On a hot summer day, I received an unexpected package that contained a book and a tee-shirt that changed my way of looking at situations for the better. You see, the fates smiled upon me and I had received a complimentary hardbound copy of WONDER- a New York Times bestseller book by R.J. Palacio and the softest t-shirt on behalf of Lionsgate. My special thanks to them for that package and the surprise Halloween goodies as well. If you haven’t met and been moved by Auggie Pullman yet, read on to learn about the book and the movie WONDER! All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Showing posts with label
tweens
For most of us, as soon as we turn our calendars to
November, we start thinking about the big family style holidays coming up.
Thanksgiving can be a stressful endeavor with some families, whether it is a
logistics concern, or more often than not, the thought of multiple personalities
clashing over the cranberries. Some of our family squabbles would seem silly to
the thousands of kids here in the United States that need a home.
Since
November is National adoption month, I’m honored to work with today’s sponsor-
the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, AdoptUSKids, and the Ad Council to help spread the
word about this growing need and ask for your help as well.
As a Mom of two teen daughters, I was shocked and honestly
heart-sore when I read the information sent to me to share with you today. For
instance, did you know that there are 415,000 children
in the U.S. foster care system and 108,000 are waiting to be adopted?
AdoptUSKids’ maintains a national
photo listing service for children waiting to be adopted. Since the project
launched in 2002, more than 25,000 children who were once photo listed on adoptuskids.org have been adopted and nearly 38,000 families have
registered to adopt through the website.
Nevertheless, older youth
are disproportionately represented – approximately 41 percent of children and youth photo
listed on adoptuskids.org are between 15 and 18 years old, but only 17 percent of
those adopted have been in this age group. This just breaks my heart, because I
don’t know what my world would be like if I didn’t have my two beautiful,
vibrant, smart and funny teens in my life!
Still, the fact is older youth and
teens have lower adoption rates than younger children and often wait longer to
be adopted. Can you imagine what they must feel at this time of year?
All kids need a supportive, loving
home and the teenage years are a critical period of growth. The theme for this
year’s AdoptUSKids campaign is “We never outgrow the need for Family”. Doesn’t
that hit you right in the heart? It did me! If you have ever considered
adopting or fostering a child, now may be the perfect time to get started.
Watch this cute video!
AdoptUSKids wants to remind you- “You don’t have to be
perfect to be a #perfectparent”.
Here are some facts worth considering.
Why Older Youth?
All of us – that includes older youth in foster care who are waiting to
be adopted – need and want families throughout life to support us and to share
important life events. Learning to drive a car, applying for higher education,
and birthday and holiday celebrations are just a few examples of the times in
life we need and want to share with family.
- Older youth are overrepresented in the foster care population, as they generally wait longer to be adopted, and have lower overall adoption rates.
- On adoptuskids.org, roughly 41 percent of the children and youth actively photo listed are between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. About 58 percent are male. (Most recent stats as of May 31, 2015)
- Families, who adopt older youth, are providing them with the support and stability of a family during a critical period of normal adolescent concerns and additional self-identity issues.
Some of the
Misperceptions about Adoption from Foster Care:
Adoption is expensive. Unlike the
private adoption of an infant or adopting internationally, there are virtually
no costs associated with adoption from the US child welfare system. In addition,
the vast majority of youth adopted from foster care are also eligible for
monthly adoption assistance up to the level of the foster care rate.
You have to be married. You do not
have to be married to adopt in most states. Many children have been very
successfully adopted by single parents. Single-parent families accounted for 29
percent of all adoptions from foster care in 2014 (AFCARS).
You have to have a college degree. Having a high school diploma or college education is not
required. What is important is that you are stable, flexible, and
compassionate, and that you have a good sense of humor. Most importantly, you
must have the support and commitment to raise a child and to be there for him
throughout his life.
You have to own a home and each child has to have their
own room. You can rent your home or live in
an apartment or a mobile home so long as your living situation is a stable
one.
You have to be of child-bearing age to adopt. Experienced parents and empty-nesters are encouraged to adopt.
In most instances, you’re eligible to adopt regardless of age, income, marital
status or sexual orientation.
You can only adopt a child who is the same race and
ethnicity as you. Federal law prohibits the delay or
denial of an adoptive placement based on the race or ethnicity of a child in
U.S. foster care and the prospective parent or parents who are seeking to adopt
them. The only exception to this law is the adoption of Native American
children where special considerations apply.
You can’t adopt if you’re in the military. Military families stationed overseas and within the U.S. are
eligible to adopt children from the U.S. foster care system.
As we enter this season of thanks, kindness and giving, I invite you to
learn about adoption, or about
becoming an adoptive parent to a child from foster care, please visit www.adoptuskids.org or visit the campaign’s communities on Facebook and Twitter. You can also call 1-888-200-4005 (English) or 1-877-236-7831 (Spanish) to receive the latest information about the
foster care system and the adoption process.
I thank you sincerely for reading this post to here. I would love if you
would consider sharing this post, so that others can become aware of the
overwhelming need to adopt older kids in the U.S.
Please share in comments: Do you have a positive/uplifting adoption
story? I’d love to hear it! I’ll share your story on my Facebook page as well!
On a recent mild Saturday afternoon, a group of happy tweens
arrived at our home to help my daughter celebrate her 12th
birthday. They were full of energy and
giggles right from the start!
The birthday “Princess” was ready to greet her guests and
make them feel welcome. For twenty minutes, we met girls and parents and exchanged
pleasantries as one should. All went according to plan. That would be the last
time I could say that with any real confidence! The great thing about tweens is
their spontaneity! So my first tip to hosting an epic tween birthday party is: Plan to not follow your plan exactly.
My next tip is to pick a theme that has a lot of wiggle
room. While my daughter liked the “idea” of a Disney Villain style party, she
didn’t want it to be over the top with decorations. We went with simple purple, green, gray and
black pieces and accessories. The clear favorite was the villain banner! Hello
Ursula, Maleficent and Darth Vader!
After the girls had played outside for a while they came in
ready for a snack. We had lots of on hand, but before I could get a photo to
share- these girls descended upon the table with an appetite only a tween boy
could rival! Which leads me to my next tween party tip: don’t take too many
photos and never snap a picture of a girl with her mouth full of food! So, not
cool Mom!
After the girls hung out listening to music and taking
selfies (yes, the irony isn’t lost on me) they went totally off plan and asked
to do hair, nails and makeup instead of the crafts and games we had planned.
Tip number 3: Roll with it, when at all possible.
Here's my girls take on Maleficent nails. We used black, green and purple nail polish- but you could
use whatever darker colors you have on hand. I think they turned out nice!
Want to create your own Maleficent Villain style nails? Here’s
a quick tutorial for you to follow.
After dinner, which included lots of pizza and veggies, the
girls were ready to be frightened by playing flashlight tag! Living out in the
country like we do, Mother Nature provided us with a very dark and mysterious
landscape, perfect to frighten and amaze city dwellers! Maleficent would
approve!
While down at our pond, these girls got themselves so
scared, they ran back to the house and got us parents involved!
I must confess- this older Princess had a lot of fun outside
with her Prince.
Tip number 4: Let your tweens explore and push the boundaries
just a bit. Their party is the perfect time to allow ghost stories and playing
outside after dark (weather permitting) as long as you establish safety guidelines
first. Parents, even if you don’t want to be seen- stay close where you can
hear and see the kids.
Later that evening, the girls decided to get to the games
and crafts part of our party plan. The clear favorite was the jar painting
craft!
They laughed and talked and joked and ate and laughed some
more until it was movie time.
I cleaned up the happy mess as best I could and left the
living room to them. Which leads me to tip number 5: let your child host, but
set ground rules before guests arrive. Chat with your son or daughter about
snacks and drinks allowed, which movies are approved for watching and what time
the party must wind down so kids can go to sleep if you are hosting a sleepover party like we did.
As I was preparing breakfast the next morning, the girls
naturally gravitated back to the craft area to finish up their jars before pick
up time arrived. That's when I knew this craft project was a winner!
Even though this was a bit of a messy endeavor, I think all
the jars turned out as pretty and as individual as the girls who painted them.
My last tip on throwing an epic tween birthday party, one in
which your child and their friends tell you how much fun they had and how Epic! the party was. It's simple- sprinkle your party liberally with laughter and a healthy dose of
pixie dust style patience and you too can pull off a great tween party!
Disney wants you to show your #Disneyside by being happy and
sharing what you love about Disney! Showing your Disneyside will look different
for every family and that’s what makes life fun.
If you’d like to throw your own #Disneyside at home
celebration, head on over to DisneySide Celebrations and check out all the amazing themes, tips,
activities and recipes they have. I'm betting you'll be able to pull of an epic party too!
Please share in comments: What is your favorite Disney
Villain character and why?
Disclosure: My thanks to Disneyside for providing us with a
box of Villain worthy goodies to use how we chose to show our Disneyside. No
compensation was given or wanted. We are happy to show our Disneyside as often
as possible.
Season’s greetings dear readers! I’ve been bitten by the holiday bug for
sure and I want to help you make your season a little brighter and your
shopping lists a little lighter by sharing the newest products from Burt’s Bees
with you today. I was sent the products below free of charge so I can share my
thoughts with you, but all opinions are my own.
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| Burt's Bees Holiday no wrap collections |
We received the Burt’s Bees Mani- Pedi set and the Hive Favorites much to
the delight of my teen and tween daughters. Thankfully, both sets came with a
lip balm or I would have been in trouble. While we loved the cool no-wrap
feature of these holiday collections, we simply couldn’t wait until Christmas
to try them.
We opened the cute Hive Favorites first, which has a replenishing lip
balm with Pomegranate oil and a small tube of nourishing milk and honey body
lotion. This lip balm smells and tastes as divine as it sounds, and offers just a
wee bit of color, so it’s perfect for any tween or teen on your gift list.
Next we all tried a squirt of the lightly scented milk and honey body
lotion. While rubbing it in we all agreed it made our arms and hands feel
ultra soft and refreshed. The Hive Favorite collection is a perfect stocking stuffer, birthday gift
or secret Santa surprise.
Then we opened the Mani Pedi collection. This set has everything
you need to take care of your hands and feet. We couldn’t get enough of the
rich scent and cool feel of the Peppermint foot lotion.
Next we tried the Shea Butter hand repair
cream and while we liked how it went straight to work fixing our dry hands,
we didn’t care for the overly herbal scent, so do be aware of it if you
purchase this for somebody with scent sensitivities. We do want to say that
this repair cream does work splendidly!
Lastly, we all washed our hands and gave the Lemon Butter cuticle
cream a try. This is heaven in a tin folks! We LOVE the scent
and how quickly it blends into our cuticles. Plus, it works really well on
rough cuticles making it a winner in our eyes. Combine all of these items and
put them in the stylish cosmetic bag included and you’ll have a gift sure to
please.
We really like the Burt’s Bees holiday “no wrap needed” gift collections finding them a convenient, affordable and perfectly gift-able choice.
If you have moms, teens, tweens,
Aunts, Uncles and personal care gift lovers on your holiday shopping list, you should check out
all the Burt’s Bees holiday collections here to find just the right one for
your needs.
Please share in comments: Which product from the Burt’s Bees holiday gift
collections I mentioned you would most like to try?
With back to school looming large for us, we are making the
most of every minute of our precious summer vacation. So, we chose a craft that
is not only quick and easy, but is also useful when those school bells finally
ring. This craft was done in less than thirty minutes, and is a perfect addition
to my daughters’ room décor. I’ll be able to leave them reminders all year on
their personalized chalkboard.
We found everything we needed for our craft project on sale
at our local Joann’s craft store, but you can easily find the needed supplies
at any craft store. Feel free to shop the sale items, and pick whatever
embellishments that suit your décor and mood. My daughters both wanted
something classic and feminine, so naturally we went with pearls, satin and
flowers in a subtle creamy white theme.
Supplies:
- 2 – 12x9 Darice wood framed chalkboards
- 1 sheet Prima decorative paper flowers
- 1 sheet- K & Company pearl adhesive gems
- 1 roll – Offray off-white satin ribbon
- 1- box white Crayola Chalk
- Glue
- Q-Tips (to apply glue)
While both my daughters had agreed on an overall theme when
they picked out their supplies, each of them had a different vision for the
project, making it uniquely theirs, and making directions subjective. I’m sure you’ll find a host of products you
could use on this project, from paint pens to scrap-booking letters, so let your
imagination take the lead.
The Basics:
My daughters chose different uses for their ribbon, one adding
a border around her chalkboard, and one making a simple bow as shown in the
picture below.
- Glue on ribbons, using Q-Tips to dab on small amounts of glue.
- Allow to dry.
- Gently remove Prima paper flowers from package, or leaves will stick to paper.
- Arrange and glue.
- Allow to dry.
- Add K & Company pearl gems. These have self-stick backs, so be sure you place them right where you want them the first time.
- Tie chalk to ribbon, or allow to rest on top of chalkboard if you’re hanging it up.
This really is a super cute and easy craft your teens and
tweens will love to do.
Please share in
comments: What theme would you choose to decorate your chalkboard?
Disclosure: I received free products to help facilitate my
#Disneyside@Home Celebration party. All opinions are 100% my own.
When I first got the email from Mom Central calling for
hosts of a Disney Celebration in our home, I was excited because Disney characters
hold a special place in my heart and most especially my daughters. We LOVE Disney Princesses, every one of them.
From Jasmine, Belle, Aurora, Ariel to Cinderella and Merida
they each possess wonderful strength and spirit, hope, courage and a healthy
dose of humor. All the wonderful traits we try to instill in my daughters.
So quite naturally, our party theme was Princesses. Since
our “princesses” fall into the tween and teen age groups, I got creative and
decided the best way to let then show their fun side would be to let them be grown up versions of their favorite princess.
We played with Makeup and hairstyles. We did a different kind of face painting by
having the girls color in face print outs that makeup artists use. This was a
huge hit!
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We listened to “Let it Go” from Frozen so many times, even I
know most all the words now.
We had fun with all the cool goody bag treats Disney sent
us that came in a very unique package- a cool American Tourist Luggage piece
that will surely come in handy on our next family trip.
The clear favorite goodie was this classic love poster.
We had special princess Hot Chocolate, complete with Cinnamon
sprinkles.
And lots of tasty sweets.
Throughout the afternoon, lots of laughter and smiles and
sharing happened, which was quite magical indeed.
I invite you to host your own Disneyside @ Home Celebration! The fun isn't just for princesses. Just go to Disneyside Celebrations to learn more, see great party themes,
recipes and more.
Share with me in comments: What is your favorite Disney character or movie? My girls pick is Frozen right now!
Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Got a tween or pre-tween in your life? Do you want to encourage them to listen to uplifting music that is Christian based with clean lyrics?
Yes?
Then you are going to want to enter my Giveaway for the 1GN CD, which is being sponsored by FlyBy Promotions. FlyBy sent me a free CD to listen to with my daughters and all opinions expressed below are ours and may differ from yours. Before we get to our review or giveaway, I'd like to share a little bit about them.
“Landing in the space where One Direction meets Toby Mac, 1 girl nation is an exciting blend of upbeat pop music, with lyrics that are focused on living for God, even while you’re young.”
Their current single While We’re Young is getting a lot of radio play, so you may have already heard them. You can learn all about 1 Girl Nation by visiting their website, following them on Facebook and Twitter or watching them on YouTube.
Our Review:
Talk about a trendy looking all girl group! The 5 young ladies in 1GN have trendy covered. They may dress to impress (what tween doesn’t like sparkles?) but what these 5 girls really want to share is their passion for Christ through their music. And they do that on each track on this CD.
Their lyrics are heartfelt, if not a little predictable and I found myself humming along to a track or two. On the flip side- some songs are sung in such a way that I want to leave the room. These ladies have gusto and talent.
My daughters liked this CD much more than me- which is the point after all. Teens and Tweens are their target audience. Having said that, both my daughters agreed, a little 1GN is all you need so they play one or two songs at a time, not the whole CD. This CD would make a perfect stocking stuffer!
The Giveaway:
One reader will win the 1 Girl Nation CD which has a mini-size poster on the back side of the lyrics.
Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. Just do the first task on the form and then other options will open up for you to do. No purchase necessary. Open to US residents 18+. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize shipment. See full terms available on Rafflecopter form.
Good luck!
Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Can I wear makeup? Lots of other girls do? My answer: No!
Can I dye my hair? So and so has highlights? My answer: No!
Then can I Kool-Aid the bottom? Everybody does. My answer:
maybe.
Can I get contacts? My answer: Not yet.
Can I wear high heels? My answer: Really? Seriously?
I’m not raising you to be some mini-skank I say. Using the terminology
she will understand. Afterall, she heard it first at school.
Skank - Derogatory term for a (usually younger)
female, implying trashiness or tackiness, lower-class status, poor hygiene,
flakiness, and a scrawny, pockmarked sort of ugliness. May also imply
promiscuity, but not necessarily. Can apply to any race, but most commonly used
to describe white trash. Source Urban dictionary.
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| Courtesy:dreamstime |
*Sigh*. Some of you may think I’m referencing snippets of
conversation with my 14 year old daughter, but no. Sadly, these are all
exchanges between my 10 year old daughter and me.
Yes, 10! Okay, 10 and half if you really want to get
technical, but please see my point: She is not a teen yet and I won’t let you
have her immoral society! I will rage
against you with all my might! You aren’t getting her when she’s a teen either!
Even her 14 year old
sister does not have this kind of peer pressure! She’s a freshman in high
school and she and her friends show way less skin than the majority of
elementary school girls my daughter has to swim with. These are some seriously
shark infested waters and while my dear daughter knows I’m going say no to
stuff, she still feels compelled to ask. She doesn't want to be a mini- skank anymore than I want her to, so why the questions?
One word: Recess.
Do you know what the topic of conversation is at a 5th
grade recess? You would be shocked! The populars and even the want to be populars are taking things up a notch. Hang on Moms of little daughters, you are about to get
schooled.
Did you know it’s “weird” if you don’t already shave or wax
your legs? Did you know that wearing a padded bra makes you "sexy" and "regular" girls who are maturing at a normal rate, like my daughter aren't "sexy"?
Did you know that watching R rated movies and T.V. with or without parental supervision is normal? And woe is the child who has no idea what the other girls are talking about because they'll hear, "um, like, you're weird." Don't even get me started on books.
Did you know that it is abnormal to come from a full on
functioning family? One that has a Mom and a Dad at home every blooming night?
Did
you know that your daughters and sons for that matter are supposed to have
already been dating, or at the very least have a crush on somebody?
Now you do. All this according to the girls doing their best to be mini-skanks and drag all the good girls down with them at the ripe old age of ten. Lord help me.
Now you do. All this according to the girls doing their best to be mini-skanks and drag all the good girls down with them at the ripe old age of ten. Lord help me.
What is wrong with this world? They are kids! Just kids! Parents, please wake up. Don’t help them aspire to be mini- skanks. Don’t teach them that gossip and name calling
and being “sexy” is all that life is about. Don't condone mean girl behavior just so they can be popular, or run with the populars, or the want to be populars!
I know it is unpopular for me to even bring this up but isn't it about time somebody does?
I compromise when and where I can so that I don’t make my
daughters a social outcast. I try not to see the shorty shorts and multiple bra and cami straps hanging out everywhere when I go to school to volunteer or have
lunch with my 10 year old.
I make sure I
compliment my daughters choices AND her friends choice of attire when I can. A “cute”
outfit compliment can go a long way.
I try not to pre-judge the parents of those girls who are
clearly breaking dress code. I try not to be upset that I am one of the few
reading the flippin’ dress code!
I try
not to be a prude… but some of the parents around here or maybe everywhere, are
too tired or non- caring to put their foot down and say no. Or, maybe they see the over sexualization of our kids as okay, or at the very least, no big deal. Geez, maybe I am a prude.
I remember to be thankful for the parents and girls at our schools swimming upstream with my daughter and me.
I remember to be thankful for the parents and girls at our schools swimming upstream with my daughter and me.
At the end of the day, it simply isn’t my job to teach or
preach or raise the world. Only my daughters. My beautiful, sweet, fun daughters who have
morals and values and thankfully have found birds of a feather to flock with.
I thumb my nose at you mini- skanks of the world, you can’t
have them and here’s a newsflash they really don’t want to be like you, they
just want you to shut up on the playground or in the halls and leave everybody
alone.
End Rage.
So, how’s your Monday?
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