Sunday, April 24, 2022

Summer bucket list with the littles

 

As parents we have about 18 years with our kiddos... we want to invest in them and create memories that last a lifetime.  

Now that the days are heating up and our "homeschooling" curriculum is coming to an end... it is time to create our summer to do list.

 Here are some ideas but not opposed to adding more!!! Suggestions and playdates welcome!

Going to give credit where credit is due... gleaned this list from Toddler Summer Bucket List (Free Printable Checklist!) | Happy Toddler Club

  1. Make homemade popsicles and eat them outside. Watch them melt in the hot sun!
  2. Run through a sprinkler.
  3. Go swimming!
  4. Play at the water table
  5. Color in the driveway with non-toxic sidewalk chalk.
  6. Build a sand castle at the beach (or in a sandbox!).
  7. Make an ice sensory bin and play with it outside
  8. Blow giant bubbles using a hoola hoop
  9. Watch fireworks on the Fourth of July
  10. Make homemade ice cream in a bag
  11. Fly a kite
  12. Raise caterpillars into butterflies then set them free!
  13. Buy a treat from the ice cream truck
  14. Make an outdoor water obstacle course
  15. Visit a splash pad
  16. Have a picnic
  17. Create a backyard play garden
  18. Plant flowers and water them
  19. Go for a tricycle ride
  20. Make DIY toddler-safe sidewalk chalk paint and paint the sidewalk or rocks
  21. Practice kicking a ball back and forth to develop gross motor skills
  22. Pick flowers
  23. Go for a nature walk
  24. Find seashells at the beach (or pretty rocks on a walk!)
  25. Feed the ducks at the pond
  26. Stay up late to gaze at the stars
  27. Dance to live music outside
  28. Play in a summer rain shower
  29. Make easy “less mess” tie dyed shirts using a non-toxic squeeze bottle kit
  30. Play hide & seek
  31. Kiddie pool fishing
  32. Play parachute outside
  33. Read books outside
  34. Use paint brushes and plain old water for mess free “painting” in the driveway
  35. Soda bottle glow stick bowling at night
  36. Make colored ice blocks and build an ice tower outside, then watch it melt!
  37. Wash the car together
  38. Plan an outing with a toddler friend
  39. Attend an outdoor movie
  40. Grow your own veggies and eat them
  41. Ride in the car with the windows down
  42. Have a summer photo shoot
  43. Catch a frog
  44. Lay in a hammock together
  45. Ride a ferry
  46. Wish on a dandelion
  47. Find a starfish
  48. Meet a new friend
  49. Splash in the ocean
  50. Make spray bottle graffiti paintings outside
  51. Eat breakfast outside and watch the sun rise
  52. Go for a sunset walk on the beach
  53. Create a sticky nature mural outside
  54. Visit the farmer’s market
  55. Go strawberry picking
  56. Feed the animals at the petting zoo
  57. Go on a ride at the fair
  58. Visit a new playground
  59. Go to the zoo
  60. Watch a parade
  61. Explore a new town
  62. Take a first day of summer and last day of summer picture
  63. Choose a toddler friendly father’s day craft and make it for dad
  64. Make homemade taste safe play-dough
  65. Create a summer scene using summer play dough mats
  66. Do a 4th of July craft
  67. Make toddler safe cloud dough
  68. Do a fine motor wall activity
  69. Make a summer themed sensory bin
  70. Have a nighttime bubble dance party complete with a light-up bubble machine
  71. Complete a mommy & me workout video
  72. Make busy bags to bring on a road trip
  73. Cook an easy toddler friendly recipe together
  74. Make summer themed sensory bottles like these ocean themed sensory bottles
  75. Build a “tent” and pretend to go camping inside
  76. Finger paint using DIY taste safe finger paint
  77. Eat snow cones
  78. Grow sponge animals
  79. Make lemonade together
  80. Grow Lima beans
  81. Have a boat race in your kiddie pool
  82. Make yummy hidden veggie smoothies
  83. Make suncatchers to hang in the window
  84. Do a summer handprint craft
  85. Make easy rainbow bubble foam
  86. Make a summer scrapbook
  87. Bake and decorate cookies together
  88. Make a bird feeder together and hang it near a window to watch the birds
  89. Eat watermelon
  90. Make homemade musical instruments using household items
  91. Make s’mores
  92. Have a rainy day tea party
  93. Make a ball pit at home
  94. Make a homemade pizza
  95. Visit a toddler friendly children’s museum
  96. Attend storytime at a new library
  97. Go to a Gymboree class or a toddler yoga class
  98. Visit relatives (or at least FaceTime them!)
  99. Take a trip to the aquarium
  100. Explore hot & cold temperatures by making these sensory water bottles
  101. Make fireworks in a jar

Birthday "to do" list

 


Realized that it is exactly 3 months til my birthday! 🎉

This year I have been trying to set intentional goals to be healthier- both mentally and physically- so I have created a list of 40+ items "to do" over the next 3 months. I love checking off list if you can't tell! LOL!

Some are super simple... and some are more complex but if anyone wants to join me in this "celebration"... feel free to hop on board and let's do this!

  1. go stand up paddleboarding
  2. get a pedicure
  3. relax on a pool float
  4. make s'mores
  5. watch a sunset
  6. go to the beach
  7. take a bubble bath
  8. bust a pinata
  9. have a caricature made
  10. get a tattoo
  11. buy a scratch off lottery ticket
  12. get 20lbs closer to my goal
  13. learn to play guitar
  14. build lego disney castle
  15. read 3 books
  16. exercise daily
  17. make a family size banana split
  18. learn to make pasta from scratch
  19. go camping
  20. have a girl's night out
  21. learn to belly dance
  22. and fit into my belly dancing outfit
  23. go to Hawaii ;)
  24. buy something just for me
  25. try a new recipe
  26. pick strawberries
  27. tie dye
  28. finish D's 1st year book
  29. start Pax's 1st year book
  30. create family books for 20 and 21
  31. go to the local farmers market and support a local vendor
  32. find a local MOPS group
  33. make 5 cards and send them out
  34. donate 43 items
  35. clean out closet of outgrown clothes
  36. finish knitting blanket
  37. sew 3 dresses
  38. encourage other to do a random act of kindness
  39. take a friend out for lunch
  40. date night with hubby
  41. plant a garden
  42. learn pilaties
  43. go to the fair
  44. sunbathe
  45. visit flower fields
  46. call a friend

Monday, April 18, 2022

Things learned from giving up social media


 Well it is the day after Easter and this year I had chosen to give up social media for Lent to focus more on praying and investing in the people in my life. This also meant taking the games off of my phone. 

Now I also run a small business so the only exception to this that I made was continuing to run my business Facebook page but I realized something in the midst of the last 40 days that since I wasn't posting on my regular Facebook or Instagram page and my business page is linked to my regular Facebook page nobody was seeing any of my posts unless I tagged them in it. So my business kind of got put on hold for the last few weeks which is fine. Maybe that's what part of this point was. 

So I did learn some lessons during this time and I thought I would share them on this blog... 

SIDENOTE..I realize this blog has not been used in a couple of years or more... life has kind of gotten busy and I have gotten distracted in numerous areas...one of which has been my writing. Just journaling ...clearing out my brain .... as somebody recently called it a brain drain.... Has been helpful in the past to cut down my anxiety. This is definitely something I want to take the time to continue taking do.

Through this little social media fast I have also realized that I need to set some goals over the next few months to keep moving forward so I thought I'd share the lessons learned.

Lesson 1....a lot of times we turn to our phones as a distraction from whatever is going on around us.  It's mindless..it's numbing... and it can become an addiction. In this quest to get away from social media I found myself longing to just troll social media and see what everybody was up to but yet didn't have the energy to reach out and actually check in with people via messenger or texting. So one of my goals is to work on picking up my phone to call or intentionally text friends to see how they are doing.


Lesson 2... a lot of my time that I would normally spend trolling whether it's opening my phone first thing in the morning to see what everybody's up to or before I go to bed trolling to see just how things are going for everybody ended up turning into prayer time. which is the goal of this fast.  So whether I've reached out or not know that I've been praying for a lot of you.  As a mama of two young boys having that quiet time with the Lord has been very important and I have not necessarily made that time like I should and one of the lessons learned is sometimes we have to set aside things that aren't necessarily bad in order to have time for things that are better

Lesson 3... when you cut out things that you don't realize are suctioning time away it gives you more time to do things that may be on your to-do list or on your bucket list.  One of my goals for 2022 was to read more ...like actually read books and over the last month I've been able to finish three books and I am in the process of three more at this point.  I have taken a lot of book suggestions that people have given and thought those would be meaningful books to read in my life and have downloaded them onto my Kindle and read them that way.  I could blog about each of those books and what I've learned from each of those ... But as time and energy allows... we shall see!

Lesson 4 you can't give from an empty cup... as a mom ...as a wife... sometimes we put ourselves on the back burner.   One of the things that I've learned over the last 40 days is I can't give from an empty cup.  My cup has to be full in order to spill out on the guys in my life and be a better wife and mom for them. So in this process I've taken time to be able to rest and rejuvenate myself whether that means just taking 15 minutes and doing something that I enjoy ...whether that's reading a book or sitting outside and enjoying nature or enjoying an iced coffee but really turning my mindset on thankfulness and enjoying the things around me.

Lesson 5... Social media has its place to stay connected with friends and family that you don't see regularly face to face. It can also be very harmful when using it to gauge your self worth compared to everyone else. So my last and final lesson is this. I will continue to use social media as a tool to live intentionally... Investing in my guys and my family and friends...  I will not use social media to judge my worth or yours for that matter. My goal is to post things that are real... Messy or not! I want to encourage others to be real because you are enough just as how you were created!














Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Woman's Day!

I am sitting here folding laundry pondering some of the comments... pictures... and conversations today and I know if I don't get it out of my system... me nor my husband will get a sound night's sleep.

These are my two cents... take it or leave it.  Just my opinion and for the last year or so... I officially live in a country that I have the freedom of speech.

I am feminine... not a feminist! I want to be known by my love, kindness, and compassion towards others.  I am a nurturer and a care taker.  I balance out my husband... and he balances me out.  I want to show respect towards others and I want that reciprocated.  I want to work hard for an honest day's wages.  I want to be able to express my voice and have others listen with respect rather than shouting that I am wrong.  I want to use my gifts and talents that are unique to me instead of getting shoved into the cookie cutter of the "social norm".

In this thing called life that we walk through on a daily basis... screams of equality between the sexes are everywhere. ... but there are just certain things that aren't "equal".  I can do something that my husband can't do... I can carry a precious life in my womb and produce a living breathing brand new creation... but I can't do it all on my own... I need my husband!

We were created to balance one another out.  I have done this thing called life "independently" for more years than I care to count... can I do life on my own???  Yes I can!  However on this side of marriage I do have to say I enjoy doing this thing called life with a man who gets me for me and loves me anyway. I love having another person that looks out for me... and I look out for him.  And yes... I love how he holds the door open for not just me but any woman walking in or out of the building.  It hurts my heart when his kindness is repaid with disrespectful looks or comments of "I can do it on my own."

My aunt posted this picture of a dear lady in the village where I lived for almost a year in Uganda.  It reminded me out blessed we are to live in the US of A... where we have many opportunities and freedoms that women elsewhere do not have. These women are up with the sun tending to their families... washing clothes by hand... growing and harvesting their food... and then doing all of their cooking over a small camp fire.  They put their babies to sleep on dirt floors and when their day is done... they curl up on a hand woven mat beside their little ones to rest up for another day of survival.  These are some of the happiest, most joyful women I have met... who have a song on their lips and a smile on their face.

Our issues of equality and feminist qualities are first world issues.  We need to use our individual gifts and talents to serve one another in love.  We need to use our freedoms to be an advocate for that child without a voice... to use our resources to provide for that family that is struggling to put food on the table... to use our voice to stand up to injustice to women around the world (and in our own communities)... to try to create a world that we want our sons and daughters... nieces and nephews...growing up in.

I am proud that I am a woman and I am blessed to have many women in my life that have spent time and energy investing in me to make me a better woman!  Thank you to all the women that use their gifts and talents to make an impact on the world around them!!!  YOU ARE APPRECIATED... not just today but everyday!

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

A new season

It has been a while since writing on this blog... partly because I have started a new season in my life and we started a blog together to follow our adventures...

Feel free to catch up at... http://justinandangelasawesomeadventure.blogspot.com

Back to the moment at hand... because of the day it is (Fat Tuesday) and the fact that I had some extra time this afternoon to work in my new office/craft room... it got me thinking...

This is normally the season where people give up something for lent.  I understand the thought process behind this that whatever you give up should make room for you to ponder on the upcoming season and what Jesus has done for you.

Instead of giving something up for the next 40 days... I propose to give of my time, talents, and treasure for the next 40 days.  To do what we are called to do in the Bible... to be HIS hands and feet... to love others... to encourage... to come along side...to show others what He has truly done in our lives instead of what normally happens during this time when people give up... say caffeine... or something that makes them normally more agreeable on a daily basis.

Would the God of the universe desire that you are horrible to people while giving up something to focus more on HIM???  Just a thought!

What would happen if each of us did one random act of kindness... or said one encouraging word... or gave one hug... or provided one meal... or gave up one mocha on the run to sit down and chat with a friend?

I have been encouraged by my husband who is always looking out for how to help those around him... He is the reason I have an office/craft room at the moment as he cleaned out a spare bedroom while I was out on Sunday and set up my office space!  I have watched his kindness and care towards strangers and friends alike and have been inspired to look outside my own little bubble.  

So for the next 40 days... my goal is to use the resources God has blessed me with to bless others.  I may not track much but #blessedtobless.  I encourage you to see how you can bless those around you!

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Things done and yet to do...

One of the greatest stress relievers in my life is to be creative!  Since taking this new job as director... it definitely comes with more stress but a bigger staff to dote upon regularly. 

Candy bouquet for staff appreciation week

with the label "You were MINT to be a teacher"


Something else I throughly enjoy is organizing and cleaning... pinterest has been a great help with ideas of how to organize all of the supplies in my office!




 In May I joined a group of ladies from church to work on pillowcase dresses to help those less fortunate.  They were fun and easy to make and it gave me a great opportunity to meet new friends.


I can't dote on everyone else and forget about the amazing man in my life that I get to spend our date nights cooking with and trying out new recipes!


These are some ideas that we have picked out while looking through model homes, art festivals, and home stores for furnishings!  So ready to try some of these ideas!!!


Last but not least... end of the year goodies for my staff that I have recently put together to say thank you and enjoy your summer!




Out of body transition


It has been 6 months since starting a "new" life back stateside.  It has been a whirlwind of a "new" job... a "new" face to face relationship... a "new" set of adventures... and a "new" set of opportunities.

There have been several opportunities where I have met new people that have asked questions of what I have done in the past.  As I start sharing with these "new" friends of what I have been doing the last couple of years... it seems surreal... like I am having an out of body experience... like I am a bystander telling someone else's story.  I struggle with the realization that this was my life in the past and getting others to understand this "new" normal.

Looking back to even a year ago... it seems like it was an eternity ago and a world away.  I was in China... teaching English with Disney... going on amazing weekend adventures to places like Sanya (the Hawaii of China) and Hong Kong.  Even though I lived the moments and was blessed to have these opportunities... it seems like a fairy tale now.

I chose many years ago to live intentionally and with a content heart in every situation.  This has been a new season in my life...yes there have been difficult moments... but it has been good.

I am blessed beyond belief that Christ came to make all things "new" ... we don't have to live in our pasts... whether good or bad... each day is a "new" gift from God!

How will you discover the things in your life that He has made new???