Words of Wisdom – 5 Ways to Celebrate National Ice Cream Month

 

What’s the scoop? July is celebrated as National Ice Cream Month. Your words of wisdom for today are – It’s okay to eat your desert first. Call it backwards day if you want but treat yourself to an ice cream dessert and have it before your meal. It’s National Ice Cream Month (almost).

Do you remember that old chant, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream? It doesn’t take that much encouragement for me to become excited about ice cream. If fact, just flash a  picture of mint chocolate on a sugar cone, and I’m salivating like Pavlov’s dog. Enough about me, here are 5 Ways to celebrate National Ice Cream Month.

1.      Host an ice cream social and game night – set up an outdoor game day or inside game night, you choose. Serve up a scoop of ice cream and a scoop of fun.

2.      Create an ice cream stand – it’s the season for lemonade stands, how about setting up an ice cream stand?

3.      Try a new flavor ice cream – is there a favorite flavor ice cream that is your go to signature type? After you indulge in your favorite treat, mix it up next time and try something different.

4.      Treat a friend to an ice cream cone or sundae – ice cream and fun, how can you top that…? Perhaps include a drizzle of chocolate syrup and sprinkles.

5.      Make a special dessert using ice cream – milkshakes, Sundaes, and ice cream a ’la mode, are a few ice cream dessert options to tease your palate.

What would you add to the list of ways to celebrate National Ice Cream Month? Do you have words of wisdom related to ice cream month?

Muffins with Mom – A Graduation Celebration 3 Ways to make your event fun

 

The official graduation ceremony ended weeks ago, the sound of pomp and circumstance now in the distance, but the celebration continues. Family, friends, fun, and the threat of foul weather. What do you do when something threatens to rain on your parade, dampen your spirits? Attack with humor.

The day of my son’s outdoor graduation open house, the weather prediction called for all day thunderstorms. We regrouped and moved the event to an inside location. I arrived early to arrange the room. After an hour, I was ready for a snack and realized I’d forgotten my favorite Sparkling Ice water.

I called my son around 10am and asked, “Can you bring me  a couple bottles of water on your way to your haircut appointment?”

“Sure, mom.”

An hour passed and my throat was beyond dry. I called my son again, “Did you forget about me?”

“No, I was going to bring the water when I’m on my way to the open house.”

“At 2pm? I’m thirsty now, not three hours from now.”

“Oh.”

That response meant I wasn’t going to quench my thirst anytime soon. The threat of severe weather was back, only this time it was inside my body…in the form of hot flashes. Between the weather in the physical environment and the blazing temperature attacking my body, stress was mounting.

A graduation celebration is supposed to reflect fun, fellowship, and friendship. Here are 3 ways to make your celebration fun.

1.      Plan a variety of activities – not everyone will like the same things. One group of young adults were enthralled in a game of cards. A few younger kids were captivated by the jumbo Connect Four game.

2.      Have plenty of food – it’s a personal preference, but I’d rather have food left over, then to run out. Your food selection does not have to be elaborate but have enough.

3.      Provide music – music sets the atmosphere; make it upbeat, lively and enough variety for all ages.

All of these things were included in our graduation celebration. Once our event was relocated indoors, nothing rained on our parade. There was a trash talking card game in one corner, aunts and uncles reminiscing at another table, and the graduate posing for pictures.

Don’t miss a chance to celebrate with your child or other relative.

How many graduation celebrations have you been to this year? What made the celebration fun?

 

Fun Friday – Tales from Parenthood

 

Have you ever struggled to get your child to brush his teeth?

Have you ever heard the saying, there’s never a dull moment? I’ve found this to be true in the world of parenting. I asked a few friends about their episodes and here’s the result:

Singing to baby

My friend Mary reflected on a time when she sang to her children. “I never was a good singer,” she told me. “I tried singing lullaby’s, and they started crying.”

 

Teeth Brushing is important

During a doctor’s visit when my son was younger, the doctor asked, “How often do you brush your teeth?”

He tilted his head and look sheepishly at me and said, “Sometimes.”

The doctor tilted her head and turned to me, “Mom, you have to brush for him, if he won’t do it.”

I smiled, or rather I smirked, and didn’t say what I really wanted to say. I tried brushing his teeth, I even tried scare tactics by telling him his teeth would fall out. His response was, “I’ll grow new ones.”

Now that my son is college age…not much has changed. The dental office consistently calls me and says, “It’s time to schedule your son’s appointment.”

My response is the same every time, “I’ll let him know.” Then I texted him a gentle reminder, “MAKE YOUR DENTAL APPOINTMENT.”

In a different parenting episode, I shared with my mom that I was running late for work because I was putting on make up and brushing my teeth.

My mom suggested, “Maybe you could just brush SOME of your teeth.”

 

There is never a dull moment during parenthood. Share one of your humorous episodes in parenting.