When you give a toddler an iPad, he’ll perform a Google search.
I need to stop watching Ancient Aliens with him.
Pumapunku
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Tag Archives: children
A Firework, a Flag and God Bless the USA
Last week, Emmalynn’s teachers planned a Memorial Day program complete with songs, poems and red, white and blue attire. The kids were so cute. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.
Thank you to all the service men and women who sacrificed so much to protect our freedom.
God Bless the USA!
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Our Own Joan of Arc
As we wrap up the end of the school year, it seems like the projects keep piling on. One of the recent projects required my youngest daughter, Emmalynn, to read a biography, complete with a book report and then she had to either dress as that person or create a puppet of that person for an oral presentation.
Did I mention she’s only six? I don’t recall having to do these types of presentations until high school. Nonetheless, Emmalynn and I visited our local library to search through the stacks of biographies for her report.
There were so many wonderful biographies of great people. Although the choices were endless, we limited our choices to the materials and costumes available in our closets for the oral presentation portion of this assignment. Should she be Sacagawea? Mary Queen of Scotts? Madame Curie? Hillary Clinton? Miley Cyrus? Harriet Tubman?
The choice seemed clear when we found You Wouldn’t Want to Be Joan of Arc!: A Mission You Might Want to Miss. She
could totally pull off a Joan of Arc.
With her Bob haircut, a sword, a riding horse-on-a-stick, and a homemade Princess Leah costume, she would be a dead ringer. Not literally, though. We would omit the whole burning at the stake part for her presentation.
As we read through the book, we learned that Joan of Arc preferred carrying a banner over a sword. Therefore, we fashioned a similar banner using the backside of some leftover Christmas wrapping paper. Emmalynn did her best to draw a few fleur de lys, the angels Michael and Gabriel seated on either side of God and the Latin words “Jesus Maria”.
For a more dramatic effect, Dad wrapped some duct tape around the cardboard tube. It also helped strengthen the tube.
In the end, we had our own little Joan of Arc, who lived to tell about her adventures.
Motherhood Makes Beautiful Things
In recent months, there has been a resurgence on “war on women”. I’m not referring to the “war on women” that has been happening for centuries in the Middle East or the heinous atrocities happening to women in Africa or even the verbal attacks in the U.S. political arena. Instead, I’m referring to the age old war of working moms vs. stay at home moms and the other ugly battle, attachment parenting vs. traditional parenting. First, it was the ridiculous comments made by Hilary Rosen about Ann Romney. Then, there was an uproar in response to the Time magazine cover.
Why do we allow society or the media to flame these feuds?
If you work outside the home and still have the strength to raise a family, then you should be applauded. If your job is a full time mom trying to juggling it all without losing your mind or yourself trapped between a world of toddlerese and Lori Berkner, then your efforts should be applauded as well. Neither job is easy. Motherhood no matter how it’s dressed up, be it a corporate suit or yoga pants, requires sacrifice and that sacrifice should be praised not ridiculed.
And yet, somehow that sacrifice opens the door for ridicule or judgment rather than praise.
As moms, we make decisions every day about child-rearing with the sole purpose to do what’s best for our children. Therefore, how can any reasonable child-rearing choice be wrong? If you choose to breastfeed your child until school-age, who are we to judge? If you choose to bottle feed your baby over breastfeeding, who are we to judge? And if your child stays on the bottle, boob or binky until kindergarten, then that’s also a parenting choice and no one should judge.
No matter which avenue we choose to get there, we all want a stress-free existence with confident, well-adjusted children. Our ultimate goal is the same. So why not build a society that mirrors the one created when we cradle infants in our arms, be it on the breast or on a bottle?
Acceptance and support starts with each of us. As mothers, we need to stop criticizing each other and start supporting one another. We can’t allow magazine images and political sound bites to open the door to criticism and attacks.
Motherhood makes beautiful things. Society needs to stop turning into something ugly.
With yesterday being Mother’s Day, I felt compelled to share my thoughts about moms supporting other moms and what better way than incorporating it into a Music Monday post. What topics and tunes are moving you?
I’m still co-hosting with Xmas Dolly and her Monday’s Music Moves Me crew (Lorie, Stacy, Callie and Cathy), so link up and share.
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SeaWorld’s TurtleTrek
From the moment they hatch, sea turtles face many great challenges on their way to the sea. From mistaking lights on the beach for the moon to the numerous predators, sea turtles must overcome great odds to survive.
SeaWorld’s newest attraction, TurtleTrek, teaches visitors how to help sea turtles as they make their journey. With a little education, conservation and awareness, we can make a difference in the life of a sea turtle. As the exhibit proudly proclaims, each of us has the potential to be everyday heroes to help make the world a better place for all.
TurtleTrek’s up-close observation deck allows guests to encounter West Indian manatees and sea turtles in a naturalistic habitat.
In one corner of the exhibit, a model of a turtle nest offers a real-life example as to how some everyday heroes protect sea turtles on the beach.
Also on the observation deck, visitors can play Race for the Beach, an educational video game displayed on massive screens. After selecting their species of sea turtle, guests swim the ocean munching on favored foods while avoiding hazards like nets and plastic bags.
As guests follow the TurtleTrek trail below, they become immersed in underwater life.
Schools of more than 1,500 Caribbean-native fish, sea turtles and manatees greet guests on their way to the world’s first 3D 360 dome theater. With the aid of a state of the art film, Nyah, a sea turtle shares her amazing journey and there are no bad seats in the house.
Once I learned a portion of each dollar spent in the TurtleTrek gift shop benefits in-the-field research to help save animals, I couldn’t resist purchasing some gifts for my children. With small trinkets, I would be an everyday hero to my little critters as well as sea creatures.
For residents and locals, the best way to experience TurtleTrek again and again is with a Fun Card or annual pass. Each provides unlimited visits to SeaWorld Orlando and all the park’s special events and festivals including Halloween Spooktacular and SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration. Even better, there are no blackout dates!
For more information or to buy your Fun Card or annual pass now, go to www.SeaWorldOrlando.com
*I experienced SeaWorld’s newest attraction, TurtleTrek, as part of a grand opening media event and received no compensation for this review.*
Random Thoughts about Nutella, Superheroes, a New Challenge, Anxiety and Track Tuesday
So, have you heard the news about Nutella? Are you surprised to hear it’s not healthy? Shocking, I know. How could something with sugar listed as its first ingredient not be healthy? Not to mention, it has 3.5 grams of saturated fat and only 3 grams of protein. How on earth did anyone think Nutella was healthy while peanut butter and eggs get a wrap?!
I have so many runner friends that love the stuff and I’m sure their Nutella power balls are getting soggy from all the sobbing they’re doing since hearing the latest news. Personally, I never liked the stuff because it always tasted fake to me, but I think maybe I’ll make some cookies just to tease smooth things over with my runner friends.
My family and I can’t wait to see The Avengers this week and since we’re so pumped about the new movie, I planned this month’s fitness challenge around it. When I told my oldest daughter, Allana, about the challenge, she told me I should have created exercises specific to The Avengers and then demonstrated some examples.
“You could smash something like the Hulk”, she said and threw a clasped fist as she squatted.
“And then you could throw a shield like Captain America”, she said as she twisted her torso to throw an invisible shield off to the side.
“And then you 
could smash a mallet like Thor”, she said as she twisted her torso and pretended to smash a mallet to the opposite side. “But I’ll have to think about Iron Man.”
I think she’s onto to something there and I wish I had consulted her sooner. We could still do the 
Superman exercise but call it Iron Man instead because Iron Man flies too. I’m going to video record Allana and I performing the exercises and maybe we can throw them into the superhero mix. Wouldn’t that be funny?
Last week, I had some terrible bouts of anxiety. I’ve never shared my issues with anxiety before on my blog, because I’m a little embarrassed by it. I’ve always been a “shake it off” kind of person and so it’s hard for me to admit to any issues with anxiety, but last week, I had two attacks and I feel compelled to share.
One happened during a run with my Strider friends. About 3 miles into the run, I pulled back away from the pack to slow down a bit. At the particular point, the path became very dark. Since I had forgotten my flashlight, an overwhelming sense of fear began welling up in me. I tried to stay focused on my pace to avoid crying. It was awful. Next time, I need to stay with a buddy or bring my flashlight or pop a Zoloft. Though, I think fear worked in my favor because I had a pretty good run.
4 miles
Time 39:11
Ave Pace 9:48
Max Pace 7:29
The next panic attack happened the very next day at a media event at Sea World. I became overwhelmed by the crowd, but I powered through it once again. I haven’t had a bad spells with my anxiety in awhile so I was really taken back by these episodes.
Hubby is out of town for a few days, which has put a damper of my training especially my speed work. Therefore, I have no sprints to share this week. Hopefully, Ricole can be a hero and save the day with some faster than a speeding bullet sprints for Track Tuesday.
How about you? Did you do some sprints? Link up and share.
By the way, while you’re here don’t miss out on the Joggermom Marathon and giveaway!
Babes and Blossoms
While the weather is pleasant, Little Lion Man and I have been partaking in the preschool-appropriate fun at our neighborhood shopping center. With camera in tow, I try my best to snap photos of a rambunctious toddler who is more interested in shopping cart shaped like police cars, trains and fountains than lizards and hedgehogs.
So although I couldn’t capture a decent photo of Liam, I was able to snap some photos of the flowers cascaded through the plaza.
Spring is definitely in full bloom at our favorite stomping ground, The Shops at Wiregrass, which is perfect timing for the Leap into Spring! Photo Challenge.
For these photos, I decided to have fun with Field of Depth so you could truly experience the sights and smells of spring in my neighborhood.
Now, gather a whiff of the Jasmine bush growing wildly outside our front door. With its twined vines and pungent fragrance, it welcomes you to our home.
Well, it would welcome you to our home if one particular little man would stop the picking the flowers. Otherwise it will just be bush with a bunch a leaves waving hello.
“Has Spring sprung? Post a photo journal of what Spring is looking like in your neck of the woods!”
*Also submitted at*
Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge: Eggs
This week’s Leap Into Spring Photo Challenge is Easter/Eggs. Given that Easter was just a few weeks ago and I still haven’t shared those photos, I hopped on it.
Like most , our Easter our was full of eggs from decorating and dying…
…to four different egg hunts. There was one egg hunt with Emmalynn’s class. Chugging along with a train basket in tow, Little Lion Man tried to keep up with the big kids.
We always love our annual egg hunt with our Moms on the Go friends.
On Easter morning, the Easter bunny left some jellybean-filled eggs in the yard. Did you know that dump trucks make better Easter baskets?
Then later that day, Grandma hid some eggs in her gorgeous garden, which is perfect for eggs hunts and wanna-be photographers.
After a long, “eggs”hausting hunt run in Grandma’s huge yard, we rewarded ourselves with the Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes I baked for dessert.
Yep, it was a truly “eggs”elent Easter.
Lessons from The Lorax
Then he grunts, “I will call you by Whisper-ma-Phone,
for the secrets I tell you are for your ears alone.”
SLUPP!
Down slupps the Whisper-ma-Phone to your ear
and the old Once-ler’s whispers are not very clear,
since they have to come down
through a snergelly hose,
and he sounds
as if he had
smallish bees up his nose.
“Now I’ll tell you,”he says, with his teeth sounding gray,
“how the Lorax got lifted and taken away…
But those trees! Those trees!
Those Truffula Trees!
All my life I’d been searching
for trees such as these.
The touch of their tufts
was much softer than silk.
And they had the sweet smell
of fresh butterfly milk.
Then I chopped down a Truffula Tree with one chop.
And with great skillful skill and with great speedy speed,
I took the soft tuft, and I knitted a Thneed!
The instant I’d finished, I heard a ga-Zump!
I looked.
I saw something pop out of the stump
of the tree I’d chopped down. It was sort of a man.
Describe him?… That’s hard. I don’t know if I can.
He was shortish. And oldish.
And brownish. And mossy.
And he spoke with a voice
that was sharpish and bossy.
“Mister!” he said with a sawdusty sneeze,
“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.
I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.
And I’m asking you, sir, at the top if my lungs”-
he was very upset as he shouted and puffed-
“What’s that THING you’ve made out of my Truffula tuft?”
“Look, Lorax,” I said.”There’s no cause for alarm.
I chopped just one tree. I am doing no harm.
I’m being quite useful. This thing is a Thneed.
A Thneed’s a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need!
It’s a shirt. It’s a sock. It’s a glove, It’s a hat.
But it has other uses. Yes, far beyond that.
You can use it for carpets. For pillows! For sheets!
Or curtains! Or covers for bicycle seats!”
The Lorax said,
“Sir! You are crazy with greed.
There is no one on earth
who would buy that fool Thneed!”
From outside in the fields came a sickening smack
of an axe on a tree. Then we heard the tree fall.
The very last Truffula Tree of them all!
The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance…
just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance…
as he lifted himself by the seat of his pants.
And I’ll never forget the grim look on his face
when he heisted himself and took leave of this place,
through a hole in the smog, without leaving a trace.
And all that the Lorax left here in this mess
was a small pile of rocks, with one word…
“UNLESS.”
Whatever that meant, well, I just couldn’t guess.
“But now,” says the Once-ler,
“Now that you’re here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.
Excerpts from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax
Photos taken at Universal Studios’ Island of Adventure - November 5, 2011
Let It Grow for Earth Day
With Earth Day less than a week away, a song from The Lorax for Music Monday seemed like an appropriate choice. Although videos from The Lorax soundtrack are not available on You Tube, I found a wonderful adaption to Let It Grow by PS 22 Chorus. These kids are amazing!
The PS 22 Chorus preformed the song as part of NEA’s Read Across America with a reading of The Lorax by Danny Devito and Zac Efron.
Though the lyrics are simple, an all too important message rings loud and clear. With their sweet, yet powerful young voices, these kids remind us how we can make the world a better place by protecting, nurturing and growing the gifts we have to give the world.
“UNLESS someone like you
Cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
Visit Xmas Dolly , Hairbows & Guitar Picks and Jade Louise Designs for more Music Monday fun.
