Colors Playdate Party

So I love hosting playdates!  It's fun for me to think of simple ideas that the kids would like and run with it.  Today I was suppose to host a "favorite colors" playdate....but all of my kids got sick last night so there is no playdate today.  However, I had everything set up and ready to go last night so I'd still like to share with you all how to do a very simple "colors" party.

Decorations & Activities:

• I just used the most impactful, colorful toys I had....large cardboard blocks.  You could also use legos, dolls, or a collection of toys that were primary colors.
• I printed coloring sheets for the kids of crayola boxes of crayons as well as pages to help them learn their colors.
• We were also going to watch Blue's Clue's "Color's, Color's Everywhere" DVD.
• I bought large crayons and put them in clear cups.
• And I used red serving trays that I already had.
• I used red placemats that I already had to give a good base.

Food:

• I purchased flavored/colored water for kids.  They were $.50 for four so I got them, otherwise you can just make different fruit punches and kool-aid.
• I purchased containers of colored jell-o.  Again, they were on sale, otherwise you can just make your own.
• Fruit is always colorful as well as any veggies.  I did dye the ranch dressing blue just to add a punch of color.
• I diluted some food coloring and washed tortilla wraps in the colors and make meat and cheese pinwheels.  I mixed whipped cream cheese with a Ranch dressing packet and used that instead of mayo...it helps the pinwheels keep their shape.
• Lastly, I made rice crispie treats out of Fruity Pebbles to provide a lot of color.

The kids were all going to come dressed in their favorite colors.  Even though my kids are home-bound and sick, we will still enjoy all of this and wear our favorite colors today....it's COLOR DAY!!!!

Mardi Gras Kid's Party

Mardi Gras is on February 16^th this year and refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after the Epiphany and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday…basically it’s the day before Lent starts and the fasting begins. Mardi Gras actually means “Fat Tuesday” in French.  It’s the day to celebrate and eat all you want before you begin a 40 day fasting period for Catholics.

Kid’s obviously don’t get all the religious meaning, so for them it’s just another day to celebrate!  So here are some tips to help you and your child celebrate Mardi Gras:

First of all, the color scheme for Mardi Gras are as follows: purple (representing justice), green (faith) and gold (power).  Keep those colors in mind when deciding on decorations and food.

Decorations:

• Gold, Purple and Green Banner to say “Happy Mardi Gras” or “Fat Tuesday”
• Decorate some cardboard cut-out shapes of the theater masks, tragedy and comedy.  Use glitter, sequins and feathers.  You can hang these from the ceiling or put on the walls.
• Purchase lots of noisemakers and beads
• Have crowns for all the kids to be Kings and Queens of the parade
• Draw or paint, on large paper, a wall mural of bourbon street or the parade
• Have a centerpiece of a large mask with feathers and glitter!
• Scatter table with gold coins
• Balloons are always festive
• Costumes, wigs, funny hats, glasses or masks are always a hit
• New Orlean style Jazz music playing or Cajun music

Food:

• Anything seafood to represent the New Orleans menu!  Gumbo, jambalaya, mini crab cakes or steamed craw fish!
• Don't forget the dirty beans and rice.
• Make colorful punches out of fruit juices, ginger ale and sherbets for your guests.
•  You have to have a "king cake"! This pastry cake is decorated with icing and sprinkled with colored green, yellow and purple sugars.
•  In Europe this day is also known as Pancake day so make lots of these for breakfast.

Games:

•  Make Mardi Gras masks! You can purchase pre-made plastic, cardboard or foam mask shapes, and have out an assortment of decorating materials: craft glue, beads, markers, fabric scraps, and a big bag of assorted colored craft feathers. They can then wear their masks for the party.
• Costume contest
• Parade
• Musical chairs
• Coloring pages
• Mardi Gras book from library
• A Jester
• Fake tattoos
• Mardi Gras Baby Hunt. Hide the same baby that was in the King Cake and let everyone know that the baby is lost!  See who can find it first.
• Mardi Gras Coin Throwing Contest. Place a strip of tape on the ground to mark the spot for the thrower. Put 5 boxes in various distances from the line.  Each box has different points, the further the box, the more points.  Give guests each 3 coins.  See who can throw the highest number of points.  This person wins.  You can substitute the coins for beads to change things up.
• Mardi Gras Coin Treasure Hunt. Before the party, scatter colored purple, gold and green coins all over the party room, all over the house and on the party table.  Divide the guests into 3 teams, purple, gold and green. Tell the purple group to collect all the gold coins, tell the gold group to collect the green coins, and then tell the green group to collect the purple coins.  Whichever group accomplishes the mission first, wins.

I hope you enjoy this celebratory day and, more importantly, you have a great day with your kids!

Groundhog Day

So the big holiday rush is over and now there's a withdrawal for parties as well as an eagerness for spring to arrive...so why not celebrate Groundhog Day?  Any reason to throw a party, right?  Every February 2nd, people all over the US watch to see if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow.  Phil, the groundhog, comes out of his hole after winter hibernation to look for his shadow. If he sees his shadow that means we get 6 more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, then spring should be arriving shortly!  I always got confused with this one...I thought...shadow = spring, right, Sunshine!  Weird that it's the other way around?!


So let's talk about different ways to celebrate this holiday.  Basically, you can go one of two ways...either you go at it from the "winter vs. spring" theme or just do a "groundhog" theme party.


If you choose to do the winter vs. spring party, then decorating is very simple.  You decorate 1/2 the room with winter/snow decor of white and then decorate the other 1/2 with green spring decorations.  You can mix the food up between those two themes as well.  You could ask your guest to come dressed 1/2 winter and 1/2 summer....a sweater with shorts?  Or you could just go all spring since that's what we're hoping for anyway!


If you go with the groundhog theme, my favorite, there are a lot of options.  For decorations you'll need to use browns and a lot of groundhogs!  Planting little boxes of grass with groundhog beanie babies looking up out of the grass would be very cute!  


FOOD!!!  Well, for breakfast you have to have sausage, gravy and biscuits...why sausage?  Because sausage is "ground" "hog"!  For your dinner, you can either do a beef stew or meatloaf and call it "groundhog stew" or "groundhog loaf".  Or you can do a selection of foods that groundhogs eat, i.e. seeds, salads, nuts, veggies, fruits.  You could also make "groundhog feed" which is basically trail mix.  For the adults, a yummy mudslide would be appropriate since they live in the ground.  And for dessert....cupcakes or a dirt cake (made of chocolate pudding and crumbled chocolate wafers) would be more than fun...especially if you could find a little plastic or fondant groundhog to pop out of it...see below...

Children's activities: There are a lot of fun activities you can do with your kids on this day!  

• First of all, if your community host a groundhog day appearance celebration, definitely go!  Check with your local parks and recreation community.  
• But the night before, everyone should write down their prediction of whether Phil will see his shadow.  The next day will be fun going over everyone's predictions.  
• It would also be fun to make groundhog masks for the kids to wear or do face paintings with brown noses and whiskers.  
• Of course there is always coloring pages of groundhogs to do...make sure you have a lot of brown crayons!
• Also, since we're talking about shadows...use a flashlight to help the kids find their shadows, then you can trace their head profile shadow on the wall and cut it out.  You can frame it for years to come!
• Lastly, if you're looking for some cool groundhog gear, then check out the official website at http://www.groundhogstuff.com/shop/Clothing_-_Infant_and_Toddler/index.htm for some very interesting attire and gifts!

Adult activities:  Well, any reason to drink is a good one right?  So invite your friends over, play some "Groundhog Day" trivia you can find on http://www.groundhog.org/ and party on!  As you settle down, put in a classic "Groundhog Day" movie and dream of spring!

Life Lessons for Kids!

So I've read, in many of my parenting books, that a child's view of life is typically formed between age 5 & 7. So I wanted to come up with the life lessons that I want my children to learn; and, hopefully to "set in" by the time they are age 5. Here's hoping!

1. Life is good and worth living even through the difficult times.
2. Bad things do happen to good people; what makes you good is how you handle those times.
3. You are valuable and have special things to offer life and others. No one else is like you, so appreciate your uniqueness.
4. All people are valuable and part of the body of life….like a body, life would not work without the different talents and personalities of all.
5. All people deserve to be loved and forgiven. Don’t you want to be?
6. Each person is different and difference should be respected. Difference brings color into our lives. Allow others to be themselves; don’t force them to be you.
7. Work hard so that you have something to be proud of.
8. Emotions are a good thing, as long as we don’t hurt others expressing them.
9. Love your body and take good care of it…be healthy.
10. Relationships are what make life fun! Always be a good friend by taking interest in their life, being trustworthy, being compassionate and never judging.
11. Surround yourself with positive people who have your best interest in mind.
12. While on your path to following your dreams, if you fail or hit a wall, take a detour, don’t just stop.
13. Always be grateful for what you have!
14. Your family will always love you, and there is nothing you can do to stop that!
15. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for what’s important…but it’s always worth it!
16. Always admit your faults, no one is perfect.
17. Be a giving person…having the desire to give means you care about others.

Pumpkin Pickin October 2009

We took the kids to Hodges Dairy Farm on a nice, fall-crisp day! They have pumpkin pickin', a corn maze, farm animals, horse riding and a hay ride. The kids had a blast! It was so nice to get out of a cramped townhouse and into the wide open fields of a farm. We made great memories! Happy Fall Ya'll !!!

Playgroup at the Fire Department

So today we had playgroup at the Brunswick Hills Fire Department, Station #2. We knew the kids would love going there because they have BIG trucks...every preschooler's obsession! So we had lunch first. Then we watched a video on Fire Safety. Afterwards, Fireman John demonstrated how to put on his gear. Then we got to get into the fire truck! We also got to tour the ambulance and ask the fireman questions. Lastly we colored a picture of a dalmatian and put his black spots on using our fingerprints and black ink. It was a fun day!

Art Week at the Rec Center

So this week for playgroup, we went to the Rec Center for their free Art Week program. We went two days, one day for the "Spoonman" and one day for Nate "The Great" magician. The Spoonman's name is David Henterly. He makes instruments out of household items and teaches kids how to play them. He's very soft spoken and sweet! Then, on Friday, we went back to watch Nate ”The Great” Nawalaniec do magic tricks and balloon art. He was FANTASTIC and only 15 years old. Anyway, hope you enjoy the photos and videos!

My 32nd Birthday Party

I just hosted my 32nd birthday party at my home where I invited some girlfriends over to have a relaxing spa day with me. I invited about 15 girls, but due to circumstances, only 4 of us were there. However, I also had a Pure Romance instructor come, so the intimate gathering was very appropriate and bonding! The party didn't go as planned. We were suppose to start at 10am and lay out outside drinking smoothies, snacking on fruit and muffins and playing a "Dirty Little Secrets" game for moms...however, it was rainy, people arrived late and none of that happened. We did eat lunch, which was yummy - chicken salad croissants, chilled cucumber soup, and shrimp cocktail. I also had a few trays of fruits & veggies, cheese & cracker platter, "spa"berries, homemade peanut butter cups and a chocolate cake to snack on throughout the day. Of course, we also had wine, iced tea and my specialty drink, Amaretto sours. Then it was time for the Pure Romance Consultant to do her presentation. She was wonderful and very informative! I was a sex ed instructor prior to being a stay at home mom and I still learned some things - and gasped at a few things :) This presentation ran long, due to all our questions and we did not have time for what was next. I had planned for us to do manicures, pedicures and facials. I made gift bags for all the girls to help in the pampering process. I laminated instructions on how to do the mani's, pedi's and facials. I had bought soaking tubs for our feet and bowls to soak our hands. I also had a basket full of all the products we needed for the entire process. I had soaked cucumbers to be soft for our eyes. I had lemons and limes to put in our foot baths. But, parties don't always go as planned so we never even got to those things. However, I plan on having all the girls back for a "part 2" night of pampering so that we can use all the stuff I bought. Anyway, it was fun planning the whole event even if it did not go as I had hoped and imagined...I did give myself a mani and a pedi the next day and it was lovely!!

4th of July week 2009

So 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays! It's a time to celebrate, enjoy old fashion American food with family, see beautiful fireworks and attend festive parades! There is soooo much to do in the community and everyone is in a partying mood! This 4th of July we joined in on all the festivities as you will see in the video. Hope you enjoy!

Playgroup at Brunswick's Nature Center

So this past week we had playgroup at the Brunswick Nature Center. It is a non-profit organization that teaches the community, and children, about Brunswick's natural environment and animals in the area. They opened early so we could have the facility all to ourselves! Andy Hudak was our guide and he was so good with the kids (fortunately he has two toddlers of his own)! First we learned about bugs, then we did a bug craft. Afterwards we got butterfly nets and went looking for bugs. Sophia loved that, which is suprising since she's scared to death of them all! Then we went on a hike looking for more bugs. He also had a little storytime with the kids. After that we ate lunch and then looked at the animals they have in their facility. They have a honey bee nest just outside their windows, turtles inside that you can actually touch, fish, mice, and lots of books and diagrams of animals and nature. It was a lovely time and the kids really enjoyed themselves. We will definetly do that again!

Twins #1 All-Star Birthday Party

So, yesterday was the twins birthday party! I started planning it about a month ago, and to me, that's the fun part. It wasn't that stressful because I bought everything during that month and made everything I could 2 weeks in advance so that I wouldn't be rushed. We ate traditional sports food: hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, cotton candy, peanuts, cracker jack, sunflower seeds, chex mix, gatorade, lemonade, ect. We asked all the parents for "vital statistics" about their child and then introduced the "players" one by one. Then they could play whatever game they wanted (all the instructions were written on the back of that sport's sign) and get a sticker after achieving the goal. Once they got 5 stickers, we had an award ceremony where they got a medal. Then we ate dinner...yum, yum! We also had yummy cupcakes and opened presents. My only disappointment is how little time I got to spend with my kids. Hosting a party always keeps you busy, so I do wish I had had more time with them....so today we spent the whole day on the slip-n-slide having fun! Anyway, hope you enjoy the video!

Twins First Year

On June 19, 2008, at 35 weeks pregnant, I went to my OB for a routine appointment. Driving to that appointment I went into labor. Just a few hours later, I was in the OR having a c-section (thanks to Baby A, Trey's, breech position). We were in the Special Care Nursery for 10 days and then I brought my blessings home! It has been a year with many sleepless nights, lots of spit up (thanks to Trey's acid reflux), many doctor's appointments (once again, thank you Trey for all your scares), and a prescription of Zoloft to take the edge off; but, it's also been such bliss watching two babies grow up together at the same time. My daughters have been such little "mommas" to the boys and the boys have enjoyed every second of them. The twins have completed our family and brought so much laughter, chaos, joy, "awes", cuddles, craziness, and love to my life. A year later, and with much more sleep, I can honestly say I would love more children...I just wouldn't want to be pregnant again. So maybe adoption is in our future? Who knows, but for now, I want to bask in the celebration that we made it through our first year with 4 children age 3 and under and we are no longer in the shadow of SIDS! It is celebration time! Hope you enjoy our montage of photos from the boys first year of life! :)

Flag Day 2009 with the Tidwell Family

Well, we just finished celebrating Flag Day for the first time in my adult life. It was very fun! What kid doesn't like marching around waving a flag? They certainly didn't memorize the Pledge of Allegiance or quite understand all the patriotic songs we listened to, but hey, they had something new to play with and do so it was a success! And, Sophia absolutely recognizes all "American" things and the American Flag whenever we are out and about. So at least she knows it's important. But my niece and nephew came over that morning and it made it all the merrier! Can't wait for next year!

Flag Day 2009

American Flag, Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and Star-Spangled Banner

I’ve never celebrated Flag Day before, as an adult anyway. This will be the first year, but I am looking forward to it. The summer is so full of patriotic holidays from Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, and Patriot Day (9-11). It’s nice to have all these opportunities to explain to my children all the different details of our country, history, and patriotism. A few years ago, my family had the opportunity to spend 5 months in Washington DC with my husband’s job. We were there with his co-workers, all from other countries. At first I was nervous that they would not like us Americans due to all the bad publicity that America was receiving at the time. However, they all found America to be wonderful and commented that they were most surprised at the patriotism and pride that American’s took in their country, something they did not see much of in their country. I was very proud of that and happy that they all left, not only liking America, but admiring it too. I am truly proud to be an American and have the freedoms that we have each day!

What is Flag Day:
Flag Day, always June 14th, is a day for all Americans to celebrate and show respect for our flag. Our flag is representative of our independence and our unity as a nation.....one nation, under God, indivisible. Our flag has a proud and glorious history. It was at the lead of every battle fought by Americans. Many people have died protecting it. It even stands proudly on the surface of the moon. As Americans, we have every right to be proud of our culture, our nation, and our flag. So raise the flag today and every day with pride!

What to talk to your preschooler about on this day:
Teach them the Pledge of Allegiance:
With your right hand over your heart - “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Teach them the History of the Flag:
The original U.S. flag was authorized by Congress on Saturday, June 14, 1777. It had 13 stripes - 7 red and 6 white - that represent the original 13 colonies. There were 13 white stars in a blue field representing a new constellation of states. Since 1777, there have been different versions of the flag that have been adopted. The red and white stripes with blue constellation have remained the same. Each state in the union is represented by a 5 point star. The number of stars has changed as states joined the union. There are currently 50 states that belong to the United States of America.

Color a Flag printable page:
Teach them how to color the flag with red & white stripes and blue & white stars. Here is a great website to print coloring pages and a picture of the flag: http://www.first-school.ws/t/ap/us_flag_color_by_word.htm

DID YOU KNOW?
Properly Display Our Flag
There is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag. The American flag should be held in the highest of regards. It represents our nation and the many people who gave their lives for our country and our flag. Here are the basics on displaying the American flag:
· The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
· In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
· The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
· The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
· After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It’s called "half staff" on land, and "half mast" on a ship.
· When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or "union", is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
· The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
· The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
· Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
· Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.
· When your flag is old and has seen better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash.

There is a very special ceremony for retiring the flag by burning it. It is a ceremony everyone should see. Your local Boy Scout group knows the proper ceremony and performs it on a regular basis. If you have an old flag, give it to them. And, attend the ceremony.

Betsy Ross was a seamstress who made clothes for George Washington. In June, 1776, Washington approached her to make the country's first flag and the rest is history.

Playgroup Roller Skating Lessons!

So today we held playgroup at the local skating rink. When I first called to plan this, I was a bit skeptical of the ability of our 2-4 year olds. But I scheduled it anyway because they were going to give the kids skate lessons and we were going to have the entire facility to ourselves! Well, Mr. Jim was wonderful with the kids! He had cute names for all the moves they should do. They were so kind and made it so fun, that we had a great time! Sophia and Bella picked it up right away and were not scared at all, even when they fell. We ate lunch there, and after lunch was when it got really fun! They turned down the lights, turned on the disco ball and I brought my "Kids Dance Party" CD for them to play. Some continued to skate, but most took off their skates and opted for the scooters or to just run around and dance! It was great fun even for the adults! We will have to do that again very soon...but next time I'll have to wear my leotard & pantyhose! :)

Today's Goals...for every day!

Sometimes being a stay at home mom can be a very un-filling job. It can become monotonous and boring; let alone the lack of appreciation that is received (and my love language is “Encouraging Words” so appreciation is very important to me). At some point this year I became discouraged with all of this and decided, as I am a goal oriented person, to write out my goals for my days. This helps me to re-focus on what is important as well as how important all the things I do, on these monotonous days, are sewing into my children’s future. These are my personal goals based on my personality and my contributions to this world:

T O D A Y ’ S G O A L S

My purpose on this journey of life is…to love my life, connect people, build relationships, create beautiful and special moments, help people through life, to see beauty in everything & everyone, to raise happy children & appreciate my husband.

Today I get another opportunity to love on my kids, to encourage them and build their self-esteem, to shape them into good people, to teach them that life is good.

Today I get to make my children’s day extra special.

Today I will consistently discipline my children with love and calmness so that they will be a joy to me and others.

Today I get to make my home beautiful and show my children how to take care of their possessions and be grateful for them.

Today I get to spend time with the man I love and show him, through my acts of service, how much I love him.

Today I am going to love myself by exercising, showering and looking beautiful. I may even relax a little!

Today, I want to learn something new.

Today, I hope to see a little bit more of God.

Remembering Monroe, my first daughter!

5 years ago today I lost my first daughter at birth. Her name was Monroe and I was 35 weeks pregnant. The first month we tried for a baby we conceived. We were so excited that we told everyone right away! How arrogant we were thinking that nothing could go wrong…that we were invincible. So, at our 20 week ultrasound we found out that we were having a girl, that she had 6 of the 10 signs of Downs and that she was missing her esophagus. The OB tried to convince us to have an abortion quoting that “no marriages lasted after they have a child with special needs.” I was livid!!! We went for a second opinion. All the results were the same. We had an amniocentesis done to verify the downs, because an esophagus surgery with a “normal” child would go very differently and need less attention than one with a Downs baby. It was confirmed. To be honest I really could have cared less that she had Downs, I grew up with my sister with Downs. I was just more concerned about her esophagus and whether we’d have any healthy children in the future. So, we were high risk, had many ultrasounds (always with the anticipation that we would go in and she’d be all better), interviewed the best Pediatric surgeon who would fix her esophagus, toured the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where she would be for a few months after she was born, and had genetic testing done to see if this was hereditary. Fortunately it was not hereditary.

I felt such a great bond with Monroe throughout the pregnancy. Because we were dealing with so many obstacles, I talked to her constantly about them. I prayed over her continually. I demanded that she suck it up and get better…I was her mom and she had to listen to me! She was my first child who I wanted to protect. She had Downs which made her even more fragile and sweet and precious. I actually bonded more with her during the pregnancy than I did with any of my other pregnancies. I loved her and I felt her love back…something only a mother could understand.

Around 30 weeks the doctor put me on bed rest. Because Monroe had no esophagus and was not swallowing any amniotic fluid, the fluid just kept building up and building up…making me ready to burst at any moment. Finally, I went to the doctor at 35 weeks, looking 42 weeks pregnant. It was a Thursday and he gave me steroids shots to prepare her lungs and said I could go off bed rest because she was developed enough and could come any day now.

The next day, a Friday night, I was sleeping when I awoke to a gurgling noise. I thought my water had broken. I went to the bathroom, realized I was dry and went back to bed. Saturday morning we had a lot of shopping to do to prepare for the baby, especially since I had been in bed for 5 weeks. Throughout the day I felt no movement, which was very abnormal for Monroe. I drank sweet drinks, pushed my stomach around, and jumped up and down…still no movement. We called the doctor and they said come in immediately. After many technicians looked at the ultrasound it was confirmed that she was dead. Rob and I just held each other and cried. I was blindsided! They said I could go home and come back to be induced whenever I felt like it – I asked for an emergency c-section! They didn’t allow that but admitted me right away and started the cervidil to prepare me for labor. I was in labor for 30 hours. I was devastated. How could I give birth to a dead baby?

But, she arrived May 30, 2004 at 9:00pm. When she came out…she was my baby girl…so beautiful…she was just sleeping right? I was a proud mom, so happy and wanting to show her off to everyone. I couldn’t stop smiling…until I gave her up. I was able to hold her for 2 hours until she started turning blue, cold and her skin began to peel off. Then I let them take her and I left early the next morning. I had many nightmares after that day. I felt like I had abandoned my baby, left her there; that she was still alive screaming in the morgue. A few months later we tried again and conceived easily. We lost that baby, which I named Lael, when I was 10 weeks pregnant. Again, I felt hopeless.

Here is a poem I wrote 8 months after she died:
“No one knows the pain I’m feeling” I vow
They just see my smile and my uplift brow
They think I’m dreaming of purses and shoes
But I’m forcing back tears I’m about to lose.

I talk about shallow and meaningless things
Cause they don’t want to be bothered by the pain I bring
Every thought is consumed with Monroe and Lael
What I’d be doing if they were with me right now
Anger then arises, I feel life is unfair
God has seen my good deeds, is He not aware?

I feel hopeless when I think “I’ll never have a child”
Every pregnant woman I see just drives me wild
I try to be nice and seem interested in their life
But I’m screaming inside “This can’t be my life!”

My husband is stuck with an unhappy soul
No money or gifts can make me whole
I wish he could feel the loss I feel with each breath
But the pain is too heavy; it could lead to his death
So I choose to hide it each day from him and others
I shouldn’t hurt them just because I’m not a mother.

It took me almost a year, but I finally accepted that the “Sun rises on the good and the evil.” I accepted that life was put into motion and that shit happens, to all of us. Sometimes there’s no one to blame but life. Sickness and death is a part of this world and since I’m a part of this world I cannot escape its effects.

So 5 years later, how do I feel on this day? GRATEFUL for the children I do have!!! I miss Monroe deeply and sometimes even cry thinking of the beautiful life I could be having with her; but for the most part, I am so appreciative of the 4 beautiful children I do have. On a side note, twins do not run in our family at all (and I am the family tree keep so I should know) and the fact that I had twins was healing for me. I felt like I was given a gift, to compensate for the two I lost. Maybe one day I will know for sure? But as for today, I know that life can be short and I want to spend as much precious and special time with my kids as possible!! So every year on this day I have a birthday cake to celebrate the short time we had with her and then we each release purple balloons into the sky to remember where she is. In the future, I hope to take my kids to a “special Olympics” activity on this day or something so they grow up loving people with special needs…as I did.

Twins 1st birthday

So, I'm planning the twins 1st birthday party and doing a sports theme...#1 All-Stars. Here is a picture of the invitations I made & sent out. We are going to have a football field, soccer field, basketball court, baseball field and cheerleading area of course! I am having a lot of fun planning it...it will be fun for the kids with prizes and yummy treats, but it will also be fun for the adults since it's a cookout. Hopefully the weather will cooperate or else we'll all be in the garage. Anyway, I also made a registry for the boys...is that tacky? I just thought if people didn't know what to get them (not that they have to get them anything because we have everything we need), then they would have a resource. It's under my Amazon wishlist: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/TJL89VZ9PU08/ref=cm_wl_sortbar_o_page_1?ie=UTF8&filter=all&sort=priority&layout=standard&reveal=unpurchased&page=1 But I'm not sure what boys like or will want since I'm a girl and have 2 older girls. If you have any boys, check out the registry and let me know if I'm missing any great "gems". Thanks! And I'll post after the party with lots of pictures!

Playgroup at the Cleveland Zoo

Today we had playgroup at the Cleveland Zoo! It was very nice to meet everyone there (we did have one casualty...Jessica and her kids got seperated from us in the begining even though they were there the whole time). It was suppose to rain but turned out to be a beautiful, although HOT, day! We spent most of the time at the new dinosaur exhibit and the butterfly building. We also ate lunch by the waterfowl pond. I pushed a quad stroller and got a great work out!! :) Overall, the kids had a lot of fun and it's always nice seeing them play together and holding hands skipping through the zoo...priceless!

Today I took the girls to our town's Memorial Day Parade. It was so sweet and personable. It felt very "American". Everyone talked to us as we sat there waiting and it was just precious to see the Veterans, school bands and local queens. It felt like my childhood! I loved it! So my kids got to meet some more "American Heroes" today and hopefully that will give them an appreciation for their elders and soldiers. Loved it!!!

A day in my life with 4 kids...

People are always asking me, “how do you do it with four kids…how do you get things done?” So, in an effort to answer their question, here is a video blog of my entire day with the kids. Don’t worry, it’s not 12 hours. I hope you understand me a bit better and maybe get a few good ideas for your own family life. If you have any ideas you think I would like, please share!

7:00AM Wake up and make breakfast
7:30 AM Breakfast for boys
8:00 AM Get girls up for breakfast
8:30 AM Girls video time, Mommy preps dinner
9:00 AM Kid’s bath time or dress time
9:30 AM Boys nap time, girl’s bedroom time, Mommy showers & gets dressed
10:30 AM Girls clean up bedroom
11:00 AM Table time: Sophia’s school time, Bella’s color time, music time & Mommy preps lunch 11:30 AM Wake boys & lunch time for family
12:00 PM Clean up
12:30 PM Story time with girls
1:00 PM Bella's nap, Sophia's video time, Mommy & boy’s time
1:30 PM Boys to bed, Sophia's nap, Mommy relaxes for an hour
2:30 PM Mommy’s project time (event planning, budget, bills, laundry, ect.)
3:30 PM Wake boys for snack time
4:00 PM Wake girls for snack time
4:30 PM Girls video time
5:00 PM Bedroom time for boys, basement time for girls
5:30 PM Sign Language Video for boys, basement time for girls continues
6:00 PM Blanket time for girls, Mommy makes dinner, boys snack
6:30 PM Dinner with family & rewards chart
7:00 PM Boy’s bottles and getting ready for bed routine
7:30 PM Bedtime for all kids

P.S. I do have a cleaning service that comes every other week. That helps me spend more time as a mother. Although, I am still kept very busy with laundry, dishes, meals, grocery shopping, errands, daily picking up, ect. But it certainly relieves a lot of pressure!!

To see 5, 10 minute videos, of "A day in my life" narrated by me, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/tidwellholly Click on Part 1 first and then continue in order.

Memorial Day Playgroup

Today we had our Memorial Day Playgroup. After lunch we colored a page describing Memorial day in preschool terms. We mostly kept it to discussing "a day we honor American heroes". Then we got some flags and muscial instruments and had a parade in our backyard! It was sweet and very fun...you can see in the picture how much fun they were having. There's also a picture of Bella playing her drum...she couldn't walk and hold it at the same time. Then there are the twins mezmorized by the flags. I love playgroup days! It's so nice to catch up with other moms and it's great to have your kids play and interact with other kids...it also helps when it's a beautiful day outside! Although, I just had my Jehovah Witnesses come to the door (lovely ladies who come once a month to chat). We talked for about an hour as usual then I asked if I could give their kids (who always wait in the car) a flag & candy. They don't do American flags or celebrate holidays. Very, very opposite of me! To each his own, but I find it a little sad not to be patriotic or supportive of the brave soldiers who lost their lives for our freedom. :(

Celebrating Memorial Day with your kids

Celebrating Memorial Day
Here is a photo of last year on Memorial Day of my two girls and my niece and nephew! I love red, white & blue on kids...so crisp!

Anyway, we will be celebrating it again next week and I'm just researching some ways to talk to Sophia about the day. So here’s how you may want to explain the day to your pre-schoolers:
Memorial Day began in the United States on May 30, 1868, after the Civil War had ended. Flowers were put on the graves of all the soldiers who were in the war, in order to help heal the nation. This holiday later included all men and women who had died in America's wars. It is now celebrated on the last Monday of May. We celebrate this holiday to honor all of our country’s heroes who were killed in wartime protecting our nation & home. Sometimes, parades, fireworks and picnics are part of the celebrations!

So if you are looking for ways to break up the monotony of each day, you can celebrate Memorial day with a few of these activities to do with your children:

*check with your city to see if your VFW is hosting a program or parade. Kids love parades!
1. Hang an American flag or stick flags in the ground down your driveway. Or teach your preschool about the colors of the American flag and color one on paper.

2. Help your kids make a card online to be sent overseas to our current soldiers.

3. Print off some song lyrics, such as "Star Spangled Banner" and "Proud to be an American" and sing these with your kids.
4. Visit a family member that is a veteran or if you don't know any personally, go to a local retirement or nursing home to visit a veteran. Check Bring a letter or colored picture to give to the veteran, to thank them for their duties to our country. If your kids are not shy, have them sing one of the songs you practiced.
5. National Moment of Remembrance: Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance. This is a time when we can all reflect on Memorial Day and those who gave their time for the military. This is usually observed at 3:00 p.m.
6. War Heroes. Find some information about a famous war hero from each war and create a notebook about 'War Heroes'. Your students can then read personal stories about soldiers who died, which brings home the war on a more personal level.
7. Write To A Soldier in Iraq. Many soldiers would love to receive letters or parcels from people back home. There are several organizations you can contact who will assign you a soldier to write to. On Memorial Day, it would be nice to send a care package to a soldier overseas so ask each child to bring in something small to add to the package.
8. Family Members in the War. If some students have family members who are in the war in Iraq or Afghanistan, have them talk about them. Tell the class who they are, what they like to do, how long they have been in Iraq or Afghanistan and what they do there.

Even planner by occupation, but let's not compare!

Well, my name is Holly and I have four beautiful children who are my life! Sophia is 3, Bella is 2 and my twin boys, Trey & George are about to turn 1. I chose the title "Every day is a Hollyday with 4 kids" because I am a serial holiday celebrator! Ask any of my friends and they will agree. I also schedule my children's days, read a ton of parenting books, facilitate a playgroup every week, and basically just organize and plan every thing and moment of my life. Not that I'm not spontaneous, I love that too! I just like planning for good times...is that a crime?

One day I was talking to my good friend, Jessica, and I asked her if I was weird for being so over the top with holidays and planning. She said no, that there were plenty of other moms out there just like me. So my mission is to find those moms. Where are you overachievers, planners, organized, scheduler, holiday freaks like me?

So, I am a natural even planner. I love to do projects, be organized, plan events, be scheduled, be creative, ect. So, as a mom, you have to use your strengths to your advantage. You find out what you do best and then try to incorporate that into your parenting style and life as a homemaker...this, I find, will bring you more happiness and satisfaction because you're doing a job you love and avoiding being an unhappy mom. It will also satisfy your desire to be back in your career, since you turned your homemaker career into something you love and are good at. So think about what you are good at and magnify that in your parenting...mold your life into your dream job so that you are more fulfilled.

This is my personality and this is my blog to express my personality, but I know that a lot of moms are not like me...So...my favorite mom quote is this "Moms do the best they can with the personality they have, the husband they have, the children they have, the finances they have, the morals they have, and the time they have. No two family situations are the same, so why compare?"

So in reading my blog, don't compare your life to mine. My life is very unique to anyone else's. Just take whatever you find inspiring and add it to your life. I'm constantly stealing good ideas from my friends!

If you still feel inadequate, remember that I have a lot of weaknesses and fail, in comparison, to other moms a lot. Let me just point out some of my failures to make you feel better about yourself.

First of all, I have a hard time relaxing. Sure I can sit and watch a movie or lay by the pool, but my mind never stops. That's the downside of being a planner. I am working on relaxing my mind and body, but it does not come easy for me. I even take Zoloft to help calm me down! Does that make you feel better?

Sometimes I schedule too much and overexert myself. It's hard to take something off the to-do list, I just keep trying to shuffle things around on the list and prioritize, but rarely do I remove it all together.

Sometimes I exhaust my friends and family with my constant ideas and advice. But seriously, if an idea pops in my head it comes right out of my mouth...there is not much of a filter.

I have a friend who's home is spotless and doesn't have a junk drawer in her house. That is not me.
I have a friend who is a great actress and, seemingly, is always playing with her kids and making fantastic impersonations. That's not me. I play with my kids but I am no where near as funny as she.
I have a friend who is a fabulous cook. She calls herself a "foody". She's super healthy with what she cooks too. Unfortunately, that's not me.
I have a friend who's husband works/in school all the time and she never seems stressed by it. That's not me.
I have a friend who, seemingly, is best friends with her husband and they spend so much fun time together. Again, unfortunately, that's not my life as my husband works a lot.

So, every mom has her strengths. Planning events, celebrating holidays, planning my children's days, and organizing my life just happens to be mine. I wanted to blog about my strengths for 2 reasons:
#1 so I can find other moms who posseses this strength and we can bond and I don't feel like such a weirdo. Hopefully these moms will give me more ideas too.
#2 so other moms can maybe be inspired and get ideas.

So let's start blogging!