CompleteLee Blog

Five Minutes for Thankfulness with Ms. Cellaneous

2009-11-02T08:50:00.008-07:00

The Challenge: Think of something you are thankful for today. Write it in the comments section. Do this every day for the rest of this month.

The Reward: Nothing you can hold in your hands. You will receive warm fuzzies in your heart. You will be able to see things that others are grateful for that you may not have thought of recently.

Come Back: By clicking on our family pic on the top of the right hand side bar, you can easily return to this page.

I'll Start: I am going to begin the challenge by saying I am very thankful for my family. This often comes to mind, but it is an important one. Besides, I have cute pictures to share. :)

The Whole Gang

Chubby (Yes, he needs a different web name.)

Princess

Peanut

Sticky

Bub

Nan

Patch

Mom & Dad

"Sweet Peas & the Pods"

Please join me in being thankful each day. This doesn't even take 5 minutes! It is an easy challenge and well worth the effort! Have a wonderful day!

Taking Control with Mow-GLee

2009-10-26T16:10:00.005-07:00

As life gets crazy, you know how it is, when you feel pulled in hundreds of different directions, sometimes ya just feel like flopping down on the floor. This could be completed with one hand on the forehead and a moan of exhaustion. (Or Kevin might just be talking on the phone to his mom and I am just making that other stuff up.) You may be joined in your flopping by others.

But, clearly, things can quickly get out of control once again.

Some days, don't you just feel like you are the one at the bottom of the dog pile?

Lately, I have needed to remind myself to take a deep breath and regroup. Sometimes (er, rather make that lots of times) when I am immersed in a pool full of problems, I forget that I still have choices. Swim. Grab the edge of the pool. Stand up and touch bottom. Get out and go down the slide. Doggy paddle. Have a water fight with a buddy. Options. Life is full of them.

Hope you get to get some giggles in today.

And, don't forget your daily dose of sunshine.

Oh, and, take your vitamins.

Wait! one more thing! Say your prayers. Then don't forget to listen. He answers daily.

thanks, Mom

Track Your Child's Internet Usage with Ms. Wise & Ms. Otherwise

2009-10-19T15:29:00.007-07:00

Ever wish you had a system that allowed you to easily keep track of what your kids are doing on the internet? Perhaps you would like a system that makes it difficult for a child that is grounded to be able to access certain sites on the internet? Here's something we have been using for a little while that is very helpful. I thought I would pass the info along to you. This is FREE!

1. Go to www.fss.live.com.

2. Once there, set up an account. (If you already have a .msn or .live email address, you probably already have an account.)

3. Add each child. On each of the computers in your home, you need to set up each of the kids as a user (unless of course you have a computer they are denied use of, then simply do not set them up as a user on that computer). When they want to use the computer, they must log in using their own password. This allows fss to track their usage.

No one will want to log in as someone else, because you have set things up specifically for each child. For instance, in my household, web filtering is higher for Princess than the older kids. So, if Sticky or Bub decided to outsmart the system by logging on as Princess because they won't be able to get to where they want to go! Even still, we have cautioned the kids about sharing their passwords with their siblings because they wouldn't want to risk someone else racking up computer time using their name.

4. When a user is done on the computer, they can do one of two things. They can "log out" or "switch user". If they choose the "switch user" option, they do not need to shut down all their browsers, documents, etc. If they choose "log out" everything must be closed. When someone is planning to get back on the computer, switching user is a good way to go. The only downside of using the "switch user" option is that it leaves a bunch of programs running in the background and this can slow down your computer. (Side note: If your computer is not showing both options, go to "help" on your computer and type in those terms and it will show you step-by-step how to make them show up.)

5. Choose the level of filtering you would like. This can vary from blocking only "adult" content sites to customized filtering to allowing only child friendly sites.

6. Turn the activity reporting on. This allows you to see where your child has been and how long they have spent at the computer. It can also tell you if anything has been downloaded to that computer.

7. ou can use the contact management aspect of the program to control who your child is chatting and emailing with through a few places.

8. If a child wants to view a website that you have prohibited, they can send you a request, or if you are nearby, you can simply type in your password right then to allow access if desired.

9. When you find that your child has been spending too much time on a certain site, or is otherwise in trouble, you can go in and block specific sites that they are grounded from. Or, you can block everything and have them ask for your permission every time they want to access something on the internet until you feel they are ready for computer privileges again. (This definitely gets to be a drag after a while.)

10. The key to this program is to regularly check up on internet usage. If you simply sign up for the program and never or rarely check up on the kids, you aren't taking full advantage of the system. You can use it as just a tool to block specific sites, or you can use it more effectively by seeing where your kids are spending their time. If you do this, you can take the time to talk to them about questionable sites, give them input on how to stay safe on a certain site, possibly find a fun site that you would like to join with them, and you can also share information from you to your child and from your child to you. It is really incredible the things children are able to figure out about the computer that most of us parent's would never have thought of.

While it may seem like quite a bit of work to get this system up and operational, it is worth the effort. As with the examples mentioned above, it opens communication lines to help us protect our children until they are mature enough to understand things and to know how to discipline themselves. It is a good tool to help teach these things.

Has anyone else used this system? What tips & tricks do you have to share?

If at First You Don't Succeed...Try an Alternative (Mama Rika)

2009-09-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed, I didn't answer Princess in a very nice manner when she asked if she could do something. I told her, "No. And I don't want to hear any whining or bugging me about it."

Surprisingly her reception of my comments seemd rather compliant. That is until she turned back around with a grin and asked, "Well, can I bug Dad about it then?"

What a Fun Day! (Mama Rika)

2009-09-08T14:35:00.003-07:00

Not only did our favorite football team win on Saturday, but we were able to have wonderful weather for a barbecue and tree climbing! How many monkeys do you see?

Hmmm. I think he can reach the top.

Judging by the expression on both of their faces, you would think they aren't having any fun. However, both the oldest and the youngest had a blast. How could you not when lots of your favorite things are happening...lots of food, football, etc. In fact, Chubby sat on my lap for most of the game munching ice, chips and other things while watching ball! Ball! BALL!

Before the sun was completely down, Peanut had success in getting to the tippy top! :) You would never have known that was his hand had I not pointed it out, huh?

How nice it is to have a few hours of relaxation in the middle of the chaos of life. Sometimes ya just gotta get some, huh?!

p.s. there aren't pics of Nan simply because she chose the mall over football. (Imagine that.)

"Love at Home" Marika Lee's Hymn & Scripture Study Sundays

2009-09-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

This week’s song is entitled, “Love at Home”. Click here for music.

Scriptures for this song:
Mosiah 2:17, 41
1 Peter 3: 9-12
Romans 12:10.

Various facts:
Text and music by John Hugh McNaughton (1829-1891)

The story behind the song:
I found it interesting to note that this hymn was very popular until about the 1950's when it started to be dropped from many denominations hymnals. Today, there are hardly any churches that still include it. It is, however, relatively popular in Japan for weddings that want to emulate the western style.

John McNaughton lived in Caledonia, New York, a town close to Rochester. John was called 'The Poet McNaughton' because he composed many popular songs in his day. He wrote one other song that was as famous as 'Love at Home'. It was a song about Union soldiers that had been taken prisoner during the Civil War. A famous singing trio recorde the song and brought it fame.

I am doing a little research online to find these things out. I also have a book entitled "Our Latter-day Hymns The Stories and the Messages" by Karen Lynn Davidson from which I am finding information on these songs. If you want more info, the aforementioned book and the Internet search engines can get you much more than the little bit I shared.

Easy Digestive System Project with Ms. Wise & Ms. Otherwise

2009-09-03T15:34:00.001-07:00

Princess and I were supposed to do a couple lessons today on the digestive tract that involved a project that seemed like more trouble and expense than I wanted to go through. Here's my easier modification...

First, gather some supplies. We grabbed markers, a paper plate, yarn, scissors, tape, glue, toilet paper rolls, straws, etc. We talked about the digestive system as we built our girl. Let's call her "Hilda".

Assemble: Princess added yarn hair to a paper plate after I had cut a hole out for the mouth. She then added eyes and nose and glued on some lips.

Teach: Digestion starts in the mouth where our teeth grind up the food into smaller bits and saliva is added to the food.

Assemble: At the back of the mouth, with tape we attached two toilet paper rolls. I inserted part of one into the other to make it a longer pipe. (Probably would be easier to just use a paper towel roll!) I cut a small hole in the top of the upper tp roll and made sure that lined up with the hole for the mouth.

Teach: When we swallow, food goes down the esophagus. The extra liquid from the saliva helps it to slide down easily. Teach: When the food slides down the esophagus, then it winds up in the stomach. In the stomach, more liquid is added to the food and the stomach squishes and sloshes it up into small bits.

Assemble: Use a zippy bag and add to it things like peanut butter, crackers, honey and other things that will break up easily. Princess had fun squishing and smashing the "stomach" bag. We then attached it to the esophagus.

Teach: When the food leaves the stomach, it enters the small intestine. The average small intestine is 3 times longer than a person is tall. More liquids enter at this stage from the pancreas and liver to help break down the food further. When the food has been broken down into microscopic pieces, it leaves the intestine through the blood vessels as energy that goes to all the body.

Assemble: We grabbed what bendy straws we had and twisted them this way and that way in an attempt to make it seem like the small intestine. Since we didn't have enough straws, we also used a few scraps of paper. We put a graham cracker in place for the liver and a lollipop for the pancreas. Little black licorice with many tiny holes are what we used for the blood vessels.

Teach: Not all of the food gets turned in to energy we can use. What is leftover is waste. The waste then travels on to the large intestine where it stays until ready to exit the body. The large intestine is bigger around than the small intestine, but it is only 4 to5 feet long.

Assemble: For the large intestine, we used a large, fat, green straw.
So here is the final product. I only wish we could have curled the small intestine around better. We had fun and we learned all about the digestive system in a way that made it easy to remember.

And, of course the beauty of this type of science experiment is that you get to eat the parts you want afterward! Chubby had to get in on the action too, you see. :) {Notice how cultured and refined Princess looks as she gracefully points her pinky finger while eating the graham cracker. lol}

One other fun science thing we recently did was to put some cytoplasm (jello) into a cell membrane (zippy bag) and then pressed a nucleus (cherry) into the center of the cytoplasm. This was a cool way to learn about the structure of a cell.

I'm Back, Finally!.....Ms. Cellaneous

2009-09-01T13:50:00.006-07:00

Apparently I needed a longer break than I had anticipated! Here it is September 1st and I am not quite sure what happened to August. Here are a few pictures from our trip that I won't be bothering to chronicle. We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends. The only drawback was not being ready to go home yet when it was time to go! One of the things that Chubby really enjoyed was being able to see a bunch of baby goats in an up close and personal kind of way.

Some of us went and saw some cool hot pots.

Here's the gang outside the condo we stayed in for a night. Immediately following this picture, everyone rapidly dispersed upon discovering oodles of ants in the vicinity!

Yes, this is really a random sampling blog to get me going again. That is why Ms. Cellaneous is delivering it. I have lots of ideas about things to blog about in future posts, but this one gets to be a little hodge-podge.

Next up are a couple of spiritual thoughts that I wanted to remind myself of. Hope you enjoy too.

Do you ever find yourself questioning the Lord? If so, you are not alone. In John 3 we read the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus asks Jesus a question. No matter what Jesus responds, Nicodemus keeps on questioning how it can be so.

I found the story rather interesting because, I think we often look at things from our own viewpoint and can't make sense of what the Lord is trying to tell us. No matter how much education we have, (And Nicodemus was apparently a learned man), we are still judging things from a limited view. If something doesn't seem logical, it probably isn't--to us! If we were able to see things the way the Lord sees, it would make complete sense. Keeping this in mind is what can allow us to go forward with faith.

Joel 2:10 reads in part, "the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great". I love how this says the Lord will go before us. This terminology is used fairly regularly in the scriptures. I think it is significant because God knows what is coming up ahead and can guide us through the rough spots as we allow him to do so.

I like to think of it in these terms: Perhaps the Lord has some rock climbing equipment or an airplane to help me navigate through/over/around the obstacles that I can see.

Maybe God has something silly in store for me today, like the tummy giggling game...

Anyone can play, even if you are on the phone. :)

Some days I might wind up on the bottom of the dog pile.

Hopefully if that happens I will still remember that God is in charge and that I have the ability to think about think/create/determine/reason a way to get out of my predicament. Or perhaps I will just pray for strength to hold up under pressure.

To wrap things up, here's a few tidbits.

Nanner & Bub started college classes to finish out their senior year
Patchy is awaiting his mission call
Sticky is acting like a true Freshman, complete with adopting trendy phrases. His favorite? "I know, right?"
Peanut is half way done with his Algebra course already. He started it only a couple of weeks ago and spends hours a day on it because he wants to. Part of me feels like saying, "WAIT! Slow Down!!" The other part says, "Wow! Go Peanut!"
Princess is very excited to start a co-op science with some other little girls.
Chubby is into puzzles and copying every sound anyone else makes now.

Hope your September is swell. :)

Cake in 5 Minutes!

2009-08-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

asdf

Mama Rika's Baby Sings Star Wars

2009-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

A month or two ago, Chubby became fascinated with listening to the Imperial March with his brother. Now he sings it off and on all day. He also likes to sing along to songs by Journey. Without a doubt, his favorite thing to sing is the Star Wars Imperial March! Enjoy!

Here's my youtube channel in case you are interested in watching more. http://www.youtube.com/user/CompleteLeeVideo

You can always go to www.completelee.com to find links to all these sorts of things. (FYI, we are revamping the website for easier use. Hopefully that will be completed sooner rather than later!)

Want Stuff? from Ms. Cellaneous?

2009-08-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'll be back soon, I promise! But, in the meantime, here is a little glimpse into one thing I have been up to.

In preparation for moving {Yes, we are moving, but not too far away}, I am going through everything in the house. Some things are winding up on eBay! If you are interested in some of the things I have for sale, go HERE. Or, just go to eBay and search for things from makplus (that is my seller ID). Or, click on one of the links below and then just "view seller's other items" link.

I have a whole ton of things listed, but here is a random sampling:

12 "Power of" Tales Books (See full listing here)

The Power of Trying Again (Abraham Lincoln)
The Power of Overcoming (Helen Keller)
The Power of Enthusiasm (Theodore Roosevelt)
The Power of Sportsmanship (Jim Thorpe)
The Power of Family (The Trapp Family)
The Power of Integrity (J.C. Penney)
The Power of Dreaming (Walt Disney)
The Power of Patriotism (Francis Scott Key)
The Power of Determination (Ronald Reagan)
The Power of Being Creative (Thomas Edison)
The Power of Courage (Florence Nightingale)
The Power of Industry (Benjamin Franklin)

STORYONI!

This is my fun writing game that our family never wants to quit playing. Buy it here and it comes on a CD for your convenience. :)

College Sportswear: By the time I get done listing these hats, shirts and coats, there will be about 200+ Brand New items. They are listed at $.99-$1.99 each which is far below what they cost me in the first place. (If you know anyone that is a fan of any of the schools I have listed, send them my way!) Check back in the next few days and I'll have all the rest of these listed. {I suppose it will be more accurate to say my eldest son will have them listed since I have put him to work on this task}

Various Book lots: Homeschooling, fiction, kids books, etc. Felt Quiet Books to occupy little one while schooling older kids, or for church or just for fun. I also have listed my travel kit on 2 CD's, my Marika Lee CD, Childbirth e-book on CD, etc. Keep checking back for more good stuff! ;)

p.s. If you live close by and want to just come pick things up at my house to save on shipping, that is totally fine!

Mama Rika Takes a Break

2009-07-25T18:25:00.002-07:00

Whew! I need a break! So, I am authorizing one. I just thought I would let you know that there may or may not be blog posts for another week or two as I attempt to organize my life and catch a breath and all that stuff. Thanks for sticking with me. I'll try to have updates on what we are doing for school, our family vacation, wisdom teeth removal survival tips, mission prep updates, more hymn scripture and stories, more recipes, a new monthly challenge, and ideas & tips on all sorts of topics! It'll be fun! See ya soon. :)

Sad, But True...Mama Rika

2009-07-21T21:32:00.004-07:00

It is. It is sad, but truly unavoidable. Those sweet little chubby babies turn into toddlers. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love toddlers. Toddlers are wonderful and cute and precious and silly and curious and more. But, as soon as I notice one of my babies has turned into a toddler, I realize again how quickly they grow up and it tugs my heartstrings. Today marked one of these milestones for me.

After months of listening to 14 year old Sticky harping relentlessly about the length of his little brother's hair, I finally succumbed to the pressure and gave Chubby his first hair cut. He's 18 months old. His hair refused to grow at the front, but got quite long at the back, so I kept leaving it uncut so that he would at least look like he had hair. His biggest brother teased that he sported a mullet hairdo. Various siblings proclaimed we could braid and/or put a ponytail in his hair.

As you can see from this shot, it really wasn't that bad. It was long enough to curl under, so it didn't look as long as it was.

I stuck him in the tub and pulled out a comb and scissors. He likes to have his hair combed, so that helped him be a little less wiggly. It was still difficult to cut a straight line. I'm sure you can relate if you have ever tried to trim a little person's hair!

And, here is my handsome little Chubby admiring his new look in the mirror. He's definitely into toddlerhood now. Next, we are working on potty training. He is off to a good start in the learning process.

Now, tell me truthfully, do you cry when your babies grow up?

"Come, Come Ye Saints" Marika Lee's Hymn & Scripture Study Sundays

2009-07-18T22:00:00.001-07:00

This week’s song is a pioneer song entitled, “Come, Come Ye Saints”. Click here for music.

Scriptures for this song:
D & C 61:36-39
D & C 59:1-4

Various facts:
Text by William Clayton (1814-1879)
Music by English Folk Song

The story behind the song:
William Clayton was one of the Mormon Pioneers that was forced by violent mobs to leave his home in Nauvoo before the spring thaw. These faithful leaders endured cold, sickness, mud, hunger and other trials. Some loved ones had been remained behind, unable to travel just yet. News of them had been hard to come by.

For two months, Clayton received no word about his wife. When he finally received word that his wife had given birth to a son, he was completely ecstatic. He wrote in his journal of how he rejoiced. He also noted that the same morning, he had composed a new song.

This new hymn became a favorite of the pioneers traveling west. By unspoken rule, whenever any one person began to sing this song, all should join in. The hymn memorializes the devotion of those early pioneers. It allows us all to reflect on our own commitment to Christ.

Although this is one of the best known LDS hymns, it is also sung by some Protestants and Seventh-Day Adventists.

I am doing a little research online to find these things out. I also have a book entitled "Our Latter-day Hymns The Stories and the Messages" by Karen Lynn Davidson from which I am finding information on these songs. If you want more info, the aforementioned book and the Internet search engines can get you much more than the little bit I shared.

"How Firm a Foundation" Marika Lee's Hymn & Scripture Study Sundays

2009-07-11T21:49:00.003-07:00

This week’s song is a pioneer song entitled, "How Firm a Foundation". Click here for music.

Scriptures for this song:
Isaiah 43:2-5
Isaiah 41:10
Helaman 5:12

Various facts:
Text attributed to Robert Keen (ca. 1787)
Music attributed to J. Ellis (ca. 1889)

The story behind the song:
Dr. John Rippon, a Baptist minister, brought this hymn to America with a collection of hymns in his hymnal. The earliest copies of this hymn show the composer to have been K______. It is thought that Robert Keen is the most likely candidate to have written this work.

The popularity of this hymn spread across many religions, and has withstood the test of time. It teaches timeless Christian principles.

The hymn was sung at the funerals of several different U.S. Presidents, including Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt. It was also a favorite of General Robert E. Lee.

One time this hymn was sung by a group of American soldiers on Christmas day in Cuba during the Spanish-American war. More and more soldiers joined in until thousands, even the whole army corps, along the ridge were singing. All were of varying religions, but united in this.

This song was sung early on to the same tune as "O Come All Ye Faithful." Today, it isn't sung to that tune, but to two separate tunes, depending upon what church you may be attending.
I am doing a little research online to find these things out. I also have a book entitled "Our Latter-day Hymns The Stories and the Messages" by Karen Lynn Davidson from which I am finding information on these songs. If you want more info, the aforementioned book and the Internet search engines can get you much more than the little bit I shared.

Oatmeal Add-Ins with Chef Maki

2009-07-07T10:07:00.002-07:00

Personally, I like oatmeal, but it is fun to dress it up to make it tastier and offer more variety in the same dish. To prepare a more jazzed up version of basic oatmeal for your family, you can prepare the oats by boiling them in water first, or you can put the add-ins along with the oats as they are cooking.

1. Raisins and other dried fruit are great to put into the boiling water. This plumps them up and makes them full of juicy flavor.

2. Apples are delicious when chopped and either cooked or added directly to the serving bowl.

3. Chopped nuts provide protein to help ensure a filling meal. Try pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, etc.

4. Coconut offers a surprising, yet yummy twist.

5. Trying out different sweeteners can make for a whole different flavor. Honey, brown sugar, stevia, molasses, maple syrup and jam are all fun ones to try.

6. Wheat germ or flax seed meal are wonderful ways to sneak in a few extra nutrients.

7. Topping the oatmeal with fresh fruit and berries not only adds nutrition, but wonderful eye appeal as well. Adding frozen blueberries or raspberries is my children's favorite way to cool their oatmeal down.

8. Try your oatmeal without milk, or with different kinds of milk. Rice milk, soy milk and almond milk are a few viable options that offer slightly different yet tasty and enjoyable flavors.

Get creative. See what else is hiding out in your pantry or fridge that you never thought to try before. You never know, you might hit upon something fantastic! Let me know what you do with your oatmeal!

"The Star-Spangled Banner" Marika Lee's Hymn & Scripture Study Sundays

2009-07-04T09:12:00.004-07:00

A patriotic theme is in order today! This week’s song is “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Click here for music.

Scriptures for this song: "Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!"
1 Nephi 13:17-19

Alma 46:12-15

Various facts:
Text by Francis Scott Key (1779-1843)
Music by John Stafford Smith (1750-1836)

The story behind the song:
I love this story! I have read it in many different forms over the year, so I shall share my condensed version here.

This story begins in the home that Francis Scott Key grew up in. He was taught the importance of patriotism at an early age by his mother and grandmother. At the age of 12 he had the opportunity to hear George Washington speak and was deeply impressed. He remained an active patriot into his adult life. He wrote poems and spoke with others about his passion for America.

During the war, he noticed that he had not heard from his friend Dr. Beanes for quite some time. Key was concerned that he had been captured by the British. He inquired about and found that he was being kept on board a British ship. He felt compelled to see what he could do to gain his friend's release.

Before going to the ship, he procured information from English soldiers who had been treated kindly and fairly by Dr. Beanes. Then, raising a white flag, Key was able to speak with the captain of the British ship. The captain could see Key was sincere and speaking the truth and planned to release Dr. Beanes. However, since Key & Beanes "knew too much", they would not be allowed to leave until after the attack on Fort McHenry.

Mary Pickersgill had been commissioned to sew an enormous flag that would be able to be seen by all, both the English & the Americans alike. Francis Scott Key could see the flag flying from where he was upon the water. As darkness closed in, he agonized as he waited and watched throughout the night. Occasionally the bursting bombs illuminated the flag, but through the dark of the night, it was difficult to see the progress of the battle. If the flag still stood in the morning, that would mean that the British were unsuccessful in their attempt to capture Fort McHenry and possibly win the war.

The pre-dawn hours carried much suspense. As the first rays of light started shining through, Key was utterly amazed and thrilled by the sight he saw. The flag was still there! Fort McHenry was still in American hands!

Nearly overwhelmed by his feelings, Key penned his thoughts on the back of an old letter he found in his pocket. The words he wrote truly share the story of what he went through that night. Back on shore later on, he finished up his words. A friend copied his poem and distributed them about. The poem spread like junk email, (well, as much as it could do so without modern technology).

Francis Scott Key's words became a dignified, moving, patriotic anthem. In 1931 it was finally recognized as the official national anthem of the U.S.A. Through this song, Francis Scott Key's name will forever be linked with the words true patriot.

Here are the complete lyrics as written by Key. Traditionally we only sing verses 1, 2, and 4. Read through the lyrics and feel what it must have been like for Francis Scott Key on that night.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I am doing a little research online to find these things out. I also have a book entitled "Our Latter-day Hymns The Stories and the Messages" by Karen Lynn Davidson from which I am finding information on these songs. If you want more info, the aforementioned book and the Internet search engines can get you much more than the little bit I shared.

5 Minutes for Patriotism & Family Fun with Mama Rika

2009-07-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

This month's 5 minute series is two-fold. I want to make sure that I am fully appreciative of this great land in which I live and I want to make sure my family knows it too! Also, summer should be a time for family fun. Besides all that, I am feeling stressed and need to make sure to put a few little fun things in my day!

Please feel free to join me in making this month a special one!

So, here you have a dozen ideas on being patriotic this month. All of which can take about 5 minutes.
1. Plan (and then do) something to support our troops. It doesn't take long to send a card. Here's a website that lists a bunch of ideas on how we can support our troops.
2. Write or call a public official on an issue that is of interest to you.
3. Make or buy a patriotic dessert--if it isn't obvious, explain to the family why it is patriotic. (For example, an apple pie could be considered patriotic with an explanation.)
4. Do a patriotic crossword puzzle with your kids. Here's a rather easy one. Here's a constitution one. Here's one on the U.S. Presidents.
5. Write a journal entry starting with "I am proud to be an American because..." Really put some thought into it.
6. Read stories about great Americans. George Washington gets bullet holes in coat. Ben Franklin. Abraham Lincoln's beliefs.
7. Learn the stories behind great American songs. God Bless America (There will be a blog post on The Star Spangled Banner this week.)
8. Decorate your home with your family with simple patriotic crafts. Construction paper stars in red, white & blue. Make Uncle Sam hats for everyone to wear to dinner.
9. Have dinner table discussions on U.S. symbols, freedoms we have that are not found in other countries, famous Patriots, what is going on in the country right now.
10. Locate patriotic scriptures. Try this one. Or this one. Or, look for scriptures that include freedom symbols, like this one. Discuss with family members or a friend.

11. Read about what it meant when our Founding Fathers pledged their lives, fortune & sacred honor.
12. Sing great songs about America. America the Beautiful, My Country 'Tis of Thee, America (round), The Star Spangled Banner, I Believe in America, etc.

And, here you have one dozen things to do with the family that can take just 5 minutes, but will put a smile on your face.
1. Read a story together.
2. Tell silly jokes.
3. Play charades.
4. Color a page in a coloring book together. (Never too old for this!)
5. Put socks on and slip and slide around up and down the hall together.
6. Trifold a paper. One person draw a head, fold and pass to the next person who draws the body and then pass again for the final person to draw the legs. Open it up and you have a silly creature!
7. Sing a couple of songs.
8. Play Boggle (Only takes 3 minutes per game!)
9. Do dot to dots, mazes or a word search.
10. Have a tickle fight.
11. String cheerios for a necklace and give to a little kid.
12. Have a paper airplane throwing contest.

When you have completed your Fun for 5 venture for the day, come back here and leave a comment for a chance to win a prize. To easily get back here, click the picture of the “America map” on the top right sidebar.

FAQ's
Why are you putting this on your blog? I thought of doing each month mostly so that I can make myself do this. By putting it on my blog, I give myself some accountability. Besides that, I thought someone else might want to join me in doing this. :)

What do I do? Aha! Good question! My idea for you is this:
**Decide to join me.

**Do it.
**Report back here and leave a comment (or email me at blog@completelee.com) letting me know “I did it!”
** Repeat the process!
**Yes, you can repeat an idea that you have already done!

What about prizes? If you follow those steps, I will willingly lavish praise upon you as well as enter you in to a drawing to win one of these items: {If you win, you choose the item you want.}

~~My “Storyoni” game (The hilarious imagination game that our family hates to quit playing.)~~My “Out of the Mouths of Babes” book (digital version only)
~~$5.00 worth of digital publications (See what you might want here)

{If you have a prize you would like to donate to the cause, let me know!}

How many times can I be entered in to the drawing? For this series, you can be entered as many times as there are days in the month. My goal is to do one of these things every day. If you really, really, really, really want to win a prize, you can also refer your friends and family members to this contest. If you can get them to leave a comment on my blog stating your name (or blog name) as the person who referred them, you will be entered in again 5 more times!

Why 5 minutes? This is an easy question. I am busy! I don’t have time for more stuff, but 5 minutes out of my day seems do-able.

Any questions? Please ask away!

"How to Raise a Non Picky Eater" by Mama Rika

2009-07-01T19:45:00.001-07:00

Getting kids to eat healthily is easiest when you make it a focus from their earliest years. Here are some tips that have worked for me in getting my children to be good eaters. {Truth be told, I may have done too good of a job! They eat just about anything and everything in sight and do so constantly!}

Step 1

I suppose it is perfectly obvious that the first step should be to set a good example of healthy eating yourself!

Step 2

Starting from when your child is introduced to solid foods, make it a habit to feed him or her healthy things. Don't feed babies and toddlers sugar laden, artificially flavored cereals to snack on. Choose toasted O's, puffed rice, puffed corn and similar products as finger foods.

Step 3

As the child grows, encourage him/her to try a variety of foods. In fact, the rule at our house is that everyone must try new foods. Our world has a rich supply of delicious & healthy foods to tempt our palates. Don't limit the things you serve. If you don't like peas, your child might anyway!

Step 4

If a child eats something and claims to not like it, simply say, "Thank you for trying. Your taste buds aren't grown up enough yet. Maybe next time you will like it." This becomes true as a child that continues to try foods over and over, they will discover that they actually do like something that they originally thought they didn't like. We have proven this time and time again at my house.

Step 5

We have a rule at our house that applies to those that understand it. Everyone can choose one item to put on their "list". If that item is on your list, you don't have to eat it. Mom and Dad both have something on their list too. You have to guard against people trying to change the item on their list every time something new is served. If you notice a child claiming different foods are on their list each time they come to the dinner table, remind them they have to stick with what they chose. If they chose spinach, but then decide that they hate cabbage instead, then the next time spinach is served, they must eat the spinach! This rule allows a little leeway so that the try everything rule is not so strict!

Step 6

Allow snacks between meals, only if the child ate his/her regular meal. If the regular meal didn't get eaten, cover it and put it in the fridge. When snack time rolls around, pull out the covered plate and allow the child to eat that before eating anything else. Explain that we don't want to waste food.

Step 7

In our home, the kids can eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as snacks. If they want something else, they should ask first.

Step 8

Bring home unusual foods on occasion. Scope out the exotic fruit, try cashew butter, find a way to cook acorn squash, etc. Be excited yourself about trying the new item. Ask everyone's opinion of the new food and discuss what was liked and not liked about the item. Was the texture funny but the flavor good? Do you think it would be good served in a different way?

Step 9

Have fun with food! Create cute snacks. Have a dinner with a theme. Try eating food from a foreign country after reading about it. Pretend to eat as if you were a royal princess or some other character.

Step 10

Always eat together as a family as much as possible! Not only does this promote healthy family relationships, it allows younger family members to mimic the older ones healthy eating habits. It is a great way to be able to encourage your children in choosing good foods. Making time to eat together implies sitting around the kitchen table, rather than grabbing food and rushing out the door. Sitting down and eating in a relaxed and fun environment helps allow your body to properly digest food.

This post is obviously not all inclusive. You will need to tweak things to work for your family. I believe by implementing the steps I outlined, children will eat better, but it isn't a completely fool proof plan!

So, that's some things I do. What do you do?

Mama Rika's Family Travel Kit FREE for 24 Hours Only!

2009-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

I am a planner. I organize, plan and prepare, probably excessively. This can work to your advantage, though! You can get the benefits of all my planning without going through the hassle of doing it yourself!

Since I have kids that run the whole range from adult to baby, and I am a very frugal person, I modestly consider myself an expert in the field of family travel--fun & cheap. The travel kit I am offering is surely the most comprehensive one around.

Sitting in the car for long periods of time can drive a person crazy, but it can also offer many memorable experiences. I remember road trips growing up where Mom provided coveted snacks and Dad sang along with us in stirring renditions of "You Are My Sunshine". I recall trips with my kids where we got started on something silly and everyone couldn't stop laughing--like when we experienced the "road that never ends", or the tiny tot who kept making us "smile for the camera".

Included in my Family Travel Kit are:

1. A complete packing list for the whole gang that can be tailored to your individual family.

2. A snack food suggestions page for things that are good to eat and entertain in the car.

3. A comprehensive what-to-do-before-you-leave list.

4. Entertainment lists for babies & toddlers, young children, and older children & adults. These are NOT just ordinary ideas that are found on other websites that supposedly offers ideas to entertain kids in the car. Bring along the right toys, games, and objects that will entertain. These are tested and tried ideas that work!

5. A scavenger hunt template for your road trip.

6. Suggestions and tips on how to save money on meals while traveling, including what you can make and bring with you and making the most of eating out.

7. More than 60 fun songs for the road that you can load onto your .mp3 player, zune, ipod, laptop, or burn to CD.

8. An audio recording made especially to entertain babies & toddlers.

9. A couple of dramatic readings of stories for the kids to enjoy.

Caution!!--these paragraphs are going to sound like one of those obnoxious used car sales ad. Hmmm. Maybe not quite that bad. Skip ahead if you want, read on, if you dare!

Do you and your kids get bored on long road trips? Are you tired of hearing fighting in the car? Ever wonder what to do to entertain a baby who is tired of being strapped in a carseat? Want to get the kids doing something other than video games in the car? Do you want to travel and create fun family memories at the same time? These questions and concerns can all be resolved by obtaining Mama Rika's Family Travel Kit!

This travel kit is priceless, but I'm going to say it has a retail value of JUST $99.99! {Pretend that all these words that are presented in a different colors are actually flashing annoyingly.}Not only that, it is yours for FREE!!

Did you hear me? Yes, I said

FREE!

FREE!!

FREE!!!!! {again, think flashing neon sign here}

So, what are you waiting for? HURRY! Go get it now!!

And, here is the fine print: This offer is good for a limited time only. After the expiration date of this offer, the product can be had for a low price, still a signifcant savings and incredible value! If for some reason you don't get anything good out of this kit, the sole cause for fault is completely and utterly yours. I am not liable in any fashion, way, shape or form for your misuse/disuse of the kit. Failure to obtain Mama Rika's Travel Kit could result in hairloss due to travel stress, extreme noise levels within the vehicle, sick children, fighting, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. Driver's licenses are required by law to operate the family vehicle.

Click here to get your Mama Rika's Family Travel Kit now. Don't delay downloading it, because it is only available for free for this limited time. The free link will disappear 24 hours after this blog post has posted! Send your family and friends here to get their own too. They'll thank you for it. In the trial versions I have given out, I've gotten back feedback like, "Terrific!" "Awesome!" "Wow!" and "Great!"

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU!

Please feel free to share your awesome ideas for travel in the comments section!

DEADLINE EXTENDED on Mama Rika's Travel Kit

2009-06-30T19:22:00.002-07:00

Apparently people are having download problems with the kit, so I contacted youpublish (the file hoster) to see how to get it fixed. I will keep the download available for free until I can figure out how to resolve the problem. I may switch to another file host if necessary. Sorry for problems. Thanks for patience.

"Lead Kindly, Light" Marika Lee's Hymn & Scripture Study Sundays

2009-06-27T22:00:00.002-07:00

This week’s song is “Lead, Kindly Light". Click here for music.

Scriptures for this song:
Psalm 43:3
Psalm 119:133-135

Various facts:
Text by John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Music by John B. Dykes (1823-1876)

The story with the song:
John Henry Newman, a Roman Catholic Priest, penned the lines to this hymn after he had been ill and unable to return to England. He lamented this fact because he felt that he needed to get to England to do some work. After spending three weeks attending various churches and travelling in Italy, trying to get home, he was able to spend a calm week. After this week, he wrote the words to Lead, Kindly Light.

John B. Dykes became the assistant organist for his grandfather's church when he was only 10. He wrote many sermons and religious texts throughout his life, but he was most known for having written over 300 hymn tunes.

I am doing a little research online to find these things out. I also have a book entitled "Our Latter-day Hymns The Stories and the Messages" by Karen Lynn Davidson from which I am finding information on these songs. If you want more info, the aforementioned book and the Internet search engines can get you much more than the little bit I shared.

Did you Journal for 5 today?

"Life is Like a Fairy Tale" Says Makiavelli

2009-06-23T18:20:00.002-07:00

We've been reading a lot of old fairy tales from the Brother's Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, and others. There are stories of success, sadness, impossibilities, failure, thoughfulness, thoughtlessness, vanity, overcoming, and many more things that we see in our own lives and the lives of those with whom we come in contact.

I am very inclined to believe that the majority of fairy tales that have ever been written have been done so with the intent that we can learn something from them. I think they give us opportunities to talk with our children about important things in life. We can question which characters they would like to emulate. Do they understand that some people may try to deceive them? Do they believe in themselves, in their dreams, in the goodness of others. Do they understand that hard work pays off? Etc. Etc.

No wonder bedtime stories are such an important part of life. Fairy tales are awesome. :)

For your enjoyment, here are a couple of audio recordings by our family. These fairy tales are told in an animated fashion by our family and a couple of friends. Each character in the story has his or her own unique personality and voice.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (Free)
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids by the Brother's Grimm ($.69)

Put these delightful tellings on your mp3 player, ipod, zune, or whatever you have. It is a great way to entertain kids in the car, at home, or wherever you may be! (Truth be told, it is entertaining for grown-ups too!)

We had so much fun doing these that we will be making more. I'll keep you posted.

Mama Rika--Funny Stuff

2009-06-22T19:00:00.002-07:00

This is what happens to your face when you try to drink a smoothie that is realllllly thick, without using a straw!
This is what happens when there is a princess in the house...

This is what happens when the princess tries to gain converts.

This is what happens when one of your best buddies has a horse. (And it isn't funny, but it sure is cute.) ;)

Sport Maki Promotes Free Bowling for Kids!

2009-06-22T07:17:00.003-07:00

Just thought I would share this helpful hint:

This site offers two free games everyday for the summer to kids 15 and under at many bowling centers across the country! What a great deal! You can also purchase a family pass for $23.95 that allows up to 4 adults to participate in the two games every day deal.

If you are going to participate in our National Virtual Bowling League this summer, this is a greatway to help you cut down on the costs of bowling for the whole family.