2009 February » Stop, Drop and Blog

Spring Fever Has Set In

Feb 172009

We were teased by the weather last week. Two 50+ degree days in a row had us outside taking long walks. We breathed fresh air. We laughed. And then Mother Nature laughed back at us. Should have seen that one coming but, still, it was a sad realization that winter is not over.

I put this quote in my planner just yesterday:

“It’s spring fever… you don’t quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so.” – Mark Twain

I just want to be outside. Out from behind these walls. And other walls. I want fresh air. And leaves on trees. And something other than the clothes we’ve been looking at for months on end. I know, I know. I’m the winter lover among us all. I rave about the snow. And I do love it and I do love winter.

But I like who I am as a mother better when we can all go outside and take a breather.

I run out of ideas when stuck inside for long periods of time. And when I run out of ideas, I run out of patience. Add in some of my health issues as of late and I haven’t been the most patient, calm or quiet of mothers in the past month or so. And I’ve put in the effort. I’ve purchased new crafting things. I’ve bought new books. I’ve ventured to let BigBrother spend some time “gaming” with me on the Wii. We’re throwing things like the library into our regular schedule.

But I need to talk daily walks. I need to show BigBrother plants and flowers and leaves growing. I need to hear LittleBrother’s vocabulary explode as he discovers new things. (In fact, with the back door open today, he said, “Side,” the same way his older brother used to say outside back in the day. FireDad and I melted.) I need to take a book outside and read. Drink some iced tea. Feel the sun on my cheeks. Stop wearing bulky coats that make it difficult to get everyone in and out of the house.

I need Spring to arrive.

But by seasons, we still have just over a month before the word actually applies. And we all know that it can snow on the last day of April. But I’m still holding out hope. Surely there must be an end in sight? Soon the birds will sing and I’ll complain about the heat, right?

Right?

Learn with Your Kids on President’s Day

Holidays, Parenting 3 Responses »

Feb 162009

It’s President’s Day! (Which means no mail… something that I realized a bit too far into the morning and warned a few other twitter friends about.) But other than that, it likely means you’re left trying to figure out what to do with your kids if they are home. A trip to the bank is out. You can go shopping, of course, and hit some great sales. But what about really paying attention to the theme of the day.

We recently received four amazing books that really fit this theme. I’ll group them in twos (though the picture here shows all four).

1. Our Country’s Presidents(the newest version with Obama on the front including a foreword written by him) and Our Country’s First Ladies(not yet including Michelle) are both highly interesting books from National Geographic. Also, because of the book, I have now googled and found the argument over whether or not our state has produced eight Presidents or not. (Argument being over William Henry Harrison.) My favorite part of the book are the quotes included on most President’s pages. Take a look at this one from George Washington:

Many things which appear of little importance in themselves and at the beginning may have great and durable consequences.

How very true. Similarly, the quotes in the First Ladies book were interseting but I loved the little tidbits about these important women. The stuff you didn’t learn in high school history. Like this one:

Mary Todd Lincoln, at five feet, two inches in height, would have been dwarfed by her husband, Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s tallest president at six feet, four inches.

I love learning little things like that one!

2. The other two books are a very interesting read. Dear Mr. Presidentand Dear First Ladyare letters to and from people of importance and everyday citizens alike. I found them to be an amazing little glimpse into the life and times of each era. One of my favorite letters was from the Merrick School Mothers Club in Syracuse, New York to Lady Bird Johnson in March of 1965. I don’t know why but it made me smile, especially seeing the work that Lady Bird Johnson did in her era. One of the harder letters to read was a letter to John F. Kennedy about a brother killed in Viet Nam. All of the letters give us that glimpse into a world which we did not live for even if we were alive at the time, we were not privy to the inner workings and mailbox of our elected officials.

And so, if you have time, run out and grab these books today. They’re likely to be on sale! If you don’t want to leave your house (as it is randomly snowing here), considering helping your child write a letter to our current President. Even the youngest of the verbal clan have something to offer. Perhaps he just wants to tell the President to remember to say please and thank you. Couldn’t we all use a letter that reminds us of the innocence of children? I think so.

(While you’re at it, write your letter to our President and our First Lady. What change do you want to inspire?)

As always, Kaboose offers a number of President’s Day activities for you to do with your children. We’ve already made an Obama plate so I think we’ll go with a “Yes We Can” can or an Abe Lincoln paper hat. Should be fun whatever we decide to do. (We might throw some snowflakes on the hat because if President Lincoln were alive today and wearing his hat outside our house, it would have snow on it!)

We’ll also be reading the books Duck for President and If I Ran for President. While it’s not currently time for an election of such nature, I think today is a good day to talk about such things.

As for some Presidential food ideas, dye some cupcakes red and blue and have a party after supper in honor of our Presidents, past and present. In fact, if you do this, let me know. I’ll be over.