Family Matters with Amber

Fun Friday: Good Moms Vs Great Moms

2013-05-17T07:59:00.000-04:00

Leukodystrophy and Krabbe Disease (Video interview with Natasha Spencer Witczak)

2013-05-15T00:00:00.001-04:00

If you read my first post about Kenan Spencer Witczak, you might want to know more about Krabbe Disease. You may also want to understand what Leukodystrophy is.

My hope this month is to help raise more awareness about what is happening to Kenan and for people to spread the word about the disease and the need for required testing. Please learn more about Kenan's family at Kisses for Kenan.

Kenan and his big sister Tamsen

The following is an overview of what happens to a child with Krabbe Disease

(this information is from the Hunter's Hope website):

Amercian College of Medical Genetics Krabbe Disease ACT SHEET for Medical Professionals

Signs & Symptoms (Infantile)
Symptoms usually begin at two to six months of age. The average age of death is 13 months.

-Kenan showed signs at 6 mos. with regression in milestones)

Stage One:
General irritability (excessive crying), stiffness, arrest of motor and mental development, loss of previously attained milestones, difficulty in feeding, and seizures.

Many babies in Stage One Krabbe Disease are misdiagnosed with colic, reflux, food/milk allergy, or even cerebral palsy.
-He was officially diagnosed at 8 mos.

Stage Two:
Children may have severe arching of the back, jerking of the arms and/or legs, more severe and rapid deterioration of mental and motor function, generally fed through a tube.

-Read about Kenan's life experiences and current stages on Natasha's blog

Stage Three:
Children lose mental and motor function, become deaf and blind, unable to move or speak.

-Kenan cannot see, but he can hear

Later onset Krabbe Disease, while less common, delays the onset of neurological symptoms until middle childhood, adolescence or adulthood.

-Kenan was given one year to live. He is now two.

Hear Natasha speak during a July 20, 2012, Chicago abc7 news interview.

Read my Lake County Kids News-Herald column about

how Kenan's mother, Natasha Spencer, inspires me.

Thank you for reading and please share this post with someone you know.

What My Mother's Day Looked Like (Video)

2013-05-13T00:00:00.001-04:00

I hope that you took some time for yourself to rejuvenate this Mother's Day.
I did, and this is what mine looked like:

Each Mother's Day I have a few things which are routine- I try to plant flowers, spend the day with my kids and scrapbook. What made this Mother's Day unique was that my sweet children worked very hard to add lot's more wonderful elements into the day. It was one of the best Mother's Days. I actually sat down and watched TV for the first time since the Superbowl...

(Album made with My Memories Suite digital scrapbooking software- try it- go to the Family Matters with Amber home page and click on the coupon link to get $10.00 off! These pages were made today, they are super simple, very basic. I love the program because it's easy and has many more options I haven't even tried yet- it's all customizable!)

A FREE MOTHER'S DAY CARD FOR YOUR MOM! (PLUS A FREEBIE FOR HER!)

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

You changed my diapers

You drove me to games

You went through some lists

To pick out my name!

You bathed me and fed me

From the time I was small

I’m so grateful to you

You’ve sure done it all!

From cooking and cleaning

To nursing my cuts

You’re truly the best

No “ifs” “ands” or “buts”!

Happy Mother’s Day Mom

I cherish each minute

And feel lucky in life

That I’ve got you in it!

In lieu of Mother's Day, I have partnered with a friend of mine who writes personalized poems.
Her name is Deb Solyan from Iambicchic.com and she wrote this one for you to share with your mom!

The best part about this?

The 1st 3 moms who contact her,

she will make a FREE Personalized Poem (signed, sealed AND delivered)

to whomever they choose!

Send this to your mom, tell her to contact Iambicchic via e-mail, order her card online, then receive a confirmation and a full refund for their card once the card is sent!

FUN FRIDAY: Mother's Day Reminiscing (graphic)

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Mother With Kids" from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This week I received the following email from a fellow mother. It was sent as a tribute and Happy Mother's Day wish.

It was a tear jerker for sure, but it was also a very graphic reminder of what I (and many other moms) have gone through...but we keep on truckin'.

A universal Mother's Day poem, because it addresses 'every' mother, no matter her parenting style or experiences...I think you'll appreciate it and I sure hope you'll pass it on. The author is not the woman who sent it to me, but credit is given to the true author at the end.

To Mothers

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay, honey, Mommy's here."

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars.

And that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and meant it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand)mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college or have their own families.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14-year-olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shootings.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their children who just came home from school safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation... And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us...

Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can.

Tell them every day that we love them. And pray and never stop being a mom.

Please pass along to all the moms in your life.

"Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."

Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know. (I just

did!)

Received from FranCMT2

A Day in the Life of Kenan

2013-05-06T00:32:00.003-04:00

Kenan making strides in physical therapy

In my May column I wrote about Natasha. An Illinois mother who truly inspires me. Her son has Krabbe disease and will not live as full a life like it's so often anticipated for a two year old. He was a healthy baby when they brought him home in February of 2011, but about eight months later, he began to show signs that something was wrong.

Dann and Natasha are waiting out the ride, (not as a parent with a special needs child, but parents who have no idea which day will be Kenan's last).

As a mother, I have a lot on my plate time-wise, emotionally, financially and otherwise. But Natasha and her husband have so much more.

I’ve spoken with Natasha on several occasions to learn more about Kenan’s disease; how they live their lives and face the challenges. She is an inspiring woman. Not only does Natasha still have the passion to parent, but she is always willing to set aside time to talk about Krabbe and Kenan in an effort to raise awareness of the disease (1 in 150,000 children will have Kenan’s disorder) for which there is currently no mandated testing or screening. Kits are available online at Huntershope.org With one simple heel prick, a child can be screened for over 60 diseases at birth, regardless of state legislation. (These are not currently covered by insurance.)

To give you a glimpse into their daily routine here is:

A Day in the Life of Kenan:

3:00 a.m. Good Morning: Kenan wakes. Natasha is on duty first with him. She’ll give him Pedialyte via his G-tube which they found hydrates him. Kenan lost his ability to swallow and take food by mouth early on in the disease. He was given a g-tube (button in his belly that allows liquid food to be delivered while bypassing the mouth and esophagus.) This time in the morning is Kenan’s roughest of the day because after being asleep for seven or eight hours his chest is gunked up with congestion. Natasha will do chest therapy; pounding on his chest, repositioning him, trying to get him cleared up. When she is done, she will lay with him and run her fingers through his hair. Before the disease progressed they used to play, but now they tend to use their time in bed in the mornings to cuddle or catch up on sleep. If Kenan falls back asleep Natasha is able to use her laptop to do bookkeeping for their fine art installation business. She will correspond with clients, send emails or do invoicing. She might even catch up with fellow Leukodystrophy families via social media.

6:30 a.m.: Kenan gets The Vest treatment, which is one of the best therapies he has right now. His torso is wrapped up in a sling that is connected to a machine via tubing. This machine inflates the sling with air that pulsates and shakes his torso, clearing out any accumulated congestion (similar to a machine used for Cystic Fibrosis). He receives this three times a day, for fifteen minutes each, right before mealtime. This will help decrease the risk of respiratory infections. Colds can make him worse, but so far he’s only had one major episode. Natasha and Dann feel it is because of this constant treatment.

7:00 a.m.: Medications and breakfast begin via his g-tube. Tamsen and Natasha’s husband will be getting up and will get ready for the day. Very similar to most all-American families, it’s the morning rush to get out the door.

7:45 a.m.: Brushing teeth. Kenan has molars and more teeth coming in, so Natasha will massage his gums for about 15 minutes every day. She knows it feels good to Kenan because he cannot chew on toys to relieve that pressure and pain of new teeth like other toddlers. There are many children like Kenan who won’t get their teeth at the normal age range from the lack of pressure that comes from being able to eat food by mouth.

8:15 a.m.: It’s time for learning. ABC’s and counting. Natasha says, “Kenan likes this; I can tell he is intellectually bored so I try to layer as many pieces of information as possible, like saying the letter "B" for ball and then letting him hold a ball.” Kenan’s vision is not100% and suffers from cortical vision impairment (visual impairment that is caused by a brain problem rather than an eye problem). Natasha will try to try to relate sounds by saying them then using Kenan’s fingers and hands to draw or spell the word in the air (like a straight line down then two humps for B). This also acts as physical therapy for Kenan with the stretching motions they use. She will touch one of his fingers at a time while counting ‘one, two, three’. Less than an hour of this and Kenan is wiped out. It’s time for his nap now and hopefully Natasha’s shower. During his nap, he is comfortable and Natasha is grateful that he needs no suctioning. She will make up the beds, fold laundry, return phone calls and do anything else that is small enough to squeeze in while he’s asleep. (Just like most moms.)

10:00am: It varies from day -to-day but Kenan typically gets one of his therapies at this time. Monday he receives Developmental Therapy, Tuesdays are set aside for doctor’s appointments and weekly visits from his hospice nurse, Wednesdays are Music Therapy. Thursdays are Speech and Swallow Therapy and Fridays are Physical Therapy. Each one is designed to stimulate Kenan's senses and body, keeping what abilities he does have as strong as possible. Although an hour of time is dedicated each week to the therapist, Natasha incorporates what she learns from each into Kenan's playtime and daily regime. Using Speech and Swallow as an example, Kenan cannot swallow well enough to take food by mouth but he can handle having tastes of different foods. His therapist has taught Natasha how to safely do this by dipping a Q-tip into juices, sauces and jams, allowing Kenan to experience the world of food and flavors. This is something they do alongside each one of Kenan's meals.

11:00 am: If the weather permits they take a walk to the local playground. Kenan has always loved swinging on the swings. Friends called and the City of Chicago installed a special cradle swing so that Natasha can comfortably and safely hold Kenan in her lap. During the winter months when going outside isn’t an option, Kenan could spend the next hour in his stander. A piece of equipment that is probably the most crucial in the prevention of morbidity. Kenan gets to experience his body in complete head-to-toe vertical alignment allowing him to bear weight comfortably, strengthening his muscles and set his joints. Gravity now can affect his vital organs so that they can rest in what’s meant to be their intended alignment.

12:00 noon -Lunch: Again begins the routine of fifteen-minute machine therapy to clear out any congestion followed by another feeding. One thing which stays the same is that Kenan has daily visits with a nurse. Monday through Friday for four hours at a time a nurse comes into their home; freeing Natasha up to do things like go to the store, complete tasks or errands, spend time with Tamsen, return phone calls, deal with Medicaid, read/reply to emails and address any client issues. Like any mother, it’s difficult for Natasha to leave Kenan. It could just be separation anxiety for both of them, but Natasha also carries the additional fear that Kenan may take his last breath while she is away. But, also like many other moms, she must carry on with our daily tasks and put the worry away, knowing that they make the time they do spend together very special. Natasha knows that she has to take care of herself too and like most moms who put ourselves last, she must remember the airplane flight attendant’s speech when she instructs us to put our own oxygen mask on first. The nurses are there to help her. So she will have her twenty minutes of alone time in the car before she picks Tamsen up from school and she will address other things needing her attention…all the while she will be thinking about getting back to her baby. Incidentally, Kenan will also be thinking about her coming back. Because, as any two year old would be anxious to see their mommy, Natasha says she can tell when she arrives home and Kenan hears her voice, he is happy she has returned (he cannot see much at this point, but he can hear her).

3:00pm: Stander time once again. At this point Kenan's older sister Tamsen (4yrs.) is home. This has developed into her special time with her brother. The apparatus puts the two of them and the same height and, for the most part, allows Kenan to be independent of an adult. They play, draw and dance together.

4:00pm: Massage (to promote muscle relaxation and circulation) and bath time.

Dinner Time: Dann will be arriving home; Kenan will have another treatment on his machine and get his medications again (there are numerous meds throughout the day). Kenan will sit on Natasha’s lap for dinner and enjoy "tasting" with the rest of the family.

Bedtime: Dann is on duty now and will read, sing songs and lay with Kenan depending on how Kenan is feeling. Dann will stay with Kenan until he falls asleep. Daddy will get about 5.5 hours of sleep each night before he wakes up to head out to work in the morning (mommy will average about the same amount of sleep each night).

In the meantime, Natasha will also be helping Tamsen get ready for bed. It’s bath time, story time, etc. When everyone is settled in, mom will do maintenance on the machines and medical paraphernalia; cleaning 50 syringes, washing the food pump and bag.

Two babies, peacefully sleeping now. They were both loved and cared for to the best of Mommy and Daddy’s ability. Mommy and Daddy are very, very, tired now but will get up and do it again tomorrow, because that’s what parents do for their children.

It’s been a good day in the Spencer-Witczak house.

Stay tuned in May for more posts about Natasha's family on Family Matters with Amber.

To read more: go to Kisses for Kenan and Natasha's Blog Kenan Spencer-Witczak

SPECIAL POST: A Mother's Inspring Story

2013-05-03T09:45:00.001-04:00

Please visit County Kids News-Herald to read May's Family Matters with Amber column to read

about a mother who truly inspires me.

Tamsen giving her brother Kenan Kisses (Visit Kisses for Kenan site)

There are two postings today so if you missed today's Fun Friday video click here.

Fun Friday: Don't Parents Wish Kids Were More Like Dogs (Video)

2013-05-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

You could just say "sit!" and they would stay!?

(No such luck) --

Thank you to a very cool youth director,

for making this very cool video, and letting me share it!

And thank you to all the cute little volunteers in the video!

(poor kids):
https://twitter.com/cfetz/status/328252708043751424

Posted by— cfetz (@cfetz)

This video was made using Vine.

Get the Vine App

For Mother's Day, What To Get the Mom Who Has Everything

2013-04-29T07:31:00.000-04:00

FTD Mother's Day Mixed Rose Bouquet

If you're looking for something for a mom who has everything, with no room for something new, don't buy her dust collectors...

Get her flowers!

Unless she's allergic, of course.

I don't think there's a woman on this earth (that I know of anyways) who doesn't smile when she receives flowers. (If the men out there don't believe me, read this.)

Kevin, at J.D. Ballantine's Flowers & Gifts, does flowers well and he does it because he enjoys it!
Running a family owned business, he has a passion for making people happy and creating beautiful arrangements. I trust Kevin's expertise and professionalism. I've used his services on many occasions and I know that no matter what you need, Kevin will create something you'll love. (Ballantine's ships internationally!)

When you call Kevin
mention Family Matters with Amber
and get $10.00 off your $50.00 purchase for Mother's Day!

That's more flowers for less...

Mom would be proud!

CALL Toll Free: 800-582-9275 Local: 440-255-2626

VISIT: 8324 Mentor Ave, Mentor, OH 44060

CLICK: J.D. Ballantine's Flowers & Gifts

Fun Friday: What Dads Can Do While Mom is Shopping!

2013-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

If you are going to be taking your spouse shopping for Mother's Day, you might be looking for something to do (or maybe just feeling a little left out). No worries, I gotcha covered!

While the top one on this list might be difficult to acquire by Sunday, I think it's the best!

Daimler Chrysler Electric Car with a Fun Feature!
Check it out!

Ok, so that one might have been a dream that won't be fulfilled anytime soon.
In the meantime, are some things you can do while the Mrs. uses up her gift cards:

Browse the tool section (make a list of things you want for Christmas, email it to her LATER)
Check out one of the 15 MLB games scheduled
Review the 9 Best Apps for Men by Men's Health (hint-you may need one for the last idea)
Or if those aren't your thing, check out these 19 Super-Fun Free Apps for Dads
Speed Enthusiasts: Sorry. No Nascar race today (yep, probably fixed) but you could check in on your favorite driver, review the Speed.TV schedule for the day or watch some videos
Football Fans get ready with some College FB News / NFL Updates
Need a laugh or a shock? Check out Guzer.com

Hopefully these will keep you busy and remember to keep a smile on your face for her, because when Mommy's not happy, no one's happy.

Stressed Out Moms Need This

2013-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

Moms don't often realize how stressed out they really are until......there's that 'one straw that breaks the camels back'.

I have the perfect thing for her this Mother's Day...

A MASSAGE!

If you live in the Northeastern Ohio area you have a great, trusted resource for massage therapy.

Jen L. Woo is a friend of mine and a licensed massage therapist who knows what she's doing when it comes to setting up the perfect relaxation atmosphere for massage. I have been to Jen and she knows exactly how listen to your needs so she can treat everyone according to their specific pressure preferences. Jen's bedside manner is top notch, you will feel spoiled the moment you walk in the door.

This mother's Day, treat your mom (or Mom- treat yourself;)

To a professional, perfectly tailored massage.

Print this blog post and receive $15.00 off of a regular session 1 hour massage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Hour Personalized Massage

$50.00

(regular price is $65.00)

Call:

Jennifer Woo, LMT for appointment times

(216) 849-3440

(Appointments may be scheduled on day's/times other than Mother's Day)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Love Candles? Mother's Day is Coming!

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day Gifts...

Symmetry Trio by Partylite (letters and fill not included)

Are you sometimes at a loss for what to give you mom?

Mom...are you wondering what you'll get?

There are some things that I've gotten as gifts over the yeas that I will always enjoy- and that's candles.

There is never a moment that I don't like to see them burning, smell their fragrance or enjoy their beauty.

As a busy mom it can be hard for me to find that down time.

Candles burning after a long day gives me some peace and relaxation

(even if I am in the kitchen cooking dinner or helping with homework).

So, if you're searching for something for Mom this mother's day,
get great deals on candles for her

when you visit my friend Kim at Partylite Gifts!

Tomorrow is Earth Day!

2013-04-21T21:31:00.001-04:00

EARTH DAY IS TOMORROW!

photo: treehugger.com

EDUCATE YOURSELF

EDUCATE THE KIDS THROUGH PLAY

EARTH DAY IN THE N EWS

Fun Friday: My Amazon Reviews

2013-04-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

photo Shopping Woman Carrying Shopping Bags courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at freedigitalphotos.net

I HATE SHOPPING.

I might have mentioned that before...

Unless of course it's for shoes, then I'm okay with it-

(as long as I can find my size...I have small feet-ugh).

ANYWAYS, occasionally I do Amazon shopping since it's easier than going to the stores.

Christmas is generally my favorite time to use Amazon.com to shop, but my second favorite reason is I use it for buying (or reviewing) books before I buy them.

I'm not going to spend all day plugging Amazon because I'm pretty sure they do just fine on their own, but I will say this, that just like Netflix, I love having products suggested to me per my likes/dislikes and purchases, and I also appreciate reading reviews on products from others.

So, here are a few reviews I have out there on Amazon (none on shoes sorry)

As I have the time, I will enter a few reviews each month and post them on the Family Matters for you to check out... if I run out maybe you'll just have to share yours!

Have a Fun Friday!

Dads and Divorce

2013-04-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

photo courtesy of Ambro at freedigitalphotos.net

What a fellow Dad has to say about his responsibility after divorce?

A Post on Keeping Positive Today

2013-04-15T00:00:00.001-04:00

I follow Rowdy Kittens and appreciate what the author shares with her readers. Things like being green, living simple, and with less. She writes about a variety of things and one of her recent posts was about Positive Emotions. Short, sweet and quite personal, she offered a few ideas and experiences on how to stay focused on positive emotions while still dealing with things like grief and sadness.

I think you should check it out. She even made a free screen saver to go along with the post which I downloaded today!

Not a mom (at least to children) you might wonder, "How does this woman's post relate to me as a parent?". Well, like the flight attendant who instructs the parent/guardian to take care of themselves first by putting on the oxygen mask first...so they can properly take care of their child....

The same applies here.

Keep yourself positive and you will help your
kids cope better as well.

When we are in a down state emotionally, it's harmful to our kids because it can result in them feeling shut off, shut down or alone. During our worst days we somehow have to figure out how to stay positive. (Don't take that as you should ignore true feelings because like Rowdy Kittens mentioned still -you're human- but find the strength and resources to keep going.)

Because My One Word this year is Positively, I will be infusing more posts which will be somehow link to being positive.

If you're not a parent and visited my blog today and enjoyed it, I'm glad you found something inspiring or motivating to read here. Please pass it on!

Check out my testimonial on the My One Word website

Being a Positive Parent in the New Year

Fun Friday: Questionable Quotes

2013-04-12T00:06:00.000-04:00

"Frankly, I'm fed up with politicians in Washington lecturing the rest of us about family values. Our families have values. But our government doesn’t."

-BILL CLINTON, speech at Democratic National Convention, July 16, 1992

Books vs. EBooks

2013-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

REAL BOOKS VS. DIGITAL READERS

A Family Quote for the Technically Inclined

2013-04-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a big believer that parents should allow their kids (of all ages) participate in group discussions,

idea sharing and decision making...so I thought I'd share this great quote:

Family with two children by Ambro on freedigitalphotos.net

"Family life is not a computer program that runs on its own; it needs continual input from everyone."

~NEIL KURSHAN, Raising Your Child to Be a Mensch

I Like to Throw Things in the Kitchen

2013-04-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

It's true, I do!

But it's definitely not why you think.

I don't throw things in the kitchen out of anger.... I do it for FUN!

We're a family who works hard. Every day we're serious about our routines and responsibilities. So when we have down time (even if it's in the kitchen while Mom's making dinner) I mix it up a bit by throwing things.

Now, most of you moms are probably cringing right now. The golden rule when we were kids was "Don't throw things in the house". But I get bored just like kids can. Besides, life is too short to be serious ALL the time!

Here are some items I like to throw in the kitchen:

Peas (yes, I've been known to start food fights)

Loaf of bread

Crumpled up napkins/paper towels (this is a good one if you want to start out small -and soft)

The mayonnaise (Why not? It's in a plastic container and my kids are good catchers- wouldn't try it with the ketchup though.)

Bag of pretzels

Mustard

Books

Pens/Pencils (okay, I can see how this might be a bit risky)

Plastic cups

Boxes of tissues

A list of things I throw in other areas of the house:

The football (I just can't help myself)

Amount of things we've knocked over due to this practice:

Too many to list

Amount of items broken:

0 (I don't have nick knacks- that might be part of the reason-most things are pretty durable)

Amount of FUN had by all:

LOADS!

Happy Friday and I hope you find

some new ways to have fun with your kids today!

Tips for Kindergarten Readiness and Reading

2013-04-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of africa @ freedigitalphotos.net

Interested in helping your Kindergartener succeed?

Read more at Lake County Kids Magazine: Look up "Family Matters with Amber" page.

From the Early Literacy Website:

I published here the table of contents of The Family Guide to Understanding Early Literacy for two reasons-

1- So that you would know what's in the booklet (and how valuable a resource it is-click here to download)

2- So you would see that it's not as intimidating as you might imagine it to be, with just a page or two per each section, it's laid out for you to be able to use easily

Please check it out, it's simple and informational. (scroll half way down the page and click on 'pdf' next to "A Family Guide to Understanding Early Reading Skills".

Table of Contents
The Importance of Reading....................................................................3
Evaluating Early Reading........................................................................4
What is the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment–Literacy (KRA-L)? ...4
How is the KRA-L given? .......................................................................5
Activities .........................................................................................5
What do the results mean? ....................................................................7
How you can help your child..................................................................7
Frequently asked questions ...................................................................9
Books for parents! ................................................................................10
Answering who, what, when, why and how questions ...............10
Sentence repetition......................................................................11
Rhyming identification .................................................................11
Rhyming production.....................................................................11
Identifying letters of the alphabet ................................................11
Beginning sounds of words .........................................................11
Online resources...................................................................................12

Check out the Literacy Cooperative

April Fools

2013-04-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I AGREE!

Happy Easter

2013-03-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

If you are somewhere with snow... this is cute.

Got Church? Luv Peeps? This is cute too.

Good Fun Friday

2013-03-29T00:00:00.002-04:00

No matter who you are, what you celebrate, believe in or don't believe,

my best wishes to you on this lovely Friday.

I hope it's both Good & Fun.

Fresh crown of thorns courtesy of Lamnee @ freedigitalphotos.net

Very thankful for the many blessings the Lord has given me...Love you Lord. Happy Good Friday. -Unknown

Today we remember God's great love for us. May this day bring new meaning and change in your life! Wishing all Christians a blessed Good Friday. -Unknown

Rabbits for Easter... and More

2013-03-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

Check out this blog we follow. At first, I wasn't too sure how good the content would be, considering the posts are written by Rumpy, but actually...

This week we learned something about:

...endangered big cats....

get this wallpaper for your desktop at wallpapers.free-review.net

And the grown-ups learned about rabbits

(and whether or not you should get your child one for Easter)

Looking for something different to read? Check out Rumpydog.com