Teach your children well

There are many wonderful things you can say about the small town where I live. It's rich in history, still pretty safe, has good schools, the people are very friendly, the list goes on. One thing you cannot say is that this town is culturally diverse. In fact, it's more like culturally devoid. I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles, a huge melting pot, so I was surrounded by different cultures. My son, however, is not being provided this experience. At the tender age of five, his mind is like a huge sponge and absorbs everything around him. So I decided if he is not getting a glimpse of cultural diversity in his surroundings, I would need to provide that for him.

That is how we came up with Culture Night at our house. It is centered around dinner time, and the meal is what guides our learning. Last night was taco night, so we learned about Mexico. I got out an old but trusty children's world encyclopedia, put on some Latin music, and let the learning begin. We look at maps so he understands where this particular area is located. We talk about the people, the food, the language, the music, and something he really loves, the games children of that culture play. The whole experience has turned into something he truly looks forward to. I have to admit there is a bit of work involved, so Culture Night takes place about every other week, but I want it to be a fulfilling experience for him, not something he gets bored with. The time in between helps him to look forward to it and helps me to get better prepared.

Even if you do live in a culturally diverse area, this is still a fun activity for your family. Besides being educational, it also promotes sensitivity to other cultures. Our next night will be about India, and I think my biggest challenge will be cooking something my picky eater will eat (I'd welcome any suggestions you may have!). Below are some great web resources I use to help me plan these learning experiences. Check them out, and try this with your family. You'll be surprised at how fun it is for everyone. Viva La Culture!

http://www.kidskonnect.com/

http://www.factmonster.com/

traditionalchildrensgamesfromaroundtheworld

Finding peace in what you "do"

Have you ever had a feeling you just can't shake? A sense that someone is trying to tell you something you're not so sure you want to hear? Welcome to my life at the moment. I've ruled out mid-life crisis and any mental disorders, and what I'm left with is my own paradigm shift. I can't explain it and at times it's a bit scary, but something inside me just wont let up about the need to DO GOOD FOR OTHERS. No matter what I'm doing these days, everywhere I look I see needs. Needs that, is some way, I feel called to help fulfill. Believe you me, I did not actively search for a new purpose for my life. Lord knows I was trying to be content with my stay-at-home-Mom life and all it involved, thinking that was my purpose and it was good.

I tried to ignore it, but no such luck. I told myself it was hormones that were causing me to feel so off kilter. That didn't work for me either. So, I'm finding time in my life to give to those in need. I'm starting small, since baby steps work best for me, but I'm starting. Once a month some of my friends and I give manicures at a local nursing home. Other times I volunteer at this local organization that provides meals and other services to families in need. Sure, this adds to the load already on my plate, but the giving of my time pales in comparison to the gifts I receive.

We all think we're busy, and we are. We fill our time with kid duties, work duties, house duties and some days barely have a moment to breath. Where is the peace in that, and where, amongst our busy schedules, will we find time to do for others? That is a question you will have to answer for yourself, but I encourage you to seek. Only good things can come of it!

(PS, If you're unsure of how to get involved, visit this site, it's a great place to start.)

Why we really buy purses

The most important thing about a purse is that it's cute, right? Sure it may have a pocket for your cell phone, a clip for your keys and have lots of space, but if it's not that attractive, we aren't buying it. Let's be honest, when we choose a purse what is the main selling point? Aesthetics almost always wins over functionality, at least for me. I never get compliments on my "smart" purses, but I get stopped on the street with comments on my cute and unique ones.

In the name of super cute bags, I wanted to share with you a line of handmade purses a friend of my Moms recently started selling. She discovered these purses during a trip to Bali, and now imports them and sells them in the US. I have several of these bags and love them. They are beautiful, well made and very unique.

My favorite is the "cake purse."

You can see the full line of handmade bags here, and remember, a girl can never have too many purses, shoes, hats, bathing suits, diamonds, spa days, girl's nights out, days at the beach...

Live, LAUGH, love

Yesterday was my 13th wedding anniversary, so I've been thinking about what it takes to keep a marriage strong. You need lots of communication, compromise, compassion and forgiveness. This video involves what I think is one of the most important aspects of a marriage - a sense of humor. This couple sure seems to have started off on the right foot:



If you haven't shared a good laugh with your spouse lately, there's no time like the present. After all, laughter is the best medicine.

A glimpse of Spring in January

I don't know about you, but January is such a blah month for me. My house seems so empty and plain after I've taken down all the Christmas decorations, and my yard is barren, too, with most trees and plants still in their dormant stage. It's about this time every year I get the itch to plant and get some color and liveliness back into my house. I started buying fresh flowers each week, but that can get a bit pricey. After wandering through the nursery dreaming of spring, I decided to pick up some bulbs and try my hand at forcing them indoors. There are several types of bulbs conducive to forcing: crocuses, daffodils and paperwhites (Narcissus), hyacinths and tulips. The process is very simple: choose your bulbs, chill them for about a week or two (place them in your refrigerator or store them outside if cold enough), then plant. Smaller pots, around 6" in diameter are best, and you can use either potting soil or rocks to cover the bulbs (for tulips and daffodils, leave the tops of the bulbs exposed). Water after planting, then keep the soil moist until growth is visible. If plants get tall and top-heavy, cut some tree branches and poke in the soil around the bulbs for support.

Forcing bulbs is an easy and satisfying way to have beautiful flowers indoors during the blah winter months. Your spirits will be lifted when you're surrounded by bright floral displays and fragrant aromas, another wonderful gift from nature!

Oh Cedar Tree, Oh Cedar Tree

It's that time of year again here in central Texas. The one time of year I kind of wish I lived somewhere else: Cedar season. For those of you not familiar with this, every year, starting in December, the Mountain Cedar trees begin their mating ritual. The male trees put on tiny cones that eventually burst, sending brownish pollen into the air in search of the small green cones of the female tree, or the inside of your nose. By mid-January cedar season is in full swing, and for many of us here this means nasty bad allergies. The symptoms are harsh enough to warrant being called, "Cedar Fever."

How can some fairly small, pretty harmless looking trees cause so much misery? I don't know, and I don't care. What I do care about is feeling better and being able to peacefully co-exist with the outdoors right now. Seriously, it's not like we live in some snow covered, frigid place where being outdoors in winter is just silly. I am developing a strong dislike for these trees because they keep me from enjoying the outdoors for almost two months during winter. My cedar allergies laugh at OTC antihistamines, and my allergist says I'm not severe enough to warrant the shots (oh, I beg to differ). So here I sit today, INDOORS on a very nice day, googling remedies for Cedar Fever. NOT my idea of a good time.

New Year's Resolutions

I must admit, I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions. The main reason is that I don't want make promises to myself that I can't (or won't) keep; it's a drag to let myself down. I have never made a resolution that I have followed through with, so to avoid further disappointment, I stopped making them. My resolutions go unresolved not because I set unrealistic expectations, but because I give up so easy. I'm not letting others down, just myself, and that's not such a big deal right? After getting through this holiday season, however, letting myself down is suddenly a big deal. I feel a strong urge to set some goals for myself in 2009 and beyond, and I can't seem to kick this overwhelming sense of needing a fresh start. If you think about it, each new year is like a free clean slate. A no questions asked ticket to start over. I'm not passing this up any more.

What are my resolutions this year? Nothing spectacular or unique I'm afraid, but good personal goals none the less. I'm tired of being tired; I'm done wishing for a more physically fit self and ready to be one; I want to finish my teaching degree, and I desperately need to become a more patient parent (does desperation equate impatience?) I have no concrete plan to make these resolutions happen, but maybe that's a good thing. If I put too much planning into the mix, it's a given things will fall through the cracks, so this year I'm winging it. I'm keeping in mind the things about my life I want to change, and then haphazardly changing them.

Right now I have the chance to get some exercise and take my dog for a nice long walk, so I'm going to take it. Before I go, I want to wish a Happy New Year to you and yours and encourage you to cash in your ticket for a fresh start!