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The Summer Fun Calendar

Today I am spending some time working on our summer fun calendar. School will be out  soon, so I want to make sure that we prioritize the fun things that we want to do. Of course, we are on a budget. First I start doing my research to find out what free activities and events are available. There is our town website, the “catalogue” of summer activities from neighboring towns, the events for any museums we are members of, library programs and more. I start with these events, since they often have specific activities with dates (make your own glow-in-the-dark … Continue reading →

It’s That Time of Year Again

Doing taxes can be intimidating for anyone, but as a single parent it seems that they become much more complicated and the task much more daunting. Most divorced couples switch off every other year claiming the kids. This can get rather complicated if you’re unfamiliar with filing your taxes. They ask all kinds of questions about who the child lives with and who provides more than half of the child’s expenses. Entering in this information can be tedious, especially if you aren’t the one that gets to claim the kids that year. Just because they live with you and you … Continue reading →

Teaching Your Sons to Be Better Men

In a world where playing video games is more appealing than providing for a family or going to college it is especially important to teach our sons the value of working hard and growing up. While I intend to keep my son little forever, eventually the universe is going to combine against me and make him grow up. For some men, this doesn’t mean much. They are grown up but living in a child’s world. Believe it or not the number of men playing video games between the ages of 18 and 34 surpasses those between the ages of 13 … Continue reading →

Disney Interactive Teases Big Game Releases for 2013

“Cars 2: The Game” made even less of an impression than the film As much as I’m a big Disney fan and a big video game fan, I’m not into Disney Interactive. That’s the company’s video game arm. So when a Business Insider article reveals that CFO Jay Rasulo hints that 2013 is going to see two big titles come out in the first half of the year, my response is a resounding “meh.” The first title is “Epic Mickey 2,” due out at the beginning of 2013. I enjoyed “Epic Mickey” and the details I’ve seen for its sequel … Continue reading →

Summer Reading Series: Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet

What do Three Billy Goats Gruff and Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet have in common? Believe it or not; an important lesson in parenting. Allow me to explain. A few months ago, my daughter’s second grade class decided to put on a play. Yup. Three Billy Goats Gruff. Tryouts were held and my seven-year-old did her best to score the part she had her heart set on: Baby Goat. Fortunately, I had enough time to emotionally prepare her in case she didn’t get the coveted role. “That’s okay, Mommy,” she reasoned “if I don’t get to be the Baby … Continue reading →

Uncertain Fate for Walt Disney’s Birthplace

First the Laugh-o-Gram and now the house in which he was born and lived until he was four: the significant buildings of Walt Disney’s early life all seem to be in the news lately. The Chicago Tribune has a story about 2156 N. Tripp Avenue, Walt Disney’s first home. It’s nothing special, just another building on a street with others that look kind of like it. Two-flat, new windows, hardwood floors, and it’s been on the market for over a year. It’s not an official historic landmark and it doesn’t even have a bronze plaque. Yet this is the building … Continue reading →

Michael Savage Thinks Epilepsy Medication Affects Cognition

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Michael Savage is a radio personality who has been known to make some controversial statements. Recently, he said that epilepsy medication causes “cognitive problems”. This is not true. His misinformation might make people assume that children, and adults, who have epilepsy also have a cognitive disability. Michael Savage is a conservative American radio host. His show is called “The Michael Savage Show”, and I think it may have also been called “The Savage Nation”. I’m not entirely sure because I rarely listen to the radio anymore. However, I know that Michael Savage is someone who has gained quite a bit … Continue reading →

Choosing A Family Name For Your Baby

Many people turn to their family’s past when they are looking for a name for their baby. Including family names in the names of your children is a wonderful way to honor members of your family both past and present. That said, using family names can be a bit of a tricky situation to navigate. For example, some people are easily offended. If you choose a name from one side of the family and not the other, someone’s feathers may be ruffled. As hard as it may be to deal with the ruffled feathers, the decision about your baby’s name … Continue reading →

Leave Your Kids at Home

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Recently there was a story in the news about a mother who is accused of putting her five year old daughter in a tanning bed. I don’t know if this woman is guilty or not but she certainly is fond of tanning. As a single mother I’ve had to take Hailey lots of places that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. When I went to the emergency room, not only did she go with me, she had to drive me, with only a learners permit because I was in too much pain to drive myself. I will never forget how frightened … Continue reading →

Does Romney’s Family Tree Matter, Politically Speaking?

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As we get closer to the 2012 Presidential election, people are going to start looking really closely at each of the candidates. How well does that candidate’s views match your own? This year, there has been some focus on the family tree of Mitt Romney. Does his family history matter, politically speaking? It is common for politicians to spend time emphasizing that they represent “family values”. This is not new. Both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama released videos that show, and tell, stories about what their life was like in their family when their children were young. Romney’s video is … Continue reading →