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Some Thoughts on Strollers and Baby Carriers

Over the weekend, we had some very nice weather. Even though the dirt road that we live on is muddy and full of deep ruts, I really wanted to take the boys out for a walk. Dylan really wanted me to take the double stroller out so that he could ride with his baby brother for part of our walk. I thought that it might be fun to see whether our beat up double jogging stroller (which we got from the thrift store last year) was up to the challenge. We enjoyed a wonderful walk, and since the stroller is … Continue reading →

One Year Came and Went

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Sometimes I think the first birthday comes in the blink of an eye. Other times, I think it takes forever to get there. That’s what having a baby is all about. Time is either dragging slowly or speeding by so fast you want to cry. When my baby turned 1 last month, I felt like crying. I think it’s because he has been such a little love. So sweet. And, he is my last baby. My last baby is one. That breaks my heart. But, at the same time, it makes me so happy. I look forward to all the … Continue reading →

Teaching Toddlers Empathy

One important skill that we as parents can help our children to learn is empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and experience the feelings of others, and to respond in helpful ways. No child is too young to begin learning about empathy. In fact, you have probably been modeling empathy for your child since the moment that she was born by being sensitive to her feelings and responding to her needs. As your toddler grows, she can begin to build on the empathy that you have shown her by reaching out to others in a caring way. Of course, … Continue reading →

Oh The Ways That They Play

As your toddler grows, he or she can learn to play in different and more challenging ways. Teaching toddlers basic games like tag or hide and seek is a fun way to play together and help your toddler learn new things. The other day, I laughed so hard as I started teaching Dylan how to play hide and seek. First of all, it is so cute to hear him counting, even though the numbers are not quite in the right order. Also, since it takes time to learn how to play a new game, he was having a little trouble … Continue reading →

Laid-Back Anniversaries

It’s our fourth anniversary today. I know that’s not really a milestone (insofar as any year’s anniversary is one); that’ll come next year, with our fifth. But I don’t see us doing anything bigger next year than we’ll do this year. Like with everything else, Jon and I don’t make that big of a deal of our anniversary. We don’t even get each other gifts. That’s something we stopped doing before we were even married. The first year or two we were dating we got each other anniversary presents, but that ceased by the time we graduated from college. I … Continue reading →

Not Always Joined at the Hip

Jon and I started dating in college, and we were far from the only ones in our social circles to do so. Some of the others would make fun of us, giving us couples’ names, like the media does for dating celebrities (our name was Jangela). It never really bothered me, except for one potential interpretation: was there some truth in the fact that I didn’t do much without Jon? Looking back, I think that I had enough friends and enough things going on in my college life that were separate from my boyfriend. But I could see how it … Continue reading →

Easy Tasty Healthy Toddler Snacks

Sometimes it can be hard to get toddlers to eat anything, let alone things that are good for their growing minds and bodies. They are busy little people who often prefer to remain engrossed in whatever activity they happen to be engrossed in at the time instead of sitting down and clearing a plate of whatever nutritious meal you have just lovingly prepared for them. Fortunately, hunger does eventually overcome the excitement of play and your little one is likely to rush to your side and demand to be fed. Right. Now. With a little advance planning, you can make … Continue reading →

False Assumptions

One of the things I have always prided myself on is being a parent who listens. In that my children know they can come to me no matter what the problem is, including if they have done something wrong. Although I have conveyed this message to them time and time again, it doesn’t mean they will always take me up on it. That is one of the things I learned through some struggles last year with one of my teens. So now I know to never assume all is well. Let me share just a small example of what I … Continue reading →

Organizing Your Closets

Some areas of the home are easier to ignore when it comes to a mess. Take for instance closets. You know the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” I recently decided to tackle the most disorganized and messy closet in my home, the linen closet. Here are the steps I took which I plan to do with my other closets. First, empty the entire closet. It is better to start with a clean slate. Otherwise you end up just moving things around. I made it a rule for myself that as I emptied things out, I wouldn’t decide … Continue reading →

Sally Ride Dies

Okay, you are probably reading my headline going “Why is this under Green Living?” But let me explain… Astronaut Sally Ride died last Monday after a seventeen-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61. However, she leaves behind a huge legacy. Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 when she was a member of the Space Shuttle Challenger. She was also the first woman to use a robotic arm, which was then used to retrieve a satellite. Ride went up in the Challenger again in 1984 and all in all, she spent 343 hours in space. As … Continue reading →