holiday season?
November is
the month for giving thanks and expressing gratitude. During this month we also
hear a lot about shopping and great sales. Have you ever stopped to think about
the power of Thanksgiving?
A recent
article I read talked about the power in the concept of Thanksgiving. This is a
time we should give appreciation for our blessings. Beginning today, why not go
on a rampage of appreciation? Challenge yourself for the rest of this week, to
find ways to express gratitude.
Below are
five ways to express gratitude to get your creative juices flowing.
1.Give away something – it’s a feel
good moment when you can away something you know the receiver will appreciate.
2.Create a gratitude journal – write down
things you are grateful for each day for one week.
3.Use positive affirmations – create a
list of your favorite quotes and read one each morning to begin your day.
4.Make a gratitude board – make a collage’
of things you are grateful for.
5.Remind yourself to be grateful –
frame a favorite quote.
If you would
like additional ideas for expressing gratitude check out 20 Ways to givethanks.
