My Holiday Philosophy/Goal

I wrote this parent education article for the Little School House newsletter and it pretty much sums up my Holiday Philosophy/Goal. I write that with a "/goal" because I don't always practice what I preach but I sure do try!


Holidays
By Sarah

The holidays are here and do you know what that means? I hope that for your family it means many wonderful, rich and meaningful memories but for many of us that isn’t always the case. Do you feel overwhelmed and under pressure throughout the holiday season? Do you sometimes feel guilty about not having the perfect Martha Stewart tree or acquiring the seasons must have gift? Do you feel obligated to attend every holiday function you are invited to?
It is very easy to fall into the high-pressure trap of the holiday season and feel like you have to provide every holiday experience for your child. This season can be a joy to share with your young children if you remember to focus on the things you value for your family and if you consider your child’s unique needs and ways of experiencing things.

Here are some questions to think about when choosing activities to do with your 3, 4 or 5 year old:
How much of this can my child do? What pace does my child prefer? Will this activity disrupt my child’s day or add spontaneity? If one activity fits, will two?

It is often the very simple and probably inexpensive things that your children will remember the most. I sincerely hope that your emphasis during the holiday season is on creating meaning through a few simple experiences and on developing family traditions that your children will associate with the holiday season. I hope that you will take the time to think back on past holiday experiences and reflect on how they fit with your family. Give yourself permission to say no to the things that don’t fit. Do less, not more. Keep your days as relaxed and simple as possible. If you start to feel overwhelmed by the holidays, your child is probably feeling that way too. Instead, treat your family to the best thing about holidays and families: Laughter and fun.


Some ideas for families with young children:

* Bundle up and take a short walk through your neighborhood to look at lights.

* Lie on the floor under your Christmas tree and look up at the lights. You can share Christmas memories or just listen to some beautiful Christmas music.

* Decorate cookies (with emphasis on process, not product) and deliver them to a friend or neighbor.

* Make some popcorn strings and hang them on a tree outside. Watch for birds or squirrels stopping by to have a nibble.

* Read a Christmas book together.

* Watch the snow fall or gaze at the winter stars.

* Help your child choose some of her own artwork to give to a relative or friend. She can tell you about it and you can write down her words to enclose with the gift.

* Visit the State or City tree and talk about it. Where did it come from? How tall do you think it is? How did it get here? How long did it take to decorate it?

* Cut out some snowflakes from white paper and hang them on doorways or on windows.

*Help someone (in a way that is easy for a preschooler to understand) For example: Shovel your neighbor’s driveway together.

* Help your child make play dough. Wrap a ball of it up with cellophane and a ribbon and give it to a friend.

Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving 2

Jimmy: "Remind me not to participate in all this hoop-la next year"

Sarah: "Then don't roll your eyes at me like I'm a frickin' moron every time I say that'd I'd like to spend Thanksgiving through New Year's out of town.

That about sums it up!

Hi

I just spent two hours catching up on everyone's blog so now I have no energy to do my own! I promise to update super soon and here is my list of things to write about and pics to post, so I won't forget...
*Halloween Pics
*Why I don't have internet
*My Holiday philosophy/goal
*Thanksgiving
*Thanksgiving 2
*A-list Christmas Party
*Blog diet party
http://girlsdorm.blogspot.com/2007/11/queen-jann.html check out some pics here!
*New blog diet challenge starting in January
*My job and crazy logistical nightmares
I think that's it!

I miss you all in blog land!

Corinna, Na, Darcie..I didn't fall off the planet, I promise! I miss you girls and I hope that you don't stop inviting me to things because I am such and ass and never come!

It's almost time!!

Ok girls?! Everyone ready? Have you been super good this week?
Here's the deal...if you haven't given me your money (Pam, Erika, Melissa, and Jen) send it over or you're washing dishes! Or maybe we'll "breaka you legs"!

We are getting together to "crown" the winner on this Saturday at 11:30 at Whitewater Pizza and Pasta on Eagle & Fairview. I hope everyone can come. Come on Jann, make a day trip! hehehe
I'm so excited for everyone to meet and share our war stories!
So, Wednesday...weigh in, early if you can, and then email me. DON'T POST!
My email address is in the comments section. I'm going to direct you to my yahoo account since it is the one I rarely use and don't mind if I get a lot of spam after posting it online. Please email your starting weight and ending weight.
Don't forget! I'm so excited!
Oh, and for those of you who feel like you don't have a chance....don't give up because I have prizes for 2nd and 3rd place too! I may even have some "consolation" prizes :-) for everyone.

Weigh day and miscellaneous

*I weigh...drumroll....129! So that makes a total loss for me, so far, 11 pounds! I am so thrilled to be under 130, I can't even stand it!
So, weigh in! I know that Melissa, Erika, and my mom are out of town so they won't be weighing in but everyone else can!

*I had a fantastic time at the Mayor's VICTORY party last night!! Woo-Hoo!!! I hope you all voted! I, of course, didn't take any pictures so I don't have any to share but it was a super fun time!

*Jimmy and I attended the kids' parent/teacher conferences this last week. It was great to hear all the things they had to say about our kids. For me, it reaffirmed my decision that this is the best place for them (Ok, 2nd best) and for what I value as a parent. Jamie has made developmental leaps and bounds over the last couple months and I attribute it to her school experience (and just getting older). She loves having her own place that is solely hers and she has had great opportunities to "flex her autonomy muscles" and do many things on her own. Her teachers said that she is very actively engaged in every aspect of the classroom, she is focused on activities that she's involved in and she has made a friend that she loves to play with. A little boy named Ryan. Apparently they have very sophisticted 2 year old conversations!
Olivia's teachers remarked on how smooth her transition was into the class and how they can't believe how well she is doing. They told us how serious she is about school, how observant she is, and how she has made many friends that she plays with everyday. She loves writing and playing in the "house".
Our first parent/teacher conferences...I'm such a grown up! hehehe

*I kept meaning to take a picture of the pumpkins that we painted and then I came across this one of the pumpkins in progress. Good enough! Happy fall, almost winter!!

Olivia's last day to be 3

Tomorrow is Olivia's 4th birthday!
She had her "home" birthday party yesterday and her "school" party today. Tomorrow she will spend her real birthday with Grammy and Grampy!
Jamie's teacher said today, "Olivia, today is your last day of being 3 years old." It made me so sad! 3 sounds like you could still pretend she's a baby but 4...

4 years ago today I was at work telling the kids in my class that I would be gone for a while and when I came back I would have a baby. I was nervous but really excited. I couldn't sleep all night, then I had to get up at 6 to go to the hospital.
When I got to the hospital and checked in I thought I would have some time to sit in the waiting room, but they called my name right away. When they called my name, I got a little panicky. Everything happened so quickly and by the time I was settled in and ready to call my mom, I was already having contractions! My mom could tell, on the phone, that I was scared so she came down right away.
I was able to get an epidural pretty quickly and it was smooth sailing from there! I was in labor for about 5 hours and Olivia was born at 1:40 pm. She weighed 6 pounds 3 ounces. A tiny little peanut baby! My mom and Jimmy and my Aunt Joanne were all there and when my mom went to get my dad, (my big, tough dad) he cried when he held her. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.
Later that day 2 kids from my class came to visit and they brought Olivia some books. My friends from work came too and my 3 best friends from high school all came together. All the grandparents came, all of Olivia's aunts and uncles and when about 7 of Jimmy's friends piled in to my room and ogled over her I thought to myself, "What a lucky baby, she came into this world with so many people already loving her."

So, here I am 4 years later and I wonder, "What was my life like before it was permanently altered by this sweet, beautiful little girl? Who was I? What did I do with all my time?"

I love you, Olivia. I love you more than I ever knew was possible. You've brought laughter and beauty to my life and I will never be the same.

oops again!

I weigh 132! That's down two more pounds! I did a little experiment yesterday and weighed in the afternoon, on my mom's scale, with my clothes and shoes on and I weighed 142! A 10 pound difference! This just further stresses the importance of weighing at the same time and on the same scale. Are you doing that?
So, I have $ from Buffy, Sue and Sheri. I will email everyone my address today since we are getting near the end. Sorry, Jann, I know you've been trying to send it to me.
My mom and I have been talking about getting together and we are thinking about the Saturday after the diet ends. How does that work for you guys? Afternoon? Evening?
So, weigh in! Let us know your progress. Thanks to all of you who let us know your total weight loss last week.
Good job so far everyone!

Tag

I was tagged by Connie and I don't want to be a party pooper so here are my 7 random facts...
They are totally mundane and everyone knows them but I have no brain juice because snot is overtaking every spare inch of my body...as we speak. Sorry.
I'll do it like this...those of you who have done this recently...I'm stealing your "random facts" and making them my own. Gee, you girls are so inspirational!

1. (Connie) I am a book-a-holic also. I mostly read at night in bed or in the bathtub. I am a fast reader too, so when I'm really into a book I can finish it in one or two nights.

2. Before I was a mom I was a teacher. I am slowly easing back in so that I don't have a 10 year hole on my resume when I do go back to work. Also, I am going back to school next fall.

3. (Natalie) When I was in high school I planned on going to University of Idaho. I spent a few days there during my senior year and I even planned on pledging Gamma Phi Beta...bla, bla, bla. I stayed home and went to BSU...all for a dumb boy! When my girls get older I am going to make them go away for college...especially if they have a boyfriend.

4. (Corinna) I had my two children before I got married. I am married to their dad and we've been married a little over a year. My kids are turning 3 and 4 within the next month or so.
This may sound a little like too much information but...everyone knows it so....I would not have "picked Jimmy off the menu" but I could never have picked any better! He's not my "type", we are completetly opposite in so many things (I would never wear a flannel jacket!) but there are so many terrific things about him that I never knew were important to a relationship!

5. I met him at The End Zone (a bar near BSU). This was in May. I met his parents at his birthday dinner in August, the next August (at his birthday dinner) we told his parents that we were having a baby, the next August (at his birthday dinner) we told his parents we were having another baby! I think his mom dreads his birthday now!

6. (Connie) I've never considered myself too liberal or too conservative...just right in the middle...but I've been hanging out with a lot of people lately that are really into politics (it's their job) and I am finding out that I am so far left that Dennis Kucinich is my top choice for President! http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html You can go there to see, based on the issues, what your top choice might be. Based on my feelings on several issues...I am definitley a liberal democrat.

7. I never wanted to have kids. I planned on being a teacher and a really great aunt...no kids.
I wouldn't give them back though!

I'm not tagging anyone because I'm a slacker!