tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37144893144781613922024-03-13T12:30:18.851-04:00Unproven OpinionsFacts are proven opinions and opinions are unproven factsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-59608443651374815232019-08-27T19:39:00.000-04:002019-08-29T23:21:32.548-04:00#BoysDanceTooFor a society that seems to want to eliminate gender altogether we sure do hold a lot of gender based assumptions about things. One of which is that if you are a boy and you dance then you must be gay. A straight male wouldn't choose to dance. A straight male would choose to play hockey, or football, or basketball. And so if a boy is interested in dance, somehow society sees that boy as weaker than his non-dancing male peers because society also views being gay as being inferior. Thus if being male and taking dance makes one gay, and being gay is inferior, then it becomes a laughable sport for a male to engage in. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfDjNXRzH-8">See Lara Spencer's reaction to Prince George taking ballet</a>) While Lara Spencer never outwardly says anything directly about being gay, her entire demeanor flaunts this societal norm.<br />
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Only it isn't true.<br />
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Not all boys who dance are gay. There are plenty of heterosexual males tearing up the dance floor or leaving it all on stage. It is this group that I am going to focus on because it is this assumption that enrages me as a mother of a male dancer.<br />
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I put my son in soccer when he was 3 like I had with his older brother. When his older brother played soccer he showed natural athleticism. He loved playing and was very good at it. When his younger brother played, he seemed bored most of the time and would entertain himself with movements that made me think he may enjoy gymnastics more (such as hanging upside down on the goal post).<br />
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In Gymnastics that fall, he was excited, focused and quite good. He also seemed curious about the dance class that took place at the same time as his class. He enjoyed dancing in a way I think many babies and young children do and rather than squash that interest and force him to be an athlete, I chose to let him try a dance class. He was so excited to hopefully one day dance just like Michael Jackson. He had found his passion.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4rF0sam4Mr2w37usqS9qE41ycC4eGYRvQdDkZK4nqQQgMy1Ke58tUpaDGuwwMx7my8rMQfFgNKN6rYwlVKXHpkslHEzk3hg55rUz4S6xZkZzmfrfVV1YYey-LskeL7t3QnoIcQnKtxKn/s1600/A.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4rF0sam4Mr2w37usqS9qE41ycC4eGYRvQdDkZK4nqQQgMy1Ke58tUpaDGuwwMx7my8rMQfFgNKN6rYwlVKXHpkslHEzk3hg55rUz4S6xZkZzmfrfVV1YYey-LskeL7t3QnoIcQnKtxKn/s1600/A.1.jpg" /></a></div>
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But I noticed a pattern in how people would respond when they ask him what sports he plays (for some reason this is what we ask boys). When he replies that he dances, he is often faced with an awkward "oh" by the puzzled faced person who doesn't know how to respond. Sometimes people will say things like:<br />
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"But don't you like sports?"<br />
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"I bet he would be good at basketball like his brother."<br />
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"You should put him in a real sport."<br />
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"There are so many dancers in the world you will never get anywhere with dance. It's a waste of time."<br />
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"You are going to make him gay."<br />
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Others just try to avoid the subject all together. They never come to watch him perform and cheer him on. It's not an exciting basketball game after all. They don't understand the effort that goes on behind the scenes to master a two and a half minute dance routine, much less ten routines. They don't understand that he notices the meaning behind their words and he notices their absence, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8khlU2bGAclq3VO7FOUhPFg0kV0Tb1rbHB3VDuhdxxQrWmyZxb3T7IFtkCMMO_OfKTYh44u6HeTeSQ5OM6djJ_djS_vxFHpaK5Pr72B3a4ahjvRSNnWTWbJcCXqngEF9neDK-IKxTJI22/s1600/20170723_175604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8khlU2bGAclq3VO7FOUhPFg0kV0Tb1rbHB3VDuhdxxQrWmyZxb3T7IFtkCMMO_OfKTYh44u6HeTeSQ5OM6djJ_djS_vxFHpaK5Pr72B3a4ahjvRSNnWTWbJcCXqngEF9neDK-IKxTJI22/s320/20170723_175604.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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There is another misconception I'd like to clear up. Not all boys who dance every discipline <i>like</i> every discipline. For example, my son loves hip hop, jazz, acro, and contemporary but hates ballet. And while he does not like ballet, he will spend close to three hours a week in ballet classes this coming dance season because it is required to be able to do the styles he does like. Not only is that dedication, it is also a skill everyone can benefit from. In life we often must do things we don't really want to do in order to do the things we do want to do. To tease him for taking ballet would be to tease him for showing perseverance. And he has been teased. He has been told directly to his face that he is gay because he takes ballet. He has been told he is gay indirectly when people have deliberately commented on how gay ballet is, or if they see a male dancing ballet on TV they say something about how the dancer must be gay. Do you know how confusing comments like that can be on a straight male who participates in ballet? Society needs to stop with this messaging. Dancing ballet doesn't make someone gay.<br />
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As parents we should all be following our children's interests and recognizing what they are drawn to and nurturing that interest as best as we can. I strive to do this with both of my boys who have taken on very different extracurricular paths. I shouldn't have to defend this decision either. No one ever asks me why my older son plays basketball or tries to talk me out of it or questions how basketball may affect his sexuality.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsQoan0y1VySwV26KAvguD2cs9fN-UPYmuxMKRjNW7Ja0ZXn8h8GuSPQc35VfTmCrPuom4c7Q0PEimWBIV-CReTCCnoZK7KWlLW3Oho8K_XkA4Lu5ldhCyF9Fg_6Rr6V8Jt2JEXMqlund/s1600/1472132965103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="960" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsQoan0y1VySwV26KAvguD2cs9fN-UPYmuxMKRjNW7Ja0ZXn8h8GuSPQc35VfTmCrPuom4c7Q0PEimWBIV-CReTCCnoZK7KWlLW3Oho8K_XkA4Lu5ldhCyF9Fg_6Rr6V8Jt2JEXMqlund/s320/1472132965103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a society we need to stop perpetuating stereotypes and making assumptions. Society may think that the real athletes are those playing sports like basketball or football and that dancers are not real athletes. But if they challenged my basketball playing son against my dancing son to a push-up contest, I promise you it wouldn't be the basketball player that won.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-41603041075219232672018-03-30T21:26:00.000-04:002018-03-30T21:26:14.370-04:00Flipp Before Your Shopping Trip<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being a student is financially hard. Being a student and a
parent at the same time is financially harder. I should know, I was one.
I did survive (barely), and even moved on to purchasing a home, a car, and
there is food in the house. Since I know from experience that my family
and I can survive having me be a student, I have decided to become one
again. You may wonder why I would want to do that. It's simple
really. The house, the car, the food, and the countless other expenses
life bestows upon families is eating up more of our family income than we would
like. The only solution is to make more money, and the best way to do that is
by upgrading my education. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time however I am more prepared. I am wiser and have
more experience handling money and making every dollar stretch to make ends
meet. I will share with you 3 of the ways I save my family money that
will be beneficial to other students.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1. Download the Flipp app. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flipp is an app that brings up flyers from your local area. As you
browse the flyers or search for specific items you can 'clip' (tap) the items
you want to save. Then you head to a price matching store (my favourite
is Wal-Mart because they have the best price matching policy). If you see
something you want to buy while in the store that you didn’t clip beforehand,
search for it on the app to see if anyone has it at a better price. The more
you use the app, the better you will be able to recognize a good sale. I easily
save my family $40-80 every week using this app.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAVzYHjy6y5HvSB8AFt4ya-RSwEZM7CCH-uX28RmvdTmcMoRZ1j0U9mvK1roJq5aqx6x3Te7Alcp3dpeUJTSfDS8c3_EY1hUrkIQAN_Lu0NypVIg2UnriSvdSlQfWr3udpBEF9YLzTmDU/s1600/Screenshot_20180330-210750_Flipp%255B1164%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="779" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAVzYHjy6y5HvSB8AFt4ya-RSwEZM7CCH-uX28RmvdTmcMoRZ1j0U9mvK1roJq5aqx6x3Te7Alcp3dpeUJTSfDS8c3_EY1hUrkIQAN_Lu0NypVIg2UnriSvdSlQfWr3udpBEF9YLzTmDU/s320/Screenshot_20180330-210750_Flipp%255B1164%255D.jpg" width="155" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">How much will you pay for blueberries?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2. Sign up for ebates.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ebates is a no brainer for any online shopper. Simply go to
the app or the website before visiting your favourite online stores (eBay,
Amazon, Old Navy, and hundreds more) and get paid a percentage of what you
spend. If you are shopping anyway, you may as well get paid for it.
After my Christmas Shopping I received a cheque back for over $75. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWz0NF8a8kSl57hGceFB13_z1dLDMdLnAoaX5XvXOOsxY2R_8Z-YO209s9TYZ9CU9VVxLgXUP3T0TM719N9GTRW-8UoFZ1jpUOchutvksOCUi3pTiV9-aWIFafuri_xG6LaevvDINACkt/s1600/Screenshot_20180330-210821_Ebates%255B1163%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="779" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWz0NF8a8kSl57hGceFB13_z1dLDMdLnAoaX5XvXOOsxY2R_8Z-YO209s9TYZ9CU9VVxLgXUP3T0TM719N9GTRW-8UoFZ1jpUOchutvksOCUi3pTiV9-aWIFafuri_xG6LaevvDINACkt/s320/Screenshot_20180330-210821_Ebates%255B1163%255D.jpg" width="155" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Spending $100 at Old Navy is $4 back in your pocket.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3. Make cutbacks where you can. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we go to the movie theatre we refuse to buy snacks.
Popcorn and Drinks for a family of 4 should not cost more than the movie
tickets. By sacrificing (or saving ourselves from) the junk food, we’re
able to go to move movies throughout the year. Students may want to think the
same way when it comes to going out for drinks versus staying in and buying
your own drinks. Doing that would save you not only on the drinks, but also on
the Uber ride home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRZ4tQYUGlzMgfB4C-Pt9MyvpYEMeD757hGFCYEc2EWhMsjf_sGm30c9RuHHHkuGjfJ62LDFxFcFjQ2KsxCvQtL0g55xTATT6rimr5-UcaTpqzDqrrMkiXxft7hcAa2SslnwTnHdyB0F5/s1600/which-movie-theatres-does-amc-gift-card-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1450" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRZ4tQYUGlzMgfB4C-Pt9MyvpYEMeD757hGFCYEc2EWhMsjf_sGm30c9RuHHHkuGjfJ62LDFxFcFjQ2KsxCvQtL0g55xTATT6rimr5-UcaTpqzDqrrMkiXxft7hcAa2SslnwTnHdyB0F5/s320/which-movie-theatres-does-amc-gift-card-1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Think of how many blueberries you could buy at FreshCo instead.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students have a lot of expenses and not a lot of income. If you plan ahead and take time to save money on simple everyday items, you will
find you have more money in your pocket to enjoy life along the
way. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; letter-spacing: 0.2px;">This essay has been written as an entry for the 2018 Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada Scholarship Program. For more information, visit: </span><a href="https://www.consolidatedcredit.ca/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0d9cde; cursor: pointer; letter-spacing: 0.2px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition: all 0.2s linear;">https://www.consolidatedcredit.ca</a></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-27005691072439305262018-03-16T12:02:00.003-04:002018-03-16T12:05:50.684-04:00PSA for Social CriminalsHey you!<br />
<br />
Yes, you! <br />
<br />
The one about to send out a tweet looking for weed, like @rosa_sparkz did on July 22, 2015.<br />
Step away from the keyboard! This warning is for you. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcVdwLdh9RvJEQ4kdPfPfokIMsq0uVtxbjW2Cj5wRP7HLLpfAFB8bmGZuD3cbM7mTN9IB4HDwQaXMK_2oM2C7z4bN5DKOoZ-iqRUMhzeq2AFcPvS-U9nogtChqMGC5724JU8PA5WxgqmS/s1600/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="129" data-original-width="391" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcVdwLdh9RvJEQ4kdPfPfokIMsq0uVtxbjW2Cj5wRP7HLLpfAFB8bmGZuD3cbM7mTN9IB4HDwQaXMK_2oM2C7z4bN5DKOoZ-iqRUMhzeq2AFcPvS-U9nogtChqMGC5724JU8PA5WxgqmS/s320/download.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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The police are monitoring social media sites, including twitter. Your tweet will be found just like the aforementioned person's tweet was found. She received a reply from @PBCountySheriff just over an hour after her initial tweet asking where they should meet her.<br />
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Police departments all over North America are spending time online because that's where we are. It's where we talk to each other, post about where we are going, what we are doing, and who we are with. We post photos and engage in conversations. We sometimes look for products and services too. The police are realizing that social media is a great tool to not only solve crimes, but also learn about a crime before it even takes place. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL8-sizcUl6jbZNtHos4lj6UOzwe-cWIz-OqqE9P7TBQSET4QDLxTej_aexJUy0Up0vANibKicoeX-fZNG6MzmT7iN3ZkQxkgt0nqNgiOfyMlt9AIc1Yi0RQSp7OGoEEX0syz0gtnn_PO/s1600/social-media-police-350x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL8-sizcUl6jbZNtHos4lj6UOzwe-cWIz-OqqE9P7TBQSET4QDLxTej_aexJUy0Up0vANibKicoeX-fZNG6MzmT7iN3ZkQxkgt0nqNgiOfyMlt9AIc1Yi0RQSp7OGoEEX0syz0gtnn_PO/s320/social-media-police-350x350.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They couldn't do this without people oversharing online though. That is why I am warning you to back away. Don't post about your crimes or publicly plot to engage in criminal activity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kbFomqHC-klcRSCg_VR3Ns2dxej8hj1loNK_Pg51YRKuV1qKYbFf_n0RFChIEn-EjXlIB3OQTdhp2CVZYyFeJ9aNxmrRT0WTBVZqOp53-Wq6onK40G0N4TBN7Q_ssZ_OWROPkLfi-7ji/s1600/8db635b1c0caf45535409f764d67a0ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kbFomqHC-klcRSCg_VR3Ns2dxej8hj1loNK_Pg51YRKuV1qKYbFf_n0RFChIEn-EjXlIB3OQTdhp2CVZYyFeJ9aNxmrRT0WTBVZqOp53-Wq6onK40G0N4TBN7Q_ssZ_OWROPkLfi-7ji/s320/8db635b1c0caf45535409f764d67a0ab.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Just look at an unidentified 16 year old who decided to pull a prank at a public library by flooding the toilets, causing the library to be closed for 5 months from over $200,000 worth of damage, and then telling his friend about it on Facebook. He tried to deny it until police showed him the messages he had written on Facebook as proof. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEMfpd2OYTNGTHVQMVeyDVzmFZoMEB-MV5pNJDSTchrYO2mS8QCLszMYZBS9okoz5vmkjyQUnIAI-rGGy-xesPFL1KhY6pO3v78KYa7CJAd9KAkt9JjqGyDT_D10F6WIi4NWtadm9BXVz/s1600/tweet-il-052015-2col.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="354" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEMfpd2OYTNGTHVQMVeyDVzmFZoMEB-MV5pNJDSTchrYO2mS8QCLszMYZBS9okoz5vmkjyQUnIAI-rGGy-xesPFL1KhY6pO3v78KYa7CJAd9KAkt9JjqGyDT_D10F6WIi4NWtadm9BXVz/s320/tweet-il-052015-2col.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then there was a woman who thought that live streaming herself on Periscope while driving impaired with her children in the car was a good idea. One of her followers notified police who were able to track her down by following her live stream. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMrFA_RLtqBcjRXkbdkbvfN8ua1CFIl3Pn1FDW-yOg-DOL4K_QcWjj29qfa2JgDFVvEQxOlFaKIFF7pKV_iYTyMmoyyFZJ3WWFoct2uVyrvktmi5h0DjmSZ3jHdJjAGJ5GYxBeGZVvTo7/s1600/technology-social_media-social_network-social_networking-brags-crime-hscn2910_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="400" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMrFA_RLtqBcjRXkbdkbvfN8ua1CFIl3Pn1FDW-yOg-DOL4K_QcWjj29qfa2JgDFVvEQxOlFaKIFF7pKV_iYTyMmoyyFZJ3WWFoct2uVyrvktmi5h0DjmSZ3jHdJjAGJ5GYxBeGZVvTo7/s320/technology-social_media-social_network-social_networking-brags-crime-hscn2910_low.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sometimes though, it's not even that people post about the crime or intent to commit a crime. Sometimes it's simply that people cannot leave social media alone long enough! That's what happened to Nick Wig in July 2014. He entered a home when the family wasn't there and stole a few things. Before leaving he logged into Facebook on their computer and was easily identified due to his name and face being plastered on their computer screen. That's right, he didn't even remember to log out before leaving!<br />
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So again I tell you, be warned, the police are monitoring social media sites looking for you. So don't post about your desire to buy illegal drugs, or brag about how great a driver you are after 10 beers, 5 shots of rum, and a Red Bull. And if you ever break into someone's house and rob them, don't leave your Facebook page wide open on their computer screen. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjTFMSUcJ3qolYNWXTspar32PlwGsyxIkA6iFvvsjy10GrWNbOc4WznqHlgLcafS_MfY-2Z2svs_1bLkeQ6Q2013-JmaEI3gpJiBW_3rT7Fak21Q_NE2EbVsMK6AMcXNWpyW9zd-0Goh1/s1600/business-commerce-safe-burglar-sardines-crime-criminal-mfln8814_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjTFMSUcJ3qolYNWXTspar32PlwGsyxIkA6iFvvsjy10GrWNbOc4WznqHlgLcafS_MfY-2Z2svs_1bLkeQ6Q2013-JmaEI3gpJiBW_3rT7Fak21Q_NE2EbVsMK6AMcXNWpyW9zd-0Goh1/s320/business-commerce-safe-burglar-sardines-crime-criminal-mfln8814_low.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
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When it comes to committing crimes, lets make the police work for the evidence they need. Here are five ways we can make crime 'old school' again.<br />
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<b>1. Lets go back to police needing to interrogate people for confessions rather than reading them on social media.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr14Zz5cMLLamdvdDzvhBC0nrB7NvOjLeWp7KTQieP9j95EJmWazq6BTkcdaX-UMtZ7wgrw0WqWTTApCBH9sqgm95xI47uq8bgiAHuTcjUSpyjIJ-dF9G1p2lWVKYRUAm84KDLsFQ51Yh5/s1600/food-drink-police_interview-policing_interview-tough_cookie-interview_room-torture-grb120321_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr14Zz5cMLLamdvdDzvhBC0nrB7NvOjLeWp7KTQieP9j95EJmWazq6BTkcdaX-UMtZ7wgrw0WqWTTApCBH9sqgm95xI47uq8bgiAHuTcjUSpyjIJ-dF9G1p2lWVKYRUAm84KDLsFQ51Yh5/s320/food-drink-police_interview-policing_interview-tough_cookie-interview_room-torture-grb120321_low.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>2. Lets go back to police relying on a sketch artist's drawing to help identify suspects rather than leaving photographic evidence of our identity from our Facebook pages.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB91MHtK_CFhUgIazIxSJK68Hi1UMw1i4PrZ9p8C9Vyo6BiTVL1-yjo7U-wPyXiyl7VaxD4MrNWaIrZ9AwPwSX2LBCmXtF9v2viygRPGPWnQjqLGlIO1blXNfi_4sao0l9nQPCwvn0UtQ7/s1600/art-police-police_artist-identity-mugger-mugging-rten197_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB91MHtK_CFhUgIazIxSJK68Hi1UMw1i4PrZ9p8C9Vyo6BiTVL1-yjo7U-wPyXiyl7VaxD4MrNWaIrZ9AwPwSX2LBCmXtF9v2viygRPGPWnQjqLGlIO1blXNfi_4sao0l9nQPCwvn0UtQ7/s320/art-police-police_artist-identity-mugger-mugging-rten197_low.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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<b>3. Let's go back to finding drugs in dark alleyways rather than broadcasting our addictions on social media for police to openly see.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDy5GWojKuHT9FIiX9_emrXN6HCCY6V7ZER0zkjhqDMOWrf9juuPqXsDDTuBXwlN9ucME0H587hd6gtEFsOJ6utm3wYGVt2EKiChyZTIV8gIQ1HiNZyQNEgDAgTGXQYKfSf3pP9Yw7CRX/s1600/animals-baa_baa_black_sheep-sheep-ewes-rams-black_market-nfkn2361_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDy5GWojKuHT9FIiX9_emrXN6HCCY6V7ZER0zkjhqDMOWrf9juuPqXsDDTuBXwlN9ucME0H587hd6gtEFsOJ6utm3wYGVt2EKiChyZTIV8gIQ1HiNZyQNEgDAgTGXQYKfSf3pP9Yw7CRX/s320/animals-baa_baa_black_sheep-sheep-ewes-rams-black_market-nfkn2361_low.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<b>4. Let's go back to pretending to be sober when driving under the influence until getting caught by a ride program or stuck in a tree, rather than live stream the experience so police can track us down before we smash into the tree.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKpC4rrCvuuss_cPfuL5IfWGUH976GqDauAAkqnG4tnRvFrWWi2JvTcOx22C5W4jpZOLREtbnvKEX6pYXavHn56nt3QUTwNSKzfcY07SK90ke8waSpnxONjwwsyeeisYzt7V2WYceIqKb/s1600/transport-drinking_and_driving-drunk_driver-cheekiness-drivers-drinking-ate0022_low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="400" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKpC4rrCvuuss_cPfuL5IfWGUH976GqDauAAkqnG4tnRvFrWWi2JvTcOx22C5W4jpZOLREtbnvKEX6pYXavHn56nt3QUTwNSKzfcY07SK90ke8waSpnxONjwwsyeeisYzt7V2WYceIqKb/s320/transport-drinking_and_driving-drunk_driver-cheekiness-drivers-drinking-ate0022_low.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>5. Let's go back to he said she said rather than give civilians the evidence they need to rat us out to the police.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy58YD4X3JpPEIhzm8cfWvBJlzGB23Jqtg1NedU8ECk-g0E48RbmkbRb67S5nCMHyKz600YittE1Zqku4eWku4IC_oaqJ87cy_D8uNSVkzDJtF_0jKrW4fy3_t1ZXDAB4qtfUxmiTvfrA9/s1600/9dcdda342faa683cfed2459bf9f939ee.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy58YD4X3JpPEIhzm8cfWvBJlzGB23Jqtg1NedU8ECk-g0E48RbmkbRb67S5nCMHyKz600YittE1Zqku4eWku4IC_oaqJ87cy_D8uNSVkzDJtF_0jKrW4fy3_t1ZXDAB4qtfUxmiTvfrA9/s320/9dcdda342faa683cfed2459bf9f939ee.png" width="289" /></a></div>
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I hope you will take my advice and think before you post. Remember everything you post, tweet, share, comment, or like, just might be used against you. Keep your crimes offline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlp41-0MAhHcwJvAGuQfKafpjUsfgZbxVrcCb23T-kXeaklRpFtO2Sw9X9E6mjHlR7KPnr7U0ejSACVxBseFVVdx5jydKHvQowS9PhD9DNxUIfsu0tK1nhzVKsg_fbwZSzrPSyZwLk19M/s1600/solving-crime-with-social-media-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlp41-0MAhHcwJvAGuQfKafpjUsfgZbxVrcCb23T-kXeaklRpFtO2Sw9X9E6mjHlR7KPnr7U0ejSACVxBseFVVdx5jydKHvQowS9PhD9DNxUIfsu0tK1nhzVKsg_fbwZSzrPSyZwLk19M/s320/solving-crime-with-social-media-11.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
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<i>This PSA has been brought to you as my scholarship application for: <a href="https://www.haywoodhunt.ca/">https://www.haywoodhunt.ca</a> I hope you enjoyed my blog.</i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-1165558265769473542015-09-06T16:24:00.000-04:002015-09-06T16:24:14.132-04:00Junior Kindergarten 101You knew this day would come eventually. Now that it's here though, you can't help but wonder how it came so fast. As you look at your child all you can see is that sweet baby you brought home from the hospital. Only now he has more hair, a mouth full of teeth, and the words to tell you how he is feeling.<br />
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Your child might be telling you that he is ready for school. Asking you everyday if it's time to go yet. Walking around with his new, super cool (insert favourite cartoon character here) backpack. Or your child might be telling you that he is not ready. Usually with crocodile tears pleading to please let him stay home with you.<br />
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Then there is the feelings of you, the parent. Likely if this is your first kindergarten send off you are feeling nervous or sad yourself. This could be true if this is your last kindergarten send off too. It doesn't seem to matter if your child is ready to skip off happily or is leeching onto your leg, either way you are left an emotional mess.<br />
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The important thing is that you hide it and hide it well. Your child will sense your uncertainty and it can affect how well your child adjusts to kindergarten. Talk about the fun they will have and the friends they will make. Let them pick out their backpack and lunchbox. Tell them you will pick them up and something you will do together (i.e. go to the park, watch a show together, read a story etc). This will give them something to look forward to.<br />
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Kindergarten brings a lot of independence. Yes, your child's teacher and early childhood educator team will help with zippers and boo-boos. But there are plenty of simple things you can do to help your child be successful at completing many tasks independently.<br />
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<li>Buy shoes that your child can easily put on by himself. Either slip-ons or velcro. Avoid flip flops, fancy sandals, and shoes that are not suitable for play. </li>
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<li>Dress for play. Messy, messy play. If paint or mud got on their clothes you don't want to be upset about it. Save the fancy stuff for home. If your child will wear a skirt or dress put shorts on underneath. Trust me. This is important.</li>
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<li>Give your child time in the morning to practice dressing themselves. The teacher can help with zippers but your child should be able to put their sweater or coat on. This is especially important in the winter months. I will write a separate post outlining my fool proof method for ensuring a warm and dry play experience.</li>
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<li>Make sure your child knows how to wipe their own bum. No one can help your child in this area. They need to practice this at home.</li>
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<li>Label everything you want brought back home. This included a zip up sweater that they might take off. </li>
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<li>Pack extra clothes including socks. Accidents can happen, and sometimes play gets too messy and requires a change of clothes for comfort.</li>
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<li>Pack your child's lunch in containers that they can open. Pack foods they are used to eating. Include a spoon or fork if required. You wouldn't believe how often kids have yogurt but no spoon.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Be early for pick up the first week or so. Many kindergarten classes will dismiss earlier than the regular school bell (ask your teacher for time). An anxious child will become upset when they see other children leaving and you are not there. Once they are settled in they will be ok waiting a few extra minutes to see your smiling face.</li>
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<li>Avoid asking your child "what did you do today?". Instead try asking "what was your favourite thing about school today" or "what did you do in gym or library". You will get a better response if you narrow down your question.</li>
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The first few weeks can be difficult. It's an adjustment to new routines, new friends, new teachers, and new expectations. But it will get better. Your child will grow so much this year and amaze you with all the things they are now capable of. But don't worry too much, they still need you. They need cuddles, attention, love and encouragement, </div>
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On the first day of school when you drop your child off at school, whether your child is skipping along or clinging to your leg, know that he will be okay and so will you. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-30074288546701346982014-07-12T21:28:00.001-04:002014-07-12T21:34:55.736-04:00Outdoor Movie NightI don't know about you, but I like planning parties. Usually they are to celebrate my children's birthdays. Occasionally, we have a large number of people over for a BBQ or something, but not too often. <br />
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This summer I wanted to host something different. Something unique.<br />
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Well this idea was a hit; an outdoor movie night. I realize I didn't invent this concept but I thought I'd share what I put together anyway.</div>
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<u>Guests</u></div>
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We let the kids invite some neighbourhood kids and their families. I invited some friends of ours and their families. The key phrase here is "and their families" because I wanted to provide an opportunity for parents to spend some time making memories with their children.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-1ddW4GNGhfNYzhyphenhyphenPdJubvrR9KK_KwJicVPY4jtcvRDd4UXGM_uZg0bTqglnNuDSF4pCZImJXurnToEKlVn4Pc4jGEtdM-xJf9YJ7o2IRcoDyIjwxPvbaFrXnqVEAD-86b_MnajhB2lj/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-1ddW4GNGhfNYzhyphenhyphenPdJubvrR9KK_KwJicVPY4jtcvRDd4UXGM_uZg0bTqglnNuDSF4pCZImJXurnToEKlVn4Pc4jGEtdM-xJf9YJ7o2IRcoDyIjwxPvbaFrXnqVEAD-86b_MnajhB2lj/s1600/image.jpeg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Guests enjoying the movie</i></div>
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<u>The Movie</u></div>
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We chose to watch The Lego Movie because we have two boys that love that movie and many of the guests also love that movie. Plus it was a fairly recent family friendly movie. Everyone had already seen it, but everyone was excited to watch it again in this setting.</div>
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<u>The Technical Stuff</u></div>
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We have a projector so that part was easy. My neighbour had a projector screen and he attached it to a wooden stand that he whipped together for us. It was much better than the cardboard I wrapped a white sheet around before I knew he owned a screen.</div>
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My husband hooked up the surround sound speakers to our DVD player and it was very loud.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrBTIKWRh-C54LJkHlqnJJFdQWT_UeipauWwSiNJ6AR36iauyttNGAlE4GGNy7kJiLD3Uh-pg_xWtJtnDT-XGNCA0p-XGzzS5FVA1srM8eEMCnN9QIkeLkNtB5F3D3PzoyA-oP75_7Rf9/s1600/10489784_10154338359340082_6205769639938801440_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrBTIKWRh-C54LJkHlqnJJFdQWT_UeipauWwSiNJ6AR36iauyttNGAlE4GGNy7kJiLD3Uh-pg_xWtJtnDT-XGNCA0p-XGzzS5FVA1srM8eEMCnN9QIkeLkNtB5F3D3PzoyA-oP75_7Rf9/s1600/10489784_10154338359340082_6205769639938801440_n.jpg" height="320" width="264" /></a></div>
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<i>The screen and stand, as well as the sign I made</i></div>
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<u>Logistics</u></div>
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Everything was set up right on our driveway. We asked guests to bring their own chairs and blankets since sometimes it's cold at night. Guests arrived around 9:30 pm and the movie started at 10:00 pm.</div>
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<u>Snacks, Snacks, and More Snacks</u></div>
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I wanted to make things extra fun by providing lots of awesome and authentic snack items, displayed in fun and functional ways. We had several children with peanut allergies so all snacks were peanut free. Here is what I came up with. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppi05fLr1FMfbjw6Hlnt915PltEP_KOSUcy5OeQ9wz-HMYG6mz_VrS32KcFHu9oIPNpnBc6SxtmDeSiRlRp6HVqB68rMSbRDu5wNXhZzUplDbxm3iykp_YPSBR4HFkadkKnditaSLzcTK/s1600/15190_10154338359510082_6764194202490599995_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppi05fLr1FMfbjw6Hlnt915PltEP_KOSUcy5OeQ9wz-HMYG6mz_VrS32KcFHu9oIPNpnBc6SxtmDeSiRlRp6HVqB68rMSbRDu5wNXhZzUplDbxm3iykp_YPSBR4HFkadkKnditaSLzcTK/s1600/15190_10154338359510082_6764194202490599995_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Full size chocolate bars displayed in a wire bread basket</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfQqCQDM36QMwbQlsA5THS6xHpf3XS6GhQZNlfgDgE0Ne9bd7Pf8dYZWsPKo0NjdxaF-xvY7tMG4BBlWSH7uwIGZ-fPQ9aN5PYNHvqQM_r5OIZBIzYFhJe3g-8Ylqd1ybHaTD41FggscD/s1600/10487547_10154338359590082_8909125518043380944_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfQqCQDM36QMwbQlsA5THS6xHpf3XS6GhQZNlfgDgE0Ne9bd7Pf8dYZWsPKo0NjdxaF-xvY7tMG4BBlWSH7uwIGZ-fPQ9aN5PYNHvqQM_r5OIZBIzYFhJe3g-8Ylqd1ybHaTD41FggscD/s1600/10487547_10154338359590082_8909125518043380944_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Full size, retro boxes of candy displayed in a basket tray</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOLrNgwrFujUhARx_QHYrvlsmIsrfo-1Fw7LQI0BqK1h7XbtCquGn5OS30218QOb_0CXwbM-xwFLM8CRynJ8OCr5lxO3kUMwMzktSuNGTXJAOwo9-emUODtVarHVmK3OSsrQC5zGOM9OO/s1600/10525682_10154338359420082_7107351662625675965_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOLrNgwrFujUhARx_QHYrvlsmIsrfo-1Fw7LQI0BqK1h7XbtCquGn5OS30218QOb_0CXwbM-xwFLM8CRynJ8OCr5lxO3kUMwMzktSuNGTXJAOwo9-emUODtVarHVmK3OSsrQC5zGOM9OO/s1600/10525682_10154338359420082_7107351662625675965_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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A variety of popcorn seasonings displayed in a box hidden by the bandana</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSBLIWJbxUTxW-5o5DYU2hq90gp7LMg4wwBGcMmJIWtTTinGWQ0igeiKmyy2M1b-CLt3HpFGZtzb6WcP9MvK3m9kkUAw-StO8NerUgV0dWpZl_OOe3-p4KosDlt1s_fUNPvVqFtACk0eU/s1600/10482758_10154338359390082_7877431743096191799_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSBLIWJbxUTxW-5o5DYU2hq90gp7LMg4wwBGcMmJIWtTTinGWQ0igeiKmyy2M1b-CLt3HpFGZtzb6WcP9MvK3m9kkUAw-StO8NerUgV0dWpZl_OOe3-p4KosDlt1s_fUNPvVqFtACk0eU/s1600/10482758_10154338359390082_7877431743096191799_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Cardboard popcorn boxes with each person's name on it displayed in a basket </i></div>
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<i>chest with a bandana for added decoration. I displayed the straws in a mason jar </i></div>
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<i>and tied checkered ribbon on it.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS5NugQlrWPGtuvT3rbz301uMptknpmOuIhdsaJuCAY1eqYWxiWo8XIROHGCrHrxWZPE9mIaXUwszNIpvQECZ0n7S-lQyeRwEcPteQt2uMyhcXKgwNWU94xvE2KGNg7vVdd4hUwXR6567/s1600/10440641_10154338359725082_2707526982812508502_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQS5NugQlrWPGtuvT3rbz301uMptknpmOuIhdsaJuCAY1eqYWxiWo8XIROHGCrHrxWZPE9mIaXUwszNIpvQECZ0n7S-lQyeRwEcPteQt2uMyhcXKgwNWU94xvE2KGNg7vVdd4hUwXR6567/s1600/10440641_10154338359725082_2707526982812508502_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The completed concession buffet table. Popcorn is in the yellow tubs and I used </i></div>
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<i>mustard dispensers for the melted butter. There was also a cooler of drinks on </i></div>
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<i>the ground at the end of the table</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qYxIEPuzI99usHigmPX8MHMWX8d68rYRBWLUBxEHdKUGsfjvyai9qZZpYLFb0RxcGv4inpDdWuH5uQceMj_M8Bj2CxNuDYvgawHV1JbvcVau5pRM8GyQGWu-x6WC2d3-K9E5oHVURGJX/s1600/10373953_10154338359660082_4955868418948310014_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qYxIEPuzI99usHigmPX8MHMWX8d68rYRBWLUBxEHdKUGsfjvyai9qZZpYLFb0RxcGv4inpDdWuH5uQceMj_M8Bj2CxNuDYvgawHV1JbvcVau5pRM8GyQGWu-x6WC2d3-K9E5oHVURGJX/s1600/10373953_10154338359660082_4955868418948310014_n.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The table without the popcorn or butter added yet, so you can see it in daylight</i></div>
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Overall, this get together was fabulous. Everyone had a great time and I know it was an experience that will be talked about for a long time. If you are looking for a unique way to enjoy summer with friends and have a projector handy, I highly recommend an outdoor movie night. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-81865881155013225432013-10-27T11:46:00.000-04:002013-10-28T18:56:17.496-04:00Halloween Party IdeasI have always wanted to host a Halloween party for my kids but every year we dedicate all our time and energy into my uncle’s Haunted House attraction in Mississauga; <a href="http://666delkus.weebly.com/">Lou Cipher’s House of Terror</a> .<br />
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This summer we moved out of the area and will not be participating in the Haunted attraction this year, so I took advantage of the extra time to put together a Halloween party, FINALLY!<br />
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I warmed up my clicking finger, sat down and got down to business searching and pinning all the things I thought the kids would love, and ‘love’ they did. <br />
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<u>Decorations</u><br />
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I like creating the mood for a party but need to do it without breaking the bank. When I decorate, I try to create focal points in places people will gather the most. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGBg_HItQAUAMbTxg0tK1Z3vLuCGVMGJC7ViBbmNlTnh05rYTwmZeWV83W0NwaTq5U44Kjwsaty6iMVGh_HnlnZrVL7UnTHrEm1Dyeo7-_Gfq4cazFr5U11oMH3kbjHh_27WlRm_3BAXm/s1600/IMG_4098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGBg_HItQAUAMbTxg0tK1Z3vLuCGVMGJC7ViBbmNlTnh05rYTwmZeWV83W0NwaTq5U44Kjwsaty6iMVGh_HnlnZrVL7UnTHrEm1Dyeo7-_Gfq4cazFr5U11oMH3kbjHh_27WlRm_3BAXm/s320/IMG_4098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Witch Table</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bpZqdmS3vW9oCaJjXqF947S7MlEy65Ry9Gac-qjGvU6bYNVKzrQJJqgWhEm5c-kZbn6fG4FJOWgyzRA7CgPkg1Z5AypIQyUDp0hBuv-Ar456TYuij_rvfuTz3Tk-hDxsT11laFW23bVM/s1600/IMG_4110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3bpZqdmS3vW9oCaJjXqF947S7MlEy65Ry9Gac-qjGvU6bYNVKzrQJJqgWhEm5c-kZbn6fG4FJOWgyzRA7CgPkg1Z5AypIQyUDp0hBuv-Ar456TYuij_rvfuTz3Tk-hDxsT11laFW23bVM/s320/IMG_4110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Graveyard Hall</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPRFw9PnCC6pw0VG1kYenDYtcbsjxxBUuMZFHzJOSR5480lKGZ2Ln5NJrErG_Cf_MPuzuhSaElnlOXo2_NHhWUGnAh2OcDCgFt4Un3fQNZ136MMzWREZEdmsLm1oWyNBtGyZsGEnCrOO4/s1600/IMG_4097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPRFw9PnCC6pw0VG1kYenDYtcbsjxxBUuMZFHzJOSR5480lKGZ2Ln5NJrErG_Cf_MPuzuhSaElnlOXo2_NHhWUGnAh2OcDCgFt4Un3fQNZ136MMzWREZEdmsLm1oWyNBtGyZsGEnCrOO4/s320/IMG_4097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2MH-8DLZGcSTfmQGkABiHNgXjF97HbjIc6s5lb47nm442g6aMzO_fpHrFwBsJWYIC83hXtBXfeKnOnV-TYA1DXGnMbdcparCzwJia4YKAONUgLcPIIGOIWctH2FPemFaxQAOHPC9wmFN/s1600/IMG_4096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2MH-8DLZGcSTfmQGkABiHNgXjF97HbjIc6s5lb47nm442g6aMzO_fpHrFwBsJWYIC83hXtBXfeKnOnV-TYA1DXGnMbdcparCzwJia4YKAONUgLcPIIGOIWctH2FPemFaxQAOHPC9wmFN/s320/IMG_4096.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Costume Contest Trophies</i><br />
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<u>Food</u><br />
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When I was selecting items for the menu I had a few things in mind; that the kids would be excited about them, that they would add to the presentation of the table, and that they would be easy to make. <br />
Here’s what I came up with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t-I5ATH0yHvBQWkUu_fIvZr8IQLVMUaD4HKpYDA1h4_5-jro-nGTp3gVCxq7Zel7x-gv9DVUqBkIxCcmFa-Q_6Zu-yMcIbAUio8IbauidUKf8a7Mz8_t_ccizltrdZRq7bS-A49Lfpcq/s1600/IMG_4102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4t-I5ATH0yHvBQWkUu_fIvZr8IQLVMUaD4HKpYDA1h4_5-jro-nGTp3gVCxq7Zel7x-gv9DVUqBkIxCcmFa-Q_6Zu-yMcIbAUio8IbauidUKf8a7Mz8_t_ccizltrdZRq7bS-A49Lfpcq/s320/IMG_4102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Chocolate pudding graveyards</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhus4p9fgCG-AGXdYIaygKzi5mx88SZootJlRgjvRVjxXHdjwoKAP_UBKW90FkdxKgAPd3UeUEHX3xF2_Qfji2Sfz5OACXBJkwAm_iWdxzP-V_DPJDRtK-yi5RS3FMtk00CdrTSXcDCYWpi/s1600/IMG_4104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhus4p9fgCG-AGXdYIaygKzi5mx88SZootJlRgjvRVjxXHdjwoKAP_UBKW90FkdxKgAPd3UeUEHX3xF2_Qfji2Sfz5OACXBJkwAm_iWdxzP-V_DPJDRtK-yi5RS3FMtk00CdrTSXcDCYWpi/s320/IMG_4104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Veggie Skeleton Man</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZg8J1Dl4diS4a8t808fPSzkGhzuWyVmv3YuJrqkpKm0vSryKY08FqDJ49sIP9S2Qt0KjmH0IN9mwFchLIgdZneMoaLDiNRTJEJaDkFNgchrjFWFmVdGaeGW9I0NX_VctVqapC3Vk8-jp/s1600/IMG_4144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZg8J1Dl4diS4a8t808fPSzkGhzuWyVmv3YuJrqkpKm0vSryKY08FqDJ49sIP9S2Qt0KjmH0IN9mwFchLIgdZneMoaLDiNRTJEJaDkFNgchrjFWFmVdGaeGW9I0NX_VctVqapC3Vk8-jp/s320/IMG_4144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The Great Pumpkin Cake</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHN0Efi7YqiYLRMvT8tZDA_68FNWUZr89PGN_YnP95c3Mmsy4EibJA9UqbP2Gc1LaXenPEXjOphXq-H0n-7Ys6iG0LBB8JjPMPvouwC3JPgPpT7vtNIuyxhWXwDTcyEfzXkgzjH66Uil_/s1600/IMG_4105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHN0Efi7YqiYLRMvT8tZDA_68FNWUZr89PGN_YnP95c3Mmsy4EibJA9UqbP2Gc1LaXenPEXjOphXq-H0n-7Ys6iG0LBB8JjPMPvouwC3JPgPpT7vtNIuyxhWXwDTcyEfzXkgzjH66Uil_/s320/IMG_4105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Rice Krispie Jack-O-Lanterns and Leaves</i><br />
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I put out some candy, and orange coloured popcorn and chips. I also froze plastic spiders into ice cubes for their drinks which was a huge hit with the kids. <br />
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<u>Party Itinerary</u><br />
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• Guests arrive and paint their own pumpkins, and enjoy some Halloween treats<br />
• Pizza for dinner<br />
• Costume contest (show and vote)<br />
• Watch a scary movie (Our selection; Paranorman)<br />
• Candy Hunt<br />
• Cake<br />
• Announce contest winners<br />
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<u>Party Highlights</u><br />
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As the boys arrived they got to paint a pumpkin to take home. We did this activity first so that they would be dry by the time they went home. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gTQjO256B-skD4wRRMmcuH8LAlxkRPNSLRph0HA5U_A3YKFf5_9AZrxXTT63wPh4RVJVITrHqxH8CyodTZZZVrB8OKYX6lYAhxpZutzPtTneMDT-GQhP8g_U3_vF1XBp5SCSeDh-Cl6w/s1600/IMG_4093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0gTQjO256B-skD4wRRMmcuH8LAlxkRPNSLRph0HA5U_A3YKFf5_9AZrxXTT63wPh4RVJVITrHqxH8CyodTZZZVrB8OKYX6lYAhxpZutzPtTneMDT-GQhP8g_U3_vF1XBp5SCSeDh-Cl6w/s320/IMG_4093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the costume contest I had the boys take turns showing off their costume.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC2hMOlVWks631LvNhBVlRWzy3wLSQF9-QbyhgMpCZHRIWUIXw1iqzD8j19vBKjyfEO12QIgWBMSpd8HlEukpf_VGIkFxFYt5r4hEcu-FpAY1yBRBvZrPfQZSDGslFkNHStql6GKuPj0-/s1600/IMG_4129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC2hMOlVWks631LvNhBVlRWzy3wLSQF9-QbyhgMpCZHRIWUIXw1iqzD8j19vBKjyfEO12QIgWBMSpd8HlEukpf_VGIkFxFYt5r4hEcu-FpAY1yBRBvZrPfQZSDGslFkNHStql6GKuPj0-/s320/IMG_4129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then I gave them a voting sheet with the categories, and they voted for their favourites. Voting for yourself was not allowed. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtoCmFWtA4mxGnM_7oBPnBn3bgQuthrfx_GltIZKaMEKpDLa-d4qHQooL-6KbFc2lrddTZt-zpQ6vili287mVpzH1QnG6Jfb9eARV8l-SbmdlHQI6HYjLEs73sIbNi73S73NEdwsJT1rD/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtoCmFWtA4mxGnM_7oBPnBn3bgQuthrfx_GltIZKaMEKpDLa-d4qHQooL-6KbFc2lrddTZt-zpQ6vili287mVpzH1QnG6Jfb9eARV8l-SbmdlHQI6HYjLEs73sIbNi73S73NEdwsJT1rD/s320/IMG_4139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then they settled in to watch Paranorman.<br />
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While they peacefully watched the movie...My husband changed into this costume…<br />
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…and then this happened...<br />
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I was busy while they peacefully watched the movie too. I put their pumpkins into a Halloween treat bag and set up the candy hunt; all of which would become their party favours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3iaAXA5X0Vclx0Ppy2z1SoA3Tbg1AlyciAdqomc_McYcZKjF64XNmyktdGocT1hzvOE7TWdHbspiKuOCFRYEPTPB0ZPvnCOXk6yp5AUp29lKLJBnR9YdTyPXLBqYhqgu28Jf6Fu2Y5aH/s1600/IMG_4156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3iaAXA5X0Vclx0Ppy2z1SoA3Tbg1AlyciAdqomc_McYcZKjF64XNmyktdGocT1hzvOE7TWdHbspiKuOCFRYEPTPB0ZPvnCOXk6yp5AUp29lKLJBnR9YdTyPXLBqYhqgu28Jf6Fu2Y5aH/s320/IMG_4156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After they settled down from the zombie scare, they had their candy hunt and enjoyed some cake and more treats. Then they all posed for one more group photo before going home but they got zombie photo bombed. <br />
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Overall, this was my favourite party to plan and host. It was fun from beginning to end and I can’t wait for next year. Happy Halloween Ghouls and Boys.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-83389114433695064702013-07-17T10:20:00.000-04:002013-07-17T10:20:31.855-04:00Yes, I am Judging You!I often hear people (especially on Twitter) say that as parents (specifically moms) we need to stop judging each other. In many cases I do agree with that; breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding, co-sleeping vs. crib sleeping, cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers. Those are all trivial matters to which I say: as long as your baby is being fed enough, has a place to sleep, and diapers are being changed often enough; who are we to judge? <br />
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But some issues are serious enough that you're damn right I am judging YOU. <br />
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My latest irk that has me on judge overload is parents leaving children in cars. Especially hot cars. There have been countless news stories over the past few weeks of <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/07/15/halton_police_investigating_after_baby_rescued_from_hot_car.html">children</a> (and <a href="http://www.680news.com/2013/07/12/2-reports-of-dogs-left-in-vehicles-in-the-same-day-outside-the-same-barrie-costco/">pets</a>) being rescued in sweltering hot cars and even a couple tragedies of <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/07/05/grandmother_charged_in_death_of_milton_toddler_left_in_hot_car.html">children who lost their lives</a> due to this kind of negligence. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNl29tU-s9birwf1Yql1iYjfcQExYu-Mj1J2oOb-1kxEuGgMEPcoXgj79TPn-9q4Jr-BAuq0dwACOBBZRPFfH9xvzbps_GJ5Tq6Hd-Z3qGpvDgD7opOR7T_jL4fG-OygD8uFnSAswgw9E/s1600/ks-car-safety.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNl29tU-s9birwf1Yql1iYjfcQExYu-Mj1J2oOb-1kxEuGgMEPcoXgj79TPn-9q4Jr-BAuq0dwACOBBZRPFfH9xvzbps_GJ5Tq6Hd-Z3qGpvDgD7opOR7T_jL4fG-OygD8uFnSAswgw9E/s400/ks-car-safety.jpg" /></a><br />
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When you decide to have a child you are deciding to put that life above what is convenient for you. That means taking your child out of the car, bringing them along for a one minute errand, and then putting them back in the car. I don't care if you have to repeat this sequence 20 times a day. I don't care if your cranky baby just finally fell a sleep and you don't want to wake them. I don't care if your child is having a mega meltdown about <a href="http://www.today.com/moms/errand-crime-parents-now-face-hard-consequences-leaving-kids-car-6C10584642">going in the store</a>. I don't care if you're so busy you <a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2009-03-08/news/36840402_1_courtroom-tissue-class-trip">'forgot' you have a child with you</a>. Nothing you say, no excuse you make to make yourself feel better will ever make you leaving your child in the car okay. It's wrong. This isn't a debatable issue. It's a judge-able issue. <br />
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On a hot day your car becomes so hot you could <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DjQqJ-7Thg">bake cookies</a> in it or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7nJ9_MRfA0">fry an egg</a>. Imagine what that powerful heat does to a child.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2iN7BG2oFXGxbrTbhiwBCAx_ifocia0KfRK5tnm_7nt3BQb1vCv5P6vdYZHPgCWJ2FW4RZwKUo0UQtskG6PMpBB5ZwusXetbf0QfjHn8CaqO4-6ZOTCD7r5J-JzQA0exbFTKpcV97aGU/s1600/2010-07-09-hot_cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2iN7BG2oFXGxbrTbhiwBCAx_ifocia0KfRK5tnm_7nt3BQb1vCv5P6vdYZHPgCWJ2FW4RZwKUo0UQtskG6PMpBB5ZwusXetbf0QfjHn8CaqO4-6ZOTCD7r5J-JzQA0exbFTKpcV97aGU/s400/2010-07-09-hot_cars.jpg" /></a><br />
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When you first shut your car off it may not feel that hot because you had your A/C blasting the whole time, but when you shut the car off the temperature rises fast. According to <a href="http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialtopics/slideshows/hotcar061909.html?page=4&scheme=image-horiz-plain.css">weather.com</a> If the temperature outside is 32C, after about 10 minutes the inside of your car will be 42C and after 20 minutes it will be about 50C and so on. A child's body cannot regulate that kind of heat. A few minutes in the car can cause serious damage to your child's health (shock, stroke, etc) and it can even cause them to die. <br />
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The proven risk of death or serious brain injury to your child in a matter of minutes should be more than enough reason not to leave your child in the car, but in case you need more convincing of how stupid it is to do so think about it from the eyes of the <a href="http://www.peelcas.org/documents/23p_English%20Home%20Alone%20web.pdf">Children's Aid Society</a>. The CAS doesn't have clear guidelines on when it's okay to leave a child alone, but it does use 10 years old as a guideline paired with the parental knowledge of their own child's readiness. They still point out that a parent is responsible for providing adequate care arrangements until the child is 16. So we should be able to agree that if you shouldn't leave your young children alone at home until (let's say 10 years old) then you shouldn't leave your 9 month old, 2 year old or 4 year old alone in the car either. No matter the weather. No matter the location. No matter the reason. They are too young. It's neglectful for a parent to do so. And neglect is a form of child abuse.<br />
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"But my parents did it to us and we didn't die"<br />
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Congratulations! You survived! But many did die. You just weren't aware of it and because of it many things have changed since you were a kid. For instance, we now use seat belts, we put our children in car seats, we don't ride in the back of trucks, we don't use lead paint, and we don't leave young children home alone.<br />
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So stop making excuses for when its okay to leave your child alone in the car. Stop trying to reason that it's only a few minutes and they'll be fine. Stop being a lazy parent with no control over your kids. Remember that you are the parent not your child. You know best, not them. <br />
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<b>MY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z7bNOePNkpEM7w1Z_48fgTCCsEobVzM0JLbLvQWVd-NlY3I8YZPp-bdXGdsEAmG5s535zPpZW2W4Sa-A3qwXFPBt18yDxw1NBNgJwYmpntzmzBwY_R_SsYpQPllvmMU0mdJ1lnlxz-Rs/s1600/baby-in-car-post.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z7bNOePNkpEM7w1Z_48fgTCCsEobVzM0JLbLvQWVd-NlY3I8YZPp-bdXGdsEAmG5s535zPpZW2W4Sa-A3qwXFPBt18yDxw1NBNgJwYmpntzmzBwY_R_SsYpQPllvmMU0mdJ1lnlxz-Rs/s320/baby-in-car-post.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>1.</b> I think it's a sad world when we have to suggest that you leave your purse or cell phone beside your child's car seat in order to remember you have a child, but since that's the advice from the police then I'll pass it on here: do what you have to do to be the best parent you can be. If you think this habit will help you remember that you have children, then do it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEkkiE69mNjFaZXhF8TkNqPxEppJH3r_CbWP58bwLV0WaWPtudJ_jzcls9kBZH6loyPZYbGsJeu49d1gxcGyHq-WUe4eSebJRxZyEbpVCPC-t9Q1Vp02nR5ydw9pnNpNpHwV_SjKeWk8s/s1600/4537159-this-small-caucasian-child-is-trying-to-open-a-blue-car-door.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEkkiE69mNjFaZXhF8TkNqPxEppJH3r_CbWP58bwLV0WaWPtudJ_jzcls9kBZH6loyPZYbGsJeu49d1gxcGyHq-WUe4eSebJRxZyEbpVCPC-t9Q1Vp02nR5ydw9pnNpNpHwV_SjKeWk8s/s320/4537159-this-small-caucasian-child-is-trying-to-open-a-blue-car-door.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>2.</b> Lock your car when parked so other children playing won't open your door and lock themselves inside your car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0XmEKDM_9r0_Z1ZzOSjtzEJwXquMEXoszFivcJv1v1mUq9v8rhRXAINzzb1K7YEguocUJsuPUkr_hDA4QdtK2L-_Ni059l4b82sHlMv4V_qoLoQlxLsx0nMcGoA0CtabvZfciMuy3EpS/s1600/b490c0e6790345c394535509aeb80330.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0XmEKDM_9r0_Z1ZzOSjtzEJwXquMEXoszFivcJv1v1mUq9v8rhRXAINzzb1K7YEguocUJsuPUkr_hDA4QdtK2L-_Ni059l4b82sHlMv4V_qoLoQlxLsx0nMcGoA0CtabvZfciMuy3EpS/s320/b490c0e6790345c394535509aeb80330.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>3.</b> If you see a child left alone in a car call 911 and get the child out of the car. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-46191262093012662602013-02-15T09:42:00.000-05:002013-02-15T09:42:23.469-05:00It's in the Cards<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9CINMNNocojkr4sG_LQmSduYpFMtmjOmOgXWBpYTpxnA0hl0HZybYBglcsvO75rb7Hn913hRWVzxZTamE1etlv-P6Gjg3PnQuNObkjAKZcptd8pzwe4zmB1C3h0lFA6iaibh0ehkROqN/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9CINMNNocojkr4sG_LQmSduYpFMtmjOmOgXWBpYTpxnA0hl0HZybYBglcsvO75rb7Hn913hRWVzxZTamE1etlv-P6Gjg3PnQuNObkjAKZcptd8pzwe4zmB1C3h0lFA6iaibh0ehkROqN/s320/IMG_0433.JPG" /></a><br />
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Some people think that cards are a pointless part of a gift. That they just end up in the garbage without a second thought. But I have always viewed greeting cards in a different light. I love them, I cherish them, and I have kept every single one I've ever received since I was 8 years old, every single one my husband received since we've been together, and every single one of my children's since the day they were born. <br />
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That is a lot of cards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw2-safw6HNY-ab4jSN5i3FZRyeMlfTnYrPC0jUcKIxXRW4p0CYTgFmALZCmnnIhD0YYvr4Hcd7xopxolCOB9GVNDciO6uv0Af9qF-QgOOfOw19DOIKmHjoIc5UN-ebcchWqROA2oWhjo/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw2-safw6HNY-ab4jSN5i3FZRyeMlfTnYrPC0jUcKIxXRW4p0CYTgFmALZCmnnIhD0YYvr4Hcd7xopxolCOB9GVNDciO6uv0Af9qF-QgOOfOw19DOIKmHjoIc5UN-ebcchWqROA2oWhjo/s320/IMG_0434.JPG" /></a><br />
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But, we are getting ready to move and I had to clear some of these collections out. Before I could even think of parting with any of them I had to read them ALL again and in doing so I discovered a few things that I wanted to share with you.<br />
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1. We have received cards for everything. Every possible occasion you could think of, I have cards for it: birthday, Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, baby shower, new baby, christening, thinking of you, wedding, new home, Easter, get well soon, sympathy, and so many others including one given to me when I sliced my finger on a can of baby formula. <br />
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2. The hand written messages from so many people made me realize that I'm loved, I'm liked, I'm appreciated, and I'm thought of. Reading these messages really lifted my spirits and were probably even more meaningful read years later than they were at the time I received them. I think it's sad that most people today do not take the time to hand write a message to anyone.<br />
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3. I was reminded of different chapters in my life from the barely understandable teenage lingo we used to use, to the many parents and co-workers who appreciated my work as an Early Childhood Educator and as a party entertainer, and the love expressed to me by my family, husband and children. <br />
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4. I enjoyed looking back on the cards from my children because it shows the progression of their writing abilities from year to year.<br />
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5. Looking at cards from my childhood was like a blast from the past because some of them were very time specific such as one shaped like a cassette tape and another with a girl talking on a phone with a spiral cord. Also seeing the names of friends I haven't seen in over 20 years brought back a lot of childhood memories.<br />
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6. It was interesting to see how many friends had given me a card over the years. There were so many, but only a few friends were around long enough to give me many, many cards. <br />
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7. My grandmother gave me the exact same card on two separate years that said "To My Grandmother" (I'm sure she meant grand daughter) <br />
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8. My other grandmother passed away in 1998. It was so nice to see my name in her handwriting again. (These ones did not make it to the garbage pile)<br />
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9. A friend wrote inside my son's first birthday card that he would never see the card, but I proved her wrong because he did see it. (Albeit 8 years later). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRO5eA_ROzTETvipLMPLwjAXkrdAqUOoP4XLeOOVPdbAvETHvpAKi4U83GllKpucYJbNPvRbtlHEMcYNlz-xN0L57WClvLUv_FIIwQxtiXoyeCEjZe3Zng8FGEsZF20rF8BXkZkFZsMS8/s1600/IMG_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRO5eA_ROzTETvipLMPLwjAXkrdAqUOoP4XLeOOVPdbAvETHvpAKi4U83GllKpucYJbNPvRbtlHEMcYNlz-xN0L57WClvLUv_FIIwQxtiXoyeCEjZe3Zng8FGEsZF20rF8BXkZkFZsMS8/s320/IMG_0432.JPG" /></a><br />
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10. I found a Rexall gift card from 2003, a Shoppers Drug Mart gift card from 2005, an Old Navy gift card from 2006, and a cheque from 2007. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxXJlqUhjT6xtmGlS6b9NLAroihR3bwIkJucaiJ_3r_TT5gP0ckjxohMFjghyOn9sHkmjehCBZA5wwH07bTYiAbwNgeXSCX95EYdqo5mxnW1_8JKUWeHvL2awy3e0Q0zTX9H4OOTkEjDc/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxXJlqUhjT6xtmGlS6b9NLAroihR3bwIkJucaiJ_3r_TT5gP0ckjxohMFjghyOn9sHkmjehCBZA5wwH07bTYiAbwNgeXSCX95EYdqo5mxnW1_8JKUWeHvL2awy3e0Q0zTX9H4OOTkEjDc/s320/IMG_0435.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5sCCDmt-eXmOE1_7A8YZG_hVCk5EX5gTKdkxdmyOj-VNA3D6AHYKjwovppy8u6C-qmbhvrdlQyc5DbANxuSqnbmhvMIPNCX1mM_fvCMhuMt38wW73wU3rnLTYqSdplzb93aBY_RUoA1S/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5sCCDmt-eXmOE1_7A8YZG_hVCk5EX5gTKdkxdmyOj-VNA3D6AHYKjwovppy8u6C-qmbhvrdlQyc5DbANxuSqnbmhvMIPNCX1mM_fvCMhuMt38wW73wU3rnLTYqSdplzb93aBY_RUoA1S/s320/IMG_0436.JPG" /></a><br />
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I ended up keeping quite a few cards because I might like to read those messages again some day. I will take many to work for the daycare children to reuse and the rest did make it to the garbage. It was a difficult thing for me to do but it was time to declutter my greeting card hoarding. <br />
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The moral of this post is to prove that greeting cards do have a purpose, some times far greater than even the gift itself. I don't remember what gifts accompanied any of the cards I received (except for the baby shower cards as someone wrote them down inside)but I do remember the kind words of each person's personal message to me and my family. If you have ever given me a card please know that I have always cherished it. <strike><b></b></strike><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-83823503529662747682012-12-08T22:45:00.001-05:002012-12-08T22:54:45.736-05:00Christmas Traditions I have two boys; a 9 year old (DS9) and a six year old (DS6). They are at an age where they have had enough Christmases for our family's traditions to really show themselves. <br />
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As we prepare for Christmas this year, I am often asked by one of them if we are going to do certain things that they have come to expect to happen. "Are we going to open a present early (Christmas Eve) this year?" was one DS6 asked when he saw me put some gifts under the tree. "Are we going to put out carrots for the reindeer" DS9 inquired. It got me thinking about all the things we do every year that they will always remember. <br />
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Here are the top 10 traditions we follow each year:<br />
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<b>1. Opening a gift on Christmas Eve. </b><br />
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The kids each open a gift on Christmas eve that consists of new pajamas and a Christmas story book. They wear the pajamas that night so they will have them on in the photographs the next morning. We read the books before bed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjTMZRb1GzXeBKHqNUTMp2x8iw_bV0kUjuOnmemTJFLC0TuZEd4Jxt-27YHBA1rdemLJ_nh2K8_kYeX3tkIitVZsg7Z0nkOibyixvL5UOt1BLlP5oQwXo451swJmQWdlVGwIuB5xNPbkd/s1600/IMG_1499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjTMZRb1GzXeBKHqNUTMp2x8iw_bV0kUjuOnmemTJFLC0TuZEd4Jxt-27YHBA1rdemLJ_nh2K8_kYeX3tkIitVZsg7Z0nkOibyixvL5UOt1BLlP5oQwXo451swJmQWdlVGwIuB5xNPbkd/s320/IMG_1499.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<b>2. Leave out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.</b><br />
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As a token of thanks to Santa the kids leave him and reindeer some traditional treats. Santa enjoys them :)<br />
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<b>3. Watching Christmas movies together each week in December.</b><br />
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We watch different Christmas movies each year together as a family. This year we will introduce the kids to the Home Alone series.<br />
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<b>4. Decorating a gingerbread house</b><br />
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The kids and I decorate a gingerbread house together each year. After Christmas the kids enjoy eating it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqC6BFdFoAZk8YBlBUXug7nHDU1Emn6vkpruHMf1Q0v9eT_sup_368ikH4jnDyTVxWtuX97myoSlwID4i9Dfo2QFfxyQnKQZxw1fDSlgHO-_WJFRPz4FoyB7woZK1Tiq5Noqgk7nepQ-7w/s1600/Picture185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqC6BFdFoAZk8YBlBUXug7nHDU1Emn6vkpruHMf1Q0v9eT_sup_368ikH4jnDyTVxWtuX97myoSlwID4i9Dfo2QFfxyQnKQZxw1fDSlgHO-_WJFRPz4FoyB7woZK1Tiq5Noqgk7nepQ-7w/s320/Picture185.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b>5. The kids buy me new ornaments</b><br />
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My husband takes the kids to the Disney Store to pick out a new ornament for me to add to my (huge) collection. What I love about this is they tend to choose what they like best and I have token to remember what they were interested in every year. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0kaSRbGpGTLCS8tk0vu235bEEKYcm8-haR8Yg2MwTJ0Iy9Ww9NZcrgydVRGf9CuSSqzK_dk6Hn6WtNQleRAhA-IHotdcamrpM3SgRaiakB0qOrT8Jt8O5l8rJu18YhLtsGRTpY7HtQUu/s1600/IMG_1453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0kaSRbGpGTLCS8tk0vu235bEEKYcm8-haR8Yg2MwTJ0Iy9Ww9NZcrgydVRGf9CuSSqzK_dk6Hn6WtNQleRAhA-IHotdcamrpM3SgRaiakB0qOrT8Jt8O5l8rJu18YhLtsGRTpY7HtQUu/s320/IMG_1453.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<b>6. Go to my dad's house for dinner.</b><br />
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I know this tradition can't last forever, but right now I enjoy it. I love our Christmas traditions there and seeing my family. <br />
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<b>7. Getting pictures taken with Santa</b><br />
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I keep all the Santa pictures with the Christmas decorations and put them all up at Christmas time. I enjoy looking back and seeing how much the kids have grown. <br />
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<b>8. Baking cookies</b><br />
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What fun is Christmas without some holiday treats? We usually bake 3-4 different kinds of cookies each year. We don't have specific traditional recipes that we use. I just look for interesting recipes online.<br />
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<b>9. Watching the TV fireplace channel</b> <br />
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When we wake up on Christmas morning we turn on the fireplace channel to watch while we open our gifts.<br />
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<b><strike></strike>10. New this year: Mistletoe</b><br />
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When I was a kid I remember my grandmother always hung mistletoe. I saw one by chance in a store the other day and decided to add this as a new tradition at our house. It's only been a few days since I put up and it's already a huge hit with the family. <br />
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What are some our your family's Christmas traditions? Share them in the comments. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-76944631441810267122012-05-14T15:13:00.000-04:002012-05-14T15:34:08.225-04:00Conquering FearsI was in the passenger seat while my father drove along the 400 Highway. My husband and 6 month old son slept in the back seats. The road was busy that night. I can't remember but most likely it was a Sunday after a long weekend. My father usually drove us home after a family holiday get together. <br />
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We were between two tractor trailers when it happened. The truck on the right decided he was switching into our lane <i>right now</i>. I could feel myself unable to breathe. "My son is in this car and we are trapped" was all I could think. There is no where to go. <br />
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My father was so calm as he slowed down and laid on the horn allowing himself to fall back behind both trucks. It felt like forever before the truck driver realized what he was doing and returned to his own lane. He was no more than a few inches from my window. I was so shaken up I cried. Perhaps tears of relief. Maybe because I realized how precious my son's life really was. Most likely because of fear because I knew that I didn't know what I would have done. I believed that had I been driving my son would be dead. I decided right then and there that I did not ever want to operate a vehicle with my child inside. Isn't that what everyone always says? "If you can't drive, stay off the road". I planned to steer clear off any and every road. If I didn't get my license then I would never have to drive and be responsible for putting him in danger.<br />
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That was about 8 years ago.<br />
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As time tends to do, the 'trauma' I felt that night subsided and I was able to get a grip on reality for periods of time. It started in 2008 when I decided that I would get my G1 and face this fear, or deal with my lack of photo ID issue. One or the other. It must have been the latter because it wasn't until March of this year that I actually forced myself to get behind the wheel and get rid of this fear once and for all. <br />
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Ironically I was forced to learn to drive with my 2 kids in tow. Nothing could make me feel more better than the two of them cheering me on when I managed to get the vehicle between the lines in the parking lot. It reminded me of the cheers I used to give them for peeing on the potty. <br />
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For the past 3 months I did all the driving I could do and actually began to like it. "Turn here. Go this way" my husband would say and I'd go straight saying "I want to go this way". <i>I want to go this way</i>. Yes, I want to make my own choices. I want to be in <i>control</i>. <br />
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Today I took my driving test for my G2. Wearing a necklace my son made me for luck I took a deep breath and; turned left, turned right, 3 point turned, parallel parked, parked uphill and down, and parked between two lines and you know what; I passed. <br />
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More than that I conquered a fear that has burdened me most of my adult life. I feel so <i>free</i> to no longer have this desire to run free but feeling trapped between two trucks. Now I know what I would do in that situation, just as my father knew so many years go. I am glad that I waited until I was ready, but I will not allow fear to hold me back like that again. From now on I will look fear straight in the face and conquer it. U<strike></strike>nless of course it's a creepy crawling insect or a bumble bee. Those are fears for another day.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-85899246515049804132012-04-29T16:12:00.000-04:002012-04-29T18:13:11.304-04:00How to Plan a Street Sale<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0RQx3s59rc0KkbHN6Ur-ge2_ooZZjrwO0100H1DNpSRtEglNpvgCADY8n6VxPjh7aOw1ISapqhRTAXjabpqXJypCPAgIlSkRr4uebtRD1cqE8Ok5Ue7WPmYr-Ox2SorTzO4JS2PRIqvu/s1600/Garage-Sale-911-Signs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="253" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0RQx3s59rc0KkbHN6Ur-ge2_ooZZjrwO0100H1DNpSRtEglNpvgCADY8n6VxPjh7aOw1ISapqhRTAXjabpqXJypCPAgIlSkRr4uebtRD1cqE8Ok5Ue7WPmYr-Ox2SorTzO4JS2PRIqvu/s320/Garage-Sale-911-Signs.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Spring is in the air and with it comes a perfect time to start fresh. One way to do that is to clear out the clutter in your home. Sometimes finding the motivation to get in spring cleaning shape is difficult. I have found the solution: plan a street sale.<br />
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A street sale is similar to a garage/yard sale except you don't have to do it alone (hence the 'street' part). I am in the middle of planning a street sale on my street and so far it's been so easy and rewarding. Who knew someone from a local newspaper lives on my street? Not me. Until she offered to provide free advertising for the sale in this paper 3 times a week for 2 weeks. I couldn't have had that if I was planning a garage sale solo. I smell success!<br />
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Planning a sale with others makes you accountable to get the job done, provides an opportunity to get to know some new neighbours, cleans out the junk in your <strike>trunk</strike> closets, and gives you some extra cash to put towards <strike>new junk</strike> something on your wish list.<br />
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<b>Here are some simple steps to get your street in gear for an awesome street sale:</b><br />
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<b>1.</b> Select a weekend that you are available for the Saturday and Sunday. As the leader it's good for you to provide support to participants on both weekend days.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Create a simple flyer that is worded like an invitation answering the who, what, where, and when questions as well as a way to provide you with an RSVP. Explain a few benefits of a street sale and what your plans are to make it successful for everyone.<br />
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My Flyer said the following message:<br />
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<i>You're invited to participate in the (your street) cres. Street Sale!<br />
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Date:<br />
Time:<br />
Place: Your Driveway<br />
RSVP: My email and date I'd like reply by<br />
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Street sales are a great way to increase the number of shoppers attending, and a great motivation to clean out your closets. All profits are your own.</i><br />
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<i>I will take care of signage/advertising. Please RSVP so I can estimate the number of homes participating. If you have questions or suggestions please feel free to share via email.<br />
</i><br />
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<b>3.</b> Place a flyer in the door/mailbox of every home on your street two full months prior to the date. Preparing for a sale can be a big job and you want to give everyone a chance to plan accordingly.<br />
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<b>4.</b> As replies come in keep a list of addresses, contact names and email address to see how many homes are participating and so you can easily email everyone updates a few weeks before the event.<br />
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<b>5.</b> (This step is optional) One month before the event send a second flyer to every home to remind people of the upcoming event. I reworded this version to make participating even more appealing. <br />
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<i>Last chance to be included in our (your street) cres. Street Sale!<br />
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Date:<br />
Time:<br />
Place: Your driveway<br />
RSVP: your email/ phone and reply by date<br />
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Progress/Updates<br />
* 7 families (and counting) participating so far<br />
* A neighbour offered advertising in (local paper) for 2 weeks<br />
* Intensive marketing plan including: social media, classified sites, street signage, and more (all done at no cost to you)<br />
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Don't miss out on the chance to have a successful garage sale and start the summer off with a clutter free home and some extra cash!<br />
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<b>6.</b> Gather your own stuff together and start thinking of prices etc.<br />
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<b>7.</b> Two weeks before the sale email everyone who's on your email list with any updates you have or anything you might need. I plan to ask for any big ticket items they may wish to have mentioned on kijiji/craigslist listings, and list in detail my advertising plan. This is optional but helps people feel a sense of community and they may offer their own suggestions or assist you with some tasks.<br />
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<b>8.</b> You can advertise about 1-2 weeks prior on social media sites but refrain for posting signs outside until the day before the sale. Target signs around schools before children will be picked up for the day so their parents can see them.<br />
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There are so many other things you can add to your sale to make it even better such as: encourage children to sell lemonade, freezies or cookies, put balloons out near the front entrances leading to your street, play music, or even hire a clown or face painter to entertain your shoppers. However, the frills aren't necessary for a fun, successful day. All you really need are a few neighbours, some signs, and some junk; because one person's junk is another person's treasure.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-14401435807609140622012-03-12T11:59:00.001-04:002012-03-12T11:59:52.883-04:00Thirty in ThirtyToday is the Monday after a weekend full of birthday celebrations. This year was a milestone birthday for me; the big 3 oh. It does feel different to me than say my 26th, 27th, or 28th birthdays. Thirty feels like the end of a chapter and the start of a new one. <br /><br />First my family took me to the Mandarin for dinner. The kids showered me with handmade cards, necklaces and drawings and Family Game Night for the xbox, and my husband gave me a card and a charm necklace I wanted. The next day the celebration continued with a game night party with extended family and friends. It was tons of fun.<br /><br />My twenties included the accomplishments and milestones of having 2 beautiful children, starting my own business, getting married, graduating from college, and taking my family to Disney World (all in that order). Not bad for a 10 year chapter. <br /><br />Now that a new chapter has begun I find myself with two main goals moving forward; getting healthy, and reaching my other entrepreneurial dream of starting a new business. I figure that within 10 years I should be able to accomplish that.<br /><br />Since they say wisdom comes with age I thought I would list 30 things I've learned or come to realize over the last 30 years. (in no particular order).<br /><br /><strong>TOP THIRTY IN THIRTY</strong><br /><br />1. Life doesn't always go as planned<br /><br />2. It's important to surround yourself with positive people<br /><br />3. Lifelong friends can pick back up right where they left off no matter how much time has passed<br /><br />4. It's always easier to give up, but sticking it out is the only way to ever reach success<br /><br />5. The difference between dating and marriage is in marriage you must reach a working solution.<br /><br />6. Children grow up quickly, take lots of pictures<br /><br />7. It's important to back up your computer files every once in a while<br /><br />8. Debt is a part of life, you can't let fear of it stop you from living<br /><br />9. The 'perfect' family you idolize thinks your family is perfect. Truth: no family is perfect or always happy and that's okay.<br /><br />10. Vacations are important to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul.<br /><br />11. Sharing a bloodline isn't what makes sisters close. Sharing your time and secrets makes sisters. (I love mine).<br /><br />12. I have an addictive personality<br /><br />13. Grandparents know a lot. It's important to have conversations with them about important issues and to do more listening than talking.<br /><br />14. It doesn't take long before your kids know more than you do about certain things. Listen to them too.<br /><br />15. Helping others when they need it most is the best feeling in the world<br /><br />16. Putting time, thought and effort into a gift is what makes it memorable; not the price tag.<br /><br />17. No matter how much you want to; it's always better not to burn any bridges with others, as you never know when you may need to cross their path again.<br /><br />18. It's a small world<br /><br />19. Fairness isn't sameness<br /><br />20. You don't fully know someone until you live with them<br /><br />21. 'Never' rarely ever means never.<br /><br />22. Just because society accepts certain things doesn't mean you have to accept them too<br /><br />23. People who would be afraid to take risks will try to discourage you from taking any yourself<br /><br />24. People who love you will try to discourage you from making a big mistake<br /><br />25. It's important to learn how to identify the difference between #23 and #24<br /><br />26. Don't let a first impression carve your opinion of a person/company in stone; you could have caught them on a bad day.<br /><br />27. You can tell who loves you most when you are at your worst<br /><br />28. Most things shouldn't be taken at face value<br /><br />29. One person can make a difference<br /><br />30. You are never too old and it's never too late. Just do it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-51441413053691205102012-02-15T08:46:00.004-05:002012-02-15T18:55:42.946-05:00The Miseducation of Full day Kindergarten in Ontario<span style="font-weight:bold;">The History Of Early Childhood Education </span><br /><br />Early Childhood Education is a field that has been extensively researched and backed by theory for a long time. It is hard to argue the obvious; early childhood education is beneficial to the overall development of children.<br /><br />For many years the battle in the field has been to make society understand that it is important to invest in the early education of our children. This is difficult because history of the family is having the mother home raising her children. How do you convince someone that child care (even part time) can be better for children’s early learning than being home with their mother? <br /><br />As more and more women entered the work force and needed care the opinion of child care became more understood and continued to expand. There were still alternative choices; you could choose to leave your child home with older siblings, a family member, a lady down the street, or at a child care center. The main decision making issue was usually cost and it still is.<br /><br />In 2007, Dalton McGuinty hired Charles Pascal to advise him on how to implement full day kindergarten. In 2009 full day kindergarten was launched and a piece of child care died.<br /><br />You see, early childhood education and full day kindergarten are not the same. How could they be when they follow direction from different legislation. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Understanding the difference</span><br /><br />Child care centers follow the Day Nurseries Act which outlines a minimum standard that directors and educators must abide by. They are regulated by the Ministry of Child and Youth Services through a minimum of once a year inspections. And a licensing process.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Full day Kindergarten classrooms do not follow the Day Nurseries Act.<br /><br />They do not follow the Day Nurseries Act. The minimum standard.</span><br /><br />This should be an eyebrow raiser to parents, but unfortunately it still comes down to the power of money when swaying opinions. I have no money to offer to help you see my view, only the facts as I see them. <br /><br />Because Full Day Kindergarten classrooms do not follow the Day Nurseries Act they have higher ratios (that will only get higher with the removal of Early Childhood Educators in the classroom. Current ratios are 1:13, but 1:26 could be the future. Child Care centers are 1:10 for J/K and 1:12 for S/K. Outdoor spaces do not have the same requirements either, leaving children with less opportunity to refine their physical skill development. The list goes on and on, but the bottom line is the results of years of research of what quality care looks like is not present in these classrooms. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Why Can't we have both?</span><br /><br />The message I want to send loud and clear is that we can't have it all. We will not have full day kindergarten and available child care in Ontario at the same time.<br /><br />This is because child care is a business like any other and with the Day Nurseries Act's strict ratio and classroom size guidelines, child care centers rely on the older age groups (with lower ratios) to offset the operating costs of the younger age groups. <br /><br />Full day kindergarten is taking away this group of children because families tend to choose what appears more affordable. However, in the long term this initiative will result in more and more mothers having no choice but to stay home with their children until they are old enough to go to school as alternative care becomes even more scarce than it is today.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Don't believe me?</span><br /><br />Even the Region of Peel's Learn Play Care centers are threatening closure of all 12 centers. They are very clear on the reason why: Full day kindergarten is taking their children away leaving the future operations too costly to stay open. So far the decision is on hold but the issue is far from over.<br /><br />I believe that child care has major gaps and there are major flaws in the system that do need immediate attention and correction, but I do not believe that full day kindergarten (at least not the way it is now) is the answer. <br /><br />And while I am the minority in my views, I am not alone. One of Dwight Duncan’s 360+ recommendations that were submitted to Dalton McGuinty today included a recommendation to scrap full day kindergarten. This is because the program is too costly and quite frankly the government cannot afford it.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">So if not full day kindergarten, what do I think should happen?</span><br /><br />I think the government should scrap full day kindergarten and invest in child care instead. I think the government should help all existing child care programs provide quality care (rather than only the current select few), and help create new child care centers. This way parents will hold on to their right to choose the best environment for their child, without the dangling carrot of "free child care" as full day kindergarten is portrayed and viewed as by parents. <br /><br />Currently, even a parent on subsidy can choose: a Montessori, High/Scope, Play Based, or any other curriculum model that best meets their ideas of what early childhood education looks like. This choice will slowly fade away as the government takes over control of what and how our children learn. Essentially the goal for the government is to get an early start at shoving their academic driven curriculum down our children's throats. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Where child care sits today</span><br /><br />Today, Dwight Drummond put forth a 700 page report outlining over 360 recommendations to help Ontario get back of financial track. One of the recommendations was to scrap Full day Kindergarten. <br /><br />Another part of Drummond’s recommendation that is not at the forefront of news stories, is to remove Early Childhood Educators from the Full Day Kindergarten classrooms if the government doesn’t follow the advice of scrapping them all together.<br /><br />As an Early Childhood Educator myself, I can tell you that Educators are properly trained to care for young children and provide a developmentally appropriate classroom environment and program. To avoid getting too heavily into this point I ask you; would you want a gynecologist to perform your heart transplant? (Hopefully your answer is no). It’s the same thing.<br /><br />As of today the Ontario government is standing firm is their decision to go ahead with Full Day Kindergarten because they know that the only reason they won the votes of Ontario voters is because of this very promise. However, it is a huge mistake that, unfortunately, parents can't seem to see yet. <br /><br />If we do not get off this road or address all the potholes ahead, we will lose our quality child care in Ontario. period.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-1437422594168588852012-02-11T12:23:00.003-05:002012-02-11T12:41:43.646-05:00Laptop Shooting dad: Read Between The LinesI watched the laptop shooting dad video several times trying to comprehend how any normal human being (especially a parent) could watch it and think it was cool of dad to do it. How can they think that the daughter deserved this or that this is acceptable parenting? Did we all watch the same video, because I am left floored with a hurt heart just thinking about the life of this teen and the future of this family?<br /><br />There is little doubt in my mind that this <a href="http://www.fsca.ca/docs/Advocatearticles/July%202008%20weekly%20columns-Advocate/July21_08_ParentingStylescolumn.pdf">brick wall family </a>has left this girl emotionally abused long prior to the disrespectful messages. I also sense that the father doesn’t care in the least about the emotional stability of his daughter and doesn’t even make an effort to understand her. <br /><br />I am not blind to society. I know many teens are defiant and downright spoiled. I know that the generation of today has it easier than generations past. However, this video contained so many examples of deeper issues that I need to point out to you.<br />One of the first things the father says in the video is that Hannah was grounded for 3 months for doing something similar in the past. That is an extremely long sentence for exercising freedom of speech. <br /><br />I am not saying what she did is ok, but it’s not like she is the first teen to vent in anger. Doesn’t anyone remember bitching to their friends about their parents during those years? Sure we didn’t have Facebook back then but the concept doesn’t change. Facebook is a method of communication for teens of today and that isn’t their fault. <br /><br />If this father had not grounded her for 3 months and instead dealt with the REAL problem at that time, perhaps things wouldn’t have gotten this far. You see, punishments tend to escalate each time and when you start excessive it gets more excessive each time. Let’s hope that the next time (because there will be a next time) that he doesn’t “show her who’s boss” but putting every bullet he has in her actual ass. <br /><br />He should have figured out WHY she was so angry with him and had a discussion like adults and work together for a solution. That way, he would have taught his daughter a lesson in respect by saying “what you did hurt me, but I still love you, I hear what your concerns are, these are my concerns”. <br /><br />Because he treated her unfairly, trust was already long gone in their relationship. It was to the point where this father decided to spy on his daughter through Facebook and didn’t like what he found. <br /><br />Then he pre-meditated a revengeful plan to get back at her. To get back at her. His ultimate goal as a parent was to make his daughter hurt and suffer embarrassment through public humiliation because he was humiliated. How is he any better than her? Actually, he is worse than her because as an adult you would expect him to have better parenting tools to set an example of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. <br /><br />When I listen to Hannah’s posting I hear a teen who is feeling stressed out, in need of a break and on the verge of depression. I don’t care what teens of yesteryear went through that was worse. Everyone handles stress and expectations differently and something isn’t right with her and it needs to be addressed. There are also many contradictions between what she says she does and what the father says she does. <br /><br />Listen.<br /><br />Hannah says she feels like a slave. Perhaps it’s because of HOW these chores are presented to her and how her work is treated by the family. She said she has to make their coffee. I wonder if she is busy doing something important to her and called downstairs to make it while the parents watch TV. (that’s an assumption on my part, but why is she responsible for this I wonder). She also says she is shoveling fertilizer for the garden but the father doesn’t list that in his (edited) short list of what he wants viewers to think the chore list is. He also left out the work she does at his clinic. He didn’t deny that she does these things either. But the part that I heard loud and clear as the major problem she has with doing chores is not the chores themselves but the disrespect of having people carelessly mess up the work she just put in. As a wife and mother I can appreciate that frustration. Who would like to just clean floors and then have people walk all over them with muddy shoes knowing that she will have to clean it up again or be grounded. That does sound slavish to me. I would surely feel like one.<br /><br />The way this father speaks to his daughter on this video gave me an insight to how he talks her in real life and what he thinks of her. If I can hear it and feel it, certainly she is too. I sense he has little respect for her as a human being. He thinks that doing things for his child, like installing software, makes him a good parent. He thinks of his daughter as lazy, not worthy of trust and not smart enough.<br />Hannah says she is finding it hard to keep up with school and chores and burdened by the hanging threat of being grounded constantly. The father seems to feel like he had a hard life and is so full of himself that he doesn’t care about the individual needs of his daughter. She should just be like he was and if she can’t handle it than he will sit back and emotionally abuse her.<br /><br />Now, I am not saying that she should be coddled and not have to do anything because that will not help her either. However, she needs support, encouragement, to be treated fairly, and to have a voice in the household. Teenagers need a sense of empowerment so that they can learn to take responsibility for their own lives. <br /><br />The father doesn’t show respect for what she does in the video, so I can’t imagine he shows any in day to day life. He had initially listed several chores and his lowball estimate of how long they would take (obviously he has never actually done any of these chores in his life), but then he turned around after listing his superhero powers in his own teenage life (which I also assume are exaggerated) and said her ONLY responsibilities were waking up on time and catching a bus. If you were actually doing a lot more than that and then told by your father that was all you are responsible for is waking up and catching a bus, how would you feel? Now imagine its been happening your entire 15 years of life. <br /><br />He also belittled her for having a list of the chores she is to complete. Wouldn’t a good parent encourage the use of lists? Isn’t that a sign of responsibility? I have countless lists in my life, does that mean I’m stupid?<br /><br />Teenagers need discipline and guidance, not punishment and unforgiveness. I think he has forgotten that his daughter is a human being, not a robot. She will make mistakes, and so will he (as he clearly demonstrated through the creation of this video). However, even a person who comitted a real crime would receive more forgiveness than she did. She is going to put in 3-4 years for posting a mean status on Facebook. I’m pretty sure a <a href="http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120210/bc_rave_sentence_120210/20120210/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome">rapist somewhere is getting a lesser sentence</a>. I come to this conclusion because he said she will not get her things back until probably college. This punishment is far too extreme. Where is the guidance and where is the chance to do better? Where is the love? Several times in the video we are told of past groundings and the constant threat of grounding. The punishments are meaningless and not working (because punishment doesn’t correct behaviour) and so each time they escalate until you wind up shooting 9 bullets in your daughter’s laptop. <br /><br />Now let’s assess the message this father sent to his little girl. He said you love your laptop. It contains your school work, pictures, a social life and who knows what else and I am going to destroy it in the most violent way I can think of. I feel powerful when I use a gun and since I will go to jail if I shoot you, I will just shoot this and make you watch it and post it so your friends can laugh and you and the whole world can see what a brat you are. He showed his daughter and everyone who watched the video that if someone ever disrespects you that it is ok to disrespect them right back in an ever worse way to show them they are worthless and you are king. It’s ok to humiliate them back and then take it a step further by deliberately and violently destroying something meaningful to them to emotionally hurt them and make sure they suffer for years. Then, to add insult to injury he makes immature comments that she will owe him for the cost of the bullets and the cost of the software. <br /><br />As he pulled out a gun and began shooting the laptop all I could feel was the hate he was feeling towards his daughter. No other emotion would bring about such an over the top action. He shot his daughter’s property in cold blood. This said so much to me about his character that I am left feeling like “no wonder she is the way she is”. Look at her role model? And if he isn’t enough he implies that the other trusting adults in her life feel the same way. Could you imagine being treated this way for making mistakes in your life?<br /><br />Before you jump on the bandwagon that he is the coolest father ever, giving him kudos and egging him on for his amazing parenting skills, perhaps you should try to remember mistakes you made as a teen and then imagine your parents not forgiving you. Who would you be today if that happened to you?<br /><br />If you are not one of the 13,000,000 people (and counting) who watched this video, you can watch it here:<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kl1ujzRidmU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-42669406998377104252012-02-07T09:37:00.006-05:002012-02-07T10:19:31.256-05:00Star Wars Dreams Come True at Disney WorldI live with a bunch of Star Wars nerds. At first it was just my husband who would race to the theatre to watch every movie the minute it was released (Like he will Friday when Episode I comes out in 3D), and buy every video game in the same fashion. But then we had kids, and those kids are boys. It was only a matter of time before he got to them. Now I have three out of control Star Wars nerds running around.<br /><br />In my house there are Star Wars: movies, video games, clothing, books, toys of every kind (stuffed animals, costumes, lightsabers, lego, transformers etc), bedroom decor (wall stickers, lightsaber lamp, piggy banks, tins, posters etc), and even spatulas and pancake molds. <br /><br />Not a day goes by where the kids don't dress up and chase each other around the house with lightsabers. And more often than not my husband is also in on the action (sans costume). <br /><br />That's why Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando Florida was our first stop on our Disney vacation. From the Star Tours ride, to the Tatooine gift shop, to the Jedi Training experience, my Star Wars family has enough memories to last us a lifetime, including this family photo we had done:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtiPZT57NHl74-NmsRyg6lphc_be3O85wnuQfo5XyyaQXtRi4RI3Gz2v7sXnKDtX05B97-sBiZihh_6umZ8-XnlPQhSTnpGZh3IhjhFaouOejxJPBUtQOMQpg_K4_-ns0bM2wzkXtmXRN/s1600/CCI02052012_00000.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtiPZT57NHl74-NmsRyg6lphc_be3O85wnuQfo5XyyaQXtRi4RI3Gz2v7sXnKDtX05B97-sBiZihh_6umZ8-XnlPQhSTnpGZh3IhjhFaouOejxJPBUtQOMQpg_K4_-ns0bM2wzkXtmXRN/s320/CCI02052012_00000.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706412945223826098" /></a><br /><br />We rode the Star Tours ride three times, which also meant that we visited the Tatooine gift shop three times. (Every ride at Disney drops you off inside a gift shop). The kids were able to build their own lightsabers in the gift shop for only $21. They even light up and make the cool lightsaber sounds. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrIHN57_f11YwWjUCjPGZd1FkdXcQ6wPTHOP8KDwaJNVQ8oh7CQR-KMHMJIQhqoiL3XuNv4VISA7mx2py5zoYeqq2pAIQnCsUMO4uT-rs92toYgVVNsfU-BqFYS-VVGsETPRyWX8TKOhw/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrIHN57_f11YwWjUCjPGZd1FkdXcQ6wPTHOP8KDwaJNVQ8oh7CQR-KMHMJIQhqoiL3XuNv4VISA7mx2py5zoYeqq2pAIQnCsUMO4uT-rs92toYgVVNsfU-BqFYS-VVGsETPRyWX8TKOhw/s320/IMG_2134.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706408935222612370" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">DeAndre's lightsaber</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxjm6inwhfQOWknZ7dd_wSYarp27uRI7ZUQLJw53htC9xgMu_gbvE2frPthDAu_rDMrkmzw0CSTiwBGDSPZ9_whobgbZUUod7foGeM7zJz7gjwFlkLWP_qg6dDhLWjwo3GUd6juLmIdFd/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxjm6inwhfQOWknZ7dd_wSYarp27uRI7ZUQLJw53htC9xgMu_gbvE2frPthDAu_rDMrkmzw0CSTiwBGDSPZ9_whobgbZUUod7foGeM7zJz7gjwFlkLWP_qg6dDhLWjwo3GUd6juLmIdFd/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706409479732350578" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Dorian's lightsaber</span><br /><br />But by far, the best experience they had was being a part of the Jedi Training Show in front of an audience. At the end they received a certificate declaring them official Padawans which we framed and hung up in their <a href="http://unproven-opinions.blogspot.com/2010/12/when-i-was-little-i-slept-in-closet-in.html">Star Wars bedrooms</a>. <br /><br />Without further ado, I present to you my little Padawans in action.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UeHkrYPj8tw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">DeAndre is the one with the green lightsaber in the back right, and Dorian is the one in the front on the left. You can see DeAndre attack Darth Vadar at 9:16 and Dorian attacks him at 11:00 in. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-68091146049235933412012-01-23T10:06:00.003-05:002012-01-23T11:00:21.966-05:00The Future of Child CareThe latest buzz in the world of child care is that the Region of Peel is ready to <a href="http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/182427--peel-region-to-vote-on-daycare-closures">close all 12 of its Learn Play Care centers</a>. <br /><br />While this news is hard to digest, especially for the families who attend these centers, it certainly does not come as a surprise to Early Childhood Educators who understand the dynamics of the field.<br /><br /><strong>Why is this happening?</strong><br /><br />Child care is a business like any other, and part of this business is making ratios work. Ratios are determined by the Day Nurseries Act and regulate the maximum number of children allowed in any one classroom and the number of educators required to meet the ratio. The current ratios are:<br /><br />Infants (6 weeks-18 months)-1:3, maximum 10 children<br />Toddlers (18 months-30 months)-1:5, maximum 15 children<br />Preschoolers (30 months-48 months-1:8, maximum 24 children<br />J/K (4 year olds)- 1:10, maximum 20 children<br />S/K (5 year olds)-1:12, maximum 24 children<br /><br />The older age groups require less staff per child whereas the younger groups require more staff. Child care centers rely on the older groups to offset the costs of the younger age groupings. <br /><br />With full-day learning being implemented all across Ontario, child care centers are losing their older age groups and thus finding it difficult to keep their businesses open.<br /><br />The Region of Peel centers were probably the least thought of as likely candidates to face closures, but it makes sense.<br /><br />By closing these centers the funding can be used for the full-day kindergarten programs that are proving more costly than governments can afford. <br /><br />It can encourage families to go to new centers that are also suffering through the the loss of kindergarten children, and perhaps help keep them from facing similar closures.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it also means that Early Childhood Educators have less opportunity for fair paying jobs, and families relying on subsidies in Peel will have a harder time finding centers that accept subsidy because of new guidelines for child care centers in peel; any for-profit child care center can no longer accept subsidized children unless they were approved before the change. <br /><br /><strong>What does the future look like?</strong><br /><br />Full-day kindergarten was part of the Charles Pasqual Report which is a document outlining recommendations by Pasqual on how to create a universal child care for all. Other suggestions in the report were to extend maternity leave to 2 years and send children to public schools at age 2. So the child care of the future looks non-existent.<br /><br />Some would argue that this plan sounds perfect. But there would be so many areas affected including: businesses that will have staff off work for 2 years instead of 1year, families having 2 years off at a lower percentage than the current 55%, and taxpayers paying more to afford all these extra children in schools.<br /><br />Not to mention the children who will be placed in environments where teachers are not allowed to assist with washroom routines. This means that a child who has an accident must change themselves or the parent will need to be called in to take care of the child because the teacher cannot provide <em>care</em>. <br /><br /><strong>My views</strong><br /><br />I believe that Early Childhood Educators are the best qualified people to care for young children. I believe that young children do not belong in the public school system, and instead need to be in a building that follows different Ministry guidelines that leaves the <em>care</em> in child care. <br /><br />I feel that parents are excited for the idea of saving money on child care without fully understanding what they are giving up with Full-day learning. Here are a few examples: <br /><br />-Hugs<br />-Washroom routine<br />-Rest time routine (naps)<br />-Encouragement to eat lunch/snacks<br />-Individualized accommodations for cultural preferences and needs<br />-A more controlled environment for those with food allergies<br />-Smaller ratios<br />-More stimulating outdoor environments to encourage physical development<br /><br /><strong><br />What I ask of you</strong><br /><br />Please do not believe everything advocates tell you. Question their goals, plans, and ways they see their ideal child care operate in the real world. I have. And I have noticed that most have no real answers. The future of our children needs clear answers and a solid plan to implement quality care.<br /><br />The main idea advocates want to pass on to you is that quality care is only found in non-profit centers and should be free for all families.<br /><br />The only reason non-profit centers are of higher quality is because the government only gives them adequate funding. But a non-profit center means that the person who starts up the business cannot make a living at all. That could be why there aren't enough child care spaces. What's wrong with entrepreneurs making a living while providing quality care? Perhaps the real issue to advocate for is fair funding to all centers. Perhaps if we did that we wouldn't have such a crisis today.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-78513630433605970132012-01-22T11:44:00.019-05:002012-02-06T12:01:01.687-05:00Our Disney VacationOur vacation was planned to suit the interests of my family. All the work I put into it paid off. Our trip was completely magical. Even my husband who wasn't sure if this vacation was worth all the money said that he had the most fun he's ever had in his entire life. <br /><br />Here is a brief summary of what we did on our trip. I hope it will inspire you to research and plan the perfect trip for your family.<br /><br /><strong>When we went:</strong> <br /><br />We decided to go from Friday, January 27th to Friday, February 3rd so that we would have the weekend at home to recover. The whole family appreciated this minor, but significant, detail. <br /><br />Going in January was a great time to go. The weather was between 74-84 degrees every day but by 6:00p.m. we needed a zip up sweater. The crowd levels everywhere were very low. The longest line we waited in was 30 minutes but the average line was about 5-15 minutes. <br /><br /><strong>Where we stayed:</strong><br /><br />We stayed at <em>Vacation Village at the Parkway</em>, a Timeshare 10 minutes away from Disney World. Our unit had a full kitchen so we were able to have some of our meals there. There were two large heated swimming pools, two hot tubs and a kiddie pool with a waterfall (but that pool was freezing so no one used it). We declined the complimentary breakfast and averted any sales pitch attempts from the timeshare reps.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfrt9fwFrZZ2kBOIyOWCvr74qS1wsxobfJMt014K2_Y2tSN7ZhNFDzLwDPorUi0iczblS007gb9xVx_3xAj5pb2v5YdEJlynB8ELJz1KH2pRC1Qb8EFOWbzRUJu1356EPLd5ub4C9FPiZ/s1600/IMG_2033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfrt9fwFrZZ2kBOIyOWCvr74qS1wsxobfJMt014K2_Y2tSN7ZhNFDzLwDPorUi0iczblS007gb9xVx_3xAj5pb2v5YdEJlynB8ELJz1KH2pRC1Qb8EFOWbzRUJu1356EPLd5ub4C9FPiZ/s320/IMG_2033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706059246805940626" /></a><br /><br /><strong>What we did:</strong><br /><br /><em>Friday </em><br /><br />We flew down, rented our car and picked up a few groceries. Then we just explored our resort. We weren't able to swim because it was too cold.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF27TG10k0q3o6fDagaT0AzwyJNUSGNZJUVi7XgmZCfWedb4v26ugTiTwCm9xw9-T-wKHrklBQWNtzXwvGjTQgW5ZN6enBZptoUkQm3tiFIf3_FWdnhuWRwGTLE4GEvYc4zLqJPTSDqE4/s1600/IMG_2312.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF27TG10k0q3o6fDagaT0AzwyJNUSGNZJUVi7XgmZCfWedb4v26ugTiTwCm9xw9-T-wKHrklBQWNtzXwvGjTQgW5ZN6enBZptoUkQm3tiFIf3_FWdnhuWRwGTLE4GEvYc4zLqJPTSDqE4/s320/IMG_2312.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706059813999161090" /></a><br /><br /><br /><em>Saturday</em><br /><br />We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. This was our first stop because my guys love Star Wars and at Hollywood Studios you can sign up for Jedi Training and be part of a live show. We almost didn't get to sign up in time but got our guys into the last show of the evening (thank Goodness). This was arguably the highlight of the trip for the kids. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM38UzuUOP1-tHvPCA8AUPZ_x3LHxyw8-6xWwZI81CGzhHTkk5JTRV9EgK6OomC_UXL-L4MJ_RsrNjCcEPodpwGBwXQkAJWPPlDR_kTfRryo9WzDKCI3BK_Ww_cO_RSIt3sR4SvskyWFs-/s1600/IMG_1790.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM38UzuUOP1-tHvPCA8AUPZ_x3LHxyw8-6xWwZI81CGzhHTkk5JTRV9EgK6OomC_UXL-L4MJ_RsrNjCcEPodpwGBwXQkAJWPPlDR_kTfRryo9WzDKCI3BK_Ww_cO_RSIt3sR4SvskyWFs-/s320/IMG_1790.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706061005593943554" /></a><br /><br />Hollywood Studios also has Star Tours which is a ride were you go on a mission with C3PO. After the ride (like almost every ride) you get dropped off inside the gift shop. Tatooine is full of Star Wars stuff. I got the kids each a Star Wars piggy bank for their bedrooms and some T-Shirts. They were even able to make their own light sabers for only $21. It was a great price for such a cool experience.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_xL7ycWCPmcAth4uDjrVOA8r7hYPG7cXVYch3P9J6AKOODjV7eSgYTSY_xwLCSWrGj2cxmJeMAOZvmKq1Q0lIG6JYku5DzuS6TtEveQLp333ohUJAieYqV3A_GaThDKwFV97ZRU6tapu/s1600/IMG_2138.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_xL7ycWCPmcAth4uDjrVOA8r7hYPG7cXVYch3P9J6AKOODjV7eSgYTSY_xwLCSWrGj2cxmJeMAOZvmKq1Q0lIG6JYku5DzuS6TtEveQLp333ohUJAieYqV3A_GaThDKwFV97ZRU6tapu/s320/IMG_2138.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706061596952357282" /></a><br /><br /><em>Sunday</em><br /><br />We went to Universal Studios Island of Adventure. We had reservations for Confisco Grill's character breakfast where we were greeted by Spider man, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and The Cat in The Hat. I highly recommend this breakfast experience as it was so much fun (and delicious too).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RLk2cNEWaga7QkivqBqZ8PGiPVXuLYyojLw-1GLjlPXd2gpdwVJuwnMlKO6e8C3XMXgi8YQ7yZaSRTAWQO_3rpRPSm68v9r6OTGuKRnTuuFtD-JSO6f15H_N7FrxOAMPL5m_2o-Yn9Zp/s1600/IMG_1835.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RLk2cNEWaga7QkivqBqZ8PGiPVXuLYyojLw-1GLjlPXd2gpdwVJuwnMlKO6e8C3XMXgi8YQ7yZaSRTAWQO_3rpRPSm68v9r6OTGuKRnTuuFtD-JSO6f15H_N7FrxOAMPL5m_2o-Yn9Zp/s320/IMG_1835.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706062206475489122" /></a><br /><br />We loved the Dr. Seuss area, Superhero area and the Jurrasic Park area. In the Dr. Seuss area we loved the look and feel of everything around us. It felt like we walked right inside a cartoon world. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9eAF0YWgMrHoiUcSmrb7VxiTEP8ZXjnyGfh3Fpsie6O80vfZl1-udNFLDaqbkMcKVfw1oncDfBim7RNn10IN0C_54kJpAHrhg7he0hwNM80TlQg3AMgzt0TOeJSsBJKrX7XO5d_KZlwc/s1600/IMG_1848.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9eAF0YWgMrHoiUcSmrb7VxiTEP8ZXjnyGfh3Fpsie6O80vfZl1-udNFLDaqbkMcKVfw1oncDfBim7RNn10IN0C_54kJpAHrhg7he0hwNM80TlQg3AMgzt0TOeJSsBJKrX7XO5d_KZlwc/s320/IMG_1848.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706062785790738578" /></a><br /><br />The Spider man ride was by far the favourite for my guys. In the superhero area the superheros were spread out to take pictures and sign autographs, then villain music would fill the air and they would rush over to their bikes and take off down the park. Then the villains would come out to take pictures and sign autographs. It was so dramatic and made for a fun experience. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd_DMDZ-Non0_zDcDAD00DfzFVEea5Ant88lq3F5UutvP0egdLxFlsfQI0YM-xzGb0CKYgJRroBZ8E_uzsfysqauPZ7a3-uh9AHbpVTHZajz86bK68FoMNFyvnvMxmSUgBIDBTM0oaoRj/s1600/IMG_1875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd_DMDZ-Non0_zDcDAD00DfzFVEea5Ant88lq3F5UutvP0egdLxFlsfQI0YM-xzGb0CKYgJRroBZ8E_uzsfysqauPZ7a3-uh9AHbpVTHZajz86bK68FoMNFyvnvMxmSUgBIDBTM0oaoRj/s320/IMG_1875.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706063366844914226" /></a><br /><br /><em>Monday</em><br /><br />On Monday we took a break from theme parks and spent the morning at the pool. In the afternoon we went to Downtown Disney to shop and eat at the T-Rex restaurant. The kids loved the Lego store and I loved the Disney Store and the Disney's days of Christmas store. T-Rex was out of this world. I highly recommend it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakjFDDEZtBEEVqQQV9CkUwYYczbBxlTBAlbQKy5Lt1QNXWJFwt4XXQ3o6AMdQkg6ru4wBboRW-_3ImTHAHIxHz5Bsxi3pI9WRCm4crB-d3SIpgmUhBA0YsWY6gNGJ5lFj03PgTkCs3mEn/s1600/IMG_2116.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakjFDDEZtBEEVqQQV9CkUwYYczbBxlTBAlbQKy5Lt1QNXWJFwt4XXQ3o6AMdQkg6ru4wBboRW-_3ImTHAHIxHz5Bsxi3pI9WRCm4crB-d3SIpgmUhBA0YsWY6gNGJ5lFj03PgTkCs3mEn/s320/IMG_2116.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706064115773164786" /></a><br /><br /><em>Tuesday</em><br /><br />We went to Magic Kingdom on this day. We loved the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor comedy show and Mickey's Philar Show. We managed to get on a lot of rides because the lines were so short. We didn't see as many characters as we wanted to see but we did find Chip and Dale, and Mickey and Minnie.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xh-HoCXvZ15YdHpJcH7ln_JnwC8UYwv19J4Pm3eoMxjxsSLhnj9E9TpoHCof1t6QkeBHy7q-kMtr2NOH2ATN74zaFwRk5Ax8l7GO8TGXagR4CyyHY8iLFlji2htzrNEcjn_QAZeVPbOf/s1600/IMG_2245.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xh-HoCXvZ15YdHpJcH7ln_JnwC8UYwv19J4Pm3eoMxjxsSLhnj9E9TpoHCof1t6QkeBHy7q-kMtr2NOH2ATN74zaFwRk5Ax8l7GO8TGXagR4CyyHY8iLFlji2htzrNEcjn_QAZeVPbOf/s320/IMG_2245.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706064676677878226" /></a><br /><br />The celebrate a Dream Come True parade was very exciting to watch. We all enjoyed seeing all our favourite characters up close. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTZXxmE6A9qpf1T282aPfhqlFUYtBNfRMDVvuuSrBGsmB3mbAJBICFop2JX-TC2k0jTGxV4wRYE0izmPc3me_a26olcutrI87H49qh_Ek3AChn5qR4_NaCffZu6rFPJc4qnyIjYJAak7j/s1600/IMG_2221.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTZXxmE6A9qpf1T282aPfhqlFUYtBNfRMDVvuuSrBGsmB3mbAJBICFop2JX-TC2k0jTGxV4wRYE0izmPc3me_a26olcutrI87H49qh_Ek3AChn5qR4_NaCffZu6rFPJc4qnyIjYJAak7j/s320/IMG_2221.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706065182150628706" /></a><br /><br />For dinner we ate at the Crystal Palace which was a character dinner. We met Tigger, Eyeore, Piglet and Pooh. It's a buffet restaurant and the kids really enjoy buffets.<br /><br />Afterwards we found a seat to get ready for the Light show and Firework display. The best moment was when Tinkerbell flies out of the castle through the sky. Now that is magical :)<br /><br /><em>Wednesday</em><br /><br />This was another theme park break day. We swam all morning again and into the afternoon. Then we went shopping for a bit at a flea market up the street from our resort. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pDaunyp8lpAPga-R6HN1o2OOFkUMLk6JQSITRu0Ks-I2v3qK3aB1vOeLZOOkJE4TTl3b84xUkYsA73-mGJrJCSbc_TtNStLaDrzyv1QH-sY2bNTF415xzTfWFNzlVcr_20AodXK9abbu/s1600/IMG_2039.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pDaunyp8lpAPga-R6HN1o2OOFkUMLk6JQSITRu0Ks-I2v3qK3aB1vOeLZOOkJE4TTl3b84xUkYsA73-mGJrJCSbc_TtNStLaDrzyv1QH-sY2bNTF415xzTfWFNzlVcr_20AodXK9abbu/s320/IMG_2039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706066122724961730" /></a><br /><br />After that we went to watch Cirque Du Soleil in Downtown Disney. The show was amazing with cool stunts and costumes. I couldn't really follow the storyline but it seems the girl got her prince. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9UX4qOzM7lK4AR80-i6T3FR7lnU-97aHHV4ypBtycSKJ2YUGdrgSoV3PMWfvU_DITtP-o5xTrgeACV-75_7nq0fafYQnN5mMkeJWgH885YBUcs2fL0tFEe3HfRNYECtdmqvhQnUE65Ze/s1600/IMG_2321.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9UX4qOzM7lK4AR80-i6T3FR7lnU-97aHHV4ypBtycSKJ2YUGdrgSoV3PMWfvU_DITtP-o5xTrgeACV-75_7nq0fafYQnN5mMkeJWgH885YBUcs2fL0tFEe3HfRNYECtdmqvhQnUE65Ze/s320/IMG_2321.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706066743380412178" /></a><br /><br /><em>Thursday</em><br /><br />This was our last day of activities. We went to Animal Kingdom. We enjoyed looking at all the animals. The kids enjoyed collecting stamps at all the workshop stations throughout the park. We watched the Lion King show and loved the energy of it. Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade was fun too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6I7F7TTVMhgDWRglY2GICTk6wSQUX1VtZCGeMqCGEvOf2b4Z6nBcNPvQH7vtXIO604-D_hXk7Zy4PJkih25YCVtQKihWHo6to-G0nogl9G3HXE1mWTDug_ZS0HqteEInbX5jWN1ZKQuz/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6I7F7TTVMhgDWRglY2GICTk6wSQUX1VtZCGeMqCGEvOf2b4Z6nBcNPvQH7vtXIO604-D_hXk7Zy4PJkih25YCVtQKihWHo6to-G0nogl9G3HXE1mWTDug_ZS0HqteEInbX5jWN1ZKQuz/s320/IMG_2601.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706067561720776994" /></a><br /><br />We had a lunch reservation at the Rain Forest Cafe. We all shared the massive Volcano dessert and still couldn't finish it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6mPCBmuoq4gnHupyJisJqiovfCEfMZwiWZNWKd1NdB4bwHasnu8qSQInGU8Y-ed4jIQofKcoIUHnJrbf0a9sjRa1eQFuaCFFur8KXCdr7YEQ6zG8_036chVzlukbE4A70LyBBpy2kwRf/s1600/IMG_2483.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6mPCBmuoq4gnHupyJisJqiovfCEfMZwiWZNWKd1NdB4bwHasnu8qSQInGU8Y-ed4jIQofKcoIUHnJrbf0a9sjRa1eQFuaCFFur8KXCdr7YEQ6zG8_036chVzlukbE4A70LyBBpy2kwRf/s320/IMG_2483.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706068090304339762" /></a><br /><br /><em>Friday</em><br /><br />This was a sad day. Home day. We woke up, finished gathering our things and headed for the airport at 7:00a.m. only to discovered our flight was delayed. We spent the entire morning hanging out in the airport.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQiWx3l7U1e0TZuDjAubCnx3XOYUKSKLBeefoqlJ-GzuIIbBotdLFlU0drLEAeWKbTw72tf2iTJOsIPGKIJMX5ZMh-rVIzFoQUlWwXLi-IbmFSeu7B_sgZ3lky6JygMpPmbdgJQvfCAZk/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQiWx3l7U1e0TZuDjAubCnx3XOYUKSKLBeefoqlJ-GzuIIbBotdLFlU0drLEAeWKbTw72tf2iTJOsIPGKIJMX5ZMh-rVIzFoQUlWwXLi-IbmFSeu7B_sgZ3lky6JygMpPmbdgJQvfCAZk/s320/IMG_2608.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706068480599765250" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Final Thoughts</strong><br /><br />We found Disney's Magical experiences that were perfect for our family. There was nothing planned that wasn't thoroughly enjoyed by all of us. I challenge you to explore what Disney has to offer that meets the interests of your family and make your reservations early so that you can experience the magic for yourself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-69847856887728513292012-01-10T11:18:00.005-05:002012-01-10T12:29:31.246-05:00What Really Puts The Future of Humanity At RiskSo, apparently Pope Benedict says that gay marriage will <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2084696/Pope-Benedict-XVI-Gay-marriage-threat-humanity.html">ruin humanity</a>. I'll let you digest that thought for a moment.<br /><br />Somehow two people who want to be exclusive, loyal, and tell the world that they actually love each other enough to want to spend their lives together are harming humanity's future.<br /><br />On The View this morning Elisabeth Hasselbeck said that gay marriage doesn't threaten her marriage, but that <em>divorce</em> does. I agree with her. Here are the things that I believe are ruining marriages and thus the future of humanity (in no particular order):<br /><br /><strong>1. Technology</strong><br /><br />We all have some form of technology that we use on a daily basis. There are 100's of gadgets designed to keep us connected and in the loop at every waking moment. We are becoming addicted to checking for updates and afraid we will miss something. Some people even bring their phones to bed with them. This cannot be good for marriages/relationships. While we may be more social with strangers, we are actually <em>less</em> social with people in front of our faces.<br /><br /><strong>2. Porn</strong><br /><br />Porn may arguably be the most accessible thing on the Internet, providing men (and women I guess) with on-demand movies featuring anything (and I do mean <em>anything</em>) your heart desires. Unfortunately it can leave married women (or any woman) feeling less than perfect and not good enough which does put a strain on marriages. It conditions men to believe that it's ok to look at other naked women having sex because they don't touch. However with this conditioning the chances of in real life cheating rises if the opportunity were to present itself.<br /><br /><strong>3. Strippers/Prostitutes</strong><br /><br />Similar to, but much worse than the porn, strippers and prostitutes bring sex closer to home and provide temptation to cheat. These women make cheating that much more accessible which is far more threatening to humanity's future than gay marriage.<br /><br /><strong>4. Photoshop</strong><br /><br />Yes, photoshop is a threat because it is used to create outrageous images of women and how they should look which are unattainable. This puts a lot of pressure on women to try to look like the images they see all around them. Since they will never look like the photoshopped images, self esteem is lowered and a negative cycle begins that will trickle into the marriage.<br /><br /><strong>5. Desire for everything to be fast and easy</strong><br /><br />I blame the "instantness" of the Internet for this one. We want everything and we want it now. We want to "click" and be done with it. We want easy quick food, easier ways to do housework, easier ways to make money, etc. No one wants to put in time and effort and actually earn achievements in their lives anymore, and this is evident in the effort we put into our relationships as well. Many people want to just quit when a problem arises. Somewhere a long the line we started to believe that love shouldn't take work. This is why the divorce rate is so high. <br /><br /><strong>6. Credit/Debt</strong><br /><br />In relation to the point above: we want everything now <em>even</em> if we cannot afford it. Thanks to credit cards, lines of credit and loans of every kind we can now have everything in exchange for a lifetime of debt. As we get buried in debt and financial problems occur, ( you guessed it) marriages suffer. <br /><br />So before the Pope tries to blame gay marriage for ruining the future of humanity, perhaps he should look at all the things we are accepting in our world that are actually directly related to the future of what marriage and family will be moving forward.<br /><br />What do you think puts the future of humanity in jeopardy?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-22718893601309260272011-10-23T00:43:00.030-04:002012-01-04T18:48:14.489-05:00Surprising Children With Disney World: With Children in MindIt's sad to think that the chance to go to the "happiest place on earth" is being ruined (for both the children and the parents) because of the way the children are being surprised. <br /><br /><strong>Tip #1:</strong> <strong>Don't lie or invent plans, because the child may become attached to the alibi and you will end up disappointed.</strong><br /><br />See what happened when these parents <em>lied</em> to their children with decoy plans thinking that the children wouldn't care once they knew the truth.<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UcgNBezKyZQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Or these kids...<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8MIBxhh_R_w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Some children cannot handle a sudden change without warning, or let go of a decoy plan they have been looking forward to. No matter how magical Mickey and his friends are, to a child, a visit to Nana's house may be even more magical. The child would be far more excited about Disney if it wasn't portrayed as replacing some other plan.<br /><br /><strong>Tip #2</strong>:<strong> Give your child at least a day or two notice of your upcoming trip so they can mentally prepare and you can have time to help them with any fears in a positive way if needed.</strong><br /><br />While Disney commercials may make it look like a fairytale full of happy endings, some children just can't handle the transition from "every day mode" to "Disney mode" without warning, as seen here...<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MFIhqNwrvHs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />and here...<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MLajkhfrYas" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />Another risk with telling your child at the last minute is that you have no time to address any <em>fears</em> your child may develop at the news of taking an airplane for the first time like these parents soon discovered...<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OaB9lcm_8JA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />and these parents...<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XOY02ZqAoyE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br /><em>So, how should you surprise the kids?</em><br /><br />Below are the 'how, when and why' details I used to tell my children of our upcoming visit and what I'm doing to help <em>keep them excited </em>until the big day arrives. <br /><br /><strong>Plan the trip, and pick a holiday (or a special date) to tell them.</strong><br /><br />I decided that we would use Christmas to tell the kids. I wanted an interesting way to tell them since this is our first family vacation. <br /><br />I came up with getting them each a Mickey Mouse suitcase with a shirt inside that says "I'm going to Disney World" that they opened Christmas morning.<br /><br />This is the suitcase:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxKQk5ThxA7B8XHq6uwgN_WhqeY_SDaHicUrfS-1tZLkr9vlI4jGJgTotxqL0aHvAIEzKv13t9KugVdKTPUezn8xBJAFkphNrUm_qcl_g5vhpqdpacq1mHoeW4gowdPoIl02F_nIZFtAO/s1600/%2524%2528KGrHqEOKiME3%2529moE%2529OwBOD3%2529vHScQ%257E%257E_3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxKQk5ThxA7B8XHq6uwgN_WhqeY_SDaHicUrfS-1tZLkr9vlI4jGJgTotxqL0aHvAIEzKv13t9KugVdKTPUezn8xBJAFkphNrUm_qcl_g5vhpqdpacq1mHoeW4gowdPoIl02F_nIZFtAO/s320/%2524%2528KGrHqEOKiME3%2529moE%2529OwBOD3%2529vHScQ%257E%257E_3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666861447180744498" /></a><br /><br />These were the iron-on transfers for their shirts:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_qurt06SE0TLotPtE3mOV7RjPAkmrI0ASRHYaU7xCLCsaJjEzehwl8TLUDP0xNWNJK2ikVnoErRw4Yw-6yyBzPNUzfQCwhcXERm4kZ4tpwtoaEWLfKfjT958Nt0KBl6b1G_GIY-CiWnM/s1600/il_570xN_277186282.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_qurt06SE0TLotPtE3mOV7RjPAkmrI0ASRHYaU7xCLCsaJjEzehwl8TLUDP0xNWNJK2ikVnoErRw4Yw-6yyBzPNUzfQCwhcXERm4kZ4tpwtoaEWLfKfjT958Nt0KBl6b1G_GIY-CiWnM/s320/il_570xN_277186282.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666880188753506594" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VfyvYqVojxeRCz_ctbUK6PNmwuFTRCuP2kU9SLQdZ_wHsNl2oxoq6rSMF_zV9avfhQmYYr-C48pG_iX8gAHyxSb4AVj_CZk82f7UHicpduMeJNOx9RkIrWzeAIsV9fFXUS7kmr-fe7AD/s1600/il_570xN_277186288.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VfyvYqVojxeRCz_ctbUK6PNmwuFTRCuP2kU9SLQdZ_wHsNl2oxoq6rSMF_zV9avfhQmYYr-C48pG_iX8gAHyxSb4AVj_CZk82f7UHicpduMeJNOx9RkIrWzeAIsV9fFXUS7kmr-fe7AD/s320/il_570xN_277186288.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666880466609420514" /></a><br /><br /><br />When they know that a trip to Disney is in their future I want to ensure the excitement stays alive, <em>and</em> that they aren't asking me 20 times a day "how many more days til we leave". So, I made a countdown calendar that is personalized to the details of our trip. <br /><br />The calendar provides them with a visual tool to see for themselves how many days are left. Each day contains a fun fact about Disney and/or a detail about our trip. I was careful not to give too much away but enough so that they can understand what they are looking forward to. Each day they move the marker to the number of days left until our trip and read the fun fact inside the pocket.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHFyICZmOag9wRd8t487my-pa5xGzvu3LHcTgMjs1lLKaDIBMFswKanaP_xUQsfuZDNl5GqX6X8jQnC3lBY3FeTFbxVhkWjs55DAZf234DGNVSuY_lU562jOYInzpV-lP0Rc9QbksZRYY/s1600/IMG_1510.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHFyICZmOag9wRd8t487my-pa5xGzvu3LHcTgMjs1lLKaDIBMFswKanaP_xUQsfuZDNl5GqX6X8jQnC3lBY3FeTFbxVhkWjs55DAZf234DGNVSuY_lU562jOYInzpV-lP0Rc9QbksZRYY/s320/IMG_1510.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690521435800814722" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Here are a few sample fun facts I used:</strong><br /><br />"At Animal Kingdom there are 1000<br />real animals that we can see along<br />with favourites from movies like<br />Nemo and the Lion King"<br /><br />"At all the Disney Parks you can find<br />mickey’s face hidden in everything;<br />like on doors, windows, the ground etc.<br />So be on the look out"<br /><br />"At some restaurants characters come<br />out to greet you while you eat"<br /><br /><br /><strong>Some other things I am planning for the kids for our Disney trip are:</strong><br /><br />1. <strong>Having them bring a journal </strong>to write or draw memories in each evening of the vacation. This will provide them with something to do in the resort, and of course, be a great keepsake. It will also help them reflect on all the wonderful things they are experiencing on their vacation.<br /><br />2. <strong>Giving them their own spending money</strong>. We all know that Disney is expensive and that there are things to buy at every turn. By giving the kids a set budget, this means that they can buy what they like but when their money is gone, their shopping is done.<br /><br />3. <strong>Christmas Eve they opened new pajamas </strong>so that they could wear them for Christmas morning (as seen in video below). <br /><br />I hope your Disney surprise leads to the fairytale vacation that it should be. Remember, the thing with surprises is everyone wants to keep them until the very last possible minute, but no matter when a person finds out about a surprise it was still a surprise until that moment. It doesn't matter if it's an hour before or a month before, you will still get the same surprised reaction. <br /><br />After months of saving and planning for a fun family vacation, why risk a disappointing reaction to ruin everything?<br /><br /><br />Now, without further ado, Our Disney Surprise:<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_SZDNZ5C4Rs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-53192649317335515392011-08-08T21:17:00.007-04:002011-10-26T09:35:38.043-04:00Activity OverloadThere are so many activities available for our children that there are now activity guides for parents everywhere you look. Guides filled with categories and lists of endless possibilities of stuff for children to do. Some are silly, some are fun, some educational and others can be argued to be life skills that simply 'must' be learned. As a parent, I find myself faced with the task of selecting activities each season that I want my children to participate in. <br /><br />When they were 3 they began swimming lessons, at 4 they began soccer, at 5 it was skating. Each of these activities were in constant rotation, one after the other, rarely overlapping. In our house, we wanted one day a week of activities for the kids and it seems to work well for us. <br /><br />However, the simplicity we have in place currently leaves them left out of a lot of activities that they would enjoy and thrive in which brought me to the question; why can't they do a little more? With no clear answer in front of me I had to re-evaluate the house rules and make a new decision.<br /><br />Since I believe that swimming is one of those life skills that children must learn, swimming will remain 'non-negotiable' for now. Skating however, we can do as a family throughout the season without anymore formal lessons. Soccer is one of the children's favourite activities so it will still be a part of each summer. <br /><br />The change we've made is to allow them one steady, year round activity of focus. In an effort to keep the choices reasonable, my husband and I narrowed the choices down to 3 and presented them to the boys. Choices were based on their current interests and included; taekwondo, indoor soccer or gymnastics. <br /><br />Even with 3 choices they are having a difficult time deciding on just one. If they had their way they would have a different activity every day of the week. Thankfully I know that too much is no good for them or my bank account in the long term. To assist them in making the right choice I have signed them up for a free trial class of taekwondo to test out the waters a little for themselves before committing.<br /><br />Sometimes I wish I had the time and money to let them explore martial arts, five different sports, music and everything else they ask to try. Then I remember that they need to miss out on some things in order to have a balanced life. <br /><br />Many parents are often asking themselves, how much is too much? I think it will depend on your child, your lifestyle and your budget, but even if your time seems limitless, and you were the latest Lotto Max winner, balance is always a good idea. Stick to 2 per season at most and leave room for some unstructured learning through play.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-54747484774917602612011-02-18T08:59:00.005-05:002011-02-18T10:08:43.923-05:00One Day Our Kids May Never Leave The HouseOur parents said it to us and we will soon be saying it ourselves; times are changing.<br /><br />When I was a kid I played outside along with at least 15 others on my street. We rode our bikes, played in mud, went to the park and invented games. When I look around my neighbourhood any day of the week I usually see a ghost town.<br /><br />Kids are starting from a very young age to prefer to be inside. They want to play video games, watch TV or surf the net. When they want to talk to their friends they use <a href="http://explore.live.com/windows-live-messenger?os=other">MSN</a>, <a href="http://facebook.com">Facebook</a>, text, phone or <a href="http://www.skype.com">Skype</a>. A child has never knocked on my door asking for the kids to play outside. Even when they get together with their closest friends the activity they wish to engage in above all others is <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/ds">video games</a>. Times are changing.<br /><br />With children growing up with this mindset, I wonder, if when they are older, they will engage in many activities outside of the house. In the world we have created they have little need to step foot outside. Lets look at the following list of typical basic needs and wants:<br /><br />-Food<br />-Paying bills/taxes<br />-Getting an Education<br />-Working<br />-Social interaction<br />-Reproducing<br />-Exercise<br />-Entertainment<br /><br />All of these can be done without ever leaving the house. <br /><br />We can buy food online and have it delivered by companies like <a href="http://grocerygateway.com">Grocery Gateway</a>. We can do our banking online, receive bills and pay them online, as well as process our <a href="http://www.efile.cra.gc.ca/">tax returns online</a>. <br /><br />Children can be <a href="http://www.flora.org/homeschool-ca/">home schooled</a>, Teens can get their <a href="http://www.pcdi.ca/courses/3e/">GED online </a>and we can attend many <a href="http://www.athabascau.ca/">college and university programs online </a>(and this will grow more and more every year). We can get a work from home job either through another company or by starting our own company and we can conduct our <a href="http://www.webex.com/">business meetings</a>, File sharing or ship a parcel by using various types of technology, all while remaining in our pajamas. <br /><br />We can fulfill the human need to socialize by using <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a>, blogs and various target groups all found online. We can watch TV, movies and play video games as we've always done from home but now we can also shop from home, play a multitude of games online or simply surf the net for hours of entertainment. With a few clicks of a mouse we can see anyplace in the world without having to endure excessive security searches or <a href="http://vinitneo.com/2010/11/body-scanner-operator-caught-masturbating-at-colorado-airport/">full body scans</a>. We can also buy home exercise equipment to replace an outdoor run.<br /><br />We can use technology such as <a href="http://www.skype.com">Skype</a> to 'attend' <a href="http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=570281">weddings</a> and <a href="http://www.fergersonfuneralhome.com/">funerals</a>. Or, we can even deliver a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/08/31/midwife-home-births.html">baby at home</a> (depending on the circumstance of course) and then raise that baby in an at home, online world. <br /><br />The future of our children is going to be very different than the world we once knew. As social norms change to allow for more people to 'connect' or to 'save time' we will see a much more isolated world as time goes on. Change isn't always a good thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-4294537190908756952011-01-18T21:00:00.005-05:002011-01-18T21:53:27.157-05:00The Best Thing I Ever Bought My KidsRecently I redecorated my <a href="http://unproven-opinions.blogspot.com/2010/12/when-i-was-little-i-slept-in-closet-in.html">kid's rooms</a>. At the time I thought the greatest thing about their new rooms was the Star Wars light saber lamps. Granted, I still think they are the coolest thing ever, they certainly are not the best thing I ever bought my kids.<br /><br />The best thing I bought them is also for their new rooms. Star Wars message boards. It's not the fact that they are Star Wars that makes them awesome, it's the message board part. <br /><br />This tool has been used especially by DeAndre, (7yo), although Dorian, (4yo), enjoys drawing on his as well. DeAndre has begun using his board in a way I wasn't expecting but I am so glad he found a healthy way to relieve his own stress. On the first occasion he had written "Dorian I hate you. Stay out of my room 4 ever and don't touch my stuff". Many people might be gasping and thinking that is horrible, but it is actually very healthy. Rather than keeping his feelings bottled up, he is releasing the feelings he has in small healthy doses. When he made up with his brother he erased the message. <br /><br />I never commented to him about what he wrote because it was his own personal release of how he felt at that moment and it wasn't my business to interfere with that. I know he doesn't really hate his brother.<br /><br />On the next occasion I found the message "I hate cleaning". He wrote this on the day I made him clean his room for a sleepover he was having. He still did clean his room and did a great job. The thing is, the act of writing your feelings down on paper helps make you feel better and I am so happy my son has discovered this. It's a healthy release that isn't harming anyone and as a bonus he practices his writing and spelling techniques.<br /><br />Today, after my husband told him he couldn't watch television because of his behaviour this morning, DeAndre wrote another message on his message board. This time he said "Daddy and Dorian stay out of my room but Mommy can come in my room". My husband and I laughed about it this evening after the kids went to bed. We would never take such messages to heart because we know he doesn't mean it. He erases them once he feels better which is another reason I like the message board idea vs. paper and pencil.<br /><br />If you have a child who is around age 6 or 7yo, I highly suggest adding a message board to his or her room somewhere where he or she will have easy access to it. Allow your child to freely express him or herself at his or her leisure on the board. It's one way to help keep your child emotionally healthy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-82293991362591021522011-01-07T16:23:00.008-05:002011-01-18T21:52:53.177-05:00Daycare TragedyA fourteen month old infant died at the hands of her childcare provider on her second day in attendance.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/106695--infant-dies-daycare-owner-arrested-again">Story Here</a><br /><br />This story affects me as a mother and as an individual from the field of early childhood education. <br /><br />Caring for children is not easy. It is stressful, and unless you can find the rewarding side and satisfaction of it, then it's probably not the job for you. Like those that care for the sick or elderly, childcare workers experience little to no appreciation for the work they do. Especially caregivers that work from home. In a center based care setting, caregivers have each other to rely on for support during frustrating moments, such as when a new child enters the program. Home care providers however, do not.<br /><br />Many children experience some anxiety transitioning to their new environment, new routine and new care giver. This is sometimes expressed through constant crying and even screaming. This was likely the cause for the caregiver in question to begin shaking this child. That, and lack of skills to perform her job, such as, patience, desire/passion for working with children, love, care or understanding of children's development.<br /><br />This is a risk with home care providers, especially ones you do not personally know. Often times, the individual providing at home care is a mother, and this alone is used to make other parents believe that they are competent. Even though we know that children all over, are abused by their parents everyday, and sometimes worse. <br /><br />In home care, there are no witnesses to observe the care giver. In center based care, there are several witnesses.<br /><br />In home based care, there is often no training in child development and therefor lack of knowledge on how to fully understand the child. In center based care, there are trained educators who will know things such as that crying during a transition to care is perfectly normal and will know what to do to make it easier on the child and themselves. <br /><br />In home based care, there is no support for the child care provider if they are having a stressful moment and need to take a break. In center based care, there is always someone to take over if you need to walk away for a few minutes.<br /><br />Am I pro center based care? <br /><br />Yes, I am. However, I do believe that home based care has it's place. Some children need smaller group sizes as their personalities or temperament is not best suited for large group care. Some home care providers actually are trained properly and are even licensed. These home care providers are probably not doing it just for the money, but for the love of working with children.<br /><br />The problem is how does a parent know the difference when looking for a provider? I say, look through the fluff in the ad listings. Ads that can only say "I'm a mother. I'm caring, loving, nurturing" and other similar phrases should tell you something. First, this person is not a professional. Second, they are probably doing this job as a convenient way to be a mother and make some money - not because they actually want to work with children or that they enjoy children. And remember that having their own children doesn't mean that they will like your children or treat them appropriately.<br /><br />So what does a good home care provider ad listing sound like? It should state the individual's credentials, such as being an ECE (early childhood educators), that they provide developmentally appropriate activities and that they are licensed. <br /><br />When you meet your child care provider, ask questions about discipline practices, curriculum, communication procedures, and for a copy of the menu. Feel out how serious this person is about their home childcare center. How is it set up? Is a part of the house dedicated to their business? Is it set up similar to a classroom? Is there some children's art hanging on the walls? You can tell a lot simply from the love and dedication they put into their set up. <br /><br />My heart breaks for this baby and the baby's parents and family during this very disturbing time. It saddens me as a mother, to think of someone doing something so horrible to such a helpless baby after being trusted to keep him/her safe. <br /><br />Please research your childcare provider thoroughly but don't lose faith in child care. I believe that center based childcare is very beneficial to a child's development and creates a solid foundation for all future learning.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-38420662702338998592011-01-01T15:43:00.017-05:002011-01-18T21:52:04.180-05:00Effective Playroom DesignIf you are a parent you most likely say things like "clean up your room" "put that away" and "If I trip over one more toy I'm gonna.." a hundred times a day. You more than likely are also asked "Mom, do you know where my (insert toy name here)is, I can't find it?" or some similar phrase another hundred times a day. If you want to help your kids be more independent and responsible with their playtime, you have to help set the stage.<br /><br />Room design for child care centers is such a critical component of Early Childhood Education, that there are 2 classes during the 2 year ECE program dedicated to setting up the classroom in such a way as to promote active learning.<br /><br />Not only can an effectively set up play room at home promote early learning for your children but it will also help them develop a strong foundation for Independence and responsibility for their stuff.<br /><br />Here is a break down of 7 simple, yet very rewarding, ideas on how to organize your children's playroom.<br /><br /><strong>1. Sort and Label:</strong> <br /><br />In order for your child to independently find what they are looking for when they want it, they must know where to look. This begins by making things easy to find. Start by getting some storage containers. I like the bins from ikea because they are sturdy, inexpensive and come in bright colours. Then assign a bin to a certain type of toy. Some examples of this are a bin for each of these common types of toys: lego, action figures, cars, beyblades, bakugans (I have boys so feel free to change these to barbies, polly pockets, zhu zhu pets etc). Once you have divided all the toys into their own bin you are ready to label. Labeling can be done a multitude of ways but I have found the for pre-readers the best way is to take a picture of the actual toys and tape it to the front of the bins along with a printed word underneath the picture. Attach a second copy of the picture to the shelf where the bin belongs on the shelf. If your children can read you can skip the picture and just label with the printed word such as how I have in my picture examples.<br /><br /><strong>2. Toys and Games Too Big For Bins:</strong><br /><br />For all toys and materials that do not logically belong in a bin, assign shelf space for this toy and label the shelf. This way your child will know where to find and replace the toy after use.<br /><br /><strong>3. Assigning Shelf Space:</strong><br /><br />Placing your materials on the shelf effectively takes some thought. The idea is to try to create a set up that works logically. You can also display certain toys in a way that encourages the child to choose these toys over others. In my example you can see that the low shelf has the board games, puzzles, lego and marble works on it. I chose to place those materials there to encourage them to sit down and play more board games together, engage in puzzle play and work on building with lego/marble works because those are great developmentally appropriate toys. The other materials they have were then assigned shelf space on the larger unit based on what they play with the most often, what toys I'd prefer to keep out of my younger child's reach and what toys belong closer together (ex. Big cars and little cars).<br /><br /><strong>4. Art area:</strong><br /><br />Your child's playroom should include some art related materials. We used to have an easel in our playroom as well but I have since removed it as we were running out of room and my guys are getting too big for an easel now. We have a plastic storage unit with 3 drawers where I have sorted and labeled their books in the following categories: colouring books, activity books and stickers/sticker books. Inside the desk drawer they have pencil case boxes, one for crayons, one for pencil crayons, one for markers and one for school supplies. I allow them free use of child safe scissors, glue sticks and pencil sharpeners. You can offer what you feel comfortable with.<br /><br /><strong>5. TV and Video Games:</strong><br /><br />Although you would never find this in a child care center, chances are this area exists in your home. It can also be properly organized to maximize the care of these materials. We choose to keep the movies and games in our living room because they still do not take proper care of them. They do keep the Wii accessories in their playroom though which are kept in a labeled bin. They also have a labeled bin for remote controls, so they wont lose them.<br /><br /><strong>6. Variety or Toys:</strong><br /><br />It is important to have a variety of toys for well rounded play. Key types of toys include; blocks and building toys, art materials, games and/or puzzles, books, dramatic area (costumes/dress up/kitchen), and some toys of interest (beyblades, action figures, dolls). By offering a variety of types of toys your children will be able to explore and learn in a variety of ways which builds a solid foundation for all future learning such as reading, math, social development and problem solving.<br /><br /><strong>7. Display Your Child's Art:</strong><br /><br />Have a dedicated area of the wall where they can display some of their art work from school or home that they feel proud of. I got a bulletin board for their playroom and they love hanging their special art on it.<br /><br />Here are some pictures for you to see how my children's playroom is set up.<br /><br /><br /><strong>These are the 2 toy shelves in our playroom.</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7i-LMWmRTeUkt691l75K5sChp7mPnvvvWcjvTICRrReV0up2B_37eMB7MKAhG6Rkl9zedAaTmJHQFicrKHMetzaAuTW7ChtFtHDsGnzfV1O0huqao5R0G0qlAl7wSyFL5C9_uUewRvGVP/s1600/IMG_0174.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7i-LMWmRTeUkt691l75K5sChp7mPnvvvWcjvTICRrReV0up2B_37eMB7MKAhG6Rkl9zedAaTmJHQFicrKHMetzaAuTW7ChtFtHDsGnzfV1O0huqao5R0G0qlAl7wSyFL5C9_uUewRvGVP/s320/IMG_0174.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557357563519753106" /></a><br /><br /><strong>This is the shelf I use to put the toys I want to encourage them to play with on. The top is reserved for large toys that will not fit anywhere else.</strong> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgUb_PFXh8moQdNtQ9Hqgb9FajBKqUM4XPlUtvKWxf56DYnU40Mz0Z1wAr4alSJn-3l26l8BZGMW6N1PQROhlYsBwk89I9ByZASCdzDtL-ogB5zLIlYjF9cEBEnNAYTjUGpnmoCfn4z_C/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgUb_PFXh8moQdNtQ9Hqgb9FajBKqUM4XPlUtvKWxf56DYnU40Mz0Z1wAr4alSJn-3l26l8BZGMW6N1PQROhlYsBwk89I9ByZASCdzDtL-ogB5zLIlYjF9cEBEnNAYTjUGpnmoCfn4z_C/s320/IMG_0170.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557358064670174514" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Here is a close up of the shelf labels</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUptQcjXvfGpJmxC5V_HNoQRF0oZ9nUs2frZ1ne5UTccz9C955DshieIp-zrN9rzLVe4JO0YVpI1mVkrzCFv6mE0w-u-hUBc2Rq2zNZcssDQawsJ4hjKdm-aD9x3QHUdtQRfN5RtOgP3F/s1600/IMG_0171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUptQcjXvfGpJmxC5V_HNoQRF0oZ9nUs2frZ1ne5UTccz9C955DshieIp-zrN9rzLVe4JO0YVpI1mVkrzCFv6mE0w-u-hUBc2Rq2zNZcssDQawsJ4hjKdm-aD9x3QHUdtQRfN5RtOgP3F/s320/IMG_0171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557358725527526354" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Example of labeled bins and shelves</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76LKjRXPgPdY96HOgeW1Stq0W5yJodoBONs-uOAL8hDfU6V7uUTRbjgINviKAX_CQix8GdBro8XGGCbpEhkCrZ2FQsWZEcHcYonj7CCUzLjKZs5kvB50WF0-hTCcBkzR5CW761eMKiAvc/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76LKjRXPgPdY96HOgeW1Stq0W5yJodoBONs-uOAL8hDfU6V7uUTRbjgINviKAX_CQix8GdBro8XGGCbpEhkCrZ2FQsWZEcHcYonj7CCUzLjKZs5kvB50WF0-hTCcBkzR5CW761eMKiAvc/s320/IMG_0181.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557359279682779266" /></a><br /><br /><strong>The storage drawer unit for sorting colouring and activity books. The desk is beside this and all the art supplies available to them are in the desk drawers (also labeled)</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny9Y4AG92Hhg1SMX2BSaXNog5Eo8nAJ9QAQq2dRaYsQ3PGAFVPLSwWd7IMU3tFosRWBSvVrz074PPkg2lQT68QPYolsVMMXJYiUH0P6yahHnKD0G_ld5tlTwA63qrUNXMf43tH1i9OHof/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjny9Y4AG92Hhg1SMX2BSaXNog5Eo8nAJ9QAQq2dRaYsQ3PGAFVPLSwWd7IMU3tFosRWBSvVrz074PPkg2lQT68QPYolsVMMXJYiUH0P6yahHnKD0G_ld5tlTwA63qrUNXMf43tH1i9OHof/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557359697119094226" /></a><br /><br /><strong>This is the storage bin I use for dramatic costumes and props. If I had the wall space I would have hung the costumes on hooks and placed only the props in the bin.</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpuezhZ5WQf2xhNjHngL1u0KMI7xWgpHGMKqVndgk4LK6_aovcYrqd-s_QIrwpnm-pHMFmcj-0fpWVppa6Q-tRwLq3FntcKLgR3uV4_6HVMUsorkH4vOwHMXXGfCEItz0nCZ4VLvb3izr/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpuezhZ5WQf2xhNjHngL1u0KMI7xWgpHGMKqVndgk4LK6_aovcYrqd-s_QIrwpnm-pHMFmcj-0fpWVppa6Q-tRwLq3FntcKLgR3uV4_6HVMUsorkH4vOwHMXXGfCEItz0nCZ4VLvb3izr/s320/IMG_0175.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557360232965633554" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Notice the labeled bins for remotes and videogame accessories.</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlWaqjlwoyer5wE61aD1e7a5qpQn6AUzAB6MzcwknvAFLvKaF_rd1SRT1TOatm20vVF_buFIIi1pZIBlun4BsQe6D72lqMcQKRjVBqiRfyN2RF6JLq22m1q3TULlrOhXmQPVBL5NP2tfJ/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlWaqjlwoyer5wE61aD1e7a5qpQn6AUzAB6MzcwknvAFLvKaF_rd1SRT1TOatm20vVF_buFIIi1pZIBlun4BsQe6D72lqMcQKRjVBqiRfyN2RF6JLq22m1q3TULlrOhXmQPVBL5NP2tfJ/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557360782317691282" /></a><br /><br /><strong>The art board that we display the surplus of kids art on.</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3KhYK5dMyRvm0hXTZdOx9Rlfud-hlKvnWgzmSuQZK1k5YB1ouIm8UXdTozN-scz2ZS32NZqIs2PHxKiJLhePhXxhkTmkyYLD2MjunwbFByIBsxZNam7oh7WHkLGqY86tTGCE-8ei2_KV/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3KhYK5dMyRvm0hXTZdOx9Rlfud-hlKvnWgzmSuQZK1k5YB1ouIm8UXdTozN-scz2ZS32NZqIs2PHxKiJLhePhXxhkTmkyYLD2MjunwbFByIBsxZNam7oh7WHkLGqY86tTGCE-8ei2_KV/s320/IMG_0183.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557361254852466482" /></a><br /><br />Once your room is set up and organized take your children around the room for a tour. Show them the labels on the bins and the shelves and let them explore where all their toys can be found. Explain any 'house rules' you will have (ex. video games and movies stay in our living room and you need to ask before playing with play dough). Remind your children to put things away in their proper place after use. <br /><br />If your children start asking you where things are, remind them of their labeled bins and remind them that putting things away is their responsibility. It may take a few weeks to a month to get used to it but be persistent and continually remind them about the benefits of a clean room (finding what you want when you want it for example). Remember to clear out old toys periodically as to not have an over cluttered room. We do a playroom cleansing before birthday's and Christmas as this is the time when they receive an abundance of new toys. <br /><br />If you have any questions about playroom set up please post them in the comment section.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714489314478161392.post-32034490370156875612010-12-31T16:16:00.025-05:002011-01-02T12:03:06.329-05:00Because a Closet Won't DoWhen I was little I slept in a closet, in the darkest corner of the basement. <br /><br />It had pink walls with a snow white border running along the top of the wall, perfect for a little girl like me. Yet, I was never comfortable in this room and rarely ever stayed in there alone. <br /><br />I remember how happy I was to move out of that room and get a real room of my own. Except the room was actually the den of my Grandmother's home. It was hardly anymore welcoming than the basement room, but it would do. <br /><br />All I ever wanted was an awesome room. One that wasn't scary and that felt like it was mine.<br /><br />I guess that's why I've always enjoyed decorating my kids rooms so much. My first room design was some what of a Sesame Street theme. I found Sesame Street ceramic statues that are about 18" tall which I put up on a wall shelf. Then I got alphabet foam letters and with Velcro attached them like a border to the wall around the room. It was so simple but I loved it so much because it was different. <br /><br />When Dorian was born I wasn't ready to move DeAndre out of the sesame street room yet, so I did a new room for Dorian. For him I painted the words "Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are" and some various sized stars on the wall above his crib. He had a moon and star theme. <br /><br />Since then, I had moved Dorian into the Sesame Street room and painted over the star room which turned into a Lightening McQueen room for DeAndre and now both those rooms are now gone. I will pack away my Sesame Street Statues because I love them and want to keep them, perhaps for grandchildren if I am to be so blessed. <br /><br />Over the past few days Adrian and I have been busy creating new rooms for the boys while they had a sleepover with Nana and Poppa. They both wanted to have a Star Wars theme so we decided to try to create a 'light side' and 'dark side' room. DeAndre would be the light side and Dorian the dark side (it's a little inside joke).<br /><br />It didn't quite work out having a light vs dark side though because it was hard to find the supplies for the dark side (at an affordable price anyway). So this is what we came up with:<br /><br /><strong>This is the "Dark Side" room. </strong><br /><br />We put more of a focus on the Troopers in this room. One sticker I ordered has not arrived yet, It reads "Fear is the path to the dark side". <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGg0bFp7HJKTpFpweH5DAr9sKVwvYeC7asGT7j_nfsHYeWkgzNdTyNLCqZdNnw_ciZFJEAgSNu1Rf-SCp5YLoEPw5e_8Q4YkHVxNu4p8WKL5XruoCejRIe0P6Qqa7w0jQ5boyzRqvJBHX/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGg0bFp7HJKTpFpweH5DAr9sKVwvYeC7asGT7j_nfsHYeWkgzNdTyNLCqZdNnw_ciZFJEAgSNu1Rf-SCp5YLoEPw5e_8Q4YkHVxNu4p8WKL5XruoCejRIe0P6Qqa7w0jQ5boyzRqvJBHX/s320/IMG_0146.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556963556615177234" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IXF8mv_b0w8CC8wlDzHBsYSyvBAvxmqn_oiP6zXDYbsByTubrwZZ0ehhCQctyyrL4ht0kB7LNsmpCDu0v6mRDNJBiOxYDl5C0zjTuGwSoUEo9vzazUKmb9c92LqWhOdfeOI2-_TCNysc/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IXF8mv_b0w8CC8wlDzHBsYSyvBAvxmqn_oiP6zXDYbsByTubrwZZ0ehhCQctyyrL4ht0kB7LNsmpCDu0v6mRDNJBiOxYDl5C0zjTuGwSoUEo9vzazUKmb9c92LqWhOdfeOI2-_TCNysc/s320/IMG_0147.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556963997185702706" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_V2teNqVZ0Nyg11gNQIF6GOuLoVn_koywr-5GG7GQ96pzcFqV2Vn_SJgoghmm9IPxID50VRHhiJAypqhSpgY933DOcBaWfLkrchBWUY68UhI-D2nu6YKnhcT_hcPgf55dguRDz8ztjsZf/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_V2teNqVZ0Nyg11gNQIF6GOuLoVn_koywr-5GG7GQ96pzcFqV2Vn_SJgoghmm9IPxID50VRHhiJAypqhSpgY933DOcBaWfLkrchBWUY68UhI-D2nu6YKnhcT_hcPgf55dguRDz8ztjsZf/s320/IMG_0148.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556964499359177810" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UvsmbEU8XqMOUGpu3662lE2U-hAonQeasUovRg4VSVuSlStLkF2h4CJz0yzzn35PR1W_rUfLA3oPWJBvajxbBSnhT6_JrV5y9S_M7X40G7PRSbD5fBzQ7SlFRzm61wAWEhrHD1fbk06z/s1600/IMG_0149.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UvsmbEU8XqMOUGpu3662lE2U-hAonQeasUovRg4VSVuSlStLkF2h4CJz0yzzn35PR1W_rUfLA3oPWJBvajxbBSnhT6_JrV5y9S_M7X40G7PRSbD5fBzQ7SlFRzm61wAWEhrHD1fbk06z/s320/IMG_0149.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556964779220365506" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVTyuzh4G2haCTdtpZMrELPsFEwG4wQbIsUFj-nzA_2qZrrTJDEEINJ4ovO_WOhW5lifv9LDArL6o0NJLF9TvPaJRxK6cXbjyuE8ervDVIxd2KT2HFdyg0lUrl4wKZ4S5CkpINYT4ziKt/s1600/IMG_0150.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVTyuzh4G2haCTdtpZMrELPsFEwG4wQbIsUFj-nzA_2qZrrTJDEEINJ4ovO_WOhW5lifv9LDArL6o0NJLF9TvPaJRxK6cXbjyuE8ervDVIxd2KT2HFdyg0lUrl4wKZ4S5CkpINYT4ziKt/s320/IMG_0150.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556965085879379154" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6fAzJdOv5igms0j59mmZyKIUiE4TOf09jEYLL63mQUj1dy3c2pWOLcccszlfQTSPGG5vMHb0F8pPIndBdB5YrY9qPgv_lT9xbnc4911xMwxPTRI54DZTpTDCjFhawF4moJAx-r3_PTcJ/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6fAzJdOv5igms0j59mmZyKIUiE4TOf09jEYLL63mQUj1dy3c2pWOLcccszlfQTSPGG5vMHb0F8pPIndBdB5YrY9qPgv_lT9xbnc4911xMwxPTRI54DZTpTDCjFhawF4moJAx-r3_PTcJ/s320/IMG_0167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557027671683077986" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>This is the "Light Side" room</strong><br />We focused on Jedi's and Yoda in this room (hence the green wall). A sticker for this room has also not arrived yet. It reads "Do or do not, there is no try".<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i7REOYdZAwmErYQGGtTRn7OaPyGcutEkmNX4Pf6ujWjVHPywTtl33tacU5QWK6V-lnTcsE_BHBEfu-HNg6RrcnQsfwOzyS3XJxvMf-5Qwm1dBhcp2PPTpNA1JzDHQKmpcSZAlnjMM2vh/s1600/IMG_0155.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-i7REOYdZAwmErYQGGtTRn7OaPyGcutEkmNX4Pf6ujWjVHPywTtl33tacU5QWK6V-lnTcsE_BHBEfu-HNg6RrcnQsfwOzyS3XJxvMf-5Qwm1dBhcp2PPTpNA1JzDHQKmpcSZAlnjMM2vh/s320/IMG_0155.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556965644049539042" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit58-Ql5eYZNq4QC0nLXXO0FTTZLBqfpWB82P15czGj04hvE89jXSnIYeAL325xOHv96OFcD5WWitkqd7a1gtRxhq4rEgSIrUR6aRrniT-kfYc9eG0i85V9jNtWlVk5yWAl2eiUHau20zr/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit58-Ql5eYZNq4QC0nLXXO0FTTZLBqfpWB82P15czGj04hvE89jXSnIYeAL325xOHv96OFcD5WWitkqd7a1gtRxhq4rEgSIrUR6aRrniT-kfYc9eG0i85V9jNtWlVk5yWAl2eiUHau20zr/s320/IMG_0157.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556965987690578994" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuXvWP7qHp66QIlQymvwWlBDjbhCxtvU_qTVyZSBEKHSq89Ht8u7fWeb52Kwf3hs7yNRP_4PW5hA2RKNR_EkuPfbN5z7kxEuR0D3gZtVMLwhxkuW2wtkCwu5nuFyLbRg3NgHc6C03uFdO/s1600/IMG_0156.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCuXvWP7qHp66QIlQymvwWlBDjbhCxtvU_qTVyZSBEKHSq89Ht8u7fWeb52Kwf3hs7yNRP_4PW5hA2RKNR_EkuPfbN5z7kxEuR0D3gZtVMLwhxkuW2wtkCwu5nuFyLbRg3NgHc6C03uFdO/s320/IMG_0156.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557318569504074194" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKw2DMCcQwoPqfyB4VKbUv0mAvKeLk2HlTi9zvA7yV_VP7pvH24nhfrUdo8oh4wQvZcROeowuR7j1D7KVKTdACO0EKG89oypgH4Dj6KtolqVcZqFohSzswIgiHeMa5ZxMKsWCF2SzkW2s/s1600/IMG_0159.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKw2DMCcQwoPqfyB4VKbUv0mAvKeLk2HlTi9zvA7yV_VP7pvH24nhfrUdo8oh4wQvZcROeowuR7j1D7KVKTdACO0EKG89oypgH4Dj6KtolqVcZqFohSzswIgiHeMa5ZxMKsWCF2SzkW2s/s320/IMG_0159.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556966278940606386" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrH0xbxvTKPP2_1Uj-RNajC0BhRNi6l1ku3KFDtS76yVIgKs9RTUjwYkfCoLpv69B9pNeMXEwnWGDPIzUNWkKbscI6BE38dCOlyB39e8ThpJ5VSm-weSnN7hmxkB1t1MpWeZqFzj-3mOu/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlrH0xbxvTKPP2_1Uj-RNajC0BhRNi6l1ku3KFDtS76yVIgKs9RTUjwYkfCoLpv69B9pNeMXEwnWGDPIzUNWkKbscI6BE38dCOlyB39e8ThpJ5VSm-weSnN7hmxkB1t1MpWeZqFzj-3mOu/s320/IMG_0160.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556966858288588642" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0Qk12X98LfN6UJW-FIy8wsYwD51cs9Om3GtGN6eIk2I8hVwE6Ykzs5Te3v7889-vTPMy1-E3cJzlpr8PcaV2r5yrPtQVaGMa2qqVjNggqRNerKNsSGY4HmJ1xQ5EgaWNtKUhT1UbDvnZ/s1600/IMG_0162.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0Qk12X98LfN6UJW-FIy8wsYwD51cs9Om3GtGN6eIk2I8hVwE6Ykzs5Te3v7889-vTPMy1-E3cJzlpr8PcaV2r5yrPtQVaGMa2qqVjNggqRNerKNsSGY4HmJ1xQ5EgaWNtKUhT1UbDvnZ/s320/IMG_0162.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556967147494238434" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyouF8nXkJegXJEphKZ5Dynp2XZn1FxV2mzmsCitABkN8zOtXdVaQRf6TUKsAHrDKeBhzVwjTqML-ieMz68i2fk0RtYv4zRJeEZ_vj_-8kAGX2BKQJqB7Zw_d0FjjJyx4Z7GTsWEUFPIfJ/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyouF8nXkJegXJEphKZ5Dynp2XZn1FxV2mzmsCitABkN8zOtXdVaQRf6TUKsAHrDKeBhzVwjTqML-ieMz68i2fk0RtYv4zRJeEZ_vj_-8kAGX2BKQJqB7Zw_d0FjjJyx4Z7GTsWEUFPIfJ/s320/IMG_0169.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557027950308705378" /></a><br /><br />When the kids came home to see their rooms they were very excited. Adrian and I wanted to create an extra dramatic effect so we played star wars music just before the big reveal. Dorian's music was the Darth Vader theme-Imperial March and DeAndre's Theme was The Jedi theme-New Hope. Dorian was feeling sick today so his excitement wasn't completely there when he first saw his room for the video but he's been enjoying his room since. DeAndre never hides his excitement but he did contain himself quite well. <br /><br />(I tried loading the videos here but I think the files are too large.)<br /><br />I hope my boys enjoy their new rooms and know how much they are loved. I hope when they lay down to sleep at night they feel safe and secure and most of all that they feel at home. <br /><br /><strong>My Favourite parts of the room:</strong><br /><br />Message board (seen close to the door of each room): A small touch that fits the theme and lets them express themselves.<br /><br />Lamps: The light saber lamps come with a remote control, make sound effects with each push of the button and automatically shut off after 15 minutes of idle time. They have 8 colour choice options.<br /><br />Build-a-bear: The boys each got a build-a-bear last year for their birthdays in a star wars theme. They make a nice addition to their beds<br /><br />The quote sticker (not pictured/hasn't arrived in the mail): I love the motivational wall sticker Yoda quotes that are yet to come. I think word art it a wonderful touch to any room.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0