A Little Vlog Hello

Here’s just a quick hello from us to you!  Hope you have a great weekend!

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I Love Daddy

“I love Daddy”

“I love Daddy”

“Yes,  I do”

“Yes, I do”

“I just want to tell you”

“I just want to tell you”

“I love you!”

“I love you!”

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A Healthy 4 Year Old!

As I mentioned in my Snow post earlier…today was Ella’s 4 year old check- up at the Doctor and I couldn’t be more proud of her!

What a long way she’s come since her 3 year check- up.  Confident and a huge personality!  This year she didn’t need me to hold her hand as we walked down the hall to get measured and weighed.  She didn’t need me to hold her hand while she was on the examination table.  She didn’t even need me to stand near her while the doctor looked her over…just sitting beside her in the chair was fine with her.

Dr. S said she was doing great!  No problems and she’s even ahead of schedule on some development.  GREAT news!

I was so proud of my big 4 year old and very thankful for how healthy she is.  God is good!

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Yet Another Snowfall…

Well, the snow has stopped falling and has left yet another 3 or 4 inches to our yard.  I’m really starting to think that Winter will never end, but I’m going to go by the Calendar and know that it really will end soon!

Brian was home yesterday thanks to our good ol’ Presidents!  It’s always great to have him here all day and into the evening. We get to  enjoy having dinner together and doing bedtimes together.  He ended up sneaking out during nap time and make a huge igloo and tunnel for the kids to play in.  They LOVED it!  I’ll post some pics on it later…but here’s a sneak peek!

I’m down two daycare kids today and it’s kinda quiet.  I let my sweet hubby sleep in since he’s been so kind to let me sleep in whenever possible.  Andrew seems to get up at 7am no matter what day it is!  I guess it could be worse!

Ella has her big 4 year old check up today!  She’s so excited and feels so big!  I’m so glad she’s gotten over a lot of her shyness in the past year.  I really attribute that to going to Preschool.  We just love it there as much as she does!  The amount of growth she’s had since September is AMAZING!

Time to clean up breakfast and get ready for the doctor.  Be back later with an awesome giveaway from GREEN company EcoStore USA!

Have a great day!

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It’s Valentine’s Day!

It’s Valentine’s Day!
I love that it fell on a long weekend this year!  My husband was off on Friday and will be on Monday as well.  We went out on Friday night to a great Italian Restaurant and to a local Pub afterward.   We stayed out too late and laughed really hard.  It was great to be out and re-connect – just the two of us.

Too often during a normal day, we get interrupted while having a conversation by little ones who need a drink, have to potty, or just want to be hugged.  It’s nice that we were able to just be US for a little while.

So, in honor of my love to my Valentine, I’m going to share a few pictures from our Wedding – almost 6 years ago now.  It was the start of our married life together and the start of a beautiful family. Enjoy!

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FEATURE FRIDAY – Helping Your Child Become Heathly & Fit

What causes children to be overweight?

Just like adults, children are overweight when they eat more calories than they burn through physical activity (in play and exercise). The CDC recommends that children get 60 minutes of activity each day to maintain good health. This is easy to explain, but hard to change because there are so many factors involved. Foods like fruits and vegetables may be more expensive or unavailable in certain communities. Safe spaces for children to play outside the home may be hard to find due to traffic or crime. Some communities have few affordable healthy lifestyle programs for families and children.

What can we do about it?

Teaching children about healthy eating and physical activity is necessary and we need to do it right away. We also need to make changes in schools and daycare settings, places where children spend a lot of time and where there is a great opportunity to promote a healthy diet and offer plenty of activity. By planting the seed of positive lifestyle behaviors at an early age, children will benefit with a lifetime of health and wellness. If children develop sound movement skills early, they improve their self-esteem and are more likely to practice healthful activities as adults.

This is where KID-FIT can help!

KID-FIT is a licensed curriculum that teaches children ages two through five the basics of healthy lifestyle habits. Through an age-appropriate physical fitness class, KID-FIT teaches sports skills, gymnastics, dance, rhythm and creative movement while enhancing muscular strength, endurance, heart health and flexibility. KID-FIT was founded by Michele Silence in Duarte, CA beginning in 1994. With little available in the form of preschool fitness programs and inadequacies in those that did exist, Michele decided to use her expertise to help children start developing healthy lifestyles from the start. This same year, KID-FIT classes began in the preschool where Michele’s child was enrolled. By 1998 KID-FIT was serving over a thousand children in Southern California, and the first instructor training program was designed and implemented. KID-FIT is now taught throughout the United States, as well as eleven different countries.

Children use fun equipment like scarves, bean bags, hoops and balls while learning about different parts of their bodies. At the end of one year, children will have learned a clear set of goals for each body system in addition to the importance of daily exercise and eating healthy.

More importantly, KID-FIT kids associate exercise with fun. This is an exciting first step to helping children enjoy long and healthy lives while decreasing their risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Why is KID-FIT different?

The educational component sets KID-FIT apart from other movement classes. Although other programs may mention that nutrition or teaching about the body is included, they have no set educational goals to meet yearly. KID-FIT has clear educational goals for each session throughout the entire year. Children are taught, through fun games and repetition, all about their bodies, organ systems, how to take care of them and why. Nutrition is a part of every class as are materials that reach into children’s homes such as newsletters, handouts, coloring sheets, recipes, class projects and more. In addition, parents receive detailed information at the start of each new session.

No other program produces these new, fresh materials each 6 weeks that involve parents and reflect what is currently going on in the world. Education is core to the KID-FIT program.

Lannette Wolford is a fitness professional, physical educator and mother. She considers herself a warrior in the battle of obesity. Lannette received her physical education degree from DePaul University and is nationally certified by the American Council on Exercise for Personal Training, the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America for Group Exercise, and the American Heart Association in First Aid and and Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED. She also holds several specialty certifications in the fitness and nutrition arena.

For more information about KID-FIT, please contact our local Chicago area representative Lannette Wolford at Lannette@kidfitchicago.com or visit the website www.kidfitchicago.com.

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Real Boys Wear Purple

Real boys wear purple.

Yes, I put girl’s purple snowman pajamas on my little boy, Andrew, last night.

Remember my New Year’s plan to do less in the New Year? Well, I had not done laundry in over a week – we had better things to do like building forts to play in, eating play food and going to the mall to the indoor play area during the weekend.   No time for things like laundry!

So, when I went to get out some clean clothes for bedtime last night, the  only jammies left in Andrew’s drawer were fleece ones.  He never seems to sleep well when he has those on,  and since I really needed a good night’s sleep since Ella kept me up the night before with bad dreams, an asleep leg, being too hot, being too cold and so on, I just stuck some of his sister’s older jammies on him and called it a night.

He and I slept just fine and he had no idea he had on girl’s jammies until his dad told him in the morning!  (I still don’t think he knew though!)

I had to let him redeem himself by wearing an red football sweatshirt and sweatpants.  Classic “boy wear” PLUS he got a haircut today, so he really  looks all boy now. HaHa!

Andrew will be back to wearing his own jammies tonight.  I did the mountain of laundry last night into today.  Thank goodness…I wouldn’t want him (or his dad!) to get a complex!

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FEATURE FRIDAY – WANT A POLISHED PRE-SCHOOLER? It starts with you!

Lately I have been wondering what’s happened to the days when people always held doors for others and saying thank you in any form was routine, not something for special occasions.

Teaching our two-year-old son Eric manners has been important to me and my husband Ric since Eric learned to talk and say “I want thaaaaat!” It doesn’t take long for a toddler to soak up social graces like saying “please“ and “excuse me,“ and Eric is pretty good at remembering them unless there’s a major crisis, like someone grabbing away one of his 100 dinosaurs while he’s playing with it.

Recently Eric and I were walking into one of our favorite places, our local library. Eric was making his way toward the return slot, when two adults walking toward us nearly trampled him because they were talking and not watching where they were going. Eric said, “excuse me” (loudly) as they were walking toward him, and they didn’t even look at him. Once they realized he was underfoot, they just looked away and kept walking. I was amazed by the fact that a two-year old child could have better manners than two adults. I know he’s only two, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be treated with respect.

My kids, both grown and not yet grown, will tell you I am a stickler for sending “thank you” notes, something I inherited from my mother. And I think when one is invited to a party or gathering, she should R.S.V.P. Of course, I know a toddler is not capable of these acts of etiquette, but isn’t it our job as mothers and fathers to lay the groundwork by teaching them the simplest manners now, and building on them?

Any mom will tell you pre-schoolers are like parrots. They mimic most everything we do, good and, unfortunately, bad. So make sure please, thank you, and excuse me are a big part of your own vocabulary.

I find the age appropriate emails I receive from www.babycenter.com to be helpful at times, and I am sharing some of the site’s tips for bringing up polite children. Yes, our kids will need a little reminding, but won’t it make you proud when you hear them say “thank you” on their own or, as they get older, open a door for another person?

From WWW.BABYCENTER.COM‘s Preschool Bulletin:

Your child is definitely old enough to learn — and practice — some of the social graces. Some tips on how to help:

· Start with “please” and “thank you.” If she hasn’t picked up these words naturally, make sure she hears you using them: “Will you please come here?” Don’t be afraid to prompt: “Can you say thank you?” Repetition will make these words a habit.

· Be kind yourself. Modeling consideration of others will show her the ropes. Let her hear you say, “How are you?” and “Excuse me.”

· Connect actions to consequences. Help your child see that a gift of flowers can cheer someone up, or that hitting or making mean comments makes the other person sad.

· Cut your child some slack when she’s ill. Or tired.

- Sheila

Sheila Gray Robinson has it all as a TV morning news anchor and mother of four.  Sheila is a native of Sidney, Ohio and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ohio University in three years.  She enjoys serving on the board of the Make A Wish Foundation.  Sheila can be seen on TV in Cincinnati or trying to be Supermom in Northern Kentucky.  She and her husband Ric have four children, Kasey, Kari, Katie and Eric.

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Hear Ye, Hear Ye…The Princess Tea Was A Success!

This weekend, my baby girl turned 4.  I can hardly believe it!  She was just a baby last year…

And look at her this year.

How is it even possible that this is the same child? She has those same little dimples but she looks so grown up!  A big preschooler who loves dogs and puppies more than you could ever imagine and an amazing big sister to her little brother – who I might add is growing like a weed as well!

So, to celebrate this big girl’s 4th Birthday, she requested a Princess Tea Party and a Princess Tea Party was what she got!

We invited her closest little friends for a morning of dressing up like Princesses, snacks of jelly sandwiches, veggies and Nutella roll-ups, lots of playtime and decorating cupcakes.  It was the perfect 1st big girl party!

The girls were welcomed to our home by a huge banner that was provided  by Dress up and Play Parties. This amazing company also provided the adorable costumes, loot bags and and a craft.

The girls couldn’t wait to be transformed into beautiful Princesses and that’s where we started the party!   Ella had her own special costume, while the other girls had matching dresses.  They each had gloves, crowns, wands and beads that were included in their loot bags along with “glass” slippers, princess stickers, pencils and more!

Once the girls were dressed up, it was time to get all dolled up with painted nails and glittery make-up.

Tea was  served in real China, of course along side of all of the Disney Princess decorations.  Belle, Ariel, Cinderella, and Snow White were all there!

I was amazed at how quiet and polite all the girls were.  They were taking this Princess thing quite seriously!

Once it was time to open the presents, the volume got a little louder in our living room!  “Here, Ella…open mine!”  “Ooooo…I love it, Ella!  Can I play with your doll?!”  It was so cute!  They were all as excited to give Ella her gifts as Ella was to receive them.  Ella ripped into them like it was Christmas morning!

Instead of a big cake this year (well, I made one…it just wasn’t for the party) we made pink cupcakes and let the girls decorate with their choice of toppings.  It went surprisingly well!  I was prepared for a big mess…but not these Princesses!

And what better way than to round out a Princess Party then to play The Princess Limbo!  Yes…you read that right.  It was the Princess Limbo – that was the only game Ella wanted to play and I’m telling you, these girls laughed so hard!  They had a ball!! I was kinda afraid someone was going to get their head knocked off on the stick…but it didn’t happen thankfully!

It was an amazing day for my Ella.  She was so happy and excited to have all her friends at her house, to introduce them to her dog, Daisy and to play with her toys and in her bedroom.  She was more than thrilled to get dressed up and to have the party be as laid back as she wanted it to be.  No stress…not too many people running around.  A perfect 1st big girl party indeed!

* If you’d like to get your very own dress up party delivered right to your door…Check out Dress Up and Play Parties!  They have everything from Pirates and Cowboys to Fairy Tales and Princesses!  Adorable costumes with EVERYTHING included to make your party a success!  Order right now by clicking THIS LINK to get 25% off your entire order!!  You won’t be disappointed!!

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A Day In My Life As A Mom And In-Home Daycare Provider

It has been a busy day!  This is just a glance at a normal day around our house.  It’s no wonder I am too exhausted to sleep at night!

First kids arrive at 7:30am.

Breakfast is at 8:00am.

Send two potty training daycare kids to potty at 8:20am.

Get Ella dressed at 8:30am.

Get Ella and Daycare child to preschool by 9:00am.

Back home.  Check email, Twitter, and Facebook. Clean up breakfast.  Send two potty training daycare kids to potty AGAIN.  Get Andrew dressed, make beds, spot clean upstairs.  Do some fun stuff with kids IF they are in the mood.  Sometimes they just want to play.

Snack time at 10:00am.  These kids eat every two hours between breakfast and snacks. (I don’t remember doing that when I was little!!)

Clean up snacks.  Send kids to potty again.

Check emails, Twitter, Facebook.

Pick up kids at preschool at 11:30am.

Lunch at noon.  Clean up.  Playtime.

Down for naps and quiet time at 1:30pm.  Hopefully sneak in an outside walk for about 20minutes.

Brian heads off for work and  I’m on my own for the rest of the day.  THANK GOODNESS he’s here during the busy time of the day to help me (or should I say…DO a lot to help me out!!)

I spend the remainder of quiet time catching up on emails, cleaning up, doing food menus, etc..

Kids up at 3:30.  Change diapers, send kids to potty, get snacks out.  Clean up snacks.

Kids start leaving by 4:30ish and usually gone by 5:15pm.

Start dinner, usually eat by 5:30pm.  Eat dinner, clean up, check emails, Twitter, Facebook, play.

Time for baths at 7:00pm.

BEDTIME by 8:00pm!!!!

I spend the rest of the night cleaning up, blogging and checking in with my fav blogs.

Throw in some grocery trips, doctor appointments and bank runs and my day is jammed packed!

Lordy….I am telling you!  I know that we are all busy, but I swear I am in a routine trap!  I do the same things day in and day out.  It works.  That’s why I do it that way.  The kids thrive on routine and it makes our day run smooth and less chaotic.

I know I would much rather wing it each day…but when I had my “routine” child, Ella…that all went out the window!

I look forward to summer when we spend most of the day outside.  We play outside, eat outside, do activities outside and I would take naps outside if I thought it would work!  Maybe I should try it this year!

What does your daily schedule look like or do you not have one?  Do you like to know what’s coming next or would you rather wing it and be more relaxed?

Leave me a comment and I’ll send someone a surprise gift!

Well, I’ll let you know what you’ll be getting before I send it…and I promise it will be something FUN and only for YOU!

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