Seuss Saturday

We have kids; therefore, we know something about Dr. Seuss. Confession, I'd probably read the occasional Seuss book even if we didn't have kids, but since we do, it gives me a reason to enjoy Green Eggs and Ham more often.

This year is the 110th anniversary of Dr. Seuss'/Theodor Geisel's birthday. In honor of Dr. Seuss, I thought it would be fun to share a list of books we’ve enjoyed from the Seuss collection. Some you may know, others might be new. Pick a few and share with your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, or read them yourself, it's okay, really. 

Sampling of Seuss Books:

The Cat in the Hat

Green Eggs and Ham

Hop on Pop

Horton Hears a Who!

The Lorax

Yertle the Turtle

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Fox in Socks

The Foot Book

The Eye Book

Dr. Seuss ABC

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

The Sneetches

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Here's a brief blurb from Publisher's Weekly about the debut of an online Birthday Club you may want to check out too. The rest is here.

March 2 marked the 110th anniversary of Theodor Geisel’s birth, and Random House Children’s Books, in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, is commemorating this milestone and the enduring legacy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author with the debut of Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Club. The online venture offers a platform for families to become better acquainted with the colorful characters that populate Dr. Seuss’s books (worldwide sales of which total 600 million copies), and provides members with tools and ideas for hosting a “Seuss-ational” birthday fete. (PW)

Here’s a link to the Dr. Seuss Birthday Club.

Here’s a link to Seussville, a site with games, activities, books and more!

Happy reading!

Sweet Week - Wednesday Wisdom

We've been in a seemingly endless cycle of sleep, wake, wash, school, work, with some variations on feeding, cleaning, and shoveling (mostly snow). I've got major deadlines; a family on the brink of colds, but powering through since our girl is student of the week; and piles of snow and laundry taking over our house inside and out. Who has time to shower, plan meals, or participate in school parties? I actually contemplated not going to the school Valentine Party. (Oh, no!) This is shocking because it's a big deal to my kid, and Heart Day crafts are pretty cool. 

I'd just about given up on the whole party parent thing, and was planning either a drive-by or a full-on escape, which would have required a careful explanation to our daughter since she's probably expecting me there. Instead, another mom e-mailed the group to say her son got sick and she needed someone to take over the craft she planned for the party. 

Within minutes of receiving her message I had these thoughts. How awful, her son is sick. Great, he puked in my kid's class. I hope he's okay. I hope he didn't spray any of the other kids. Gee, I feel bad for her, she sounds really stressed. I'm stressed too, but my kid didn't hork up lunch, sure I'll help. 

The way this played out reminds me of a post circulating the web a year or so ago with the caption, "If a toddler hands you a ringing toy phone…you answer that s*!t." Someecards has one, if you want to see it/share it. I should never have thought I could 'skip' or 'skate' through a kid party, especially not one my kid is psyched about. And when a mom with a sick kid needs help. What do you do? Step up, of course and answer that phone, e-mail, or whatever!

So, I'm now signed up for a crafty craft. Although, it's below freezing (still) and I've got to find craft supplies. Then proceed to unwrap, draw, cut and organize these things in about a day to make it to the party on time. At least I'm doing my part to help. If it works out the kids will enjoy Valentine's Day and mine will think I'm pretty awesome. 

The countdown is on, cheers! 

Please don’t text while driving!

I don’t often get on my virtual soapbox, but when I do, it’s for good cause. This time is no different.

Many of you know the dangers of texting while driving. You’ve probably heard statistics like these, seen it portrayed on TV shows like this, or encountered it first-hand. So, let me ask you all to sit down with your kids and have a talk.

Maybe you had the birds and bees discussion, or the don’t do drugs talk, that’s great! But, it’s high time as parents, citizens, and adults, we have a talk with each other and our kids about the dangers of using phones while driving.

First, be an example. If they see you doing it, they are more likely to think it’s okay and either do it themselves, or not speak up if a friend is texting while driving. So, put the phone down, please!

Second, tell them you love them and that no appointment, test, date, party—NOTHING—is so important they can’t wait to text, or take time to pull over before sending a message.

The reason for my anxiety, and this PSA? Yesterday, I was driving with my two-year-old through your average suburban neighborhood. While on a quiet street, I noticed a car in a driveway and it appeared to be rolling backwards. Yes, rolling, not driving backwards. 

A teenage boy with his eyes glued to his Smartphone jumped into the passenger side, and I figured the first roll was due to an anxious friend trying to get his buddy’s attention. Note: I’m still driving toward this particular driveway. 

The next instance, I notice the car rolling backwards again, and I’m wary. So, I slow to a crawl and then stop as the car rolls all the way down the driveway and into the street while the driver is looking down at his phone the entire time. He never once looked up to see if it’s safe to back into the street, and he never noticed the huge baby-hauler approaching his driveway. 

If I had not stopped, we would have crashed. He could have rammed the side my kid was on, which makes me want to say STOP and THINK!

He was shocked to see me after he rolled completely out of the driveway and ended up facing our van. The look on his face told me he already knew his error. He knew he was wrong—yelling or throwing up would have only given him an excuse to focus on someone else’s poor judgment instead of his own. (I need to remember this when dealing with my own kids.)

I know we didn’t crash, but it’s because I was hyper-aware. This is only one example of a bigger modern day driving problem. If you need to locate something on your phone, view directions, a map, text, or even call someone, please pull over. Train your children to do and expect the same. Please!

Tips for Getting Your Kid to Like Vegetables - Metro Parent

I got to interview Lisa McDowell, MS, RD, CSSD, manager of clinical nutrition at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor for this article. She is also a mom of two and the team sports nutritionist for the Detroit Red Wings so she knows how to encourage kids and adults to eat their veggies. It's worth a read. 

Check out the article link. The issue on stands also includes a list of top veggies you should try. Happy Munching!

Back-to-school thoughts

The scent of curry is dissipating, cool water to quench our thirst, and the click-clacking sound as we type.

The day started with burnt toast and excitement. The toast set off the alarm and upset everyone within earshot. Followed immediately by unplugging the battery to stop the high-pitched screech. Then in short order packing up a hyper kid and a tired toddler – alarm incident tears still wet – into the car and shuttling them to orientation.

Nice people, smiling faces, giddy kids. At least I wasn’t the only one juggling multiple kids wanting to run the halls. All I wanted was to observe, question, and understand more about what it’ll all be like for the kid, for me, for all of us.

Line up here, drive there, stay to the left, don't run into anyone. A blur of instructions. Good ones I need to remember. A blur of rooms with small chairs, numbers and the light scent of cleaner and fabric softener. At least it’s clean.

I’m chasing the eager one down the hall with the small one beside me trying to catch up, and I get a feeling in my gut this feeling will stick with me for the next fifteen to fifty years of my life, catch-up, don’t lag, the kids are getting farther and farther away, keep up!

Parents have done this for centuries before us, but I find no comfort in the thought. It’s wonderful and something to help them achieve – this independence – but right now it hurts to think our children will grow up and leave. And I hope part of them stays youthful, like a kid, for fun to lighten their load some days. They should also find their independence, but always know they can depend on us, and visit frequently.

I’m as excited as the kid and as tired as the toddler, just soaking it all into my brain and splitting it into manageable parts – some to deal with now, some for later over lattes with my mom, sister-in-law, or maybe a friend. I think it will help. 

So, cheers to the billions of parents and kids who have done this successfully before, to those who are in the same predicament as us, and to the many to come after. I plan to be hopeful, be helpful, be kind, be vigilant, be protective, be polite, be forgiving, be happy our children are growing – and make this a great year. 

Flower power by K. Gibson

Photo of the day

Happy summer! When does school start? :)

Summer Reads: Wacky Wednesday

I don’t know about you, but after three trips in three weeks, a weekend to catch up, in which we did not actually catch up, and an overflowing Inbox, I’m pooped. And it’s not even Friday.

In honor of all the things going on as I try to regain some floor-space (laundry piles be gone!), and some sanity (oh, what’s the use it's probably too late), here’s a list of assorted books for this Wacky Wednesday.

Why not try the Dr. Seuss book Wacky Wednesday? You might find new ways of looking at silly things, and figure out how to get shoes off your ceiling.

Quiet Loud by Leslie Petricelli. One of my favorite board book authors. We love reading this to our kids and really getting into it. "Sneezes are loud – Achooo!"

I have no idea what this is like, but I love the title. I CouldChew on This: And Other Poems by Dogs, by Francesco Marciuliano.      

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Mix of fun and outlandish poems and drawings from a guy posed with no socks and a guitar. Always great! 

French Toast and Formula 1

In our house, racing rules. We’ve got a long-standing tradition of having French Toast and watching each F1 race. We sometimes change it up, but this year we celebrated the inaugural F1 race with my famous French Toast. Yummy, happy family!

Sweet Syrup Drizzles
by K.Gibson

Counteract (Winter) Cabin Fever

Here are three ideas for beating the blahs of being indoors during harsh weather.

Take a trip to the beach indoors: Get out some plastic bins and pretend to make sand castles. Pretend to “swim in the ocean” around your family room and get some exercise.

Pack a picnic: Lay out an easy to wash blanket and prepare a picnic lunch with sammies, apple slices and sipppy cups.

Go on safari: Make sure the house is warm and let the kids wear shorts or cropped pants and adventure gear, like a sun hat or binoculars. Don’t have binoculars? Make some out of a paper towel roll. 

Snow Tracks by K.Gibson

Love these...Hand-Turkey Paper Dolls (from Parents)

Here's an adorable Thanksgiving craft idea from Parents. I had to show you, but you can see and download the real deal here. They have a bunch of other cute ideas, check them out when you want to gobble up Thanksgiving ideas.

(Go ahead. It's ok, we're well within my six week holiday rule.) :)

Stop the madness, it’s not October yet!

There’s just something about a too-early Halloween that bugs me. Normally, I’m a happenin’ holiday kind of girl, but lately it seems as though we’re rushing from one to the next, which leaves little time for enjoyment. 

I get that you need to be ahead of the curve when it comes to seasonal shifts in merchandise. But, can I please finish my poolside lounging and adjust to the back-to-school routine before you drag out ghosts and goblins?

It’s no wonder I’m hesitant to take my kid to Target. They’ve already got aisles of spooky decorations and Halloween candy. Someone in a high place maybe forgot how hard it is for parents to handle eager children begging for sweet treats and costumes — hey, it’s hard for parents too. Some of those lit-up pumpkins are adorable. But, I cringed before school even started when I saw BTS on its way out and Spook-fest on its way in. Yikes!

As a way of protesting, sort of, I’m recommending we hold off on buying candy and costumes for at least one more week. I’d say until the end of the month, but I’m not crazy. I know the selection for costumes will probably be so poor, you’ll be digging through your basement for leftover boxes to make a robot outfit, which is not an entirely bad idea. Last year we saw a kid dressed in cardboard, he was a cereal box, and a darn cute one at that. They used a lot of paint, but he really looked like a box of Fruity-O Flakes or something. (I have to be careful what cereal I reference because my sis in law is now a big exec for the Kellogg Co. I'm not a paid endorser, just a fan :)

With all my soap-box protestation, I admittedly will bring out the end of year holiday decorations as soon as possible after Thanksgiving. You can read about it here, but I think it’s perfectly allowable since it can take weeks of work to get family heirlooms in place when you have kids running around the same indoor space you’re trying to decorate. That being said, I’m saying let six weeks or so be the guide. If you can wait to sell me spookiness until a month and a half out, I’ll buy. Heck, I’ll probably buy sooner, but I’ll be less irritated by it around then.

So, here’s to squeezing out the last drops of summer as it transitions to a bountiful fall. Go outside. Take a walk, bike, hike or drive. Get thee to a festival and enjoy doing something together. Just don’t scare me with your ghoulish garb before next week or I just might bring out the lit-up deer and snowman early and see how you like it, mwahahahah.

Make plans to hit a festival or family event in your area.  Check out these sites and find out more of what’s happening in your area. 

www.festivals.com

http://www.weather.com/family-kids/fall-festivals/top10-fall-festivals-20120828

Remember, every day is special - enjoy it!

SYOAS - See you online again soon!

Aww, not yet.

How to make a power outage fun

We lost power twice this morning. The first was one of those quick flashes. It catches you off-guard, you start shaking your head (tisk, tisk) and planning for the worst when suddenly it’s back on and you think It could have been so much worse.

Then some time later a second one hit, only this time it took. The second outage lasted longer than a flash so we were left wondering What happened to the power, it’s a clear day? Did someone strike a pole, how awful, or is there a larger system problem? How long will it be out? What on earth will we do and will there be spoiled food to trash when it’s all said and done?

Fret not dear readers, for even in power outages, especially those on pleasant summer mornings, there is plenty to accomplish. Why, just look at all we were able to do when just the TV broke. 

It was actually quite nice. There was no struggle over who gets to watch what after breakfast. No argument over the iToys. No racing, no cooking, not even kid shows could distract us from the gloriously beautiful day outside and a peaceful shower for mom inside (we use a gas heater).

No worries about the game either, we planned to hit the local sports bar for a little college football if push came to shove. We were set. And it was good.

I don’t know how long the power was out because we were too busy to notice. I got the aforementioned undistracted shower and the kids and dad played wear each other out.

So you see, losing power, under the right circumstances, can be a good thing. Even in winter, another story for another time. If you just relax, you can use the time to reconnect with family, talk to each other or reboot. Kind of like hitting the shutdown button on the computer, as I am about to do. Try unplugging every once in a while, you might like it.

Photo: Sprinkle Shoes by Kristen Gibson

Cider house rules!

I thought about summer yesterday, but this morning was perfectly autumn. Cool, in the mid-fifties and dewy glistening grass.

So I packed the kids up and headed to the cider mill. We were first in line and first out the door with warm cider and donuts. I feel so much better now. Considering I was up shortly after five with a crying tot, thinking the day was going to suck, that’s saying a lot.

Fighting the urge to fall over tired, but filled with yummy apple goodness, I’ll do my best to take on the day. Bring. It. On.

Findlay Area Family - Tons of Back to School Tips

My latest articles published in Findlay Area Family offer tips on everything from first day jitters to healthy lunches. Check out the great advice from teachers, dietitians, counselors and moms in Edible Energy and Study Guide. You can find more online at Findlay Area Family or in the August issue available now.

Photo: Alphabet Soup by Kristen Gibson

Findlay Area Family – Rattle and Roll Baby Guide

My latest cover story is published in Findlay Area Family. Check out the tips for taking baby photos, nursing and more. Find it online at Findlay Area Family or in the July issue available now.

Traveling with Kids (and shaving with razors so cheap they’re free)

We recently took a trip with our kids. A long car trip. With two kids under five. They like to move around and do stuff. They don’t stay quietly seated for hours at a time. I don’t know anyone who has kids who can sit still so long, but if yours can I suggest you leave immediately and drive somewhere, anywhere, while you can.

As for us, we like a challenge (not really) and we like visiting family (this is true). The thing is, traveling with kids can be tough. If you’ve got a trip of any length you might find you or your children end up mildly cranky with sticky hands and flat butts. That’s if all goes well. You do not want to know what happens when things go bad. We will not be discussing the Thanksgiving trip we spent an hour+ in stop-and-go traffic on I-90. Not in this post anyway. 

Most kids are pretty good, but even the best can lose it if you’re on the road longer than expected. Take plenty of food, beverages, activity books and stuff to do. Also, make sure you stop, stretch your legs and potty when needed.

If you happen to make it to your destination on time or unscathed, thank your lucky stars.

We happened to arrive at the hotel two hours after our kids normally hit the sack. My husband and I hoped they would sleep like logs. They did not.

Since we were late and trying to avoid a total meltdown we showed our daughter the lighted pool. Then we jammed most of our house contents into the room, changed stinky diapers and prepared for bed.

Side by side by side, my husband and I hoped the kids would sleep so we could sleep. But, our little guy was a bit restless cutting a few teeth. Our girl would not stop talking or thinking about, you guessed it, the pool.

She woke me around midnight to ask if we could swim. Right now? I asked. Yes, it’s lighted, was her reply. She wouldn’t sleep until I assured her she could swim the next day. I think she got about three hours sleep. The rest of us didn’t get much more.

Thankfully, the next morning we had access to hot running water and large coffees. The place we stayed included a free breakfast, and the waffles were pretty good.

I highly recommend a suite if you’re traveling with kids. The fridge keeps food and milk cold while the stove is an invaluable bottle warmer. It also helped to clean bottles and other stuff so we weren’t stuck with a bunch of dirty gear clanking around the back of the van.

It’s also great to have connected, but separate spaces. This allows parents to put the kiddos to bed and still have a little time to chill out before the night shift begins. Sleeping in a new environment can be stressful. Sometimes kids sleep and sometimes they don’t, so wherever you stay, pack your patience.

We somehow recovered and spent the next day touring the Air Force Museum, swimming and playing. All the walking and activity, along with the previous night’s exhaustion made for sleepy kids. We got them to be at a good time and they slept. Yay!

The next day was pack and load then head to the reunion day. Visit, eat, swim, fun and drive the long road home.

We were up around 6 am and the reunion wasn’t until lunch, so it seemed like we had all the time in the world. And yet, packing up two adults and two kids worth of vacation gear took more time than we thought. At least my husband got donuts and coffee for breakfast. We ate all the donuts except one. Yum!

It got hotter and hotter as we washed, packed and loaded everything. I realized the only thing that would help keep me from fainting would be changing into shorts, which I avoided since I forgot to pack a razor. It seems we brought everything except my razor.

I kept working, but as we got close to finishing the pack-a-van Olympics the pants had to come off. My husband recommended I check the hotel shop for a razor, then shave and change.

The shop was the size of a walk-in closet. Sundries neatly arranged in small baskets lined the walls. Shampoo, packets of Excedrin, no razors. Oreos, chips, trail mix and still no razor. Scanning up and down. Wait, is that? Are those what I think? Dark blue, disposable stick razors. Cheap. Better not cost more than $5. I thought. How desperate am I? Pretty desperate, so I grabbed one and heard a voice say, “Can I help you?”

I must have looked pitiful because she saw me standing there holding up the razor and said, “Just take it.” I asked if she was sure. We both eyed the flimsy baggie and knew it wasn’t worth her time or my money, so I said thanks and left.

After I got upstairs, I volunteered to bring out a load and grab my clothes. Then I would cut down the forest on my legs, bring the last couple items and checkout.

My husband lifted 100 lbs of stuff off our suitcase in the back of the van and got my shorts. I ran to the door and swiped the key to get into the building. Nothing. I shifted the clothes in my hand and tried again and again. No luck.

By the time I made it to the hotel entrance, I was sweating. Great. Do I really feel like shaving my legs on the side of a hotel bathtub now? Nope. But, I have to get our last few items. And if that last donut is still there, I’m taking it.

Shaved in cool water and felt good, then changed. Wrapped up the donut, grabbed the diaper genie. Whoa! I caught a whiff right in the face. That smells bad. Put the donut in the last bag then shifted everything and left. Made it to the front desk and leaned over just as the diaper changer slipped out of my hands, it landed gently.

Checked out and ready to go, we sped out of the parking lot. Something you may experience is the need to escape quickly once a trip is over. We took a detour, but enjoyed some family time at the reunion. It’s amazing to see how all the little ones have grown.

I tell you though, we were ready to get home that night and sleep in our own beds, which we did, and it was wonderful. A big perk of going out of town is returning and feeling like you really are home again. Happy Vacationing!

It’s Electric

As I bang away on the keyboard, three mustached guys bang away on nails and boards downstairs. Yes, I’m pretty sure every one of them was sporting a mustache when they walked in starting at 7:52 this morning. Yay, (said hoarsely and with very little enthusiasm).
While we’re grateful to have electricity, it’s never easy to welcome a houseful if workers when you’ve got two young kids and are operating on minimal sleep.
We have work going on to install some circuits and power boxes left hanging, literally, when we gutted the basement. Everything was stripped leaving bare cement walls with power cords hanging like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Not great, but still operable.
The work has been a long time coming and with it we’ll get a new circuit for our microwave. This will help us avoid blowing the circuit every time we run it in the winter. I’m not kidding. When we run a heater on the opposite end of the house and try to nuke our coffee or frozen foods, we blow the fuse. It’s bizarre.
As long as we can endure the constant pounding, the bathroom trips (ugh!) and the general invasion of our privacy (we asked for it, and for good reason), we’ll be through it in three short days. Sigh.
The weather is clear, so we’ll temporarily relocate outside until the sun gets too hot and I need to bring the kids inside. 

Five minutes later…it’s too hot, one of the kids needs a nap, and we’re back inside. 
Shortly after…Argh! The pounding is right below my feet. If I weren’t feeling so rough, I’d probably be thankful for the Swedish foot therapy. 
Calgon, take me away! But first, get these guys finished and outta here!

Curious George and the Make-your-own Metal Detector

My oldest is home with the sniffles, so today will probably be filled with coloring, reading and PBS.

While flipping channels for an early show, we found an episode of Curious George. I won’t go into detail as to why we don’t normally watch this show, it might take too long, but I will say we were surprised by what we saw.

George lost his toy robot in the sand and a scientist friend of the man in the yellow hat helped. She suggested they make a metal detector out of stuff you can find at home. I’m part geek, so watching it work was super cool.

Here’s what she suggested:

Find an AM/FM radio. Does anyone still own one? Yeah right, we do. Psst, I think you can find them at Radio Shack.

Get a handheld calculator and some tape too.

Tune the radio to AM. Turn the dial to the highest channel and make sure you hear only static.

Tape the calculator to the back of the radio and voilá, a metal detector (read it with French flair). It beeps when it gets near something metal.

We haven’t tried this, but you can bet we will as soon as I find our radio, wherever it’s hiding. Since I love this stuff so much, thanks to my mom, teachers and husband, we’ll have a series of experiments you can read in upcoming blogs. You won’t have to be a scientist to understand them, I hope, and they should be easy enough to try with your kids if you choose. I’m tagging them Mom’s Mad Science or something catchy like that.

Outback Cruiser-Complete

What a project! It's great when our daughter focuses. You can really see the gears turning, and the result is this cool vehicle. You can see completed Cruiser pics below. She took time to set out the pieces before we got started, so it was easier to complete the construction, but not that easy. 


These Zoob kits are so fun. There are plenty of toys like this you should try. Just make sure you work them through together. It's not something you want to leave your kid to handle on their own, or they may get frustrated, that's no fun. 


Working on something more complex can help parents too. It challenges your brain. It also helps to show your kids teamwork can accomplish great things. 

Outback Cruiser-In Pieces

Here's a project I'm building with my daughter...check back to see how this mess becomes a cruiser.