Indoor Luau

I definitely think outside the box when it comes to parenting! I strive daily to make the day to day tasks extraordinary. I also like to stretch the imaginations of my children and help them to experience things like no one else!

We had an Indoor Luau at our home! I decorated our home (including filling an inflatable pool) and cranked the heat to 75 degrees. Put out a spread of delicious snacks and drinks. We listened to a Luau inspired playlist I created on www.playlist.com. I asked my children to come out into the kitchen in their bathing suits! They were absolutely puzzled -- once they came out to the kitchen they were streaking with excitement and had a really fun time!

 

What We Ate :

Veggie Platter

Fruit Salad

Cheetos

Swedish Fish

Tropical Colored Cupcakes

 

**Not my healthiest spread, I'll admit! But it was colorful and all of the girls favorites **

 

We also had a tasty punch that looked cool too!

 

What We Drank:

Using clear or a patterned see through cup or glass

Pour 2/3 full with Sierra Mist, Sprite, Seven Up or a bubbly clear soda

Put 2 scoops of any flavored Sherbet ( we used Lime,Orange Lemon).

Finish with a brightly colored straw and drink umbrella.

 

It's bubbles up and tastes great.

Our Decorations:

Everything was purchased from The Dollar Tree Store

-Purple Table Cloth

-2 Tropical Luau Mural

-Palm Tree Decoration

-Palm Tree Inflatable for Pool

-Beach Ball

 

 

We had a wonderful time. This was a great activity because it allowed the girls to try something they had never tried before. They still talk about it! I encourage you to try to try something like this! I understand filling a pool in your kitchen might be a little out of your comfort zone but a bathtub works wonders :-)

 

 

 

Stacey 

 

Spirit Week

It was Red Ribbon week at my daughter's school this week. For those of you who don't know, Red Ribbon week is the largest drug prevention campaign in the country. ( http://www.imdrugfree.com/). During this week children and adults across the country pledge or promise to stay drug-free. At the Primary School in my area children participated in this campaign through Spirit Week.

• Monday all children wore the color red .
• Tuesday was Team Shirt Day to "Team Up Against Drugs".
• Wednesday was Crazy Sock Day to "Sock-It to Drugs"
• Thursday was Hat Day to "Put a Cap On Drugs".
• Friday there was no school because it was Superintendents Day.

Helping your child participate in school events is easy. It helps children connect better to their peers, teachers and have a better sense of community within their school . Don't be discouraged if you don't have the specified items or resources that the school requests. Improvise!

 

For instance if you are child doesn't have a red shirt for wear red day, find another way to tie the color into their attire, i.e. hair ties, shoe laces, socks etc. If you don't have a team shirt. Create your own with fabric paint/ markers and an old t shirt. For crazy socks take a pair of socks, a glue gun and any craft supplies you may have on hand such a ribbon, pom poms, googly eyes etc. My daughter and I were going to create our own socks but we found a perfect pair at the dollar store! Never forget the dollar store-- they have everything and it's only a dollar!

 

Your child will probably have Hat Day every single solitary year. This year my daughter and I started a tradition. We went to the dollar store and bought a pink baseball cap. We brought the cap home and ironed on butterfly appliques. Next year we'll take that same cap and glue on something new and continue this pattern every Hat Day. By the time she graduates she'll have a one of a kind cap that she created over the years. A simple, fun and memorable keepsake.

 

Always encourage your children to be involved. It takes very little and it means so much.

Back to School

Tomorrow is my oldest daughters first day of school, she will be entering Kindergarten. It's a very exciting time for the whole family but it also brings to light how scattered our weekly routine is. I thought I had dinner, bath time and the morning routine pretty mastered. Now I realize with new school start times, bus schedules, packing lunches etc, we will have to come up with a new schedule and new organization. Does this sound like you? I've compiled a handful of tips I plan to use for our new school year.

1. Have a designated place for backpacks, coats and shoes.
2. Layout clothes the night before.
3. Meal plan
4. Have designated bath nights
5. Set the child's bed time back by a half an hour.
6. Communicate.
7. Share tasks with your spouse or partner.
8. Have a back up plan.
9. Check your child's back pack every night.
10. Have fun with it.