Wordless Wednesday...Shark Tales!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit www.5minutesformom.com

Cherish Bound National Convention Has Arrived!

Well, I'm heading out tomorrow morning for 5 days! Cherish Bound's annual convention has finally arrived and I'm so ready for it. I'm 100% exhausted and can't believe I actually got myself packed and ready to go before midnight. I even got my five kids and and hubby all situated and ready for the rest of the week. I'm a lucky girl...my husband rocks! He's attempting to work at home with 18-month-old twins, 3 kids in school on different bus schedules, soccer and softball practices and even 2 soccer tournaments in Orlando over the weekend! Please pray for my family...that daddy survives this week!

I can't wait to report back on Monday about all the amazing announcements, new books and products that will be released and hopefully some great contests so you can win some free Cherish Bound goodies!

Here are some links to the great festival we'll be attending during our convention.

Mt. Timpanogos Storytelling Festival
www.timpfest.org

Remembering Kindergarten

This rite of passage comes far to quickly! It feels like yesterday baby #3 arrived and he'd be at home with me forever! As fast as this much anticipated event arrived, I know it will go by even faster as I immerse myself in the normal daily routines and schedules. And not just for me, but for my son too. Life changes every day for a kindergartner.

The first few days were down right pathetic. He's taller than your average kindergartner, looks like he's heading into the 2nd grade or so and probably comes across as a "tough guy". But don't let it fool you....days one, two, and three, were a pretty sad sight. Anxiety the night before, crying all the way to the bus stop. It was a mother's nightmare, but luckily for me, he's #3 of five so my skin is a little thicker than your average first time mom. But man, that sad little face pressed up against the bus window just about did me in. It was bad enough that the bus driver actually honked to get me to turn around, opened the door for him to give me one last hug. It was priceless. I tried not to giggle because he was focused and trying really hard to be "all growned up", but he was just too cute.

Today started the second week and in just seven days he's made an entire 180! Woke up a few minutes early, got ready without a tear, and ran to the bus stop excited for his day to begin. I was pleased and relieved, but it also reminded me that time is going to fly by. If I don't capture his stories fresh with emotion (and my own memories) right now, it'll be too late. The stories will either change and not be capture correctly or we'll just never get to it.

Remembering Kindergarten can seem like a daunting task, but following a few easy steps and tips will help you capture those most important memories and stories straight from the kindergartner. I see too many times "mom's" version of the story, and while I think we should have some say, it's their version that is the most memorable. It's their version of the story that is real. No mother can retell a story like a kindergartner can.

5 Easy Steps for Remembering and Capturing Kindergarten Memories

1. Keep all photos in a file on your computer labeled Kindergarten

2. Keep ONE small plastic bin for favorite art work, writing samples, etc. These bins get full quick, so let your kindergartner pick their favorites each month. You can pick a few too if you really need to, but let them pick their favorites. It's their memories! Scan them as you pick the favorites so they're already stored and edited in your picture folder.

3. Start writing down the stories NOW! Don't wait. Keep a note book or a document file in your picture folder on your computer that you can write or type funny sayings, stories or events right when they happen. Details fade after a while. And get your kindergartner's version of the story as well.

4. Ask him questions. What are his favorites? Who are his friends? What is he learning? And so on and so on....these will change from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Find out the answers to these and other questions now. If you need some ideas, Cherish Bound has a great Story Starter just for kids called "My School Days". You can interview your child and write the answers right there in the book.

5. At the end of the school year you're organized and ready to published your child's first year of school in a beautiful hardbound book. Compile all the photos, classwork & art, and stories in digital format. Drag and drop everything into a Cherish Bound book for publication.

I can promise you that these memories will stay alive forever if you preserve the stories, get your child involved in the process and publish them in a Cherish Bound book. The smile on his face will be priceless! There's nothing better than watching your own child hold a book all about them, written by them, just for them!

A True Hero!

I've been glued to the TV watching the Olympics these past few weeks. I LOVE "The Games"! I can't even explain the excitement my family and I have as we watch each event, game, and match. The thrill is so energizing and even more so because we know it'll be four more years until we get to witness these amazing athletic gods and goddess.

Today a story came on about a Swedish Olympian, Eric Liddell. Eric Liddell's story, was made into the film, Chariots of Fire. He was a runner who took gold in the 1924 Olympics and then devoted his life to teaching and missionary work in China.

I have seen the movie, but it's been YEARS! I'm not that old, but I remember watching it as a kid once maybe twice. I didn't put the movie and the name together until today as I watched his amazing story on NBC.

His Olympic story is incredible! His success as an athlete is amazing. But what really made an impact on me was this man's integrity and character. His story is one worth learning about. As you read his story you'll get some back history on him and why he was in China and what he was doing there when he was put into a Japanese prison camp in 1943. I'm not going to ramble on and tell you his story....I can do it no justice. Click the links and read his story!

NBC had interviewed one of his daughters and some other people that were in the prison camp with him. They talked about him with such peace and honor. I could see in their eyes their love for him. One woman's interview stood out. She was a child in the camp and described how horrible it was. There were families in there, Chinese as well as other nationalities all living together in filth and desperation. But she told how Liddell create a routine, traditions, connections and bonds. He helped these children and families survive through simple traditions!! She said it gave them a sense of peace and something to look forward to in these horrible conditions. His guidance through these traditions gave them hope, and they felt reassured and secure because as they suffered in this camp they still felt like they had "something". They had a traditions and routines to keep them close together and ultimately helped them survive until the Americans came to the rescue.

Sadly, Liddell died in the prison camp from a brain tumor five months before they were liberated, but his story lives on quietly and powerfully to those who hear his message and inspiration. I'm a believer in traditions and how they can heal and bond a family...and even a prison camp. There is truly a power in traditions and story.

Family First

Today is my first post at www.mykidsblog.blogspot.com I'm a guest blogger on Fridays for this great blog. My Friday blog posts are all about "Family First"! Go check it out!

Wordless Wednesday

Way-too-cool-teens enjoying the "kiddy" rides!

For more Wordless Wednesday visit www.5minutesformom.com

Tuesday Tradition #28

When I was in grade school every day at lunch I would open my lunch box and find a "love note" from my mom. I remember vividly the smile it would put on my face. It was exciting to find a sweet little note every day from my mom. EVERY SINGLE DAY from kindergarten to 6th grade my mom would write a simple note written with a black Sharpie on my napkin.

Middle school (we called it Jr. High) came and my mom had to go back to work so I had to start making my own lunches and the notes for the most part stopped. She'd still sneak in one here and there, but it wasn't the same as grade school. I've made sure that I carried on this simple tradition with my kids. Since my ninth grader started kindergarten she got letters on her napkins and the tradition carried on down the line to her sister. Those two are "all grown up" and are in high school and middle school and so buying lunch is the cool thing to do now. So my little notes are not as often as I wish, but I still sneak one or two in their backpacks, pencil pouches or folders.

Well, my son has started kindergarten and the tradition begins again. Monday was his first day of school and I could see a little anxiety as he boarded the bus for the very first time. He had "the look", but I knew he'd be okay. I was certain he'd be well taken care of, make some new friends, color a picture or two and probably play on the playground a few times. When I went to meet him at the bus stop to pick him up he was smiling and happy and so excited to tell me about his day. I asked him, "So what was your favorite part about your first day of kindergarten?" And you know what he said, "Your note you wrote on my napkin." AHHH! I actually forgot I had done that, but my heart melted when he said that to me.

He said he couldn't read it so he asked the teacher to read it to him. He grabbed my hand as we started for home and said, "I love you too mommy, just like the note." I asked him about anything else that happened during his day and he proceed to tell me that he was a little shy, but had lots of fun on the playground, of course. It seemed after lunch his day started to get better and better and I guess I'd like to hope that my little "love note" helped him along his way.

Lunch boxes are the perfect place to remind our kiddos that we're thinking about them, rooting for them and always there for them. Here are some simple ideas for lunch box surprises!

• Handwritten love notes on their napkins
• Baseball card or collector card
  
• Sticker
  
• Birthday card on their birthday
• Sticky note congratulating them the previous night's sports successes
• Post Card from a vacation they just too or a vacation they're going on
• Lunchbox Lovenotes from Parents.com I LOVE these!
• Get dad involved and let him write a note
• Apology note from sibling
• Need some help! Lunch Box Letters: Writing Notes of Love and Encouragement to your children. Great book!

Making the Most of Fay

Well, so much for my exciting week of schedule and back to school! Miss Fay has thrown that right out the door. One day of school down and now this wet and windy storm has forced me sweet children home for ONE MORE DAY! Yes, I'm smiling........

I've been thinking about what we'll do if the seven of us are stuck in this house with no electricity, no air conditioner and limited use of all our luxuries. At first a small panic attack started to settle in, but then I realized I can make this a total nightmare or have some fun with it! Yes, we get another 36 hours of bonding!

We went and did a last minute grocery run to make sure we have all the necessities to survive a less-than-36-hour lock down. Grabbed a 10 pound bag of chocolate chips, 2 cases of soda, a few bags of chips and popped pop corn, and a few other yummy treats. We baked some cookies when we got home, charged all the portable DVD batteries and we're having a PAR-TAYYY! We're definitely going to be making some memories in this house. Fay might cause a ruckus outside, but inside it's even crazier at our house! We've got all the games out and treats and we're ready to make some memories.

For some CRAZY-STRANGE reason, I feel blessed to spend time with my family, but I feel even more blessed because this "hurricane" could be much worse. I started thinking about Katrina and other horrible hurricanes that have ripped through the south and I've gained a better appreciation for the blessings that I have and the safety that I feel. This could have been so much worse. So what!....we have to sit and play games and eat junk food for 24 hours. Woopy! I'm just grateful we're in our home, with each other, safe and sound.

See y'all later! It's time to have some Family Fun! A new family tradition in the making....

Family Goal!

We're down to hours until school starts! Schedules and organization will once again thrive within the walls of my home....well, sort of. My version of schedules and organization are probably slightly different than the average mom. But hey, a little crazy is good, right?

During summertime we always get away from our weekly family time. You'd think with no sports and commitments we'd stay on track and be diligent about our weekly family night. But nope, total chaos takes over and I don't think all 7 of us have been home at the same time for over a month!! So as a family we're setting ONE goal! To make sure we continue our tradition of setting Sunday night aside for just us! Nothing else, but the 7 of us gathered around for some good company, fun activities, & yummy treats. We also use our Sunday nights to update our weekly family schedule....who has what practice at what time, who's driving, what's for dinner. Pretty much the who, what, when, where, whys and hows of the week. With 7 of us on different schedules we have to have some sort of plan.

So this is our family's highest priority/goal, get back on our Sunday night family! I'd love to hear what your family's goal or goals are for the new school year. Do share! We can all use good ideas, better organization tips and it's fun to see other families that are crazy like mine!

Wordless Wednesday..."What is wrong with him," she said.

For more Wordless Wednesday visit www.5minutesformom.com