While Shayna was away on an 8 day cruise during Chanukah this year with one of her best friends and their family, she missed Chanukah ! So, on December 31st, we celebrated all eight nights of Chanukah on one night. We lit the menorah, made latkes, opened gifts ... the works !
This years gifts were NEW games for her ! This also translates into NEW games for Donnie and I ! The list of new games include (you will notice the entire educational theme here) 10 Days in Africa, 10 Days in Europe, Wordigo, Quiddler, Chronology, Go, The Inventions Game, In a Pickle, Landlock and the Settlers of Cattan. On our "One Night of Chanukah" (December 31st) we broke open several and played them !
I think my personal favorite Chronology. Here you are read a "fact about a specific time" and have to line it up in your timeline. If you are correct you get the card. The object is to collect 10 events correctly in your own timeline. The categories are Arts/Entertainment, Sports, Inventions and History.
Shayna's personal favorite games (so far) are 10 Days in Africa and Europe ! (doesn't matter which one !) Here you have to set up 10 places to travel that connect their by border or travel by car/ship or airplane following certain patterns.
Donnie's favorite game (so far) is Quiddler. This is because he is the scrabble person in the house. He can think of all those SAT words that you told everyone you would never use again !
He kills us when we play this one.
We still haven't gotten to all the new games - but games happen ** almost ** every night after dinner ! We love family games !
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Monday, January 01, 2007
Came Back From Disney with a New Roller Coaster Buddy !
There are many defining moments that brings a child from "being a child" to "being a pre-teen". For my daughter, another one of these types of moments happened on our trip to Disney !
Shayna has always been a rather "cautious" kid. She likes to check things out, analyze them, ponder her thoughts and then make a decision. Until this past trip, I could NOT (I repeat NOT) get her on any ride with darkness or speed. Therefore, our trips to amusement parks had been fun for her and rather "dull" for me.
I like speed. I love roller coasters. I love the "not knowing what will happen next" on rides. Since Donnie won't go on these types of rides, I have felt it was selfish to spend an hour in line for a 2 minute thrill when it was "all about me." Our trips to Disney and other parks were all about our child - so I skipped my own thrill.
However, I have a new roller coaster buddy ! Shayna decided this trip that she is a ROLLER COASTER girl. It almost shocked me when she annouced she wanted to go on one. In fact, Donnie thought that I "put this idea into her head" and actually questioned her about it. But, she wanted to try the "real rides" at Disney.
Shayna has always been a rather "cautious" kid. She likes to check things out, analyze them, ponder her thoughts and then make a decision. Until this past trip, I could NOT (I repeat NOT) get her on any ride with darkness or speed. Therefore, our trips to amusement parks had been fun for her and rather "dull" for me.
I like speed. I love roller coasters. I love the "not knowing what will happen next" on rides. Since Donnie won't go on these types of rides, I have felt it was selfish to spend an hour in line for a 2 minute thrill when it was "all about me." Our trips to Disney and other parks were all about our child - so I skipped my own thrill.
However, I have a new roller coaster buddy ! Shayna decided this trip that she is a ROLLER COASTER girl. It almost shocked me when she annouced she wanted to go on one. In fact, Donnie thought that I "put this idea into her head" and actually questioned her about it. But, she wanted to try the "real rides" at Disney.
First day in the parks, we are at Animal Kingdom. We rode Dino which was loud and scary but not fast. We headed over to Expedition Everest (see mountain in the background of the picture). This is the parks newest coaster. I watched Shayna's face carefully in line while waiting for this ride. She was nervous. I reminded her that she could change her mind without anyone knowing. She said she wanted to go for it. She rode (eyes closed) yelling the entire time. However, when it was over, she screamed "I am doing it again this time with my eyes open !" Jeannette (her friend who we took to Disney) and Shayna ran back on the coaster for a 2nd time.
We spent six days in the parks and the girls tried every coaster and went on them multiple times ! They loved waking up early and being the first people in the park at 7 am so they could ride over and over until a line formed ! They rode Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Test Track, Tower of Terror and Aerosmith's Rock n Roller Coaster. They also tried other rides which I didn't think they would like the Haunted House and Soarin'.
The final day we were at Disney, the girls were up and ready to go back to Animal Kingdom and they rode Expedition Everest SIX TIMES in a row - going in the "single riders" line over and over.
I am so excited to start going to EVERY theme park with my "new roller coaster riding buddy !"
Friday, December 15, 2006
Why we have moms
Received this from an "Usborne Friend" and had to share it :) ENJOY !
Answers given by elementary school age children to the following questions:
Why do we have mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. Clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why do you have your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2. The doctor knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.
THE MOMMY TEST
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that."Why?" my daughter asked."Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?""Uh," ...I was thinking quickly, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information."OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy." "Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.
Answers given by elementary school age children to the following questions:
Why do we have mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. Clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why do you have your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2. The doctor knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.
THE MOMMY TEST
I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that."Why?" my daughter asked."Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?""Uh," ...I was thinking quickly, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information."OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy." "Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Dear Santa....
Dear Santa:
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, educated and cuddled my child on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, played strategy game after strategy game, drove her to many field trips all over the state, went to (almost) every soccer game and provided her with all the reading material she could go through.
I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing, playing, keeping up with my daughter (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to give all the cuddles necessary to my ten year old. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays NPR; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one dauther who will always independently complete her schoolwork, two people (daughter and husband) who live with me who will learn to pick up their dirty clothes and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and 'Take your plate to the sink' because my voice seems to be just out of my daughter's hearing range and can only be heard by the cat.
If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my daughter to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my husband didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door I think she wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always,Mom
PS One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in you.
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, educated and cuddled my child on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, played strategy game after strategy game, drove her to many field trips all over the state, went to (almost) every soccer game and provided her with all the reading material she could go through.
I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing, playing, keeping up with my daughter (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to give all the cuddles necessary to my ten year old. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays NPR; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one dauther who will always independently complete her schoolwork, two people (daughter and husband) who live with me who will learn to pick up their dirty clothes and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and 'Take your plate to the sink' because my voice seems to be just out of my daughter's hearing range and can only be heard by the cat.
If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my daughter to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my husband didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door I think she wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always,Mom
PS One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in you.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
21 Reasons Why Books Makes the BEST presents
1. Books don't need to be assembled before being given.
2. Books don't need batteries.
3. Books never come in the wrong color or size.
4. Books don't need to be serviced by a dealer.
5. Books don't need spare parts.
6. Books are easier to wrap than footballs.
7. Books look good with any decor.
8. Books don't need watering or fertilizing.
9. Books don't irritate your allergies.
10. Books don't go out of style.
11. Books don't get aphids or draw ants.
12. Books don't bark or need to be walked in the middle ofthe night.
13. Books don't stretch, shrink, or fade.
14. Books don't need extension cords.
15. Books won't scratch the coffee table.
16. Books don't get stale before they arrive.
17. Books never need ironing.
18. Books don't have zippers that break.
19. Books can be used over and over by many people.
20. When you are finished with a book, it is not empty.
21. A book is a gift you can open again, and again, and again.
2. Books don't need batteries.
3. Books never come in the wrong color or size.
4. Books don't need to be serviced by a dealer.
5. Books don't need spare parts.
6. Books are easier to wrap than footballs.
7. Books look good with any decor.
8. Books don't need watering or fertilizing.
9. Books don't irritate your allergies.
10. Books don't go out of style.
11. Books don't get aphids or draw ants.
12. Books don't bark or need to be walked in the middle ofthe night.
13. Books don't stretch, shrink, or fade.
14. Books don't need extension cords.
15. Books won't scratch the coffee table.
16. Books don't get stale before they arrive.
17. Books never need ironing.
18. Books don't have zippers that break.
19. Books can be used over and over by many people.
20. When you are finished with a book, it is not empty.
21. A book is a gift you can open again, and again, and again.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
She is leaving tomorrow.....
Tomorrow morning is certainly a day I have been "nervous" about for quite some time. Back in June, we decided our family would be going to Disney for a week in December. We told Shayna that she could invite her close friend. I called her close friend's mother and ironically, they had decided to book a vacation mid-December for a 8 day cruise and told her daughter that she could invite Shayna. The good news is that the trips are back to back; so the girls get to go on both.
Tomorrow is the day she is leaving for ten days. I can't remember a time when I had TEN days to myself (and obviously ten days alone with my husband) since Shayna's birth in 1996. It almost seems surreal that I will have TIME alone every day for eight days before we head to Disney to meet up with the girls. I am not sure what I will do with myself. Well actually, as sad as it is, I have a TO DO list with many things I want to accomplish. Some of those things are for me, some are for our writing group, other things for homeschooling and some are for the house. I doubt I will get to everything on my list. But, hey, I will certainly give it a try.
I can't believe my daughter will be gone for ten days. What a sweet reunion we will have in Florida and then we get to be with both girls and share memories for eight days !
Monday, December 11, 2006
FUN - Create your own snowflake !
Shayna and I spent about an hour today playing with an online "game" to create different snowflakes. It was HUGE entertainment and fun. Try it yourself !
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/
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