Fun Friday – All About V-Day!!

Posted on 30 January, 2015 by admin

Wow, did this week fly by for anyone else but me? Today’s Fun Friday is ALL about Valentine’s Day!!

Do you miss those days when it was just the two of you? But, that just isn’t the case anymore, now that you have little people running around, who seem to be sapping your romantic flow. But, you want your guy to know that he is still #1 in your book. No matter how tired you may be.

Most men are simple. And, most men don’t really give a hoot about Valentine’s Day. Even still, you care, so make sure he knows that you do too. Keep in Mind, that this year Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday (what a treat). So, you have the whole day to make your love feel special.

Here are a few Quick & Hopefully Not Too Dirty Ideas:

Start with Breakfast — In Bed or Out (your choice)

It doesn’t have to be anything GRAND, you know your guy. Add a Sweet Card, a Love Note, or even an IOU (for later fun). Running low on time in the morning, consider prepping your guys breakfast the night before.

Babysitter or Not –

Can you get a baby sitter to stay with the kids so you can have some alone time? What works better for your family? Are you going to hit the movies with your honey during the day, or are you going to make it an official date night and don the heels and flirty dress?? Whatever you do, make sure the plan is put in place long before that weekend. Remember reservations are nearly impossible to get around this time of year.

Of course, if a Baby Sitter is not an option for you, then you have to either plan V-Day around the kiddies, or include them. When my oldest daughter was much younger, we both dressed up one year and had dinner with my hubby. It was super sweet and we all enjoyed sitting at the table together for dinner. She enjoyed being included and making a Valentine for her Daddy.

Here are some fun ideas for sharing V-day with your little ones, that I found around the web.

12 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Kids

4 Sweet Ways To Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Kids

To Dine –

If you are lucky, maybe you are one the of the couples who manage to get time alone, reserve your table far enough in advance, and are dressed to impressed for a Night On the Town. Leave everything else on the back shelf for the night. You have pulled off a major coup!! Make tonight only about YOUR LOVE. No talk of work, daycare, or diapers. Relax and Enjoy Each Other.

Every Day is Special with the One You Love, but Valentine’s day should be even SWEETER.

V-Day Stories –

And, if you got all the way through this post, Good For You!!

So as promised, here is your Free Valentine’s Day Pencil Tag (PDF File) with instructions. Click to Download and Enjoy!!

Our Delayed 2014 Christmas Home Tour — Welcome In…

Posted on 27 December, 2014 by admin

This Year’s Christmas Tour was delayed, obviously. But, things got so busy leading up to Christmas that there honestly wasn’t enough time to post. This years Tour will be more pictures than words. Welcome to our Little Piece of Heaven — Enjoy!!

Decorating brings me much joy, but decorating for the holidays brings me enjoyment on another level. This time of year is still wrapped in magic for me, even now. Watching the excitement on my children’s faces as the whole house comes together, and knowing that we are creating life long memories leaves me totally blissful!! I believe that my love for decorating and this time of year, was passed on to me by my amazing mother and I only hope that it is something my kids will do with joy, for their own families years from now. Our whole family, hubby included gets wrapped up in the excitement, of the Christmas Elf, Santa, and the real reason for the season. I hope that you all had an amazing Holiday and wish you Only the Best for the Year to Come.

— Sheree

Thanksgiving After Thanksgiving

Posted on 28 November, 2014 by admin

We all know the best part of Thanksgiving, next to the joy of seeing friends and family and really tasty fattening food, is the left overs. So what happens, when you aren’t the one cooking/hosting, and you’re heading home that afternoon? When you have Thanksgiving away from home, chances are you are going to head home empty handed.

So this year, I decided to pull together a pseudo Thanksgiving meal. What the heck does that mean? It means that I was going to cook a meal that takes far less time, but that could resemble a Thanksgiving Meal to the untrained eye and maybe even untrained pallet.

Of course, I made this decision far too close to crunch time(Tuesday night), so that meant that I had just a short time to determine what exactly that meant. So I decided to put together a small menu that I thought I could pull off with ease, and we would have a great meal when we returned home.

My Original Thoughts – Turkey Breasts from HoneyBaked Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Baked Mac and Cheese, Some Jazzed Up Stuffing, Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Cake.. Yum

The Actual Menu – (I just couldn’t talk myself into getting in that HoneyBaked Ham line the day before Thanksgiving.)

Italian Chicken Breasts, Green Bean Casserole, Baked Mac and Cheese, Some Jazzed Up Stuffing, and Pound Cake.. Still Yum.

I know you are probably shaking your head, and thinking , you have to Meal Plan, even when you aren’t Meal Planning. But, such is the life of Mommy.

What does your family eat after they get home, when you aren’t hosting for the holidays?

How to Beat the B-O-R-E-D bug over the Holiday Break?

Posted on 22 November, 2014 by admin

Holiday Breaks take on a different meaning when you are a Stay at Home Mom. When I was working full time, I treasured the days of being at home with the kids. I would get 2-3 days off at the most and those days were so jam packed with activity, it seemed like they were over before they even started.

Fast Forward to this year, when the Board of Education saw fit to make Thanksgiving Break a week long, sending this Mommy into Panic Mode. A Week off in the Cold, with little to no chance of Outdoor Activities means I have to find a way to keep these girl’s entertained to combat the B-O-R-E-D bug.

For the Free Printable Click BORED.

So my mind switches into List Mode….

What can we do?

Board Games
Arts & Crafts
Bowling
Learning Disguised as Fun
Read-a- Thon & Library Trips
$3 Movie Theater Trip
Holiday Decorations
Scrapbooking
Making Christmas Lists
Mini-Golf
Baking

I am feeling pretty proud of myself, until I realize that my entire list could probably fit into a 4-5 hour time Span, which sends me into an even bigger panic.

So it’s back to the drawing board, also known as Pinterest.

Here are some of the links that I found….

The Chirping Moms on

10 Things To Do When It’s Too Cold To Go Anywhere!

Pint Size Treasures on

9 Fun Inside Activities to Do With Kids — Perfect for Cold and Snowy Days!

The Madhouse on

The Ultimate No Spend or Low Spend Bored Jar list

**My favorites from these links – Spa Day, Puzzles and Any Other Activity that Includes Helping Mommy with her Chores, lol.

SO…WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR LITTLE ONE’S OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAKS??

Halloween Round Up 2014

Posted on 13 October, 2014 by admin

Ready for some Ghoulish Awesomeness!! 18 Days Until Halloween!!

There are so many amazing Free Printables and Party Favors this time of year. Here are some of the ones that I have found (that are actually free). I hate those not really FREE LINKS. These Links will take you directly to the source.

Countdown Calendar with Candy Corn Pieces courtesy of Yellow Bliss Road

Halloween Lollipop Holders/Gift Tags and Gift Wrap courtesy of Living Locurto

3-D Halloween Bat Banner courtesy of the celebration shoppe

Trick or Treat Party Boxes courtesy of Bird’s Party Blog

I saved the best for LAST!! I admit that this is the first year that I have heard of the Boo’d Phenomenon. But, I thought it was truly adorable. Here’s how it works. You and your kids pack up a bucket, or bag with lots of Great Halloween Treats, and Leave it on your Neighbor’s Door Step, unbeknownst to them. Now, originally I think you were supposed to ring the door bell and run, but that’s not such a popular thing to do these days. So, I say, use your discretion, lol. Along with the treats, you provide them with some quick directions and an explanation and it’s up to them to keep the FUN going!!

Boo’d Banner and Boo’d Game courtesy of Classy Clutter

My oldest (18), was a really big fan of Halloween, probably a lot longer than he should have been, lol. The little ones, not soo much, they still find it scary, but I thought this is something cute, I could do with them. At least, it would make Halloween a little less grueling. But, I am not sure how hubby is going to feel about that. The bottom line is that all these Holidays are just about making fun memories and spending time with your family. So get out there and enjoy them, while they still let you!! (smile)

A Quest for Answers: Motherhood Part 1

Posted on 13 August, 2014 by admin

“The days are long, but the years are short.” – Gretchen Ruben

Summer Break is over, here at our house, so I am trying to jump in with both feet, and get back into a Blogging Routine. In a previous post, I Walk The Line, I promised to share with you some of the findings that I came across about Motherhood.

So here goes… I reached out to several Mothers in my Circle. Surprisingly, I think they were all a little reluctant. But, I get it, no one really wants their parenting called into question. So I offered to post each response anonymously.

Mom 1 writes:

Honestly, I am both humbled and honored when someone mentions that I’m doing a great job parenting. I can’t tell you how many times I felt like I was doing a terrible job…cuz it’s a really tough job! Parenting is particularly challenging if you have more than one child, since each child requires customized parenting…that’s just my opinion.

I have three daughters. What works for my youngest daughter, does not work for my older twin daughters, and I’m convinced it has nothing to do with the age difference. It’s sheer personality!

Here’s one rule of thumb. As parents, I believe investing individual quality time with each child makes a world of difference. You’ll learn how to communicate with that individual child, separate from communicating with all your children as a group. You’ll find that this is more effective if your children all feel they are perceived as individuals with unique needs. They will respect and honor your views more. Try that for a change!

My Notes: I really loved what Mom 1 had to say. Especially because it’s easy to fall into the habit of trying to get everyone on the same page in a family setting. But, more often than not, EVERYONE really is not going to enjoy the same things. I remember growing up my Mom made these awesome Chicken Croquettes, (which reminds me, I need to get that recipe), and we(my sister and I), loved them. At some point, she stopped making it and when we asked her why, she said because Daddy didn’t like them. I remember thinking …. SOOO…. lol. I am sure it was just easier for her to make something that everybody wanted to eat than have to cater to our individual preferences. But, I remember thinking that we outnumbered Dad and certainly should have had the deciding vote. I said all that to say, we all want to have our individual needs catered to. As adults and yes, as children. I will be trying(Key Words:trying) harder on my end to consider the needs of everyone.

Question for Thought: Just like with anyone else, do we teach our children how to treat us? I recently asked a friend how she taught her children to recognize and accept that Mommy needs both quiet and alone time. She didn’t have an answer. And, I haven’t found one either. But, I have a greater need to make that known now that I am a Stay At Home Mom. Love you guys, but now that you are little older, we don’t have to be together ALL THE TIME. I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well. (Mind you this was written, as my four year old was sitting as close to me as was humanly possible. I literally had to put my headphones on in order to get in a good writing space.

Are you Interested in Teaching Your Children to Be Givers? Check out this Great Post by Money Saving Mom.

Mommy Taxi Cab Confessions — The Summer Edition!!

Posted on 22 June, 2014 by admin

Blogging over this summer is proving to be quite the challenge. I feel like I need to get a voice to text app and start recording my thoughts in the car since that’s where I’m spending most of my days lately.

My 9 year old started her extended school year this past Monday. And, as always, at least in our house, with change comes anxiety. We had been talking about this since before the regular school year ended. But, as the days grew closer, I could sense the “stomach clench”, maybe because mine was doing the same thing. The days before were filled with lots of questions, which I tried my best to answer with the information I had. The morning of we got to the school early, and as we sat outside and waited, I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. New School (not her home school), New Teachers and New Kids. Ugh!! And out came her teacher Ms. D. She was a ball of sunshine and energy. And, even though she was scared, she took her hand and walked into the school.

Less than an hour later, I got a pic of a Happy Little Girl and I breathed a Sigh of Relief. The next 4 days went perfectly and she told me she made a friend. And, just like that, all is right with the world. Whew!! These Growing Pains are as hard on the Parents as the Kids!!

I have also spent a great deal of time driving my 17 year old around trying to help him find a job. And, finally he scored a gig at Chick-fil-A. – Insert 1 Happy Momma!!

The only person relaxing this summer is my little one. She rides with me when she feels like it, and hangs out with Dad when she’s tired of the running around…

So there you have it!!

Roots and Wings ….

Posted on 29 May, 2014 by admin

PARENTING IS SUCH A DEEPLY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

If you want to see a Mom or Dad lose it, call into questions their methods. Challenge their ability to parent effectively or even blame them for their child’s shortcomings, and you are almost sure to get a less than pleasurable response.

Photo Source: Pinterest

Roots:

plural noun: roots

1. the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches and fibers.

2. the basic cause, source, or origin of something.

Wings:

plural noun: wings

1. any number of specialized paired appendages that enable some animals to fly in particular.

2. a rigid horizontal structure that projects from both sides of an aircraft and supports it in the air.

So when it comes to our little people, what exactly constitutes roots. I have always thought that had something to do with teaching them to be grounded. As well as teaching them about their history and their heritage.

Wings, I see wings as providing them with the tools necessary to be successful, compassionate, loving and empathetic humans.

The fact of the matter is that (at jumping off point), most of us have a general idea of what kind of child we want to raise. After all we have had 9 months to think on it. We’ve tried our hardest to diligently plan every detail. If you are like me (a lil anal retentive), you created a Excel Spreadsheet with every item you thought your lovejoy could possibly need and you checked off each item. You packed your bags and waited for what you were sure would be a Chart Stopper of a day and it was!! You bring your lovejoy home only to realize, well he’s not all that lovable or joyous, lol. He’s got colic, wants to be held all the time, and came out all Type A and demanding your attention all the time. Which maybe wouldn’t be so bad, if you didn’t have two other kids on deck.

Fast Forward through some years and you’ve managed to get a General Ebb and Flow, you’ve found a way to cater to all the little and BIG personalities in your home.

And, you finally learn that:

1. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT.

2. TO PARENT THE CHILD YOU’VE GOT AND NOT THE ONE YOU WANTED.

3. AND MAYBE BY NOW YOU’VE LEARNED THEIR INDIVIDUAL LOVE LANGUAGES.

You think you are finally getting this Insane Ride of Motherhood Down Pat. You’ve got Square Pegs – Fitting Into Circle Holes. You are rocking the Hell out of Life. Only to Realize…. You are Just Getting Started.

I walk the line…

Posted on 28 April, 2014 by admin

As a Mom and even as a wife, there is definitely a line of demarcation in the sand. You want your family to be independent, but you also want them to need you. You want your children to be able to enjoy their childhoods as much as is possible, but you also want to teach them a sense of responsibility and accountability. What falls into the arena of things that they should be responsible for and what are things that I should be responsible for? And, like most things that come with raising kids, there is no manual. We are left mostly to our own devices.

With my oldest, I held his hand way longer than I should have probably. But, I blame that on the fact that he was an only child for almost 9 years. Rounding the second trimester of my second pregnancy, I realized that I couldn’t possible take on the responsibility of being a new Mom, and continue to hold his hand too. So, we went through a crash course on things he could do himself. To my surprise, and probably my relief, he already could do most of the things that I had been doing for him, but wasn’t, simply because I was doing it.

Fast forward 9 more years, and that little baby I was pregnant with is now 9 years old. And, I find myself in a similar predicament. Except there are other existing variables. 1. I have a 4 year old, who I think was born independent. 2. My oldest daughter has an significant speech delay Because she had such a challenging road ahead of her, I again I did most of the things that she should have started doing earlier.

But, now that we are coming up on the other side of her circumstances, I find that we are constantly having to remind her to do things, she should know how to do already. I even think she has gone backwards a bit, because Mom always swooped in and saved the day.

I know.. I know.. Bad Mommy. Hubby and I have had to stay on both girls to make sure that they keep their rooms cleaned, do their chores, don’t leave their things all over the house, etc., etc.

All of this had me thinking about exactly what kind of children I want to raise. So, I started doing some research talking to other Mothers that I admire, Mothers whose children have succeeded in life and excelled, and even Mothers who gave their all and had their kids go left instead of right. I was shocked at what I learned, or at the very least humbled. Over the next couple of weeks, I will share those findings, books, printables, and conversations that I have had. Hope you all will let me know what you think of my findings, what wisdom you want to impart to your own kids, and what worked for you, and even what didn’t.

J’Adore 8

Posted on 6 April, 2014 by admin

I think I am part of the “Energy Crisis”. I have been soo sleepy lately. I am hoping that since this week is Spring Break and hubby is off, I will be able to sleep in some days and maybe even score some day time naps. [Scoffs!!]

That being said, right now…

Now, that I am done decorating my Spring Table:

and added a pop of color to the kitchen window sill with my colorful chalkboard planters and fresh herbs.

and put up my re-purposed spring wreath.

The only thing I have left is to decide on is planters for the front door and whether or not I am doing just greenery or flowers.

In my search, I ran across this – 100+ Spring Planters. Soo many choices, so little time. Also, living in Georgia, I tend to want flowers and greenery that deter mosquitoes. I only recently realized that this was an option. Which is a good thing because the mosquitoes love me and the kids. Ugh!!

And, yes I am still obsessing over Easter Egg Decor Design. Check out these links here and here.

I think I am going to cheat and work on the Easter Eggs with the kids this week, over Spring Break.

Finally, here are some cute Easter Printables.

Hope you all have a great week!!

Stage Presents

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Category Archives: Parenting

Thanksgiving After Thanksgiving

A Quest for Answers: Motherhood Part 1

Mommy Taxi Cab Confessions — The Summer Edition!!

Roots and Wings ….

PARENTING IS SUCH A DEEPLY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

I walk the line…

J’Adore 8

Here are a few Quick & Hopefully Not Too Dirty Ideas:

Start with Breakfast — In Bed or Out (your choice)

Babysitter or Not –

To Dine –

V-Day Stories –

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PARENTING IS SUCH A DEEPLY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

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