I remember them all. Mrs. Connelly taught me cursive and made me want to use it to write great stories one day. Mr. Grant praised me in front of the whole gym class for finishing a race with my leg bleeding even though I came last. Miss Tanner found math riddles in her spare time, and that year I crossed the arithmetic threshold and became fascinated with Fibonacci, perfect squares and golden rectangles.
Single-use plastic is a huge issue in our society, and we have all grown up with the convenience it provides. Unfortunately, our environment, oceans and animals are being adversely affected by its disposal. Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans. This amount will increase 10x by 2020. Looking around my house, it feels next to impossible to eliminate all plastic, but every solution has a beginning. I am choosing to begin with trying to reduce single-use plastics like straws, bags and water bottles.
Sports are a great way to have fun and escape the stress of everyday life. It teaches kids discipline, perseverance, and gives balance to screen time. No matter what sport you’ve signed up for, there are a few essential items you’ll want to bring along. I’m a proud soccer mom and my boys love to play in the sun. I love that they have fun, but I also like to be prepared – just in case. Check out this handy list for tips on packing for your first day on the field.
Have you played Fortnite yet? If you haven’t, you probably know someone who has as the game’s popularity has exploded in recent months, attracting celebrities, professional athletes, and gamers of all ages. Unfortunately, Fortnite’s mass appeal is attracting hackers and scammers too. Players and parents need to pay attention in order reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud playing Fortnight.
Part of the game’s attraction is that it’s free and available to players across multiple video game consoles, PCs, and mobile phones. The Hunger Games-like world of Fortnite allows players to showcase their creativity while playing. However, scammers are also getting creative.
Fortnite creator Epic Games recently warned about the most common Fortnite scam on its Twitter account for players: “Say NO to scams! Beware of scam sites offering free or discounted V-Bucks.”
When company comes over I am a total cheater. Room spray, vinegar swished in the sinks, and a carpet rake. Seriously. It makes it look freshly vacuumed (provided there aren’t a bunch of crunchy bits everywhere). Why do I do this? To impress. To make it look as if I’m put together. Perhaps I haven’t had enough mom therapy over the years. But also pride. I have a beautiful home, and appearing to take care of it makes me feel like I deserve what I am blessed enough to live in. I won’t change. But my faker-cheater rake just got a serious upgrade.
Having a big house, plush draperies and various flooring materials is great until you go to need to clean them all. When we moved in I was ecstatic – central vac!! It was like a 1980’s dream without the waterbeds. But in reality? It’s heavy, clogs all the time and the suction leaves crunchy bits. You drag the cord between floors, but get lazy and the plug end chips paint all the way down the stairs.
Kids making cards themselves is not only thrilling for Mom, but the hands-on approach helps their self-esteem, forces them to consider their connection with their mother, and prompts gratitude. (This one is always nice – especially once they hit the tween years!!)
Moms prefer cards truly from the heart and you truly don’t need fancy, expensive tools. Simple scissors, paper, odds and ends from the house certainly work wonders. You can even make glue out of flour and water if that is hard to come by! Remember that imperfection and authenticity are better than perfection. Relax and have fun with your designs – Moms can look at these throughout the year whenever they are feeling unloved and having bad mornings. And of course, if all else fails, make her a DIY Mother’s Day Card promising a simple car wash and make a note to do something kind at least once a week!
I have a confession. As much as I am trying to be a good citizen and help save the planet, at times I do it with a grumble. Sometimes the products I try just aren’t as effective as the old ones. *Gasp*. I know. In some cases, I haven’t found the right ones, and in others, the technology just wasn’t advanced enough yet. But I still try to be environmentally responsible, even if it means my life is a bit less ideal.
The story I’m about to tell may sound vaguely familiar…. and you’re not alone. I looked around my house this morning as the sunlight poured in and felt a bit of self-loathing and disgust. I pride myself on Martha-Stewart-like cleaning prowess, and my house looks like I’ve been hosting two football teams and a petting zoo since last fall. Time for a run to the store. Not only do I grab inspirational magazines, clothes and food, but I stock up on my favourite cleaning products so I can get to work on the spring cleaning. The best part of doing a deep clean is getting the kids involved, so the products I choose need to be easy for them. Nobody should have to do a huge clean by themselves.
This morning I watched my kids sleep as I stroked their hair and hugged them. At 10 and 12, though, they are a bit more excited about playing Fortnite and soccer than cuddling with their Mama. At least I still get tons of high fives and an occasional bear hug. Back when they were newborns, I was so sleep deprived that all I wanted was help holding and soothing them. And now I just want to hug them and have time stop. How life changes!
Everyone cleans differently, and it can be super annoying when people develop complicated checklists specifying how you have to dust lampshades on Tuesday when you hardly have time to take a shower. (BTW cleaning the shower when you’re in it is a great time-saver. Then use the wet towel to wipe the bathroom floor before tossing it in the laundry you don’t have time to do.) You didn’t know I was THAT smart, did you?