Every mother love's their child(ren) and looks for ways to save those precious memories to last a lifetime.Whether you make time to personalize a scrapbook, fill in a baby memory book, make digital photo albums, document memories online at you blog site to share, etc.One thing is for certain, those personalized memories and gifts are the best to receive!I'm hooked to Pinterest for inspiration and these are the ideas I found to use my girls adorable little handprints.Mother's Day is a moment to thank all those special Moms in your life and your child's Grandma is definitely tops on the list.
Love this saying to use inside a card:
Little handprints for the perfect cover to a special card
Don't forget little feet can make you smile too
Happy Mother's Day to all the special moms in your life!
If you have walked through store aisles lately, you've seen many reminders that Easter is coming. What isn't so obvious is that, for Christians, Easter is truly the most significant day of the year.
At the store we find baskets and eggs as the symbols of Easter, instead of a cross and an empty tomb; and a bunny that brings candy instead of a Savior who brings life.
Is it any wonder that our children are more excited about the coming of the Easter Bunny than the coming of God's kingdom?
Hop on in! The Bunny will be at these participating locations throughout the day entertaining families and sitting for photos. It's a memorable moment you don't want to miss. Please visit the Shopping Center websites and all other links for any promotions offered. Don't forget to check us all out on Facebook!
Here you’ll find your Sproutlet’s creations that are eligible for submission. Once your child completes an activity, it will be listed below for you to manage and submit.
Please take a few minutes today to either read the "I have a Dream" speach or watch the video below.
"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
Looking for some New Year family ideas? Here's some Events & Crafts to check-out for your family. Refer to ourHolidays tab for more ideas through-out the year,
"To all the women who find themselves called mom I want to put you to a challenge this New Year. I was recently sitting at a memorial service for the son of a friend of ours. They lost him way too soon at 22 years and it was heartbreaking. I watched video of years with him and it was a reminder to me as a mom I need to not only record my children’s lives, but my life with them. We are one of the most important people in our children’s lives and we are probably the least photographed. It is easy when our kids are little to get photos with them but as they age it gets harder. I will bet if you look at your Facebook albums you will see 50 photos of your kid’s activity taken and not one of them includes you, the mom. We all are guilty of this and here are the excuses, I need a haircut, I hate my hair cut, I need to lose pounds-how many I really won’t tell you, I didn’t do my makeup today, who would take the photo if I didn’t?. As a photographer I hear soooo many excuses, trust me I know, I have moms pull me aside ALL the time during a photo shoot and want me to help them look their best.
Ah-ha moment, life is what it is, and in this moment in time, the New Year of 2011, you need to record who you are with your children. You are the only mother they will ever have. So, the challenge is to take a minimum of 5 shots with you in them. You have until January 31st to accomplish this. The shots will depend on how many children you have. Shot one or two or three will be a photo at some point in the month with you and each one of your children individually, not a group shot. Shot two, you with all your children very close together, think close hugs.
Shot three, a family shot with a non-distracting background so this can be framed. Shot four, you alone, yes, just you. There are very few moms that have a photo of just themselves to even use as a Facebook profile picture. Shot five, a photo of you and your spouse alone, one of the kids can take this one. I am putting myself to this challenge this month because I am usually on the other side of the camera. If you would like to post your challenge to Facebook it would be very fun for your friends to see you, their friend, instead of 50 photos of just your child. Wishing all you moms a hope filled New Year!"
FIVE Important Pictures to Take by January 31st: 1) You & your child (each individually) 2) You w/ all your children close together (i.e. hugging) 3) Family shot 4) YOU alone 5) You & your spouse
Thank you all for your support over this past year. We love sharing parenting information and tips. Thank you for reading our blog site and sharing your articles too.
We hope you are able to spend these holidays with your family & friends!
The Portable North Pole (PNP) site has created a fun feature where you can answer a few questions and generate a personalized Santa message video to your child! Its so quick, easy, and FUN! You can view your child's personalized video message from Santa over and over again. Just looking at the wonder in your child's eyes will make you feel like a child again yourself.
Tis the SEASON to be MERRY!!! Its time to ENJOY the holidays!! Review this long list below of FUN activities to do with your kids at home or in the area. Check out the "Holidays" tab to the right for an updated list!
Santa Claus, Indiana: There is a little town called Santa Claus and every Christmas the elves (volunteers) receive letters from kids from all over and write back to them. They work hard during this time and it is Free! Santa Claus, PO Box 1, Santa Claus, IN 47579
What do you do when your kid asks for the truth? You tell it, of course, doing your best to figure out a way that keeps at least some of the magic intact.
Q: Are you Santa?
A: The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.
I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)
According to our friends it seems around 2nd Grade kids start to ask this question when they hear different messages from kids at school. This article provides a creative way to answer that question.
"The holidays can be a magical time, when children’s eyes light up at the displays and the pageants and performances. In these recessionary times, they can also get spendy. Here are my 10 favorite absolutely free ongoing events (for one-time events, such as tree lightings and free performances, please see the Seattle’s Child calendar).
Christmas Ships: It’s a chilly night. Flames from a bonfire leap upward toward the stars. The sounds of familiar carols and songs waft toward us as the lights of the Christmas ship and its accompanying flotilla of yachts are reflected in the dark waters. If you’ve never done this quintessential Northwest outing, don’t miss another year. Bring a thermos of hot chocolate and don’t forget the gloves and warm coats. Stops at 45 waterfront locations from Tacoma to Edmonds; nightly Nov. 26-27, Dec. 1-23, varying hours; www.argosycruises.com for schedule – starred locations have bonfires.
Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton Hotel: Each year, Seattle architectural companies build these fantastical buildings of sugar and imagination with intricate details to delight the child in all of us. This year’s theme is “Holiday Express” with historic train stations and the North Pole. Bring holiday books or videos to occupy children while they wait in line; afterwards, walk a couple of blocks south along Sixth Avenue and then back on Fifth Avenue to see all of the silver and golden lights in the trees. 1400 Sixth Ave., downtown Seattle; daily Nov. 22 - Jan 1, 24 hours a day; www.downtownholidays.com.
Indoor Snowfalls at Pacific Place: You can come in from the cold and take a break from shopping by stepping into the flurry of thousands of “snowflakes” falling five stories inside the shopping center. Sixth Avenue and Pine Street, downtown Seattle; Nov. 25 - Dec. 31, nightly, 6 p.m. Free holiday entertainment, from traditional carols to jazz to world music, is offered in the atrium Friday through Sunday Nov. 25 - Dec. 18 and daily Dec. 19-24, noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.; www.pacificplaceseattle.com.
Winterfest at Seattle Center: Who can resist the choo-choo trains puffing through those carefully crafted buildings and miniature hills and forests on the Center House floor? Dickens Carolers in full costume stroll around the Center grounds, and young performers from more than 100 local schools and youth groups perform on the stage. 305 Harrison St., Seattle; daily Nov. 25 - Dec. 31; Center House is open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Watch internationally-known ice sculptors carve outside the Fisher Pavilion Saturdays, noon to 2p.m. It’s also free to watch the ice skaters inside the pavilion ($2-$7 to skate, including rentals); www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest.
Candy Cane Lane in the Ravenna Neighborhood: Neighbors on this quaint, looping street have been decorating for the holidays since 1950. Drive – or, for more fun, stroll – along the street, starting with the familiar mechanical carousel in the traffic circle. Santa may be there on weekends, handing out candy canes. See how many “peace” signs in various languages you can see on the front lawns of many of the houses. N.E. Park Road, off 20th Avenue N.E. and Ravenna Boulevard., Seattle; nightly mid-December through the end of month, 4 to 11.p.m.
Snowflake Lane in downtown Bellevue: Sixty drummer boys and girls in red stand stock still on giant drum pedestals. Then the drummers dismount and march down the street playing, as throngs of us on the sidewalk join the carolers accompanying them. Lights move in dizzying snow patterns, confetti falls, and it feels like Mardi Gras with mittens. If kids need to work off some energy, visit the recently-remodeled huge enclosed play area on the top floor of Bellevue Square. Bellevue Way and N.E. 8th Street, Bellevue; nightly Nov. 25 - Dec. 24, 7 p.m.; Celebration Lane New Year’s show Dec. 26-31, 7 p.m.; www.magicseason.com.
Garden d’Lights at Bellevue Botanical Garden: Every year this mind-boggling, walk-through display of lights includes more – critters as well as fantastical flowers. This year, the extended walk passes a river of lights and four waterfalls. Can your children find: a frog, a spider, a pulsing jellyfish, a huge slug, a peacock, an octopus and the new “Snap d’Dragon”? 124th Avenue N.E. and Main Street, east of downtown Bellevue; Nov. 26 - Dec. 31; free nights are Nov. 28, 29 and 30, Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 (other nights it’s $5, children 10 and younger free, 5 to 10 p.m.; www.gardendlights.org.
Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides at Redmond Town Center: This is a great way to see all of the lights and decorations at this people-friendly shopping center. Loading at N.E. 74th Street and 116th Avenue N.E., downtown Redmond; Friday-Sunday, Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 9-18, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The central plaza (with the fountains and bear sculptures) hosts free performances by local groups Dec. 4-18 at various times. Santa reads Christmas classics at the plaza Tuesdays and Thursdays Nov. 15 - Dec. 15, 11 a.m. Not quite free: $3 Holiday Express train rides Friday through Sunday, Nov. 25 - Dec. 11, except Dec. 9, and daily Dec. 15-24, noon to 8 p.m.; www.redmondtowncenter.com/events.
Ivar’s Clam Lights at Gene Coulon Park: Most of the other major light shows around the Sound cost something, but this one, with dancing clams and crazily- colored lighted trees, is free. Hot food is available on site at Ivar’s and Kidd Valley. 1201 Lake Washington Blvd. N., Renton; kickoff ceremony with entertainment, Santa’s covered wagon, Christmas ships and parade of boats is Dec. 2; display is open nightly Dec. 3 - Jan. 1, 5 to 9 p.m.; www.ivars.com.
Nursery Displays: We make an annual holiday trip to Molbak’s Nursery in Woodinville to see the theme trees, thousands of poinsettias and the 14-foot poinsettia tree and eat Danish Kringle pastry. Other great decorated nurseries are Swanson’s in north Seattle (Reindeer Festival features two live reindeer, a camel and a miniature donkey; miniature train runs around the store); Watson’s in Puyallup (two reindeer on site, free piano music); and Wight’s in Lynnwood (31 themed trees, village and nativity set-ups)."
Thinking about visiting the Alderwood Mall "Workshop Santa" this year? Check-out the website below for the hours they are open and call the day-off to confirm when they plan to take a break. We love visiting both "Workshop Santa" & the normal Santa each year. Let the holidays begin!
Please note: Santa will be taking breaks throughout the day to feed the reindeer and check on toy production at the North Pole. (Typically 1pm-2pm and 5-6pm)
"Workshop Santa 2011 with our Family. Happy Holidays!"
This year we're off to our local Nordstrom store to visit Santa. Check-out their website for a location & hours near you. We advise to call the store to confirm the hours they are open for Santa visits AND when he takes breaks. That way you don't arrive during the middle of a break and have to keep your children happy while they wait.
Get ready for "CYBER MONDAY" which is the 1st Monday after Thanksgiving! There are great ONLINE-ONLY deals!! Check out these sites below for the deals you'll want to grab!
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