Time - Askbecca

New Years Resolutions:2010 Goals

December 29, 2009 By Becca 4 Comments

: Image via Wikipedia

Now that we are winding down 2009 it is time to look ahead into the future. This is always a tough time of year. You feel like doing nothing. All of the holiday hype is over and now I am TIRED! I am sitting on the couch having a Jamma day wondering what will make 2010 different from 2009. It is always fun to think of what you will do new and different. For me it is implimentation that is the issue. I, like many others, tend not to meet myresolutions. Is there a possibility that 2010 will be different? My answer is yes. This is my year to shine and here is why:

The kids are a little older now so perhaps I will have a little more energy to focus on myself.
I am preparing myself to be a success in my mind.
I need to get healthy.
I have a nice support system set up this time

So with all of this going for me I am sure to be a success. I know that last year I most likely said the same thing but this year I am going to do it. I will be embarking on my weight loss journey on January 2, 2010 and would love to have some of you join me.

If weight loss is not a resolution please share your resolution with us. Support is the most effective way to accomplish your goals. So what do you hope to accomplish this year?

New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep (prweb.com)
Daily Dose: Run in the New Year (dailywd.womansday.com)

Filed Under: Main, Weight loss Tagged With: Around the World, holiday, Holidays and Special Days, New Year, new years resolution, People and Society, Resolution, resolutions 2010, Time

Happy Mother’s Day

May 10, 2009 By Becca 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

Mother’s Day With Gear Diary (geardiary.com)
Inspirational Women (momblognetwork.com)

Filed Under: Main Tagged With: Abby, Abigail, Analiese, Arts, Baby, becca, Becca Dean, Eye, family, heart, Kids and Teens, leaves, Magic, Mother, Mother's Day, Performing Arts, planning, Time, Unconditional love, world

Easter Pictures: Spring Break Survival

April 11, 2009 By Becca 4 Comments

: 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

Easter Traditions (askbecca.com)
Easter Kids Crafts (askbecca.com)
Spring in Here! AAUUGGHH!!! (momblognetwork.com)
Spring Break Ideas for Your Bored Kids (blisstree.com)

Filed Under: Main Tagged With: Abigail, Baby, becca, Craft, crafts, Dress, Easter, Emma, Grandparent, Holidays, kids, Kids and Teens, Mother, People and Society, Recreation, sears, Sears pictures, sears portrait studio, Spring, Spring break, Time, tradition, traditions

Killer Flu!

March 14, 2009 By Becca 11 Comments

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Earlier this week I had written about a friends daughter who died suddenly last Saturday. It turned out that she had the flu which caused her to pass way before her time. I am floored by this. This is, thank God, the first year that all of my kids had a flu shot. I am thanking my lucky stars now. This strain of the flu is aggressive. She had not felt well the evening before and died 24 hours later!

In wake of this I hear that the schools will be undergoing massive cleanings this weekend. The department of health is also offering free flu vaccines tomorrow! It makes me think though. I cannot tell you how many times I let my kids be sick. I am not one to rush to the Dr. the second they get a fever. I let them work through for a day or two. Runny noses are never a second though. I assume that it is a cold and move on. I know that there are a lot of other parents out there like me. I know that I am not alone.

This also makes me think about the flu. Why is this strain of the flu so strong that it is killing people within 24 hours. I heard about a week before this happen that there were two other girls who died on Long Island. The day that this child died another girl on Staten Island died of the flu as well. Why are the strains of the flu suddenly so strong? Perhaps the flu is becoming stronger because we keep fighting it with vaccines? Is it possible that in the long run we are doing more harm then good?

I am not a scientist so who knows. All I know is that I am now a little worried about my kids. Will the same fate fall upon my babies? How do we know how much longer we will have with anyone we love? I am again thinking about how I want to make each day count. I want them to know that they were loved and have a happy home!

Becca

Filed Under: Main Tagged With: ask becca, becca, Child, deadly flu, fall, Health, Home, Infectious Diseases, Influenza, kids, Long Island, New York, Parent, Parenting, school, Strain, Time, Vaccine

Death of a Child

March 9, 2009 By Becca 32 Comments

This weekend something quite heart wrenching happened to someone I know. It has shaken me to the core of my sole. I am a Girl Scout Leader and the worst thing has happened to another leader’s daughter. She died two nights ago. My thoughts and prayers are with them. I just cannot imagine if it were me. For the past 48 hours that is all I have done. I cannot stop imagining.

I have not spoken to the mother herself but from what I understand their daughter was feeling a little sick on Friday. By Saturday morning she had a fever and her mother took her to the doctor. The doctor assured her that her daughter was fine and sent them home. The rest of the day her daughter rested. Then, as the mother was going to bed, the mother went to check in on her daughter. She found her daughter in distress. I guess at this point she called 911 but it is too late.

I am crying while typing. This woman has a heart of gold. She is about the nicest woman you ever wat to meet. Her daughter was only 12 years old. Her life ended much too quickly. As of now they do not know what caused her death. Her parents sat around waiting to hear from the medical examiner all day yesterday.

I guess my point in posting this is to remind all of us of a few things:

Even though your kids annoy you smile and let it go. They are just kids.
Kiss them and hold them every chance you get. You never know when it will be the last time.
Always say I love you before they leave.

I know this all seems so obvious and simple but think about it. I am sure that there are days that you are in a rush and forget to kiss them. I am sure that there are days when you just wish they would leave you alone! I am sure that there are days when I love you does not leave your mouth. I just know I would not want that day to be my daughters last!

Becca

Doctor and Patient: On Young Doctors and Long Workdays (nytimes.com)
Ivan’s death (bbc.co.uk)
Mother receives kidneys from drowned toddler (telegraph.co.uk)

Filed Under: Becca's Babblings, Main Tagged With: ask becca, becca, Child, Coroner, Death, death of children, fever, Hearing, heart, kids, Kids and Teens, leaves, Mother, Organizations, Parent, Parenting, Scouting, scouts, Sick, Time

Spring Fever

March 6, 2009 By Becca 7 Comments

: Image by Martin LaBar via Flickr

I took my temperature this morning and I have it… SPRING FEVER. I have tried to keep it at bay. I tried to fight it off but still I am sick with it. I am yearning for spring. Perhaps it is all of the spring dresses in the stores, perhaps it is the posts that others are making online. All I know is that this morning I was totally sick with it! I was thinking about why I love Spring so much and here are the top 5 reasons that I have Spring fever.

Spring is a new begining. All winter I struggle not to get caught up too much in the winter blues. Each year I fail! I look at Spring as a new begining. Baby birds start coming to life, flowers start popping out of the ground, and the buds are on the trees. It is a fresh start for everything including me!
Spring is warm. It is not hot! It is warm. You still need a sweater but the sun feel warm on your face as it smiles down on you. The windows can be open each day to let some fresh air in and the family can take a family hike or its first family letterboxing trip.
Spring has flowers. Not only does Spring offer flowers but it offers my favorite flowers. Tulips are the flower I love the most. They are just as delicate as a rose in features but last and last. I just love them!
Spring is a time to play. This means that the kids want to go out more and more. They are feeling this fever too and it is all they can do not to be house ridden with this fever! Spring means that they can run and have some fun without FREEZING!
Spring brings the sun. As I mentioned the sun gets warmer in the spring but there is something else that the spring sun does! The spring sun makes the days longer. There is nothing more depressing then it being dark out by 4pm. Now the sun shines longer and longer. I have noticed this in the past week or so. Perhaps that is why I have this fever.

I would love to hear your favorite things about Spring! I know that we all have at least 5! Be careful though, do not come too close. I do not want you to catch the fever also!

Blooming Marvellous (helgahansen.blogspot.com)
Sunshine and Smiles (suburbialv.blogspot.com)
Ice and Snow be gone, I want Spring and Flowers (jerichooncbs.blogspot.com)

Filed Under: Becca's Babblings, Main Tagged With: Bird, Blues, bud, Dress, family, fever, Flower, Hiking, House, kids, Letterboxing, Sick, Snow, Spring, spring fever, Temperature, Time, tree buds, tulip

Sick

February 10, 2009 By Becca 7 Comments

: Do you see any hives?

I think that my favorite kids poems ever is “Sick” by Shell Silverstein. I used to love this poem more then anything and I cannot tell you the number of times I have read it in my life. I sit here thinking about this poem for a few reasons:

Abigail keeps faking being sick. This is what the poem is all about. It is about a girl who has everything wrong with her until she finds out that it is Saturday. She is then by some miracle better. This is now Abigail starring in the role of the faking little girl. She has gotten one over on me a few times in the past few weeks but now I am on to her. I do not know why she is avoiding going to school. It used to be something that she loved! All I know is that no more children will be staying home with mommy unless they have a fever and cannot move off of the couch. I do not want to entertain all day. I want to see Abigail and Emma off to school and play with the baby. I want to work when the baby is sleeping not entertain an imitation sick child.
The baby is sick: Yes it is true I think that we have an ear infection on our hands. This would be the first for baby Analiese which is impressive being that we are moving closer to two with each passing day. I hate when babies are sick. They cannot tell you what hurts. They cannot tell you when their fever is creeping back up. It makes it all so hard to have to watch them hurt and be sad. It just breaks my heart how Analiese still wants to be a trooper and has not learned better yet. She still wants to play even though I know that it hurts for her to hold her head up. She still wants to come to dinner even though she does not want to eat. I just find it all so heartbreaking.
I want it to be Saturday: Yes I know that the week just started but in the poem it is all better because it is Saturday. I sit here wishing for one of these magical Saturdays!

** oh and to top it off I just picked Emma up from school. She had one hive and this was apparently a reason to come home urggg**

I hope that you are having a better time this February with your sick little ones! I am just looking for Saturday!

Becca

Tips to Fight With Fever and Cold (articlesbase.com)
Ear Infections in Children (susanheim.blogspot.com)
Surviving Ear Infections (momblognetwork.com)

Filed Under: Main Tagged With: Abigail, ask becca, askbecca, becca, Child, Children, Conditions and Diseases, Ear Infection, Emma, heart, Home, kids, rebecca, Shell Silverstein, Sick, Time

Children’s Crafts

January 22, 2009 By Becca 2 Comments

: Image by LG_70 via Flickr

Coming soon to www.askbecca.com is a new focus for the new year. I know that time and time again I am looking for crafts to do with 4H, daisy scouts and brownie scouts. There are even times I want to do something fun on a snowy day with the kids. I will be introducing a new section to askbecca.com.

Becca and Alli’s craft corner is a new place to find all of your favorite crafts for kids and more. Once a week we will be introducing a new, low cost craft that you can enjoy with the children in your life. Each new craft will have a 1-5 star rating. This rating will determine the difficulty level of each craft.

We are so excited to be crafting away! Perhaps we will become the Martha Stewart of the kids crafts world! You know a girl has to think big. We will see you here!

Becca and Alli

Filed Under: Becca and Alli's craft corner Tagged With: Arts, becca, Becca and Alli's craft corner, Children, Craft, crafts, free, free kids crafts, free scout crafts, Homemaking, kids, Kids and Teens, Martha Stewart, scout craft ideas, scouts, Time

51 Days Until Christmas

November 5, 2008 By Becca 3 Comments

Image by janed42 via Flickr

Holiday Cheer

I think that for many of us it is important to be cheery for the holidays. Last year I just could not do it. It was all I could do not to have a nervous breakdown. Everything was just far too stressful to be in anyway fun. I HATED it. I wanted to just run away and cancel Christmas and very much wanted to say Bah Humbug! I tried my hardest for the kids and although they remember some of the bad such as the tree falling and every memory I had on it breaking they also remember the fun things. The few giggles we shared, the crafts we made and the memories we created. As I said at the start of 75 days of Christmas I want this year to be different. I want this to be the year they remember only the good and not the bad. The year that dreams come true and we bond like never before. I know there go these high expectations again but we will see.

How can we assure that there will be some holiday cheer? Here are a few tips I am taking to heart:

Make sure that we are all getting enough sleep. This will help to keep the crankies out!
Keep in mind that nothing is going to be perfect. I have issues with this part but will be working with it time and time again.
Do not take on too much. This is something that I think we all do this time of year. It is ok to cut back, skip a party or two or stay in a few nights and vedge out to a movie.
Remember me time. I think that this is important to do everyday. I never do it but in theory it is true. Even if your me time is reading a story or listening to your favorite Christmas movie without kids nagging you. Just take out a few minutes out just for you.
Spike the eggnog. While this is a joke, in some ways it is not. Remember to have FUN and LAUGH!!! This will make you more full of cheer then most other things.

Filed Under: Christmas Countdown Tagged With: A Christmas Countdown, a countdown until christmas, Christmas, Christmas and holiday season, holiday, holiday stress, Holidays and Special Days, Kids and Teens, Time

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