Search Results for: blog my christmas wish list part one

Modeling Patience

Patience is a virtue… or so I’ve heard. Delayed gratification has been a huge topic in my family’s home, especially since we flipped the calendar to 2013. Three words: New Year’s resolutions.  Make that six:  Failing to keep New Year’s resolutions… especially the ones that challenge you to delay a reward. That’s us. And by us, I mean me.  Well, me and my 8-year-old.  But, she didn’t resolve to be more patient in 2013.  That was my Christmas wish that she didn’t deliver. Of course, if I listened to the experts, I would have known that resolving to lose weight … Continue reading →

Charlie and the Christmas Kitty

  If your children asked for, but didn’t receive the puppy or kitten they placed on their wish list to Santa, this book might work as a consolation present. Maybe. Sure, Charlie and the Christmas Kitty may be a far cry from an adorable tail-wagging, face-licking bundle of fluff that would follow your child around the house and potentially run for help should he fall down a well, but, hey, Santa’s not perfect. Still, you can’t deny the cuteness contained in this festive holiday read, even though the story’s clueless main character doesn’t realize it’s Christmas: “Why is there a … Continue reading →

Finding the True Meaning of Christmas

My 8-year-old has a severe case of the Christmas gimmies.  Unfortunately, I have myself to blame for her very unmerry malady. Whereas I am by no means showering the kid with pre-holiday presents, I haven’t been doing a very good job focusing on the “reason for the season” either. I’ve been swept into the chaotic tsunami that is the month of December.  Gifts to buy, wrap and mail; cookies to bake, decorate and distribute; cards to take photos for, write and stamp; and the list goes on and on. As a parent, it’s easy to get caught up in the … Continue reading →

Mothers: A Sorority of Complainers?

(Sweeter than a Dyson.) You are looking at one of the lovely Mother’s Day gifts I was presented with yesterday by my adorable daughter. As you can tell, it can’t be used to suck up strewn Cheerios from hardwood or carpeted floors, nor can it separate dust by cyclonic action and spin it out of the airstream with the simple press of a button. Also, it doesn’t rhyme with Dyson. Regardless, I love my card, especially the handwritten note scribbled in bright pink crayon inside. It will forever help me remember Mother’s Day 2012. The holiday has come and gone … Continue reading →

Wildcraft: A Herbal Adventure Game

Do you wish that you were the plant whisperer, a naturalist and herbalist who knows all about the amazing properties of edible and healing plants? Sure, you might. But how do you become such a guru without sitting down with a book and memorizing the plants around you? What if there was a fun way to do this – like a game? Over the Christmas season, we finally opened the game that I’d purchased for my daughter a long time ago, at least a year back. I was waiting for the opportune moment to give it to her, and that … Continue reading →

Where Are My Elves?

I took the day off work today to relax. This time of year is so busy that I just need some down time. Today seemed like a perfect day. All the shopping is done, the house is clean, presents are wrapped and the cooking doesn’t need to be started yet. Time just for me, read, relax, take a hot bath, whatever I wanted. I was just sitting down to get caught up on some blogs when I hear the dog dry heaving, under the Christmas tree. I grab some napkins and start moving the presents from under the tree so … Continue reading →

Holiday Resolutions

I can’t stand the thought of dreading Christmas. Yet, here I am less than three weeks until December 25th with barely a gift wrapped, a tree ornament hung or a cookie recipe pulled from the bowels of my file cabinet. I’d love to stop time to catch up, but I don’t even think Santa can deliver on that one. Heck, I almost forgot St. Nick was coming to fill empty shoes last night. Thank goodness for barely wrapped gifts. The hustle and bustle that surrounds the holiday is clearly fueled by commercialism. Gone are the days when we counted down … Continue reading →

Helping Kids Earn Money

With Christmas looming, my 7-year-old daughter’s gift wish list seems to grow by the day. She’s been combing through toy catalogs since October and has dog-eared so many pages I’m afraid that Santa won’t be able to deliver all the goods. In fact, I know Santa won’t be bringing half of the things on her mile-long list. Without blowing her belief in the big guy, I have been gently reminding her that if (more like, when) Santa doesn’t grant all of her wishes, she still has the opportunity to get them by paying for them herself. Currently, she earns a … Continue reading →

Insurance From the U.S. Postal Service

Christmas is just a few weeks away. Some of us have already begin our annual pilgrimage to the U.S. Post Office, to mail gifts and cards to loved ones who live across the country, (or across the world), from where we do. You can get a form of insurance to protect some of those parcels. The closer it gets to Christmas, the more likely it is that you will end up visiting the U.S. Post Office. Many of us mail a multitude of holiday cards to friends and family that are scattered out across America, (or around the globe). Lots … Continue reading →

The Sound of Innocence

Dang you Saturday morning cartoons! If it weren’t for NBC’s Qubo cartoon line-up and CBS’ Cookie Jar TV children’s programming block, I’m pretty sure my 6-year-old would be blissfully unaware of the words “Kidz” and “Bop.” She’d also be unfamiliar with the Aluma Wallet, Topsy Turvey and WOW Storage Containers. She placed the aforementioned “As Seen on TV Products” on a list she made for me to give to Santa last year. Meanwhile, she saved the Kidz Bop CD to add to her own wish list. In the end, Santa delivered on the latter and none of the former. So, … Continue reading →