You are here: Home / Archives for Kids and Teens

I am Back! School year comes to an end!

June 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Illustration of a scribe writing
Image via Wikipedia

After a long stint away I am back and anxious to get writing again!  I feel like the last few months have been the busiest ones that I have ever experienced.  I cannot imagine what I will do when there are three kids all wrapping up their school year!  I think that it will be nuts!  Either way I am anxious to catch up with all of you.  I have so much planned for the summer that I am hoping that I am able to get to it all.  I will be back later this evening to let you in on some summer plans!  Ta Ta For Now!

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Jon & Kate Plus 8: The Drama

May 24, 2009 By 2 Comments
Rouge le Fou (163.365 7.16.08)
Image by midnightglory via Flickr

I know that my sister in law watches this show.  I have missed it.  I have been swept up into the real life drama surrounding this show lately.  The trouble is that I just think we should not care so much.  Is Jon cheating on Kate?  Is Kate cheating on Jon?  Why do we care?

I think that a lot of people get too wrapped up.  We all watch a reality show or two.  We look at these people and feel as if we are a part of what they are living though at the moment.  The thing is that these people are not on camera 24 hours a day.  These are shows.  The tapes are edited for added drama to an otherwise simple everyday life.

So why do we care if someone is cheating.  They are two people with a lot on their plate.  They have 8 children!  They are suddenly TV stars.  They are a family just trying to make it.  I think that even if they are cheating it is nothing we should worry about.  They owe us nothing.  They let us into a part of their lives.  That part of their lived has to do with how  to deal with 8 kids.  How do they go to the store and shop for food?  How do they get all of those kids to bed before 12AM?  The question is not about them but their family.  While cheating does effect family life I really feel that it should be out of the public eye.  The preasure of being a star has to be a huge strain.  Add to that 8 children and I may also want to run away with my body guard.

I pray that they work it all out.  I think of all of the kids and womder how one person can do it.  I am sure that neither one of them will be able to keep it together on their own.  Perhaps they just need a little time without all of us passing judgements!  Perhaps they need to disconnect for a while to reconnect!

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Girl Scouts Leaders

May 19, 2009 By 4 Comments
:en:Juliette Gordon Low :en:Category:Girl Scou...
Image via Wikipedia

As some of you know and others are about to find out I am a Girl Scouts Leader for both Abigail and Emma’ troops.  I have come to learn a few things in the past year and a half about being a leader.  Most of these lessons were learned out of frustration which makes me want to remember them for when Analiese is in kindergarten.

  1. It is NOT a one person job.  Do not kid yourself and think that you can take over the world.  You need help.  It is such a relief to finally have one with my daisy troop.
  2. The adults ARE worse then the kids.  If it is not mothers who will not leave it is fellow troop leaders fighting like kids.  Adults are much nastier then kids could ever dream of being.  This is too much.  I will not take a side in this current matter.  A friend was hurt and for that I am sad but I do not want to fall into the high school clique mentality as others have.  I think that the adults should act as adults.
  3. It is a full time job.  Planning all of the details involved can be overwhelming.  There are a bunch of websites to plan and investigate how to best handle the kids.  All of the fund raising, crafts, field trips and community service are quite time consuming.
  4. There is a lot to learn.  There is the old program with badges and patches and now there is the new Journey’s program.  So much to learn and process it is amazing that I can pass it on!

For all that Girl Scouts is I feel that it is a vital part of making girls into productive leaders in society.  I think about that each and every time I think about throwing in the towel.  I pray that one day my daughter will thank me.  I am hoping that I get better at it all.  I am hoping that all of my friends that I am making along the way find it in their hearts to forgive and forget.  I am most of all hoping for three college scholarships!  Oh come on I am just kidding.  Or am I?  Either way I am hoping that I am giving my girls the best experience I can because I know in few blinks of my eyes they will be off to their own lives leaving me behind!

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Mother’s Day

May 10, 2009 By 3 Comments

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a very happy Mother’s Day.  the-girls-5-21-07

Becoming Mother:

As I came to there she was, this baby who had come to me.  Her entrance into the world was not an easy one.  I remember looking at her and the emotions that ran through me were too great to bear.  I sat and started.  I was in awe that this tiny thing had come from me.  She was beautiful.  She was mine!

I almost died having her.  I could not walk for about 6 months after but none of that matters.   My first baby opened a place in my heart that I had never known existed.  It went beyond unconditional love.  It is a feeling that you cannot describe.  It is the magical moment of becoming a mother. I will never forget that first moment that I met my princess.  I think about it each time I am upset with her, proud of her and even when I just look at her.

That same feeling of magic certainly entered into my heart the second time I became a mother.  This time my heart felt even more magic when I introduced Abigail to her sister.  It was as if God was in the room and blessing us with this new baby.  She was tiny just as Abby was and all of a sudden my first baby did not seem so small any more.  She was growing right before my eyes!

By the time we had our third I had thought that there was no way that the magic would still be there.  How much magic can one family have?  It was there.  The girls felt the magic the day that Analiese was born but not that mother magic.

I think that when you become a mother whether for the first time or the tenth time it is always magical.  It is something that leaves you in awe and warms even the coldest hearts.  Wether the baby is planned or not you feel that blessing from the first time you see that little baby that your love with your husband or partner have created.  That love lives on and on and never dies.

I would like to wish you all a happy Mother’s Day.  Take a moment today to remember when the magic entered into your heart.

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10 Happiest Countries: Not the USA

May 9, 2009 By 3 Comments
A smiley by Pumbaa, drawn using a text editor.
Image via Wikipedia

I read the following article about the 10 happiest nations to live in.  I was in no way to see that the great United States of America ddid NOT make the list.  I think that it falls back to the great American dream.  It is in Americans blood to work too hard, for too many hours.  I think that it started with our ansestors that came here from all of the various other nations.  They came here to live a dream.  Many of them failed but the ones who really made it worked and worked hard.

So here we are a nation of unhappy people so that we can struggle to live the dream.  The trouble becomes that as we are trying to reach the dream we forget to enjoy where we are.  We do not look around us and just think that we are blessed.  We tend to want more and more.  Perhaps it is because we are a society driven by money.  Perhaps because all of us who work so hard see the people who are profiting off of our work and think that we could achieve such greatness.  The trouble often becomes that we are just the worker bees.  We forget that we are here with other purposes.

I know that there are so many of us who want the new car, the house, 2.5 kids and a dog.  The trouble comes in that none of these things are making us happy.  We do not have any time to enjoy any of it because we are struggling to hold on to it all.  I think that it is really a sad day when we cannot enjoy our lives.  I know that many people are currently out of work and feel so depressed.  We as Americans have tied our entire worth as a person to our current job and the salary that comes with it.  This makes it life shattering when that job is taken away!

I also think that it makes it hard as a stay at home parent.   I know that each day I look at what purpose I have.  I think that my children have had some benefits to my staying home.  The trouble comes when people talk to me about what I do.  I am judged based on my lack of making money and my lack of working.  There are people who look down on me.  There are people who think that they are better then me because they have a job.  It is a constant struggle for me to stay at home.  It means that Rob has to work 2 jobs to make ends meet.  The trouble comes with my identity in this society.  I am viewed as less.  I am viewed as uneducated.  I am viewed as lazy.  The trouble is that I am rather educated.  I even finished college in the amount of years that you are supposed to!  I am not less and I would love to have a lazy day!

I know I am babbling but perhaps this is why we as Americans are not able to be happier.  I am not happy because I know that others think badly of me.  The people working their tails off are not happy because they are too tired to know what happy is and the people who are now jobless and homeless are feeling like there is nothing to be happy about.

The thing is that happiness comes from within.  I think that the more we act happy and really think about being happy the happier we will be.  Trust me I am not one of thos happy go luck people.  I have actually struggled with unhappiness many times in my life.  I just think perhaps the greatest nation in the world would be much happier if we all tried a little harder and worked a little less.

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Spring Break Survival: Last Day!

April 19, 2009 By 2 Comments

Here we are with 21 hours left of this terribly long Spring break.  I do not understand why it is called a break.  I think that the bigger break will come tomorrow when all of the kids head back to school.  I can see why it is a break for the kids but I did not find that it was all that much of a break.  I think that the kids had an alright time.  Here are a few things that we did.

  • We went to the park which was great.  Not only did the kids have a great time but they also burned off some of that left over winter cabin fever.
  • We had a beauty day where I was able to cut Emma’s hair.  We also did finger nails and toe nails.  The girls had a great time and this gave me great ideas for summer break.  Perhaps we will have theme days this summer.  This will keep the kids interested.
  • We had play dates.  The girls have a friend down the street who they played with a lot this break.  I just have one quick question… when did playing become a date?  I remember I used to just go and knock on the door of a friend or two and see who could play.  All of this prearranging is a little stressful!
  • We went to our friends house and had dinner and the kids watched movies and played games while the adults had adult time.
  • We played Wii for an entire day!  I could not believe how addictive it was.  I think that on a rainy summer day the Wii will come in handy.  We may been have to buy a few more games in order to assure that we can have fun all summer long.
  • We got a little more unpacking done.  This was really important.  I am getting tired of all of the clutter.  I just hate living out of boxes.

I think that we could have done more.  I just am not sure that I can sustain all of this entertaining of children all summer long.  How I wish that I could afford camp for the entire summer!  All I have to say to Spring break is “Hit the road jack!”

hit the road jack

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Becca's Babblings, Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Webkinz Day Extravaganza: Webkinz 4th Anniversary Celebration

April 11, 2009 By 10 Comments
KEY BISCAYNE, FL - DECEMBER 21: A Webkinz stu...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Webkinz is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a bang.  Each year Webkinz has an extravaganza and this year will be no different.  From May 1st through the 3rd all stores who sell Webkinz have been asked to participate.  Here are a few highlights on what you can expect:

  1. Stores selling Webkinz have been asked to sell a Webkinz pet for $1 with a $15 purchase from their store.
  2. There will be in store events, giveaways and prizes.

I know that last year we went to the Chester Greenery and bought some flowers and left with two free webkinz.  The kids had a chance to spin the wheel of WOW where no one is a looser.  It was a great time.  I know that all stores do it differently but I am sure no matter what your local store does it is bound to be fun.

Last year the kids each got a Webkinz and I bought two others which were on sale to save for birthday presents for parties in which we are invited to.  I would strongly suggest fining out what your local store is doing.  I know that last year we had a  blast.  I have not stopped in to the Greenery yet to see what she has planned but I am sure that it will all be a lot of fun no matter what it is!

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main, Webkinz Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Easter Pictures: Spring Break Survival

April 11, 2009 By 4 Comments
Sears Auto 35 TL
Image by UberJ via Flickr

OK so as I mentioned I am having a hard time with this entire Spring Break thing!  So today my mother and I dressed all of the kids in their Easter outfits and threw them into the car and were off to Sears.  Now I know what you are thinking… why did you head to Sears.  We were off to Sears for Easter pictures.  We have not had pictures in YEARS.  The last time was when the baby was a month old.  For those of you who do not know she will be 2 in a month!  So needless to say it has been a while.

We have never been to Sears so I was a little bit aprehansive.  It was great though.  They had a kid friendly waiting area which I did not have to wait in because they were ready for us when we got there.  The girls did great although it is difficult to make them all smile at once.  Abigail kept trying to make the baby smile and Emma had the fakest smile.  Even with all of these obsticales we were able to come out of the seccion with a few really nice shots.

So day two of Spring Break has been a success.  We did the pictures, went to lunch, had a play date and now we are getting ready for bed.   I am so happy that it is all working out.  I would say that going and having pictures done is a great way to survive Spring Break!  You should give it a try!  I found that it really occupied a lot of time, the kids had fun and we were out of the house.  We will not discuss how much Grandma spent though!  We will keep that part to ourselves!  Either way day two survived.  Nine days to go!

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Family Easter Traditions

April 4, 2009 By 7 Comments
Calgary Zoo Easter Bunny 2
Image by thivierr via Flickr

I became so interested in Easter traditions this week because so many people visited. It is a shame that more people did not leave their family Easter Traditions in the comments section. I was really hoping to post all of the great ones that I hear this week. I know that one that was mentioned time and time again is dying Easter eggs. Today is our big Easter egg dying day and I am so excited! I think that we are going to have a blast. I know that the smell of vinegar can turn some off the the entire thing but I think that it is important for people to give it a try!

Another tradition that people mentioned is spending time with family. This is what the holidays are all about. Being in a room with the people who share your gene pool. I know that for a lot of people this can be the down side to a holiday but I think that without the mother who wants to know when you are going to have another baby, the stinky grandparent and the kid who is eating dirt there are no memories. These are the people who have formed us into the person we are today. They really are the fabric of our lives. If we love ourselves then we have to love them. It is a guilt by association thing.

The Easter bunny is a tradition that I had forgotten to mention. I cannot believe that I left him out! Here is a little bit of Easter Bunny History! It is said that the Easter Bunny has been around before Easter. I know this is hard to believe! He is said to have originated in Germany in the 1600s. The Easter bunny can either just leave a basket out in plain site or he can hide it. In our house he is always hiding it here and there. The kids have a blast trying to find it and figure out whose is whose. I wish he had more time to write a name or two down.

There is one more tradition that I forgot to mention. The Easter Bonnet has always been my love of Easter. There are not many times in this day in age that a lady can wear a hat without people looking at her funny. I think that the hats and the white gloves just make Easter what everyday used to be. I wish that we all still dressed to the nines like this for church. I think that it is sad that it is now acceptable to wear jeans and a tee to Church. You should be in your Sunday best. That used to mean a hat and Gloves. Now it means jeans? What are we thinking people? Either way, Easter is a time when we can dust the hat off and slip the gloves on and walk a little taller!  Oh and do not forget to play the song Easter Parade when you are walking down the street in your bonnet and gloves!

Becca

I would still love to learn some more about what Easter traditions your family has.  Please let me know in the comment section.  I think it adds to the fun!


Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Main Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Webkinz Deluxe Membership

April 2, 2009 By 15 Comments
KEY BISCAYNE, FL - DECEMBER 21: A Webkinz stu...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Webkinz has a new membership.  The key is that it costs more money.  It reminds me of Club Penguin and I am a little annoyed about it.  Isn’t it bad enough that I spend a ton of money on mini stuffed toys to get new codes?  Now Webkinz wants me to pay a fee each month for added features?   Don’t the know that we are in a recession and that many parents are hurting enough already?  Do they really think that we need to be begged for more?  It is one thing to reward your child with a Webkinz pet when they have gone above and beyond but now Webkinz wants me to pay each month for these special privileges but what if the kids are not good that month?  I am still rewarding them!  Some of the features that are featured are:

  • A gift box including an amazing exclusive piece of clothing, available ONLY to Deluxe members
  • Special access to a Deluxe activity page in the Today’s Activities section of Webkinz World
  • Access to the Deluxe members-only GOLD channel on the Webkinz phone
  • 3000 eStore Points to spend at the Webkinz eStore (awarded to the purchasing eStore account)

Oh and lets not forget that they will give you a hat as well.  This hat is to provide free marketing for Webkinz when your child wears it all around town.  Did I say free?  What I mean is that when you pay for the membership you get a hat.

Now the annual membership is a bargain at $45.  I do not think that you are getting all that much for your $45.  Do not forget that it is $45 plus any pets your child wants in the real live store.  What a completely huge scam! For those of you who have read my blog for a while you know that I love Webkinz.  I enjoy playing it myself, the kids love it all and it is good clean fun.  the thing is that for the performance of their site I do not feel like I should pay $45 a year!  I just feel that they are getting a little too big for their britches.

Becca

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Filed Under: Webkinz Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »