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Surely I can't be the only overwhelmed, sleep-deprived, working, blogging, juggling mom who just realized that Father's Day is THIS Sunday?! Good thing I got that gift stuff out of the way when I bought him six new pair of dress socks last week. Ha! As if those count. My husband made it very clear, very early on, that socks were not an acceptable gift for ANY occasion. Somethingabout being traumatized when he was a kid, when he wanted a stupid toy and instead got stupid socks. Only three days away, and yet I'm not stressin'. Why? Because I won't be giving him a purchased gift. No $60 per person brunch. No day of golf. Instead, he gets to make a list.
I confess that I'm the first person to say, "Oh, don't buy me anything. It wouldn't make financial sense." I pay all the household bills. I know this. But I'd also be the first person to sulk if my husband actually listened to me and didn't get me anything. I mean like really pout. And I don't do a very good job of playing it off (to be honest, I don't try). My snide remarks and quivering bottom lip are probably a dead giveaway.
This past Mother's Day, in my attempt to have a truly special day but not spend any money, I created a list of things that had better I wanted to happen that day:
1. Sleep-in. He's pretty good about letting me sleep in normally, so I went easy on him with this one. Basically, take the baby after I nurse her, and wake me when breakfast is ready;
2. Breakfast in bed. Banana pancakes, hash browns, orange juice. He can prepare that in his sleep. Except he won't be sleeping, because he'll be watching the kids;
3. Watch the kids. This includes all diaper changes for the baby, meals, etcetera. Sure, I'll be sitting right there with you and spending quality family time. But, when the baby cries, you don't get to look at me with that "are you going to get her" stare;
4. Keep the kitchen clean all day. I was really proud of myself for coming up with this one. This is the request that probably proved most challenging. But, I definitely deserved it, at least for one day. I have that family that will get a cup from the cabinet and leave the cabinet door wide open; make a sandwich and leave bread crumbs on the counter top immediately after I've washed it down. A clean kitchen is the way to my heart;
5. Neck and back rub for at least 15 minutes. I had to designate a specific amount of time, or the rub wouldn't last through a single tv commercial.
There was a little more, but you get the idea. And you know what? It turned out great. No sulking or pouting. And I'm not just referring to my husband. I felt loved, cherished, nurtured. Best of all, it was free. Although, he may have preferred at some point when he was working from that list, to have just taken me to dinner and given me some SEES candy.
Now it's his turn. Can't wait to see what he comes up with for his free Father's Day wish list. After all, what could he possibly want that he's not already getting?
Uh-oh.
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Recipes and crafts by Laurie Goldrich-Wolf (www.Parents.com)
What makes an Easter egg hunt so irresistible? For adults, there's the fun of hiding dozens of colorful eggs and anticipating the thrill once little ones begin to scurry around searching for treasures and filling their baskets. Our outdoor Easter celebration features simple, delicious egg-themed refreshments and activities for kids of all ages.
Your kids' excitement about the party will be sparked the minute they begin using pastel markers to decorate egg-shaped paper invitations to send to their friends. On the day of the party, hide at least 10 nonperishable eggs for each guest: Plastic ones filled with trinkets work well; we used solid-wood eggs from craftparts.com, painted in springtime colors and then shellacked so they can be stored and reused from year to year. You might want to include one or two metallic or sparkly golden eggs and tell the kids they'll get a special prize for finding them.
Upon arrival, offer each young guest a straw basket. Give the littlest participants a 60-second head start to find eggs "hidden" in plain sight. At the end of the hunt -- which may take only a few minutes once kids get moving! -- award as many prizes as you can think of: for the golden egg, the greatest number of eggs, the most eggs of the same color, and other fanciful categories, making sure every child gets a treat. Prizes can include tiny plush bunnies and chicks, stickers, notepads, and decorative eggs. FOR MORE GREAT EASTER IDEAS, INCLUDING GAMES AND MENUS, GO TO Parents.com
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Who: St. Patrick was a patron saint, who traveled through Ireland setting up monasteries, schools, and churches, for over 30 years.
What: St. Patrick's Day was originally a Catholic holy day, but has since evolved into a secular holiday with parades, chocolate coins, and beer drinking (uh, feel free to leave out that little tidbit).
Where: The holiday began in America in 1737, when it was first celebrated in Boston.
When: We celebrate the holiday on March 17th, the day St. Patrick died.
Why: People wear green as a tribute to Ireland, the Emerald Isle. Another symbol of the holiday is the shamrock, which St. Patrick supposedly used to explain the Trinity: the three leaves of the shamrock represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. It has been suggested that St. Patrick's Day has become so popular in the U.S. because it occurs a few days before the first day of spring.
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My mother has always been the best gift-giver. I'm not embarrassed to say that at forty years old, with a loving hubby and many friends, I still look most forward to presents from mommy (OK, maybe I am little embarrassed). Valentine's is no exception. I remember when I was away at an internship, and mom mailed a special Valentine's gift package. It was filled with enough treats to share with my colleagues, which gave me the opportunity to brag about her thoughtfulness and generosity -- kinda like I'm doing now. It's easy to think of Valentine's as just a "Hallmark holiday." Set side the corny cupids and instead let Saturday serve as a reminder for a special expression of love to your family. Doesn't need to be expensive. Doesn't need to rate on the Martha Stewart scale of creativity. It just needs to be. And in the hustle-bustle of our busy lives, sometimes we need a little reminder, or even a big fat nudge. Thanks, Hallmark.
Lovely Family Traditions by Jen Klein
Making a nice meal for the whole family can be a great way to celebrate the day as a family, and it doesn't have to be dinner. One friend likes to make a fresh fruit salad and cranberry muffins every Valentine's day for breakfast, while another makes special lunches. The kids can help make a nice dessert for the occasion, too. If your special meal is dinner, don't forget that mom and dad can still have some quiet romantic time after the kids go to bed...READ MORE
How are you planning to celebrate with your family? Any new traditions? Share your comments.
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Celebrate English tea culture with a jolly good marketplace, tea tastings, delectable sweets and savouries, workshops, music, interactive installations, raffle prizes, other surprises and plenty to do for kids and adults alike
+Santa Monica Playhouse Actors' Repertory Theatrewill perform their internationally acclaimedALICE AND THE WONDERFUL TEA PARTYfor ONE performance only at 6:30pm.A pun-derful musical for the entire family!
Festival tickets: $10 (FREE for children under 12)
Performance tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children 2-12All-inclusive day pass: $15 for adults (includes both festival & performance)
Plus $1 - $3 for goodies & workshops (proceeds to benefit Electric Lodge)
info: 310.699.7271 tix: 800.838.3006 or www.kulovteafest.com
We strongly recommend that you get your tickets in advance, especially since the performance by the Santa Monica Playhouse is bound to sell out! This year, all of the advance ticket sales are handled by Brown Paper Tickets.
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Trying to go out with your honey for some adult fun on Valentine's, but nowhere to leave the kiddies? Even Grandma has romantic plans for the evening? Drop the kids off at Fairies & Dragons, and get your groove back, mama...at least for a few hours. Hopefully you'll have something exciting to share with the other moms at carpool next week.
Saturday, February 14 - Parent's Night out on Valentine's Day
Fairies and Dragons is happy to offer a special Valentine's Day Workshop! It's time for parents to reconnect, so why not leave your little valentines with them for the evening? There will be games, songs, and a special Valentine's Day craft, all lead by their talented and competent Fairy Team. Pizza is for dinner and yummy sweets for your sweets!Where: Fairies and Dragons, 16733 Ventura Blvd, EncinoWhen: 2/14/09, 5:30pm-9:30pmWho: Boys & Girls ages 3-8How: Reservations required - call 818.783.8488Cost of event: $15/hour for the first child with a two hour minimum, and $7/hour for each sibling. Dinner is an additional $2/child.For more info: 818.783.8488 or www.fairiesanddragonsparties.com
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