Travel, travel everywhere!

This past week has seen two articles about traveling over in Examiner.com from this girl and you can expect at least one more on the topic. This time of year is often synonymous with traveling as families are driving or jetting off to see the broader scope of their family or heading off for a much needed vacation.

My mom and I were talking about what she used to do with us during winter break from school, and she noted that we were traveling more often than not, so it wasn't much of an issue for us. Indeed we were. I would be interested to know just how many trips we made back and forth to Minnesota over the course of my childhood into young adulthood. I think we flew twice in all of those years.

Ask any of us for memories about those numerous road trips and we'll all begin tripping over each other with shared recollections - though it's always funny to see how our memories do or don't match. I think of the hours we spent in, first, the station wagon and then the mini van as we traveled near and far. I think of the arguments, the laughter, the extreme discomfort - and then I think about my poor mother...Yes, my dad too, but there was many a trip mom had to drive solo with the three of us, as dad needed to stay with the family business. Can you imagine?

Calling all funny family travel stories: 
Have a humorous account of family traveling? Sure you do - it can be a recent story of travels with your children/grandchildren/nieces/nephews or it can be one from the realm of your own childhood. If you'd be willing to share it, then I'd love to feature it in an upcoming Fun Friday article. Simply send me an e-mail with your story. Please include if I can use your first name and location in the e-mail. Thanks for your help!

Loving family night (and fun Friday)

Since the inception of Family Night Tuesdays and Fun Fridays, each week I know I can bank on having two articles written, without fail. This can certainly lead to some level of anxiety as I try to come up with topics that are fun, helpful, and hopefully, witty. Regardless of this self-imposed pressure, I love writing these articles. They add a lighthearted quality to my column that, thus far, have received an overwhelmingly positive response from my readers. So today, I'm going to take the opportunity to highlight some of my most recent favorites from both of these.

Last week's Family Night article was a take off of the Christmas classic, The Twelve Days of Christmas. For our purposes, however, I whittled it down to the 'Six' days of Christmas. Believe me when I tell you, you'll have more fun if you sing along as you read the article.

One of the two Fun Friday pieces I'm going to feature here is the Top 10 reasons to be thankful to be a parent. This one I did all by my little lonesome self with no feedback from other parents. Simply, it is my current top 10 list why being a mom is so stinking fabulous! I tried to intersperse the funny with the sentimental - though all come very deeply from my heart. If you didn't happen to catch it, I hope you will.

My most recent Family Night piece highlighted a family recipe. Wait, scratch that - a beloved family recipe. Each year, I wait in eager anticipation for December so the wreath making can begin. If you've never had a cornflake, edible Christmas wreath...Well, I'll just pause here in a moment of silence for you...And then I'm going to direct you to the link to this article, as quickly as possible.

Each December I think of the other shapes I could use, the other food colorings that would work in order to adapt these delectable delights to other holidays, yet I never do. I so love these wreaths that at my baby shower, my sister and sis-in-law made them in the shape of baby booties. The shower was in December, but they just couldn't bring themselves to serve wreaths at a baby shower. I can vividly recall sneaking into my grandmother's kitchen with my siblings and cousins in the middle of the night with only the light of the fridge to guide us as we sneaked wreaths from the fridge. Seriously, if you've never had these, it's a must add to the holiday treat list.  


For our final peak at the silly side of my column, I bring you last Friday's Fun Friday edition. This was a beautiful compilation of my own stories and stories from other parents. This article was From the mouths of babes. Amazing response on this one. People really seemed to enjoy it, but we're talking about the funnies kids say, so what's not enjoy? So many of the Friday articles would not come to fruition without these wonderful parents so willing to share pieces of their children with me - and by extension, you, so thank you all who contribute; I couldn't do it without you. 

Hope you're having a wonderful week! Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Holidays: A wealth of writing goodness

Each year brings a whole new level of participation and understanding of the season for Abby. It's pretty exciting to watch it all unfold. Last year I think she hung up one, maybe two ornaments; whereas this year she couldn't get enough. Granted there's a section towards the bottom of our tree that is clustered with ornaments, but it's quite possibly the most perfect, beautiful way our tree could be decorated. 

Last night also brought us the first Sunday in Advent, which I love. I have such wonderful memories from my childhood of participating in this celebration with my family. I question how well I teach Abby about Jesus and God, but she's three, so I'm thinking I need to cut myself a little slack. To listen to her say prayers and to hear her say things like, "God my friend mom," or "I love God," tells me I'm doing something right...Even if that doesn't mean she totally "gets it," its something and it's a decent foundation to work from. Last night was yet another example of how much can change in a year. Last year she pretty much just listened and gleefully blew out the candles at the end, but last night...Last night, she worked really hard to sing the songs with me, and when I read prayers, she chose to repeat each line with me. It was awesome!

I love this time of year. I'm particularly thankful this year, as I'm seeing a wealth of opportunities in my writing. I'm still trying to find that magical place of drawing more readers to my Examiner.com column, but I'm pleased with the way I've progressed, and having such a broad topic as all-things-holiday - as it applies to early childhood and parenting - to work with during this season...Outstanding. 

As I type this, I'm gazing upon my tree and all of our traditional Christmas decorations and I find myself wishing they could stay up all year round. On the heels of that, however, is the realization that if our tree were up all the time, it would lose some of its beauty and wonder - it would become just another fixture in our home. But for now - sigh - perfection!

Here's hoping you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you'll pop by the ol' Examiner.com page from time to time this month and keep up with all the holiday-themed writings. 

Fun Fridays

As promised here's a look at my new weekly series for my Examiner column (look at me being all not neglectful). May I introduce to you...Fun Fridays! The basic premise of Fun Fridays is to take a look at the fun, silly, light-hearted side of parenting. Given the response I got from the moms who participated in the first edition of Fun Friday, I'm hoping people will get a kick out of this series.

This week's article took the mom perspective with, You know you're a mom when...The responses I got were hilarious! I didn't even get to use them all, so definitely be looking for periodic versions of this piece sprinkled throughout our Fun Fridays. Next week I'm turning to the dads - they'll be answering the question in their form: You know you're a dad when...I'm really excited to see how their responses will differ from the moms.

So, if you've got the response(s) to either of these statements, please e-mail me and know you'll be included in an article at some time in the future. Please be sure to note if I can use your name and include where you live. Perhaps you have a topic you'd like to see covered in a Fun Friday edition? Toss those suggestions into the pot too!

I hope you'll wander over to the ol' Examiner page and let me know what you think of my first Fun Friday edition.

•  Fun Friday: You know you're a mom when...

*Author's Note: I'm so excited about Fun Fridays that I've added a tab up top to keep you posted on all things related. Consider that your go to place to link you to all things Fun Friday. 

Forgive my neglect

I cannot believe how remiss I've been about posting lately! I feel like a neglectful parent leaving my sad, highly unread, blog to its own devices. Shame on me! Therefore, rather than inundating you (Mary) with a million individual posts, we're simply going to treat this post as a hub page for all the Examiner articles I've written lately.

I've been busy, though certainly not as busy as some. I can tell you that I'm eagerly anticipating the article that I'll be posting tomorrow. I'm starting a new weekly series and I'm frankly ridiculously excited about it. I like having set days and things that I know what I'm going to write about. Sure, I still have to come up with the topic for that week's edition, but it just seems...I don't know what, but I feel more relaxed about writing such pieces. I'll do my best to actually come back tomorrow to unveil this brilliant idea of mine. (If only you could literally make written words drip with sarcasm...How awesome would that be?)

I'm going to go a bit off topic for a minute and talk about a book I just finished. It was a Jodi Picoult, House Rules and per the usual, it was outstanding - not my absolute favorite, but still she never disappoints. It's funny, I've come to expect twists in her books that initially leave me bewildered and dying to know why on earth she would do such a thing. Eventually, though, I get a little space from the book and I can acknowledge her complete and utter brilliance. Seriously. If you've not read her work, you really ought to. This book, however, I spent the bulk of it trying to figure out what twist she was going to put on it (just once, I wanted to be able to say I wasn't completely shocked), only to have it end completely on the side of immediate acceptance. That in itself was shocking, but great book. Unfortunately, the library didn't have any available that I haven't read yet, so I have to pause in my quest for a Jodi P. fix.

I told you I was going to meander off topic. So, here's what I've been up to in my neglectful absence:

• What's the risk? Tips for preventing SIDS
• One of my October awareness articles. 
• 'It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown' airs this Thursday, October 28th  
• This might have already aired, but there are still some good family activity ideas included in the article.
• Family Night: Preserving the memories
• One of my favorite family night articles to date. 
• National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Online safety guidelines for kids
• The final of the October awareness articles. 
• Family Night: Wii tournament
• We've been having a blast teaching Abby to play some of the Wii Sports games. 
• 'Your Baby Can Read': Helpful tool or scam? 
• This article came about after coming across an article on Digg. 
• Laurel Public Library announces Fall Book Sale
• Extremely local, therefore not particularly helpful if you don't live in the area. Crazy amazing prices, though. 
• Keeping your family's skin healthy during a Montana winter
• Considering my hands are already cracking and the weather is doing it's normal Montana-I-can't-decide-what-the-weather-should-be thing, it seemed a handy article to write. 

So I haven't been lazily neglectful, just accidentally. I hope my faithful few are having a delightfully wonderful week!

Raising awareness for Dyslexia

My most recent Examiner article finally fulfills the promise to cover some of the many areas/issues awareness is being raised for this month. One down, two to go, nothing like waiting until the end of the month. However, if you know me at all, you know I am a horrible, horrible procrastinator. There should be consequences for a procrastinator like me, but it seems I do my best work when it gets down to go time. For instance, I think it was my last year of college, we had an entire semester to get the paper done for one of my core classes and I had been "working" on an idea s l o w l y putting the pieces together throughout the semester, when the day before it was due I decided I wanted to shift the focus of the thesis entirely. I'm pretty sure I stayed up all night, got the research done, wrote the paper, and e-mailed it at the last possible second. 100%. See what I mean? That's just not motivation to getting things going earlier.

Talk about diving off topic, though! The latest Examiner piece I have to offer you talks about dyslexia. It gives you a brief overview of what dyslexia means and some of the signs you can look for in your child, but it also connects you to some resources. One website I've found over the course of researching various topics is my new personal go to site for nearly everything. This site is phenomenal - and here's why: This site gives you information if you're a parent researching, it provides information for kids and teens in ways that relate to them. It's completely helpful. The kid sections don't sound as though they're talking down, rather they put it into terms a kid can understand. But to get linked up to this website, you'll have to head over to the article. I know, I'm mean, right? But you'll survive, so let's stop dilly-dallying and get you the link:

• Reading it right: Dyslexia Awareness Month

All things Halloween

Here we are at less than two weeks away from Halloween and I finally decided perhaps it was time that I acknowledged that in my writing. I'm just not a big fan. Even when I was a kid...I remember when I was really small being excited about my costume, but even when I was still in Elementary School, my favorite part of Halloween was being at home, with my mom, handing out the candy to all of the trick-or-treaters. My parents would take out the screen/glass in the screen door and I thought that was complete and utter fabulousness. Then, as I do now, enjoyed seeing what other people would wear, but I could take it or leave it.

Alas, I am far from being in the majority on this one so it seemed intelligent to get some Halloween articles out there. Let me tell you a little bit about the two articles I'll be linking you to today. The first Halloween article I have for you details a list of events offered in the Billings area on the 29th - 31st of this month. In that article you'll also find a list of the various maizes and pumpkin patches in the area.

The second Halloween article I have to offer you talks Halloween safety. I genuinely did not want to put out yet another Halloween safety article, as they are in an abundance right now, so I tried to mix it up a bit. You've got the same ol' safety tips (I'm pretty sure I probably didn't break any new ground), but there are things there that I hadn't necessarily thought of, simply because I am not yet the mother of an older child. I also link you to some safety quizzes in this article. One is specifically for the kids to take and it's pretty awesome. I had my sister take it with her youngest (who is four) and having my sister read to her, but her (my niece) clicking through and choosing her answers worked just fine. Older kids will enjoy it too. I mean, I'm a 29-year-old kid and I enjoyed it. So hopefully I succeeded in bringing something a little different to the table with this piece.

Happy reading and Happy Halloween!

• Halloween activities for Billings families
• Staying safe this Halloween

Family Night: What's your favorite?

This week I posted/published the first in my first ever weekly series. The premise of this weekly feature is centered around providing ideas for family night. Whether the family night occurs on Wednesday night (so designated years ago when "Church Night" got banned out of the school's verbiage - kids are suppose to come home with considerably lighter backpacks on "Family Night." So whether your family rocks a family night during the week or on the weekend, this column is here to provide ideas.

As we know, miss Abby is a fabulous 3-year-old, but she doesn't always stick to a whole game (I've come to the conclusion if we attempt to make it too obviously a learning experience instead of just "fun" she'll bail on us). My sister often comments that she better get on board pretty soon because Bryan and I are BIG fans of playing games. We tend towards card games, but put any kind of game in front of us and we're a happy couple. Should you be invited into our home for dinner, it's almost a guarantee you will be drawn into some kind of game.

For a look at our first set of suggestions, head on over to my Examiner page. But first let's talk about where you come in...I'm sure your family has special activities you've done or do to make the most of your family night. I want to include ideas outside of my own perspective, so if you've got an activity that you'd like to see featured in one of these weekly columns, send 'em my way! You can e-mail me, leave a comment below (or on the article itself), or find me on Facebook.

Family Night: What are your plans?

Enjoy your family!

Just curious, have you found ways to raise awareness for any of the many areas awareness is being raised for this October?

October is a month of raising awareness

Not only is October a month for raising awareness for Down syndrome, but for many others as well. A recent Examiner article of mine explores all the various issues awareness is being raised for during the month of October.

When I got the list I noticed there were some topics I had recently covered. This particular article is my "hub article" so to speak, which provides brief information (in some cases) about that particular subject, links to articles already completed on the topic, or the promise for articles to come. I'm blown away at all the pertinent issues being addressed this autumn month.

To take a peek at all that's happening this month, you'll, of course, be directed over to my Examiner page for all that informative goodness. Be sure to keep checking back throughout the month, or hey, subscribe to my Examiner articles so you can be sure you won't miss a thing.

Learn more about what's happening this month: October is a month of bringing awareness

"The Giving Tree" How much is too much?

For some time now I've been mentally pulling together an article on Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. For certain it is one of my favorite books, but the more I read it, not only as an adult, but as an adult reading it to children, I struggle with the premise of the book.

Recently I began wondering if perhaps I was missing something because surely something that starts off as a pure and beautiful friendship can't morph into this relationship where one friend turns up simply to use the other while this sweet, giving tree is apparently completely oblivious. I thought, "I must be missing something here," but I'm thinking...Not so much.

In all this thinking came the idea to read the book to my wide-ranging-in-ages nieces and nephews and get their immediate feedback on the book. I know the way I view this book has certainly changed as I've aged. Bottom line, when you're a kid, you just don't look that deep into these things. (Thank goodness for that in this instance). From here I'll take you to the actual Examiner article where you'll find out just what the kids had to say about The Giving Tree. We've got a nice variety of ages too; 10, 8 (almost 9), 7, and 4.

At the end of this I think the greatest gift this book has to offer is an opportunity to start a conversation with our children about what it means to be a good friend.

The video I'm attaching is one that I am addicted to. I love the song choices this person added to the slide show, are perfection.

Ginny's Story

I think my heart is breaking bit by bit today. I have been working on developing a website for the Relay for Life team I belong to. It’s not up and running yet, but when it is I’ll post a link and I hope you’ll check it out.

Putting this site together is far more emotionally challenging than I had anticipated when I volunteered to do this for the team. With each story we post and each memory I recall, my heart breaks just a little more. The same question keeps running through my head: "Why isn't there a cure yet?"

In addition to the this site I’ve been slowly pulling together the story of a friend who is in the midst of a four-year battle with cancer. It’s finished and turned into a great demonstration of Ginny’s faith and strength.

Let me tell you why I felt Ginny’s story needed to be shared and I hope you’ll go check it out in its entirety.

Ginny’s story is one that needed to be told if only to be a source of hope and inspiration to not only other families who are going through something similar, but to all of us as we continue to put the daily pieces of our lives together one day at a time. Regardless of what’s happening in Ginny’s life and with her illness, she has maintained her ‘true north’ and that is her faith. It’s easy to believe in something when the going is good, but it’s a true testament to her strength and faith that when the going got rough she held on.Read more

If you like what you read, I ask that you pass on her story to at least one person. I've felt this overwhelming need to share Ginny's story and I'd appreciate your help getting it out there. You can also "Digg" it.

Will you accept the challenge?

My latest Examiner article asks the question: Can you put aside your computer/devices for a day? If not for the whole day, at least when around your children? The article takes a brief look at information compiled in a New York Times article regarding the impact of parents' chronic usage of devices around their children.

So often our society places the spotlight on our youth and their lack of communication skills due to excessive use of all things technological, however, this article takes a much needed look at the other side of the coin. How, as parents, are we supposed to foster an environment of open communication if we can't be bothered to be torn away from our devices? Often times we are just as guilty as our children.

So I hope you'll check out my latest article and let me know if you were up to the challenge.

Vacation Bible School and all that entails...

It's been a few days since my last posting. My life has taken on a sort whirlwind quality in the past week with the kickoff of this year's Vacation Bible School (VBS). I am the Christian Education Director of my church and this is my first year totally running the show. Let me tell you - it is a MASSIVE undertaking.

My sister suggested I do a series of articles on VBS and I sort of brushed it off at the time, I didn't know if it would be appropriate, but I realized her suggestion was one to take and run with. The series begins at planning and set-up then takes us day-by-day through the week. Tomorrow puts us at day two. Not gonna lie, day two went a lot less smoothly than day one.

At last year's VBS I was learning the ropes and one thing I observed was how we always seemed to run over on time. Not sure why, but there just didn't seem to be enough time in the evening. These last two days we've run well ahead of schedule. I shudder to think of what tomorrow is going to look like when our craft activity goes back to being fairly simple to complete. Part of our excessive earliness seems to be related to the cushion I gave the groups in getting from station-to-station, but I'm not willing to give up the time in the schedule. I don't know, I'd rather be ahead of schedule than behind, but what the heck?! Fortunately, our Discovery time leader is outstanding and always has several experiments to share with the kids. And I guess it is nice to not have to sprint through snack time...

So come along and experience the Galactic Blast VBS ride with us.

1. Behind the scenes: Vacation Bible School - getting ready
2. Behind the scenes: Vacation Bible School - day 1
3. Behind the scenes: Vacation Bible School - day 2
4. Behind the scenes: Vacation Bible School - day 3
5. Behind the scenes: Vacation Bible School - final day

Preschool: To send or not to send?

My latest Examiner article is about whether or not to send your child to preschool. This is a conundrum my husband and I find ourselves going back-and-forth on.

On the one hand, she's an only child so the idea of getting her used to being around other children and a teacher in a classroom setting is tempting to us. She's potty trained so she gets to start attending our church's Sunday School Preschool and I'm fascinated to see how she'll do there.

My sister and sister-in-law both took care of preschool for all seven of their collective children at home, nary a one went to preschool. However, I question my abilities in this arena. The times Abby and I have attempted to set out "Designated Preschool Time," have been grand failures. We both lose patience with each other. The last time we tried she got mad that she wasn't actually getting on a bus and going to a school like her cousins - even though I made our goal for the next day 100% clear. Apparently not. By the end of our 30 minute session (if that) she kept putting her head on the table pretending to be asleep. So you can see why I'd be a little concerned about her kindergarten readiness. Not to mention her fondness for pretending she doesn't know things she actually does. i.e. Colors. Don't even get me started.

I think the thing that is my greatest deterrent to actually sending her to preschool is the notion that she has plenty of time to be in school and I have so little time to be with her...Just the two of us. Flip the coin and you've got my biggest fear that she won't be ready for kindergarten if we don't send her. They practically have to be college ready when entering kindergarten these days! I exaggerate, but barely.

I'd love it if you'd check out the article and share your thoughts are on preschool. For the full article, click here.

The Kibbe Series

The Kibbe Family. Thanks again!

Tomorrow my series on the Kibbe family will be all wrapped up. As I've mentioned this is my first attempt at interviewing someone and putting their thoughts into something meaningful. I don't know if this is my forte, but I'm hoping their story can touch people who don't know them as well as those who do.

I'd like to get their story out there beyond the reach of the Examiner, but I'm still trying to figure what outlet would be best. I honestly don't know where to start...While I worry about this story and its basic avoidance of the 'local' aspect, I still felt like this was a story more than worth sharing. I can't imagine the fears and doubts one must feel when learning their child will be born with any kind of condition. Ironically, on the other side of the coin, in discussing the series with my sister-in-law, she noted when they were going through their issues with their first pregnancy years ago, she remembers wishing it could've been something like Down syndrome, which would've meant their baby could've survived. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

I'm excited to publish the final segment - as I told Mary when I sent it to her for approval, I was by far the most nervous sending her that section than any of the others as it was the most subjective. She loved it, and I'm hoping you will too!

On a side - and completely unrelated -  note I have gotten started on my 'book,' (it seems so lofty to say it since it'll definitely take time to bust this out, can we say, 'still in the infant stages!'), but I'm now deliberating over whether or not this should be a chapter book or a series of smaller books. Bum, bum, buuuummmm! Decisions, decisions.

How can I procrastinate, let me count the ways...

Avoidance, avoidance, avoidance! You know that 'serious' writing I want to do? Well, certainly one could say I'm not avoiding when you look at the series I'm doing on the Kibbe family for my Examiner page, but as I'm wrapping that up I am very aware of my brain constantly nagging at me to stop tossing things around in my brain and actually put those ideas on paper - okay computer screen, but you get my point. My brain can be quite sassy, by the way.

What am I avoiding you ask? I want to write a book. Am I living in crazy dream land thinking I could write a book? Are my goals too lofty thinking someone would want to publish said book? (You know if I ever actually focused enough to take my thoughts and put them to work). Ah, so meanwhile, I'm working on honing my craft, writing for the Examiner pondering my next move into different publications - no I still haven't submitted those darn children's stories/poems for the children's magazine publication. Don't say it! My brain is already yelling! I'm thinking I'm operating under a fear of rejection at this point. Life is pretty grand in writing for the Examiner, not lucrative mind you, but no one is approving my articles - I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. Certainly there are guidelines we have to follow, but they're not exactly restrictive. One might even say that this blog is yet another avenue for me to explore in procrastinating, but eh, I figure any time I spend writing is beneficial...Woo! Let me go crack open a window it's getting awfully thick in here.

I know it'll come, I've just got to let myself go to it and accept that it's going to take patience (something I seem to be in short supply of) as this book becomes a reality. Maybe no one will ever read it, but I owe it to myself to try. That's the premise of this blog, right? To follow my dream. That patience I need? I need to remind myself that this isn't one of my posts, articles, random writings that I can "whip out in ten minutes," as my sister is fond of saying. It's going to take time - time, re-writes, and, you guessed it, patience. Oh, and I suppose it would behoove me to shelve my procrastinator-type tendencies for a spell. That's a lifetime of training I'm trying to push away, good luck to me. Maybe my oldest nephew can be my motivation, the sheer excitement he has when we talk about this is infectious. So, here it is - I'm putting it out there: Goal 1: I will determine a pace that is legitimate and begin writing the opening tomorrow (how does one know how many pages per day is too little, too much...). I'll get back to you on where to go from here. Deep breath and GO!