Going to visit the Easter Bunny

This year we took the trip over to the park and rec's Easter Village to meet the Easter Bunny with R.J, Dani and KK.

Jonathan's and Katrina's FIRST visit to the Easter Bunny. I think I speak for both Matt and myself when I say that I feel like we dropped the ball A TINY bit, in that it was the first visit for both of them at ages 4 & nearly 2.
Although, part of me is happy we kept the "commercialism" out of the holiday for as long as we were able to. It seems that over the last few years, since Jonathan was born really, that we (our entire families included), have gone a bit crazy over these kids on the holidays, so it is incredible ironic that they take the first trip to see the commercialized part of the holiday in the same year that Matt and I decide to start scaling it down.
We don't want to take the joy out, or the fun out, our make our kids MISS anything, we just want them to appreciate what they have and how hard we have to work to provide it for them.

We MUST rest

I am STILL not giving up on the nap-time for Jonathan. I feel he STILL needs AT LEAST 20-45 minutes to close his eyes and rest DAILY. BUT, ALAS, it is ALWAYS a fight I do NOT want to have... And so, I give him a few books put him in bed and tell him he MUST lie down, read and TRY to rest.
He seems to ONLY fall asleep on Karate days...
Can you guess what today was?

He happened to be napping inside one of our pillow-cases. Not quite sure how that happened.

My little helper

Trina and I spent the day being lazy and making treats.
FIRST up, Rice Crispy Treats - Usually a strange big fail for me. I don't know how I can continually fail and merely melting butter with marshmallow and then mixing with cereal, but I manage. When ever its easy, its usually not going to work out in this house. We PREFER things to be difficult.

NEXT, we moved on to making frozen yogurt bites. Also super easy!

You just squeeze some yogurt out of these fancy Pampered Chef Decorator Bottles, pop them in the freezer and PRESTO... Yogurt bites!

Easter hostess gifts...

CAN YOU BELIEVE we couldn't find flowers ANYWHERE? My finished product looks pathetic compared to the picture I found online.

We added some hand-made bunny cookies, thinking that way the grandmothers could share the centerpieces with the grandfathers! LOL!

The best part is the little guy holding it!

EGG-cellent

making these WEDNESDAY.

TWO weeks to a happyIER home....

• Clear expectations


Not JUST for your kids, but also your partner AND yourself. If you physically, even mentally prepare a list of what you expect AND share it, you are LESS likely to be disappointed. ALL people WANT to please.... You just need to tell them how!
Tell them what the day ahead will hold.
Tell them how they can help you achieve your goals.
Consistently remind the little ones of whats next, (9 days till vacation, 8 days until vacation, 7 days until vacation...etc)



• Have words to live by

You cannot have everything, JUST because you want it.
Keep your sister close.
You are not the only person in the world.
Be kind and respectful to everyone, even if you do not think they deserve it.
Do not cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
Try new things, and do not be afraid to fail.
Together we will take ONE day at a time, and that day with patience.



• Encourage Friendships

Everyone needs someone to lean on, to have fun with and to explore the world with. As much as I would like to be the one my children and husband lean on, have fun with and explore the world with, I know this cannot be me ALL the time.



• Embrace music

Sing with your children until your voice is lost, then hum the words until your face is numb, and then, just when you think all the music has left your body - take out a pan and a spoon and play...
Children learn through music. Children thrive with music. Music makes EVERYONE happy.




• Allow for freedom

Give your children space to care for themselves and each other in a way that they are able. It's the old tale "Teach a man to fish", small successes today will lead to larger ones down he road.




• Look out for others

We are never too young or too old to give. Give our hearts, our time or our material things. I struggle with this one. I want to strive to give more of myself, my time and my thongs to those who clearly need it.




• Be a model of happiness

Happiness is contagious AND it MUST be learned... The quickest way to get rid of a grumpy child is through happiness and laughter.




• Be a model of Love

Love is freely given, BUT even children need to learn how to express it. They will learn by example. Show them love, show them happiness and show them what a positive, healthy relationship looks like (be it a marriage or a friendship).




• Be grateful

Make a habit of naming a few things you are grateful for everyday, ask your children too..We have A LOT more than many, and our children should be aware of this.




• Be HEALTHY

Do not be afraid to turn off the television, the computer, heck THE PHONE.
Eat your vegetables, AND your fruits, and your meats and grains too.
Exercise together, alone... anyway anytime... Strive to be a model of health. This will help you live better, feel better and be better --- and you will set expectations for your child in the future.




• Enjoy silence

In a world FULL of chaos and noise and constant STUFF. Take a moment or two just to sit with your children, embrace them, or lie and stare up at the heavens. When you kiss your husband good night, hold on one extra second.




• Celebrate

ANYTHING and everything! The first tooth, the potty use, a GREAT run, warm cinnabuns... Show your child, there is beauty in everything.




• Display organization

Model the value of being organized. Showing children what the schedule for the day, week, month -- teaches the value of time and that in order to DO things, we need to have organization in our lives.
Have a place for everything, and show that in order to have things, use things and find things we need to be organized and know where they are.




• FOCUS on your marriage

ALL relationships are hard and require work, show your children AND your spouse that your marriage is worth working for. Modeling positive relationships will teach your child how to have a positive relationship, create for happy children AND a healthy life... Pretty much WIN, WIN & WIN!

What's Happening in April

• Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Frog month
• Jazz Appreciation Month
• Garden Month
• Kite Month
• Poetry Month
• Soy Month

1. Holy Thursday/All Fool’s Day /Fun Day /Poetry Day
2. Good Friday /Children’s Book Day
3. Pony Express Day
4. Easter /Golden Rule Week /Ocean Week
5. 
   
6. 
   
7. Day of Hope
8. D.A.R.E. Day
9. 
   
10. Sibling Day
11. Barbershop Quartet Day /Karaoke Week
12. Licorice Day
13. Thomas Jefferson Day
14. Lawyer’s Day
15. 
    
16. High Five Day/ Pajama Day
17. Blah Day
18. Trivia Day /National Park Week/Coin week
19. 
    
20. 
    
21. Kindergarten Day
22. Earth Day
23. Jelly Bean Day
24. Talk Like Shakespeare Day
25. Arbor Day/Astronomy Day /Smell Day
26. Pie week /Playground safety week
27. Morse Code Day
28. 
    
29. Dance Day
30. Honesty Day