The Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter.

You need:

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

A Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. This is important! Don’t wait until you’re half done with the recipe!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar.

Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.

Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life.

Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and

brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.

Add 1 cup sugar.

Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died

because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.

Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that

Jesus’ tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66.

NOW GO TO BED!

Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was

sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9

Share “The Easter Cookie Story” With Your Friends.

[Via http://trinitykids.wordpress.com]

Every day should be Mothers' Day

Each year millions of women worldwide face death, serious illness and permanent disability because of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. And, in addition to risking their own lives and health, mothers in many parts of the world face losing their children too. Last year, almost 9 million children under five died, 40 per cent of them in the first month of their lives.

Such statistics are chilling and compelling but also incredible in a world where basic care for mothers and their children should be a guaranteed right for all.

Amnesty International’s new campaign to gain support for a Mum’s Manifesto and to begin addressing this shameful situation is starting by trying to get the support of the UK’s major political leaders in advance of the general election due to take place later this year.

We all have – or have had – a mother and we should do what we can to support this campaign.

[Via http://weayaya.wordpress.com]

Things to do with your Family in downtown San Diego!

Need to spend some quality time with your family? Here is a list of family-friendly fun places in downtown San Diego!!!…

• The New Children’s Museum. Think, play, create and visit The New Children’s Museum. Check out the newly designed green building with transparent, flexible spaces exposing the buildings construction and design. Visit the gallery childsplay or give the kids a chance to create at one of the many studios. Open daily from 9a.m. to 4 p.m, closed wednesdays. Adults and Children: $10, Seniors and Military: $5, Children under one: Free NCM Members: Free. Designed for children from toddler to teen. 200 West Island Avenue,Downtown San Diego. Corner of Front Street and West Island Avenue. www.thinkplaycreate.org

• Get ready to enjoy the sights and sounds of the magnificent San Diego Bay as you embark on a Hornblower cruise! Hornblower Cruises & Events welcomes you aboard comfortable yachts touring beautiful San Diego Bay. Relax in comfort on the observation deck while a professional crew narrates the rich history, local points of interest and facts about San Diego landmarks and military. Catering to your interests, Hornblower cruises boasts several boating options. www.hornblower.com

• The Omni San Diego Hotel, the ONLY MLB Park physically connected to a hotel, links Padres fans to PETCO Park via a skybridge. Within the hotel is also a complimentary baseball memorabilia museum featuring the gloves, bats and uniforms of famous players as well as photos and other miscellaneous treasures. Among the most notable items are the cleats Joe DiMaggio wore during his 1941 56-game hitting streak. 675 L Street. www.omnihotels.com

• Old Town Trolley Tours invites you to come along with San Diego’s best tour conductors as they combine colorful anecdotes, humorous stories and well researched historical information into a fast moving two hour narrative that’s both entertaining and educational. Join them as they turn back the pages of history and relive San Diego’s early days as it became the Birthplace of California. In Old Town San Diego (sometimes called the “Jamestown of the Pacific”), you will experience early Americana with its distinctive “West Coast Style” Spanish flavor. You will have the opportunity to get off at any of the convenient stops situated close to all popular attractions, shops and restaurants. When you’re ready, just re-board the trolley and it’s on with the tour! Spend as much time as you like in any of the locations as you make one complete loop. On the tour you will see and visit: Old Town State Park, Seaport Village, Horton Plaza, Coronado Island, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego Zoo, Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Museum of Art, Natural History Museum, Aerospace Museum, Lindbergh Field, Naval Station San Diego, Balboa Park, El Prado, Heritage Park, Star of India, Whaley House and much, much more! www.trolleytours.com/San-Diego/

• Now there’s a faster, more exotic way take in the awe-inspiring scenery of San Diego Bay. Next Level Sailing offers the ultimate sailing experience: racing, leisure cruising, day charters or learning to sail on 80-foot International America’s Cup Class (IACC) yachts. It’s by far the finest sailing experience America’s Finest City has to offer. In a 2 hour excursion you can sit back and relax as you glide through San Diego Bay, breezing by popular sites including America’s Cup Harbor, Coronado Bay Bridge, San Diego Convention Center, Downtown San Diego Skyline, Cabrillo National Monument, North Island Naval Airstation and much more. www.nextlevelsailing.com

• Enjoy Balboa Park – a special place where you can experience San Diego’s natural beauty, wonderful art and culture and stunning Spanish Revival architecture. There are so many things to do and see in the Park: museums ranging from art to science to air and space to natural history or anthropology, performing arts from plays at the Tony Award® -winning Old Globe to concerts on the magnificent Spreckels Organ Pavilion outdoor stage, lush landscaping and lovely gardens, the world famous San Diego Zoo, places for fun with families and recreation for all and, of course, unique shopping, restaurants and casual outdoor dinning. www.balboapark.org

• Make a Splash on the SEAL TOUR! Experience San Diego as it was meant to be appreciated, by land and by sea! The brand new “Hydra Terra’s” provide you with the unique ability to see America’s Finest City on San Diego’s only amphibious sightseeing tour. This 90-minute fully-narrated journey departs from Seaport Village located on Harbor Drive at the Embarcadero. As you travel along our beautiful Big Bay by land, you will hear the stories of early sailors as well as the history of our 14-mile long working bay. You also will learn about the importance of the military here in San Diego. The tour on land takes you past the San Diego International Airport dedicated to aviator Charles Lindbergh, just one of the many people you will hear about on your tour. www.sealtours.com

• Live the adventure! Experience Midway Magic at the USS Midway San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. Honor the legend aboard the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history–a 47 year odyssey that spanned the end of WWII and the liberation of Kuwait in 1991! Located downtown in San Diego at Navy Pier, Midway provides a dynamic and enriching experience “from boiler to bridge.” A visit to Midway instills a greater appreciation for courage, freedom, and service to country. The museum features a self-guided audio tour with admission to more than 40 exhibits and 21 restored aircraft, interactive, story-telling docents, many of them Midway veterans, more than 40 exhibits and displays, access to engineering, mess deck, berthing spaces, foc’s’le, hangar deck, officers country, flight deck and the island superstructure, two types of optional flight simulators and 21 completely restored aircraft, with more on the way! www.midway.org

• Experience Seaport Village, the 14-acre waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment complex, recreating a harbor side setting of a century ago. Includes 57 one of a kind shops, 13 casual dining eateries and four fine dining waterfront restaurants. Walk along the four miles of meandering cobblestone pathways bordered by ponds, lakes, fountains and colorful, lush landscaping. A monthly calendar features live musical entertainment including blues, jazz, country and swing. A talented cast of street performers and artisans including jugglers, caricaturists, mimes, face painters, balloon sculptors and oriental brush artists complete the line up. Be sure not to miss the historic antique carousel with hand carved animals by Charles Looff in 1895. This carousel features 54 animals, 13 of which are menagerie animals, including a giraffe, dragon, teddy bear, elephant, camel, dog, lion and more. It also includes 2 horse-drawn chariots. “This is one of the two best carousels in the entire nation,” says Brad Perron, owner of Historic Carousels. “Most of the carved animals on carousels of this vintage have been sold to individual collectors. And they just don’t make them this way anymore.” www.seaportvillage.com

• The stirring San Diego Maritime Museum north of the B Street Pier (1306 N. Harbor Dr., 234-9153), which is home to the majestic, 142-year-old barque, Star of India, the world’s oldest ship still able to go to sea. The Star of India is berthed with the historic steam ferry Berkeley and the historic steam yacht Medea. Over her remarkable career, the beautifully restored Star of India, which started her career as a cargo ship sailing between Great Britain and India, circumnavigated the globe 21 times, bringing tens of thousands of colonists from Britain to New Zealand and even serving a stint in the Bering Sea. www.sdmaritime.com

• A spoonful of downtown’s “Rowdy West” heritage makes the history lesson go down as pure pleasure. The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation, which is located in the 150-year-old William Heath Davis House at 410 Island Avenue (“New Town” San Diego’s oldest structure), is the point of departure for a leisurely self-guided audio tour, narrated by “Wyatt Earp” and his misses. For a more touchy-feely experience, the Foundation offers guided walking tours at 11 a.m. Saturdays, also departing from the Davis House. Donations are suggested for both tours. The Foundation will even customize a special-focus group tour (Ghosts of the Gaslamp, anyone?), given a month’s notice. For information on tour options, call 233-4692 — and don’t be startled when “Alonzo Horton,” the Father of New Town San Diego, answers. www.gaslampquarter.org

• Be sure to not miss out on the famous Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. Take a seat and enjoy the warm day with an ice-cream cone or stop in for an after-dinner treat which is sure to be a hit with the kids. Designed to be shared among many people their sundaes come loaded with bananas, eight different toppings, whipped cream, nuts and of course cherries! For more information call 619.234.2449 or visit www.ghirardelli.com

- SDGoDowntown.com

[Via http://92101istheanswer.wordpress.com]

Motivation, Right Brain Thinking and Expats

I almost didn’t write it down.  At the FIGT conference Diane Endo was giving a presentation on the challenges of Midlife Transition for accompanying spouses and partners – pretty much a custom-made topic for me at the moment.  She mentioned the name Daniel Pink and said he had a lot interesting stuff to say on motivation.  For some reason I made a note of his name, although at the time I thought “Oh no, another motivational guru!”  But yesterday I went to his website and this led me to this video of him speaking.  I was fascinated.  What he was talking about was the SCIENCE of motivation – cold, hard facts – not airy-fairy theories.  It’s quite a long presentation, in two parts, but don’t be put off – he’s an entertaining speaker and his subject matter is compelling.

You may wonder how this relates to expats.  Two ways occured to me. 

His main point that cash (above and beyond a fair amount) does not motivate employees should be food for thought for those involved in putting together expat packages.  Many of the “soft” benefits discussed at the FIGT conference – intercultural training, spousal career advice, educational counselling, for example, might actually be cheaper, or at least more effective in ensuring assignment success than hardship allowances, locational uplifts, annual bonuses, etc.

During this next presentation it occured to me that a lot of the skills he talks about encouraging, as they are so necessary in today’s business world, the right brain abilities of artistry, empathy, inventiveness and big picture thinking,  these are exactly the traits held by successful expats and commonly found in TCKs. 

[Via http://expatriatelife.wordpress.com]

BA - B****r All

Labour’s lucrative links to Unite – 2 m members – Labour Party’s largest donour – £11m – 160 Unite members within Parliament – a third of these in Govt positions – 25 Peers – Charlie Whelan GB’s former spokesman is Unites Political Director [flexing his muscles] and still holds a lot of clout despite being forced out in 1999 after [being Brutus] leaking Peter [Macheavilian] Mandelson’s first resignation from the Cabinet over a home loan procured from another Labour MP.

You be the Jury

[Via http://anantmvyas.wordpress.com]

Being socially awkward

My lecturer used a very good phrase last Wednesday in my class. He used the phrase:

Socially Awkward

To describe the guys in the film American Pie. This phrase had me thinking a lot, and I realized it’s actually a perfect way to describe me. I am socially awkward. Incredibly, in fact. I’m just a generally awkward person. I’m also not very affectionate. People have to make the first move with me, whether it be being friends with me or anything really. I get way too embarrassed and just end up making a fool out of myself.

Theres 3 times of people I can’t deal with, and that’s:

1) Children.

I can’t stand to be around children. Even that pic I’ve put up there gives me the creeps. People go ‘Awww I want her/him’ typically to babies, I go ‘ewww, why would you want that?’ For some reason Teresa + children = bad times. They don’t seem to like me anyway, I think they sense the bad waves coming off of me. I really don’t know how to act around children. I lack the mothering instinct. People talk to me about stupid things their child has done and I just kinda nod and smile and pretend to be interested when really, I couldn’t give a shit. The worst thing is when you’re in a shop, and a child comes up and hits you or does something to aggravate you (i.e. dance in the middle of a really narrow aisle when you want to get past) and the mother looks at you and laughs as if to say “Oh, look how funny she is” expecting you to laugh back. Instead, I pull a straight face and look to the side as if to say “control your child, it’s really fucking annoying me”. I really dislike children if you haven’t already noticed.

2) Sick/ill people

I can’t deal with it. Especially hospitals, they freak me out. I went to one the other day with my friend because her mum works there, and it was awful. You see people being milled about on these little beds and the smell made me nauseous. I  don’t know how to react when someone tells me they’re sick. And I’m not talking about the stupid kind of sick, where the conversation goes like this:

Me: How are you?

Person: Yeh, good. Apart from my head hurts and Ive got a migraine and my foot hurts and blah blah blah I’m so boring.

NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR LIFE STORY, STFU! My friend once fainted in class and I freaked out. What the hell was I supposed to do? My mum had a stomach bug not so long ago, and after she was done being sick and everything she had a go at me coz I ran away upstairs. Vomit is the worst smell in the world and the sound of someone ralphing is gross.

3) Old people

Firstly, LOL at that picture. Secondly. a bit like children, I’m generally awkward around them. Especially when they talk to you when you’re at the bus stop, minding your own business, and talk about how late buses are and the weather. Surely they had more interesting things to talk about when they were younger? Why don’t they talk about those things now?

You’re probably thinking now I’m not very people-friendly. Well, in all honesty, I’m not. So I’ve been told, when you first meet me, you don’t like me. Which is kinda mean, but whatever. I take that same approach to people. When I first meet people, I first say hi disliking them already and I guess it’s their job to make me like them. Sounds weird and fucked up, but hey, I can’t help it. I’m socially awkward

[Via http://thewonderfulworldofteresa.wordpress.com]

no looking back

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind…No more shall there be an infant that lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a  hundred years old shall be accursed.  They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.”  Isaiah 65: 17, 20-21

how ironic it was, that during Lent, “surviving Christmas” was on tv last night.  there was not much of a choice, because for weeks now, the different networks had presented almost the same set of movies, just on different time slots.

going back to the movie…it starred Ben Affleck and Christina Applegate.  it was a comedy about a man who was willing to pay a huge amount of money to a family just to spend Christmas with him.  it was an odd story, and it got me bored after a while.  (i prefer Ben in action or drama like ‘reindeer games’ and ‘changing lanes’.)

but somehow, the scene in which he stared sadly outside his window on Christmas morning caught my attention.    drew (ben) watched other people in their respective windows just across his  apartment.  one thing is common except for one. they celebrated Christmas together as family.  and that scene moved me to tears because it reminded me of daddy and how our following Christmases will never be the same again without him.

as i remembered how sad it was, my mind travelled back to the time when he was still with us.  how i have been as a daughter to him.  and i wondered if i felt short of his expectations of me.  or if he was proud of what i had become.  how daddy really felt about his eldest daughter, i will never ever know.

i realized that when my mind wanders back to the past, it evokes a certain kind of pain.  the pain which emanates from the mistakes that i made.  or maybe call them bad choices.  because only later did i realize, that in everything that i did, there were times that things didn’t really work out as planned.  even with good intentions.  and in every moment that they didn’t, it was not only me who gets disappointed and hurt.  but all those who truly love and care for me.  such as my daddy and mommy.

funny to mention it here.  but they say it’s hard to look back when you have stiff neck.  i’d say it’s best not to look back at all.  because when i do, i see every detail of not only what was beautiful and happy, but the ugly and sad truth as well.

i’d say it’s best to carry on.  because the past had already served its purpose.  it already strengthened a person’s character.  it already developed one’s personality.  and it already enhanced the beauty of a human being, so much so that its soul transcends to a higher level.  and a deeper meaning of one’s existence is realized.  a better self evolves.  what was once a dark past, becomes a radiant present.

i’d say i move on. as if i have stiff neck.  by God’s grace and mercy, i move on as a better person… that is, an authentic blend of past experiences, lessons learned and memories that really matter.  be they happy or sad, painful or sweet. 

there’s no need to look back.  my significant past becomes the essence of me…

[Via http://angel119.wordpress.com]

START: Whatever it takes to provide unconditional care...

The START program was recently voted the highest valued component of our Safe Schools Healthy Students grant!

The Support, Treatment, Advocacy, and Referral Team (START) is made up of school-based mental health counselors who focus on the early identification and assessment of students with learning, behavior, substance abuse, and emotional problems. The START program is part of the Safe Schools Healthy Students (SSHS) grant initiative that helps fund various programs in Carpinteria. At a recent SSHS Coordinating Council meeting, in order to help prioritize SSHS components for sustainability, all Council members provided their feedback by voting/prioritizing components of the grant. The START program – by far – received the highest votes and is clearly the most valued service provided under SSHS!

To give a glimpse of the type of services offered by the START program, read the report below about one of the START clients from the Fall semester:

This year a student was referred by a former START therapist to continue services. During their previous experience with START, a number of Child Welfare Services reports were made regarding their family situation. The student has witnessed domestic violence in the home and was a victim of physical and emotional abuse. As a result, the student retains a poor self esteem and began to perform poorly at school. In addition, the student lacked coping skills to deal with emotions and really needed support. The student has been an active participant in therapy and has been able to expand their communication skills with parents, build confidence, and identify healthy coping skills. In addition, this student has been educated about additional community resources and is quickly becoming involved in these services. This student openly talks about their beneficial experience with START reporting it as a safe place to communicate their feelings and receive support through difficult times. This is just one example of how the START therapists work closely with one another, and provide encouragement to utilize community resources.

The START program is guided by a vision of a children’s system of care characterized by doing whatever it takes, developing individualized, strengths-based plans and providing unconditional care. Service delivery is creative and team-based. Highly individualized planning processes help children and families meet previously unmet needs both within and outside of formal services, while children remain in their homes and community whenever possible.

[Via http://sbcouncil.wordpress.com]

Education and the Tribe

We have enacted stimulus packages to help banks that are “too big to fail”, yet it seems that our schools are just the right size to fail. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35819848/ns/us_news-education/

Things that make me go hmmm….

 1. I find it interesting that we are willing to spend goo gobs of money on defense and creating opportunities for investment, but the one thing that matters more than anything else is often the first to get cut

2. That we all scream for more funding for education, but the minute any government official proposes a tax increase, we are all up in arms.  Society is made up of people, and in a capitalistic society people must spend on what is important.  Did you know…As of 2007, there were about 138 million taxpayers in the United States.  Let’s drop it to 120 million now.  With the largest group of people making between 36,000 and 58,000 per year, let’s just say the average American makes 30,000.  Did you know that a .5% (that’s right, a half of a percent) increase in federal tax) would create a windfall of…drum roll please…$21.6 billion.  The cost per year to this average American?  $180.00.  When I discuss this with people, there is this visceral reaction to “raising taxes”.  Would you pay $180.00 per year to make sure our schools were funded?  I would. 

3.  I know, I know…the schools are terrible right, just let them fail?  What’s the alternative?  Private schools and vouchers?  Please.  This will just be an excuse to skew schools toward the rich and many times put the control under religious institutions.  This will result in a need for…you guessed it – public schools.  We will always have this need.  Is cutting funding a way to improve education, or just make it even more inaccessible and teachers more stressed and disillusioned?  You decide.   Cut public schools and…caste system here we come!

4.  If we create more funding for the schools, what do we use it for?   This is just as important as finding the money. 

        A.  Teacher training.  Teaching is a skill that takes years to hone.  Yes, there is a talent component, some have a gift for it.  But as with any gift, it must be developed.  Check my friend JR Stratton’s blog for a discussion on Doug Lemov’s views and efforts http://playthink.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/teaching-taxonomy/.  My view:  We put increasingly less capable and less experienced teachers in classrooms and overcompensate with accountability measures and meaningless standardizations.   To boot, we give them ever increasing class sizes. 

         B.  Programs to make parental involvement something we reinvest in.  This is huge, because it has a lot to do with the view of education in our tribe / society.  We have a skewed view of education and knowledge in our society, because it’s not something we value or truly think is attainable.  I can see evidence of this by the way people react to my own educational accomplishments.  It ranges from astonishment to disdain, but never do I get an “of course you did that because you found something interesting”.   Parents must teach children through what they show that education and wisdom are valued things.  Otherwise, we grow up to be ignorant money chasers who think schools get better solely through accountability measures and witholding funding. 

Well, that’s my view.  What do you think?

[Via http://drkwamebrown.wordpress.com]

South Korea does what the US refuses to do: Restrict junk food advertising to children

(NaturalNews) The health ministry of South Korea has announced that advertisements for foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt, will be limited during the prime time television hours of 5 and 7 p.m. and during any children’s programming. In support of national efforts to curb childhood obesity, the limitations will include foods such as hamburgers, instant noodles, and pizza as well as desserts like chocolate, candy, and ice cream.

Many South Korean child advocacy groups have been calling for limitations on junk food advertising for years, citing the statistic that 20 percent of children in the country are overweight. Last year, the health ministry banned junk food sales at schools and their surrounding neighborhoods.

A stricter version of the advertising ban was proposed back in 2008 that would have stopped junk food advertising for four hours instead of two but television broadcasters and their advertisers strongly opposed the strict regulations. The South Korean government eventually arrived at a compromised version which is said to take effect within the next several weeks.

Following its implementation, government officials plan to evaluate the success of the program to see if an observable reduction in obesity takes place. It will use the results in formulating future obesity-related regulations.

Officials expressed that the goal of the ban is to encourage food manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of their products. Rather than simply enact burdensome restrictions, the health ministry is hoping that when all is said and done, consumers will have healthier options available to them as well as be more informed about what they are purchasing.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, the two most effective ways to limit children’s consumption of unhealthy foods is to restrict their advertising and remove them from schools.

Many advocacy groups in the United States have expressed similar sentiments, urging the U.S. government to enact similar legislation to restrict junk food advertising. Since obesity rates are spiraling out of control domestically, they believe that restrictions will help to improve childhood health.

Unfortunately, many of the primary causes of the nation’s abundance of cheap junk food and the inevitable obesity epidemic it causes have to do with things like crop subsidies, regulatory agency mismanagement, genetic modification, and lack of transparency in food labeling. A limit on advertising may help to curb the amount of junk food children eat but it will not remove it from grocery store shelves.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/ex…

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/…

[Via http://naturalnewz.wordpress.com]

Ever heard of a "No TV" night?

Last night we had a “No TV, no DVD, no Playstation, no PSP, no PC games” night. Surprisingly we managed to get through the night without one of us screaming “I can’t take this anymore” and running around ripping clothes off.

Don’t get me wrong and please don’t for one second picture us sitting in a darkened room, oil lamps burning, wife on the settee knitting matching mittens for the long, bleak winter days ahead. The boys lying on the floor in front of the fire playing Cluedo on a battered, old board with half the pieces missing. Me on the plaid Layzee Boy reading yesterdays paper I found free at the 7-11 where I bought provisions for tonight’s dinner. That would be entirely wrong! Rather a decision was taken, jointly I can add where my wife and I agreed it would be a good thing to turn off the 47″ LCD TV, ban the use of either the HD or the SD PVR’s, unplug the 71cm TV in our teenage son’s room and not use the TV in our room. Also the PlayStation would be out of bounds, the PSP put in a drawer and the the three laptops in the house be closed for wireless Internet use and PC games. The two DVD players were strictly out of bounds and even the one surviving “last resort” VCR player would not be available. My iPhone was put out of reach to prevent desperate hands watching movies, playing games or even listening to one of the 3,200 songs currently loaded. The iPod, in its docking station would stay silent and we as a family would interact!

Honestly we were a bit lost for a second there, polite small talk lasts all of five minutes before we started looking over each other’s shoulders, thinking desperately of something to say. Boys being boys I quickly came up with a plan. A friendly bunch of builders replacing our veranda roof had knocked together and garden soccer goal. The goal in our huge back garden was slightly weathered but perfectly able to stand up to a game of soccer. It soon emerged that boys against dad was the way to go and them being good boys took on the mantle of Berbatov and Rooney and Dad became the dreaded enemy, Chelsea. Man U fans will be pleased to note that they won 10-3 with a four year old Berbatov scoring a hat-trick, the most goals he has scored all season I think. The game, originally scheduled for 10 minutes went on and on with the boys asking for a third half! The fans had left the stadium and only mom was left to watch the boys using a cross of American football, basketball and rugby to beat their dad at a “friendly” game of garden football.

We live in a valley flanked by two mountains and are lucky enough to be able to play football with the sun setting over the mountain behind us and then the moon rising over the mountain in front of us. The moon rising put an end to our game and as our “stadium” is not quite ready for 2010 SWC the lack of lighting chased us indoors. Tired, sweaty and hungry we all sat around the dinner table eating and chatting. For once the talk was not about how the latest WWE match ended or how General Grevous was so expensive to buy on Star Wars for PS2. Neither did we talk about how big brother wrestled little brother into a choke hold and was now banned from ever stepping foot into little brother’s room again nor did big brother complain about little brother farting in his face like he saw on Suite Life. Rather the chat initially revolved around the amazing header that hit the crossbar, the goalkeeping abilities of little brother who proved himself fearless in throwing himself on the ball any time it got near their goal. At no time did mom have to drag a conversation out of either boy. It actually got so animated we had to use the Luminous Salad server tongs as a “Talk stick” with the person in possession of said “talk stick” being the only one allowed to talk. It was frikkin awesome folks, really it was.

After a longer than normal dinner where the TV in the backround reminded the boys to eat fast because the next episode of Clone Wars was about to start was not a factor, the boys went off to bath. Amazingly Big brother ran a bath for little brother before himself going to shower. Unheard of before I might add. Freshly bathed the boys returned to sit around the table and chat. Little brother, wise beyong his four years asked big brother to write down a note to a friend that had invited him to a birthday party. Little brother dictated thus:

Dear “friend”

I love you very much. I want to say thank you for inviting my to your party and promise, you will be invited to my five year old party. We are going to have such a good time at your party and I just can’t wait.

A lot more went into that letter but that was the gist of it.

Normal bedtime arrived and amazingly, for once, little brother gladly got into bed without kicking and screaming, promising to fall asleep as soon as he could because sleep time was time fro growing and he really wants to be big like his brother! Oh I am so sly, having worked that into the dinner conversation earlier. Never underestimate the slyness of dad my boys! Two bedtime stories later and lights went off, little brother happily cuddled up with Ted his Teddy bear and Jimmy the penguin, bought on our recent trip to Cape Town.

Saying goodnight to big brother lying reading in bed, a whole hour before his negotiated, later bedtime I was at last able to spend some quality, quiet and uninterrupted, adult time. We were able to sit, drink coffee and talk about things moms and dads talk about when their nosey kids are not around.

I’m not saying the Bird family will be returning to life in the 50’s with an hour a night spent in front of the wireless before an ungodly early bedtime. What I am saying that every now and then we will ban the 21’st century from taking over our lives and re-connect. There will be many more nights like this in the days ahead……

[Via http://gavinbird.wordpress.com]

Mystery Solved

I mentioned in an earlier post that when I don’t do school with the boys somehow I don’t have two extra hours in the morning, even though I spend about two hours working with them.  I think I’ve solved the mystery there.  I paid close attention today to just what was happening through the morning, and realized that in fact I am multi-tasking through most of that time.  For assignments that are basically recitation I will have whomever is doing it follow me around while I do something else; while D. is doing math I help him with the beginning of his lesson, but then I do kitchen clean-up during the rest of it, where I am available if needed but not actually sitting with him.  For part of our “couch school” time (which consists both of them reading to me and of me reading to them), I am usually nursing the baby.  In all, during the time that we are doing school, I am also doing laundry, putting away breakfast dishes and clearing the kitchen counters, stoking the fire, nursing, pottying, and changing the  baby, and supervising the non-school age children.  All of which still has to be done on non-school days.  There is actually not more than forty minutes or so when I am only doing school with them, and so forty extra minutes is about all I get when we don’t do it.  In a way it is encouraging that we are able to pull it off so efficiently, but in a way it is discouraging, because, well, see above.  At any rate, I can see that I’m actually not wasting time on those days when we aren’t doing school, but just doing fewer things at one time.

[Via http://hausofholmes.wordpress.com]

Prime Minister's revealing behaviour

Following PM’s repeated assertions in the Iraq Inquiry 5 March 2010 that every

Disingenuous dash to Hellmand

request for funding by the MoD was readily & speedily met…

Brown challenged on Iraq evidence

Two ex-heads of the armed forces strongly challenge Gordon Brown’s evidence to the Iraq war inquiry, in which he said the military got whatever it asked for.

So instantly PM visits soldiers in Afghanistan

Gordon Brown visits British troops in Afghanistan amid a growing row over the evidence he gave to the inquiry into the Iraq war.

[Via http://anantmvyas.wordpress.com]

Got kids?

Dress ‘em in Dwellephant!

Dwellephant recently created artwork for a set of clothing for Milwaukee-based apparel company Heavy Rotation. He created five new designs for some toddler and infant apparel including t-shirts, rompers and “dress things.”

Check ‘em out!

AWESOME PIRATE TEE

LEMON MIRANDA DRESS THING

FAIRY CUPCAKE ROMPER

ICE CREAM LOVE TEE

LOVESICLE GIRLS’ TEE

Dwellapparel,

-Shady

[Via http://theblarg.wordpress.com]

Proverbs 5:7

Proverbs 5:7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Solomon is speaking to the nation of Israel and trying to exhort them to live in the truth that he has for them.  We, on the other hand, can take these words and apply them to our lives in the aspect of understanding that we are children of God.  As God’s children we are to hear the words of God and believe them and obey them.  So many Christians think that they are at a disadvantage because we don’t have God speaking to us directly or don’t have prophets talking to us.  This is far from the truth, if we will look at the word of God as what it is– the actual words that God wanted to speak to us which are no different than if he was audibly speaking to us.  So many of us just don’t realize that the words on the page are actually the inspired words of God.  This simply means that they are God-breathed or out of the mouth of God.  So read his word and believe and do not depart from the words out of God’s mouth.

Rejoicing in Grace,

Keith

Eph 1:7

www.richesofgrace.com

[Via http://therenewingofyourmind.wordpress.com]

ABC

I like everything about the alphabet – origins, history, the shapes of the letters.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Alphabet books I like too.

Like Anno’s Alphabet, a book with lots of pictures of impossible wooden shapes, mostly letters.

These images from Vintage Kids’ Books My Kid Loves.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Then there’s this visual treat by Marion Battaile:

[Via http://simonsterg.wordpress.com]

The day the doctor came to school...

Year 2 were very fortunate today as Dr. Tiffin, mother of Rosie (Year 3) and Charlotte (Year 1), came to talk to us about being a Doctor. As part of their topic on Health, Year 2 were keen to learn what they need to do to stay healthy. Thankfully, they all had great ideas, which Dr. Tiffin agreed with!

The children also enjoyed learning about the different instruments that Dr. Tiffin uses in her work. They were all keen to use the stethoscope and use the special machine that measures blood pressure. The children all received a pair of Doctor’s gloves and a tool for looking at people’s throats to take home with them at the end of the day. We all thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Tiffin’s visit and now some of the children would like to be doctors when they grow up!

[Via http://whitehallschool.wordpress.com]

Baby B - 6 Months {Kaysville Utah Baby Photographer}

Baby B is so sweet!  I love his parents too!  We have so much fun at the sessions & he is such a doll.  Even though I have to admit I made him cry a few times, well not me… my light!

[Via http://paigedavisphotography.wordpress.com]

Great Dadd-ing In Terrible Leith Traffic

Leith Walk and environs have become an impassable warren, courtesy of the Tram Travesty blighting Edinburgh for the third year running. In the midst of the chaos, on Annandale Street, I was idly watching some road rage spilling over  between White Van Man and Silver Vauxhall. I saw arms going up and down out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head, and saw noticed Green Golf Dad. He was keeping one eye on traffic and one on the two car seats in the back seat. I realized while I was watching his arms pump up and down and up and down that he was singing. After a minute or two, I  saw a couple of  sets of chubby little arms pumping up and down and up and down right along with his. “The Wheels on the Bus” : I had a eureka moment and a flashback. He kept singing, and smiling, through four changes of the lights. Four changes, no movement, during which all of the other adults in the vicinity were mutating into malignant radgies.

Roll on, Green Golf Dad, and may all the nappies you change be pee ones.

[Via http://myshorterstories.wordpress.com]

Dewey know where there are books on…

You have questions. We’ve got answers. But how do we find those answers?

Libraries are filled with all sorts of books and information but sometimes it can feel like you’re are looking for a needle in a haystack. But actually, Dewey, our system for finding things, is quite simple. Think neighborhoods then think of the Dewey Decimal System as your road map.

Let’s say you are looking for books on cooking. In a bookstore you would probably look for a sign that says “Cookbooks”. Those books may be placed on shelves alphabetically by the last name of the author or maybe by title. Bookstores are set up for browsing. They want you to look around for awhile. Maybe you find what you are looking for – maybe not. Libraries are different – we’d like you to look around but we really want you to find exactly what you are looking for.

Let’s go to the cooking example. You are looking for a cookbook with recipes on casseroles. You have a big family gathering coming up. You really need ideas for a casserole – what are you going to do?? Your best bet – Ask a Librarian!! Chances are we can take you right to books on casseroles.

How can we do that? The Dewey Decimal System that’s how! Libraries are broken down into ‘neighborhoods’. Those neighborhoods have specific addresses – the Dewey number (what we call the Call Number) is that address. Cookbooks ‘live’ on a library street – 641. There you may find rows and rows of cookbooks. But you don’t want rows of cookbooks you just want one on casseroles!

Well think of the our call number as a street address with a specific house number.  The ‘Dewey address’ for casseroles is 641.821. The first three numbers – 641-  brings you to a ’street’ called cookbooks, while the numbers after the decimal point – 821 – will take you specifically to the ‘house’ called casseroles. So that intimating number 641.821 is really telling you Cookbooks On Casseroles live here!

Not only does the library have what you’re looking for, we want you to find what you are looking for! You are welcome to visit the links below to learn more about the Dewey Decimal System or Ask a Librarian – we’d be happy to help you!

Find out more about Mr Dewey

Kids Guide to the Dewey Decimal System

The Dewey Decimal Classifications

[Via http://dracutlibrary.wordpress.com]

Fang Pangs

1.   Souvenirs

2.   Secrets

3.   Something Special

I am absurdly pleased with my little silver tooth box.  Son 1 aged 5y 5m found it under my pillow this morning.  I am afraid I am going to have it engraved.  By a nanotechnician with very small fingers.   Why doesn’t anyone else have rampant pangs over the loss of the first baby tooth?  Are you guys all just throwing them out as soon as you’ve done your Tooth Fairy duty?  And Nanna! Come here and be called to account! What happened to my first tooth?

Ahem. Anyway. Son 1 was up late; Son 2 aged 2y 5m was a little darling. He chats and chats, with an occasional stop for “I wan’ cuddle.” He had Sugar Puffs and raspberries for breakfast.  Torrential rain. New shoes were called for – my others are either suedey, nubucky, or frankly not watertight.  Time for my new black shiny patent leather courts.  A new pair of shoes is always a Good Thing.  And I can’t wait to put Black Shiny Patent Leather into the blog tags. I back up this blog on another site, and you should see the amount of visits I get from the post I did about my Hold Ups.  

I got out for a late lunch and tripped round down in my new shoes looking for a present for a friend’s soon-to-be seven year old. In the end I had to give up and ring the mother.  Ben 10 Lego, apparently. The Man, who is the expert builder, says Bionicles are far better than Ben 10 Lego, which he says is boring.    But another Spider Monkey it is.   From Tesco, because now we’ve lost Woolworths and the Independent Toy Shop, there aren’t many places left in the Big Town to buy toys. And guess what.  I mastered the Self Service Scanner.  It was a bit snobby about my TK Maxx carrier bag, but apart from that I did all right.  And for my next trick I really will work out how to get pictures out of my digital camera.

[Via http://smileandwaveboys.wordpress.com]

The RIGHT Way to Celebrate Valentine's Day in Elementary School

I see some problems with Valentine’s Day as it is currently taking place in some schools.  If the holdiay is going to be celebrated with class parties in elementary school (as opposed to students giving out their own valentines privately, without anything to do with the school), in my opinion, there is only ONE way to do it.

Having been an Elementary Teacher of many years, the ONLY way Valentine’s Day should be celebrated at school is for children to be required to make a card for every other child in the class. This prevents some children going home upset, deflated, egos damaged.

I taught for many years in an overseas American school in a country where Valentine’s were not sold in large packets, as they are in America.

Valentines in America are sold in easy, class-sized packages

I solved this problem by making heart shapes on a paper, writing “to” and “from” on the card, and photocopying the papers. I gave each child a packet to cut out the 25-30 necessary for the whole class, and kids sat with their friends in groups to color valentines and write simple messages on them.

Since we don’t commonly have shoeboxes easily available in this country, I made large envelopes for each child by folding and stapling at the sides an 18″ x 24″ piece of construction paper, and wrote each child’s name largely in fancy cursive on the envelope. That way we could have a Valentine’s party where everyone could go around distributing valentines to everyone else’s desk, and no one would feel left out.

We also had envelopes taped up around the room for other classes, in case someone wanted to send a card to a brother or sister, or friend in another grade. Of course they could make additional valentines “from your secret admirer,” and we always made a special one to take home to Moms and Dads.

This way, at the end of the day, everyone in the class has a whole packet of Valentines to take home, from the whole class, and is NOT LEFT OUT, while other, more popular children get ALL the valentines!

I was surprised to find how many high school children still  had their class valentines, saved from our elementary school parties.

–Mary Mimouna

[Via http://elementaryteacher.wordpress.com]

A few favorites

We had such a crazy holiday season, I wanted to go back and share a few favorite Christmas cards.

In the past, I did purchase my card templates, but realized I didn’t want all our clients cards looking alike.  So now?  I custom-create them ALL.  Crazy?  Yes.  Fun?  Most of the time!Typically we’ll do a cool design on the front of the card based on a favorite pic…then fill in the rest with a collage.And sometimes?  We don’t manage to get all our holiday card sessions in before Christmas… so they turn into New Year’s cards (or in our personal situation, Valentines, or Easter….).This one has to take the prize for my favorite card of the year.  Something about it just says… “real life”.

Is it too early to book your holiday card session for next year?  Um, yes.  BUT we can do baby announcements, graduation announcements, thank you cards… or just notecards for any day.  Just another way to show your favorite people to the world.

[Via http://scottphotographyblog.org]

Item of the Week...Kids' Playroom Rug from John Lewis

Spotted Rug – £34-£96  from John Lewis

I bought this fabulous Spotted Rug for our daughter’s playroom. I got the biggest size – it’s rare to find kids’ rugs this big. It’s soft, good quality and great value. However no shoes allowed!

Fun rug with brightly coloured spots on a cream background. Hand tufted. Made in China.

160cm x 230cm = £96, 170 x 110cm = £47.50, 140cm x 80cm = £34

[Via http://21stcenturymummy.com]

Hello and welcome to my blog!

My name is Katy, and ArtFelt is the name I’ve given my crafty business…..

All my pictures are designed by me and hand stitched with great care. I only ever use wool felt, which is soft and smooth and comes in a gorgeous range of colours. I embellish my creations with sequins and embrodiery. Each picture measures approx. 20cm x 29cm and is then mounted in a wooden frame measuring 30cm x 40cm.

Custom orders are very welcome, so if there is a particular image or theme that you would like created just let me know and we can discuss what you’d like. Pictures can also be personalised with a message or dedication written along the bottom.

I hope you enjoy browsing my pictures as much as I have enjoyed making them!

Katyx

[Via http://artfelt.wordpress.com]

Beware of school authorities bearing gifts ;-)

Picked up from Jack’s tweets….

According to the filings in Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School District (PA) et al, the laptops issued to high-school students in the well-heeled Philly suburb have webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools’ administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins’s child was disciplined for “improper behavior in his home” and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines.

This is scandel.. read more at boingboing.

[Via http://virtualshadows.wordpress.com]

Operation Smile

I have been hearing about Operation Smile everywhere lately – NYC Prep on Arena, Giuliana & Bill Rancic and Twitter. So I decided to do some research to find out what it was all about.

Operation Smile is a dedicated group of volunteers that provide reconstructive surgeries to children born with facial deformities such as a cleft lip and cleft palate. This charity has been around since 1982 and has a provided free surgeries to children in over 50 countries.

More than 200,000 children are born with a severe cleft condition each year. This condition can affect eating, speaking, socializing and smiling. Most children with these facial deformities are too embarrassed to go to school. Most parents cannot afford to give their children the surgeries they require in order to live a healthy and normal life. This is where Operation Smile comes in.

Operation Smile

At Operation Smile, medical volunteers provide children safe, effective and free cleft lip and cleft palate repair surgery. Their volunteers are dedicated to raising awareness and providing solutions. Every procedure has a high standard of safety and hygiene and ensures children and their families receive a high level of post-op care, cleanliness, respect and dignity.

Every child deserves the chance to smile. This charity is healing their smiles and bringing each child hope for their future.

This is an absolutely inspiring charity. There are so many ways to give generously, please visit their website. You can make a difference knowing that you are helping to bring a smile to a childs face. What could be better than that?

http://www.operationsmile.org/

Love Kirst xx

[Via http://kirstensstylereport.wordpress.com]

On children at the market

I went to Anjuna market again today – not particularly to shop (there are only so many sarongs, pashminas and necklaces that one woman needs) but to say hello to the El Shaddai team, drop off my used paperbacks for their bookstall,  soak up the atmosphere and take photos.

I travelled via boat – not an experience that I’d recommend or will be repeating.  It was a small,  six seater boat with an outboard motor, piloted by two psychotics who thought it was fun to gun the boat into 20’ high waves. To be fair,  there were five other people in the boat with me – young “up for it” Russian tourists who loved it; cue much screaming and arm waving as if we were at Big Splash Mountain (or whatever it’s called).  The journey is only a mile or so,  but it took twenty minutes,  due to all of this water based chicanery.

So of course,  we arrived at the market completely soaked – I was absolutely sodden from head to toe, hair to flip-flops, and staggered up the beach as if I were re-enacting the Normandy landings.

To continue the analogy, I then had to fight them on the beaches and fend off the ministrations of the hawk-eyed female beach sellers,  who take up residence on a rock and wait for soaked tourists to drag themselves ashore.

“Hello madam! Oh you are so very wet. Come, come, I help you get dry.  Come to my shop [stall], relax, buy lovely new dry clothes.  My name is Nikita,  what is you? Where you from, how many children you have?”

Etc.

However, the amount of child beggars and performers at the market continues to depress me;  apparently,  people travel from all over western India to participate in this huge orgy of tourism,  and that includes children.

At the market this morning,  I witnessed tiny children performing on a tightrope in front of a paparazzi like array of camera and camcorder wielding western tourists, who then filled the begging bowl which was passed around by the adult ringmaster.

(For obvious reasons … I don’t have any photographs of this event – I actually felt so nauseated by it that I couldn’t bring myself to be part of the throng – but here are, I assume,  the parents,  setting up the tightrope first thing).

What do these visitors think when they get home and show their friends and family that film footage of a tiny child,  perhaps five years old,  balancing on a tightrope – how cute? Isn’t she clever?

Or: “why isn’t she at school?” Or: “what future can she ever have if this is how she spends her time as a child?”

This week,  there are more Western children than usual in evidence,  as it’s the British school holidays, and so the contrast between the children that one sees is particularly pronounced – some are in Ben 10 t-shirts and are on holiday with their parents … others are working or begging,  or both. I was staggered (and disgusted) to see one tourist filming the child performers and then sending his seven-year old son down to the beach to pay the children – with no apparent sense of the irony of this act,  as far as I could see.

Goa seems to be such an economic magnet to so many people from other India states,  particularly Karnataka.  If western tourists stopped making it appear to be so economically advantageous to be either a child who begs or to have a child who you can send out to perform (thus making your child a resource) then perhaps the influx would cease or at least slow down?

I truly believe that every time a tourist gives a child money,  be it for either begging or performing,  they reinforce the notion (to both child and adult) that begging is an economically viable way of spending time and that it is,  in every sense of the word, “worth” it to be on the beach or at the market rather than at school.

The Goans are constantly telling me that their state’s infrastructure (water supplies, electricity, the road system, food supplies, accommodation) can’t cope with this influx of workers from other states and that the Goans disapprove of the children who beg – but yet I don’t see any evidence of the powers that be challenging it – for example,  policing child beggars/performers and/or the adults who visibly control them.

I think I need to go back to Rainbow House again tonight (I’ve been going to see Renuka every few days) in order to remind myself that there is another way and that it’s possible, through the work of El Shaddai and other charities, for children in Goa to have a different, brighter, more hopeful future.

[Via http://thegenderblog.com]