Family
Growing Imagination and a Grand Adventure
Having a great imagination is a gift. Exploring the undiscovered experiences of make believe is an activity you can do with your children or grandchildren as a planned activity or on a whim. The world of imagination can turn an ordinary Saturday morning into a GRAND ADVENTURE.
Our culture is so programmed to think that the way to entertain children is to have non-stop activities planned out of the house on weekends. We shuttle our kids from one thing to the next and to make matters worse, we are drawn to fill up any spaces of in between activity time with video games , television shows, iPads, iPhones, tablets or electronic gadgets. I am not against all technology for kids but I do think there is a time and place for it and I do believe that parents should have a really good handle on the time allowed and monitor their children’s technology activities carefully.
This past weekend, I had the privilege of spending time with 4 of my fantastic grandchildren. Our GRAND ADVENTURE began with the building of a fort and with a tiny bit of creativity and few things from around their house we began an imaginary Pirate Adventure that will be in their memory for years to come. They could not wait to tell their mom all about it when she returned.
SIMPLE SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR PIRATE ADVENTURE
white computer paper
felt pens-sharpees and water color markers
crayons
scissors
tape
4 old fashioned clothes pins
4 colored scarves or pieces of cloth (we used rolled up t-shirts)
cardstock cut into any shape for pirate name badges
variety of healthy kid snacks-anything will do
favorite food prepared ahead of time so you do not have to stop the adventure to make their lunch
any kind of lunch box …
Revived by Family Time
I was so blessed growing up to have family living close by for most of my life. I have wonderful memories of spending time with my aunt and uncle and my grandmas and even my great-grandparents. The older I get and the more people I meet I realize that this is not the norm and I grew up very blessed.
It makes me so happy that my girls are also growing up really knowing their family. Even our family in Michigan has made the effort to come for visits. Although some of us are spread out, we try and make good use of technology and Facetime when we can. The girls love to be silly when we chat and run all around the house dancing and singing, often hanging up the calls accidentally with their kisses.
Last week we were thrilled to have my mom and grandma, Grammie Rozie, come for a visit. My Grammie Rozie is a wonderful grandma and just loves to learn, teach, do art, and read books. I am proud to say that these are many of my favorite things to do too! We had a wonderful time reading new books she brought to share and doing art projects.
We even took a fun trip to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to see the annual butterfly exhibit. This was a real treat and if you haven’t been, definitely something to do next year!
The trip was a wonderful reminder about the blessing of family and the joy of sharing memories together.
Do you live close to your family? What do you like to do together? If your family is far away how to you keep in touch?
…
Revived Perspective of Social Media
Social media can also be known as “Social Comparison”. How often do you scroll through Facebook or Instagram and feel jealous of what someone else has or what she is wearing…and the list goes on…and then leave your computer or phone feeling like you or your life isn’t enough? But, how often are your images not even really “truth” of what your reality truly is that day or that moment?
“…because you and I put up our very best moments on social media to show our friends, family, and acquaintances, it paints a picture about our lives that just isn’t true.”
The below blog post that I’m sharing is originally from FIELEKEFRONTPORCH — Adventures in Ministry, Marriage, and Parenting. Check out their blog and more about them from the link above. In this post, she puts social media in a really good perspective and how we should respond with appreciation and intentionality.
————————————————————–
I’M NOT A LIAR BUT FACEBOOK SURE IS.
I have some confessions about pictures I pulled from my Facebook feed…
In this picture, what you see is my sweet Ru & I, snuggled up happy as can be. What you don’t see is that my best friend was in town visiting me taking care of me because I really hate it when Josh travels for work for a week and I have to hold down the fort with a 2 & 4 year old.
In this picture, what you see are the cutest little girls ever with their beaming proud Momma. What you can’t see is that this was the day after our social worker told us it will probably be a long wait to adopt a baby, longer than we hoped, and I was still processing and grieving that news.
In this picture,
Revived by My Own Challenges
Revive means to activate, set in motion or take up again, to renew……..As a verb, “to be revived” means to return to life, to restore consciousness or return to a flourishing condition.
During the past few weeks, I have felt like my life has become a 3 ring circus-or maybe a 5 ring circus. Each one of my passions I am currently involved in pursuing, increased in demands and time commitments. I found myself feeling like there were not enough hours in the day to get everything done. We had special birthdays and then the blessing of gathering for Easter which are always fun celebrations but for me and my schedule…it involves a 6-8 hour drive to these events. But how could anyone miss out on spending time with these precious people?
But of course these important events happened during my most important month of preparation for a speaking engagement I had volunteered for almost a year ago. My teaching topic was based on a life principle that I am totally committed to, so it didn’t surprise me that I was being challenged from every angle to live out the very thing I would be teaching on. I believe you are tested the most when you are taking risks and are willing to step outside of your comfort zone, but those tests…when passed and survived are the very things that “REVIVE” your life.
During this testing time, one of my 5 circus rings that had also increased in commitment level was my passionate involvement in our Growing Weisser blog. I am currently enrolled in a class with a few other bloggers to learn how to improve our blog by working SMART, CREATIVE, WISE and PRESENT! Our first assignment was to list our 5 top priorities in our life. So, in …
Read MoreCelebrating Bekah
Happy Birthday BEKAH!!! Today we are going to celebrate you! We LOVE you and are so blessed by the beautiful young woman you have become. As the baby of the family, you have been teased most of your life that you were spoiled…..but in reality you were irresistibly adorable. You were my little shadow and I cherish all the memories we have made together. Your sisters entertained you and you always giggled at their silliness. You wanted to be just like them as you grew up…….. it was easy for the entire family to spoil you because we had a lot of love to give you! You are creative, kind, organized, and know how to persevere to conquer every hardship. You are brave and courageous and you love and trust Jesus with all your heart. It is fun to be your mom! Happy Birthday, Bekah.
Her husband, Ashkon loves her so much and it has been a blessing to share Bekah with him, for LIFE!
We love your enthusiasm for all things Christmas and this year you hit a home run with your tacky sweater party outfits….chair back covers turned into vests!
We are so glad that you have moved back to the states so you can participate in family gatherings!Bike riding through your new community is a fun past-time for you and
We went on a lovely hike this past weekend and enjoyed God’s beautiful creation.
Bethany wrote you a tribute: “Bekah is a joyful spirit , a refreshing light, a steadfast friend, a compassionate giver, and a creative dreamer. She loves to bless other people through her creativity and her thoughtful gifts. She loves her friends and family with her whole heart. She is always so busy giving to others that it’s nice to be able to celebrate …
Read MoreSaved by Smart Planning
Today I took my girls to Sea World with some friends. We loaded up my awesome van–even took my friend and her daughter–and drove down to San Diego. We had an amazing time.
I have learned a lot taking these small trips to fun places with my girls and I feel like I have finally got a good system down for saving time, money, and sanity when doing trips with kids. Here are a few of my tips:
1. Carpool – save on gas, split parking, and enjoy the time with another adult!! (That is something so precious in this stage of life). I LOVE my Toyota Sienna van and we recently put the two big girls in the back row together. They love it, and it easily frees up one of the captain’s chairs and our removable 8th seat for guests if and when we need it.
2. Pack your own food – I treated myself and my friend to a Starbucks for the drive, but other than that purchase I spend $0 today (not including gas). I pack lots of snacks, lunch, more snacks, water, and I ALWAYS bring my own treats for incentives. I like to occasionally reward good behavior with a little treat and they come in handy for unexpected wait times (such as our 1 hour wait today in the hot sun to redeem our passes! yikes!). I also try to pack the kid’s favorite meals and snacks to let this day be all about easy fun. Their favorite snacks are fruit snacks, pirate booty, raisins, freeze dried fruit, and pouches. They love lollipop so I usually throw in a dumb dumb lollipop for them.
3. Along the same lines – Pack your own treats! Like I said, little treats can be great incentives …
Read MoreEaster Essentials
Easter day is approaching, so I wanted to to share a few fun suggestions for your Easter brunch and your Easter baskets.
Yummy Bunnies are a fun and healthy treat you can bring to any Easter celebration. It would even be a fun snack for the kids to make and eat at your party.
All you need to do is make a quick trip to the grocery store for cuties, raisins, bananas, mini marshmallows, strawberries, shredded coconut, toothpicks and green food coloring.
For more details on how to assembly these “cutie” bunnies visit our Yummy Bunny post.
Our Baby Bear Stew cookbook is filled with tasty family recipes that will be sure to delight your Easter day guests. Buy one for yourself to prepare our yummy recipes and grab another as a hostess gift if you will be visiting someone’s house for brunch.
Visit our shopify store to get your copies!
Below I have some great suggestions to fill your child’s Easter basket. All links are for Amazon so you can shop from the comfort of your home. (I know that is a lifesaver as a mom.)
AND when you shop from one of our links Growing Weisser makes a small percentage. Thank you!
I love to give my children books for holiday treats. This Easter book is one of my favorites. It presents the Easter story with great illustrations and simple words for children.
The Story of Easter
We also love this adorable fun dvd that teaches the Easter story using resurrection eggs. It’s called Miss Patty Cake’s Eggstravaganza.
Here are some other neat ideas to fill your child’s Easter basket with fun learning activities. I chose a variety of characters, but if your child fancies a different favorite just use the suggestions below the item to find …
Read MoreGet Out & Get Refreshed
Are you bored by your schedule and routine? Are you in a rut? Sometimes all you need is to get outside or get out of your routine to get a little refreshment! Here are five fun (maybe NEW) ideas to do just that:
1. Try a New Activity with friends
A few friends and I have recently been planning to attend a “Paint Nite.” There are paint studios all over where you go and get a step-by-step process to all paint the same picture (and it usually includes wine which is a bonus for many!). We are really excited to go be crafty, spend some quality time together, and try something new – and we get a canvas painting out of it, too! Rachel recently tried the “Ladies Night Out” at her local rock climbing gym with friends! There are so many fun, inexpensive ways to find refreshment.
“Learning something new is a fabulous way to be refreshed. When work can grind you down, something about learning a new activity thrills the soul. It reminds you that the world is bigger than your desk and your to-do list.” John Ortberg
2. Go on a date somewhere you have never been!
Try that new restaurant you have always been wanting to go to; Find a local, free activity; Go somewhere in the city you have never been; go to a movie in the park; find a yoga event in the park; go to a new exercise class with your spouse or find a video online (try YouTube!)
3. Go on a walk, run, hike or bike ride; Go to a new park with your kids
Spring is here which means the sun is shining (at least down in So Cal :D)! It can be so refreshing to just enjoy the …
Read MoreOn Being Brave
Who is the first person that comes to your mind when you think about BEING BRAVE?
When I was young, I remember learning about Amelia Earhart and how she was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean-I thought she was BRAVE. In my young adulthood I heard the true story about how my husband’s grandfather had an opportunity in the 1920’s to become a wealthy man and hold a high official position in the Turkish government if he was willing to deny his faith in Christ. He was BRAVE and would NOT deny his faith in Christ and therefore was to be put to death by execution. But God had a different plan for his life and a greater purpose for his future and miraculously his life was spared. He was BRAVE! Ten years ago when my husband received the news that he had cancer, we all had to be BRAVE!!! Every step of the way, through all the decisions we had to make and every year since, when he gets his check-up he has to continue to be BRAVE. Many people have ongoing trials in their life that require them to be BRAVE-infertility, cancer, loss of loved ones, wayward children, aging parents, chronic illness….the list goes on and on….so the question I ask of myself and I want to ask of you is…When have I been BRAVE?
This weekend, I attended a women’s conference called Be You Be Brave. 
I was completely refreshed and encouraged to take a deeper look at my life and to pay more attention to the opportunities that come up in my life where I can be BRAVE. There was an ongoing theme that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. He can and will give us the …
Set Intentions–Find Refreshment
Our theme for this month is REFRESH.
Refresh can be defined as to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc.
Here are two tips to find refreshment in your daily routine:
1. End each day with gratefulness.
We are using and amazing gratitude journal that is so helpful for journaling each day and it is filled with inspiring quotes! Take time to reflect on things you are grateful for and find refreshment in each blessing.
2. Set intentions for the next day
It is so important to be intentional about the way we spend our time. When we set intentions for our day we are more likely to follow through with our plans and find pockets of time to get things done. “Start each day with intention: make a simple plan and then follow through with it.” -Crystal Paine, author of “Choose Gratitude: Blessings Journal”
I know it is so easy to get lost in the business of the day, but when I have intentions or small goals it keeps me focused when I find a pocket of time. Ending each day with gratefulness also helps me to reflect on how I am spending my time. If I didn’t get to something on my list because I was living in the moment spending time with my kids, I don’t see that as something that got in the way of my plans. Instead, I can be grateful for that time and see the blessing of time spent with my children.
Be intentional about fitting these two tasks into your routine and see how your life is changed.
I love this paragraph by Crystal Paine in the introduction of her journal. She writes, “No matter what season of life you’re in or what burdens you’re carrying, there is always, always, …
Read More