An Egyptian excavation

Although I have a very small budget for my three youngest children to participate in extracurricular activities and purchase all the latest gadgets and learning materials, I still make a concerted effort to incorporate a wide variety of experiences into their daily lives. We enjoy watching Animal Planet together and learning little-known facts about wildlife and we spend a lot of time watching PBS, reading books, researching topics on the Internet and anything else I can think of.

I always look for cost-effective and interesting ways to keep this going. My son receives Lego and Boy Scout magazines in the mail as well as a National Geographic (I think that’s the one) magazine about animals. My youngest daughter, 4, gets National Geographic’s little kids Discovery books that feature a different animal each month along with hand/eye coordination activities, information/fact cards about other animals and learning games. One of the things I really enjoy with the children is the Little Passports packet that my middle daughter Amareah receives.

When Amareah was about 4 years old (she’s 7 now) she showed interest in other countries and cultures. It started with International Day at head start when they learned about China. It was something about the Chinese culture that stuck with her. About a year later when we went to a Disney on Ice show Mickey and Minnie skated out and perched under a cherry blossom tree with their kimonos on while Minnie twirled a parasol, and Amareah pointed and said to me, “That’s from China.”

That’s why when I learned about Little Passports, I just had to order it for her. It’s a global adventure for kids that includes monthly packages containing stickers, letters, souvenirs, photos and much more. The first package came with a travel suitcase, an introductory letter from Sam and Sofia, a world map, travel passport, stickers, activity sheet and access to online games via the boarding passes (which, by the way, I keep forgetting about).

I’ve put Amareah’s map on the wall in her room and every time she receives a package we take the enclosed sticker push pin and place it on the map. Then we review the other places she’s “visited.” I’d also like to be able to add real push pins for states she’s actually travelled to.

 

Her most recent package was about Egypt and I think Amareah had the most fun with it. There was a clay pyramid that contained a little pharaoh, which had to be excavated using little tools. Before they began chipping away at it I read the letter to Amareah and her sister explaining different details as I read.

 

 

They were excited to begin:

 

It took the girls at least 20 minutes to see the little metal piece peeking through.

More than an hour later they were finally making progress. They were so tired from chipping away at it that they were laying their heads on their arms. I tried to get them to take a break, but they refused and continued with their mission from their prone positions!       

They got this far and couldn’t get the piece out so the excavation leader (i.e., me – super mom!) came to the rescue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things I liked – and didn’t like – about this project was the amount of dust. I was sitting nearby and I could feel the dust going up my nose and covering my skin. The girls were so dusty that it looked like they had actually been in the dessert. I explained to them that what they did was very similar to what actually happens when archeologists are exploring ruins, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The excavation team:

I am very pleased with Amareah’s monthly packages and the information she is learning about different countries and cultures. It’s also good that her siblings – and myself! – benefit from it as well. Do you have something you do to open up the world to your kids? Or something that explores their interests? Please tell me about it in the comments.

Disclosure: This IS NOT a paid post or a sponsored review. I purchased a Little Passports’ subscription for my daughter and thought you’d like to read about it. You can review my complete disclosure policy.

Autism supplements

Many people believe that Autism can be cured and/or greatly assisted by changes in diet, nutritional supplements and, overall, more natural remedies. Now there are physician designed and approved  supplements for autism available to the public and they are touted as safe and effective.

The available Autism supplements are formulated to help counter the adverse effects of poor eating habits and other nutritional challenges related to autism. And these prove very effective for autistic children who are very selective about what they consume.

If you are looking for vitamins that are tested and approved by medical professionals then it behooves you to take a good look at these supplements.

What’s the problem? (Co-)Parenting, health

This post is part vent, part update and part health and weight loss journal. Please be patient with my vent. Thanks for reading.

In the middle of thinking about how I was going to vent this without going on a tangent for 500 words, I came to the conclusion that I don’t have to recant the story I just have to get my point across. So here’s my point:

As a single parent of four children I work really hard to make sure they're well cared for, have everything they need including food, clothing, etc., and are happy. When someone implies that I am not doing it I take it as a personal attack and the words echo through my head like the voice of a pestering ghost.

I tried talking to my ex-husband about the way my 7-year-old daughter wants to wear her hair. It was basically just a courtesy because the fact is I don’t need his permission to allow her to choose dreadlocks. Instead of staying on topic he said ‘there’s no reason the children should have holes in their shoes, be messy or stink.’ That was in response to me telling him that my daughter – and he doesn’t know both of them have – expressed concern about how their hair looks when they come from his house and go to school on Monday mornings. The two Mondays out of the month that he has them.

The hair situation- not to mention their extreme exhaustion - is so bad that my youngest daughter’s teacher comments on it every other Monday like clockwork. She says she can tell when they were with him by the way my daughter is dressed, how her hair looks and how tired she is.

So my response to him was ‘are you comparing how they look after coming from school, going to the afterschool program and playing all afternoon as opposed to how they look in the morning.’ In the past I always sent the children in play clothes and shoes, especially during the summer, because he would either not send the items back, he would allow them to tear them up or they would disappear. A small hole in a worn-out play shoe is not cause for concern, alarm or criticism.

My two middle children are pre-adolescent and their body odors are changing. When they come in from playing I send them right to the bath because they smell like outdoors and sweat. And it’s getting worse. So what? No big deal.

Instead of keeping on topic about my daughter’s hair, which is ultimately my decision anyway he had to start pointing fingers with inadequate information and incorrect assumptions. Since we’re making a list you know I have a list of my own, right? But I do not say anything about it because no one is perfect and no one knows the entire story. I don’t put out his inconsistencies, lack of attention to detail, lazy parenting, jacked up way of keeping their hair (all of them!) or anything else. I may vent to my friends or roll my eyes in disgust.

This time I only brought up the conversation because my daughter asked me to. But, once again, talking to him proved useless. I cant discuss anything with him because it ALWAYS (Yes, gigantic generalization) ends up being a waste of my time and energy.

That was a long point, wasn’t it?

Given my health issues (yea, I’m moving on to my health update), an unnecessary argument and the lack of resolution for what the conversation is really about is draining. Yesterday, when this happened I was so exhausted. I’m planning my daughter’s 7th birthday celebration, I had a veeeeeryyyy long doctor’s appointment yesterday, two of the children have honors programs this week on different days and all of this on top of everything else that is required to maintain a household and family.

So much for trying to stay stress free – doctor’s orders.

Overall, my doctor’s appointment – with the hematology clinic –  went well. I believe I mentioned that I had an excruciating headache(s) for more than a week. It began with a migraine on the left side of my head and radiated across my forehead and into my temples. It came along with nausea, weakness and additional aches and pains. My PA said it’s probably due to my Sjogren’s, which causes extreme dryness and it can effect my sinuses resulting in headaches. But, she added, it’s difficult to tell because there are so many things going on in my body. Between medication side affects and illness symptoms… well, you get the point.

The multiple myeloma is stable and I do not have to do anything additional or go through any treatment as of yet. I need to take my iron and other supplements on a regular basis because of anemia and deficiencies, which can result when something is attacking your system. I had an extremely difficult time taking meds while sick with headaches. She also gave me a plan as far as headaches to try nip headaches in the bud quickly as well as getting sinus films and migraine prescription through my primary team (I really don’t like that team!).

Health wise I am so so so so so sooooooo happy that the headaches have mostly subsided. (Did you notice I didn’t talk about my weight? Ugh, we’ll just leave that for another time.)

Well, now that you’re all caught up, what’s new with you? :-)

Get a fresh, new web design

It seems like a lot of bloggers have decided to revamp their blogs’ designs or content… must be a New Year’s trend. I’m actually going to do the same thing. How many are doing the same thing? Are you using a designer who works especially with blogs or a specialized company like utah web design?

When your child notices the world

When you have an infant you’re amazed at their growth and progress. You marvel at how they will follow a bright object or get startled by a new sound. You laugh when they giggle and they giggle ‘cause you laughed. The world opens up all over again when you have a child.

As they grow your toddler will find a bug you’ve never seen or show you something at ground level you’ve forgotten, your pre-schooler excites you when they learn something new and going to school opens up and entirely bright, new, exciting existence.

It’s when their little brains start to process information, notice other things in the world besides themselves and then put it all together that life gets extremely interesting. When that processing starts (and in all stages of it) children turn to us – their parents – to fill in the blanks.

When my oldest child, now 20, was a little girl I remember her asking me a lot of questions. Now I wish I had written down all of the answers because I had no idea I would have to provide the answers to the same questions… and many, many more.

For instance, today my son said to me that he thought his three cousins having three different fathers was “weird.” “Why is that weird,” I said, “you probably know other people like that.”

He pondered that for a moment because it just didn’t make sense. I said, “Well, you and your siblings have all different mothers.”

The arch in his eyebrow and his unwavering gaze asked for more. I explained how is older brother, he and his two sisters as well as his younger brother have three different mothers. He thought about it a moment then asked something like “how does that happen.”

“Your dad was with* three different mommies.” (*I sure did stumble over that phrase. I couldn’t decide between “was with,” “had” and “knew.” LOL)

“He was married to all three?”

No, yes and I don’t know, is he? Was my answer. (BTW: He is married to the last one’s mother, but I guess I’m not supposed to know.)

“Well, what was he and [my big brother’s] mom?”

“Girlfriend and boyfriend, I guess.”

“You can’t stay together if you’re girlfriend and boyfriend?”

“Well, you can, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out. That’s why it’s normally best not to have any children unless you’re married ‘cause it gets complicated.”

“What’s complicated?”

“Difficult… hard… sometimes it can be hard, can’t it?”

My son nodded yes and put his head back down to continue his homework.

That’s right up with the time he asked me why I didn’t have anymore milk for babies and why I don’t want anymore babies. Or the other day when he asked if I was getting old ‘cause I’d been really sick and was having trouble moving around and talking. Then there was the time he and his sisters asked why their big sister doesn’t have the same last name as they do; following it up with a “why?” – of course.

If my brain wasn’t so tired I probably could come up with many more instances (most of which have happened recently!), but I think you get my point. As parents we really do have to be on our A game all the time ‘cause you never know when you’re going to be called to play.

What is the most difficult and embarrassing question your child(ren) has asked recently? Do you find it hard or uncomfortable to discuss the more serious topics?

I always try to give my children age-appropriate and factual information regardless of whether it’s uncomfortable or embarrassing for me. There isn’t anyway I can redo the past or keep them from growing up so they can hopefully learn from my experiences as well as the answers I give them.

Now, go out and notice the world with them.  

It rained on my high expectations

I began writing this post about three or four days ago, I don’t really remember. It explains why I haven’t been around here over the past eight days or so.

There have been quite a few articles and posts written about how everyone is doing with their New Year resolutions – what I like to call commitments. There are tips on how to stick to your goals by choosing someone to be accountable to, ensuring you put them in writing and other similar advice. What I haven’t seen yet is what to do when your plans and goals are thwarted by elements you can’t control.

Last week, the first week of the year, I was so gung-ho to get started and forge ahead on the steps to accomplish my commitments. On Monday, the 2nd, the children were still home from school so I spent a portion of that time getting organized and looking forward to Tuesday, which for me was the first official day of the year. Tuesday I worked some on my book proposal and a couple of other things I can’t remember and by that end of the day I was attacked with a headache that turned into a migraine. I haven't been good for anything since then because between headaches, body aches, weakness and exhaustion I haven't gotten anything done. That’s been a little more than a week ago and I’m beginning to get a little discouraged.

What’s one to do when sickness, or other things you can’t control, gets in the way? What makes it doubly frustrating for me is the fact when  my everyday ailments aren’t flaring up I try to make the best use of my time  and  get tasks accomplished. My ailments, for the most part, are behaving and I’m wracked with headaches, weakness, dizziness, aches, decreased appetite, tummy aches, stabbing sinus pain and exhaustion so intense that I am dozing while I type this. Exhaustion is there even though I’ve napped everyday, more than once a day, for the past week.

TODAY

A little update on this most recent health snafu: I have been giving some medicine for the headaches, which have not gone away but are kept at bay by the drugs. I am expecting and hoping to find a reason why the headaches started and won’t stop really soon.

Thanks for continuing to come around and check on me. I really appreciate it. You’ll hear from me soon!

If you’re not familiar with my “health story” you can read of an older post that should include some links if you’re interested in digging and reading a little further.

Please don’t wear your pajamas

For the past four years I’ve had at least one child in the head start program. When the current school year started in August the county head start program opened at a new location and combined a couple of the locations. One of the things I noticed right away was the number of parents wearing pajamas as they dropped their kids off at school.

Taking a child to head start is not the same as dropping them of at school. We can’t just drive up to the front of the building and let the children out, we have to park, walk inside, sign them in and then leave. Normally, I’m dressed casually in low heels, shorts, jeans, tanks, shirts as well as the occasional pair of slacks and three-inch heeled clogs. And, on more than one occasion, I have felt overdressed.

I’ve seen parents dropping their children off in complete pajama wear – from the tank or t-shirt to the pants and slippers. Don’t even mention slippers ‘cause that seems to be the footwear of choice around these parts. I’ll never understand that. I have had full view of panties because of the thinness of pajama pants, I’ve seen the underside of pregnant bellies, I’ve been a bit horrified by the big-tittied women with NO bra and the woman who wears a shower cap (maybe she thinks it’s a sleep bonnet). There are all banner of scarves (and not the stylish, keep-you-warm kind) and what not that make me just shake my head.

What puts the icing on the cake, in my opinion, is the memo that went out to parents yesterday afternoon. The subject: “Special Concerns: Parent Dress Code.”

Here is what it said, “… Program strives to uphold professional environment at all times. Dress code is one of the areas that we ensure that our staff, parents and volunteers plays a vital role as role models for the children that we serve. Effective January 3, 2012, we will no longer tolerate parents wearing clothing’s such as pajamas, house coats, house shoes etc. to drop-off and pick up their children during school hours. Any parent observed with inappropriate clothing will be asked to leave with the child and can return with proper clothing. …”

(I’m not even going to talk about the grammatical nature of that paragraph. LOL)

I told Anna’s teacher (and the teachers who taught Andre and Amareah in previous years) that I’m not taking that memo. I’m offended. Of course, I was laughing when I said it. I am one of the parents who has never worn “bed clothes” to the school and it’s ridiculous that a memo involving that subject had to go out. As I sit here typing this I recall sending a text message to an old head start parent during one of the meetings telling her about the parent committee secretary who had on slippers one day. During the meeting. And stood to read the minutes.

I’m sure there have been times when my jeans are a little tight, shorts a little too short or a bit too much cleavage is peeking out. Not to mention the days when my hair looks like I was caught in a wind tunnel. But… seriously? Pajamas?

How hard is it to throw on a pair of jeans and slip your feet into some flip flops? Yes, you may be tired, running late or any combination of the above – and most of us understand that – but … well, what else is there to say?

What’s the worse or most inappropriate “outfit” you’ve worn out or seen on someone else? What do you think about the head start director having to distribute a memo on that subject?

Where do you get your tire covers?

Have you ever pulled up behind another vehicle that has a spare tire on the back and seen one of those cute spare tire covers? You know the ones I’m talking about, right? I’ve seen them while out running errands and have wondered where people find covers with popular logos, smiley faces or common phrases. But they seem easy to get when you find a reputable place that has what you’re looking for and 4WD.com is just the site to surf for a vast assortment of Jeep tire covers.

Whether you are looking for a solid, professional or standard wheel cover or one with a fun, playful logo, 4WD.com has you covered. They carry a cover for every dimension of tire including from wheel size 26.5 to 37-inch tires. You will also find covers in a variety of  colors including black, tan, charcoal, khaki, gray and spice as well as in the material(denim, vinyl or fabric) that suits your needs and style.

If you’re in the market for tire covers then I’m sure you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for when you visit this site. It’s easy to navigate with categories clearly listed and includes clear photos as well as sufficient descriptions so you know exactly what you’re getting. And, for the layperson like me, you’ll discover that the tire cover is for more than just esthetics; it’s to protect your spare from the elements so that when it is time to use it it will be ready and in prime condition.

The quality of tire covers available is ideal for the diehard “care for your car” enthusiast and the person who just wants their vehicle to look nice. Whatever your reasons you’ll find the ideal tire cover for you.

Is your tire cover plain or colorful to represent your personal style?

What do you think of my book idea?

I’m in the process of reviewing the book “How to write a book proposal” by Michael Larsen. Although I have a couple other books in my personal library on the subject I took on this book because it’s actually something I’m in the process of doing and it doesn’t hurt to read and learn as much as possible about the topic.

One of my commitments (what you may call resolutions) this year is to finish my nonfiction book proposal and a minimum of three chapters of the book. While reading the book I discovered a few ideas to try out and see if 1) I have a good idea and 2) if the suggestions in the book work. So over the course of reading the book and working on the proposal you can expect to hear a lot about what’s going on.

The first idea I’m trying? Test the idea on your network. I figure what better group of people to ask than people who read my stuff anyway. So, here it goes, you’re my first “test subjects.” (Don’t you feel honored?! LOL)

Given my slightly suspicious nature I don’t think I’m going to give you a specific title just yet. My book is a how to guide on establishing and maintaining a strong, healthy relationship with your daughter. The plan to write one specifically geared towards relationships with sons is brewing in the back of my brain.

I came up with the idea years ago when my oldest daughter was about 13 years old, but prior to that age different people would comment on how close we were and that it would change when she became a teenager. I refuse to buy into that. I believe a relationship – any relationship – is what you make it. When I was pregnant with my third child, my normally talkative, momma’s girl started withdrawing. She would go into her room and close her door after school instead of leaving it open like she used to. She was moody, easily rubbed the wrong way and I felt like I had to walk around on eggshells with her.

One day, as I stood outside of her bedroom door feeling apprehensive to open the door, I had an “ah ha” moment: I was feeling scared. Scared! Of my own child. Then I realized the problem. As parents – and as individuals in general – we fear change. A child who is growing into a young adult and trying to find themselves is in the midst of change; what we don’t realize is we have to change with them.

Parenting children doesn’t come with a manual, but it does take trial and error. That day, I made a decision. I cheerily bombarded my daughter everyday after school by asking her questions, listening to her talk, finding out about homework and friends – it was rather exhausting, but… and here’s the important part… whatever she was going through eased up a little and I was right there waiting for my baby.

Sure she had changed, but I changed a little with her as well as kept my own parenting style. When Amber hears me tell other parents about me pushing myself on her she’ll chime in by saying, “Yea, I hated every minute of it, but I’m glad she did it.”

Imagine that! Pushing myself on my daughter worked. I didn’t give her attitude about her piss-poor attitude, I didn’t ask her, “What’s wrong with you!” and I didn’t accuse her, alienate her or show that her loved her any differently.

Does that make me an expert? Well, yea, in a way. You know why? Because it worked and it’ll continue to work with the children I have. Now I can tell other parents how to do it along with input from Amber to make it the perfect how-to guide for mothers and daughters.

So, I have a couple of questions for you:

1. What do you think of my book idea?
2. Have you had an experience like this with your children?
3. Do you have advice or warnings for others?
4. And, if so, would you like to be featured in my book?

I can’t wait to read your comments. I really look forward to your input and opinions.

Browsergame-World.de

I am always surprised to find out how many people enjoy playing games online, and it never dawned on me that there are gaming sites in different languages. At Browsergame-world.de German-speaking gamers will find Browsergames in German. How cool is that?

Even though I don’t understand German, I checked the site out and found it to be cleanly designed. It also appeared easy to use.

Let me know if you check it out.