Hi Everyone…looking for great family fun this weekend?
Take you kids to see the new Muppet Movie at a theatre near you. See all your old friends and make new ones!
Below please find a link to new activity sheets including how to make a paper bag puppet, a pin the mole on Kermit game, sending a postcard from Miss Piggy and a fun Can You Spot the Differences game all on behalf of Disney’s MUPPETS MOST WANTED, which is currently playing in theatres everywhere!
Are you a fan of Captain America?
Friday April 4, marks the opening day in theaters around the country!
I am sure it will be great entertainment for you and your family.
As usual, I am able to share some links with you for some fun activities.
The kids will surely enjoy them before or after watching the movie.
I hope you enjoy these Captain America downloads from Disney.
captainamerica2_pdf_5335f0fed6667 Activity Pak 1
Have a great weekend.
See you at the movies.
References: Captain Marvel:The Winter Soldier
Along about twenty years ago, mindfulness came into my life. At the time, my own children were young and day to day living was anything but mindful.
After learning biofeedback techniques to overcome anxiety due to mitral valve prolapse, Jon Kabat-Zinn came into my life through his book
It was life changing and helped introduce me to yoga, which helped to prepare me for my inevitable open heart surgery 6 years ago.
So when I came across Kristen Race‘s book,
I jumped in to see how I could relate my mindfulness practice with my “work” as a grandmother. Nothing is more important to me than family, children and grandchildren.
Kristen Race has helped me to effectively live the mindful life with my granddaughter in today’s fast paced world.
She explains in clear and simple terms how our brains work and how our stress effects our own overall well being and that of our family. She goes on to give many helpful techniques to implement in our busy lives. Her tips help you to find the balance that is essential to manage stress. Balance is an integral part of living happier lives through “mindful parenting” and “mindful” grandparenting.
This is a book I will continue to read and dog ear the pages for years to come. It is one I will recommend to friends. As a therapist myself, I will recommend it to parents as a must read to help them parent mindfully!
Disclosure: This was a sponsored post. I was given a copy of “Mindful Parenting” for review.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQiGyBiNjLI
My love affair with the Muppets began in the 80’s when my children were very young. At the time we were living on the Treasure Coast of Florida without cable television. It was a lucky morning on the weekends when our antenna would capture Public Televison signal from Miami.
The new Muppets Most Wanted promises to entertain adults and children alike with all the “old characters” making an appearance.
Who is your favorite muppet?
Mine is Kermit!
In winter, a cold is my number one enemy!
Suffering through the stuffiness and the sneezing seems like part of the season but I have learned it does not have to be that way, since discovering
“Simply Saline” from Arm and Hammer.
Last summer, when cold season was the least of my worries, I was at BlogHer13 here in Chicago. It was my pleasure to meet many of its sponsors especially the group from Arm and Hammer which has always been a favorite of this mom and now grand mom.
I did not know that they had a line of products known as “Simply Saline”. One of the representatives kindly sent me some samples to try …little did I realize then, this product would come to my rescue several times over the longest and most frigid winter.
First off, my little granddaughter had early winter sniffles and we tried the children’s formula…it relieved her congestion and was so easy to use.
Next…I caught her cold…I knew how well Simply Saline Children’s had worked so I grabbed my grown-up Simply Saline Nasal Relief. It helped my congestion immediately.
As a mom, grandmother and former mother/child nurse I am concerned about products that I use for
When it comes to children especially, a parent needs to select carefully any over the counter product.
For me, the more natural the product the better…what could be more natural than saline nasal spray when it comes to relieving congestion and stuffiness symptoms?
This past week, I have had my third cold of the season! UGH!
Simply Saline again came to my rescue…between the dry air in our house and the frigid temperatures outside it was a miserable bout with nasal congestion, relieved in part by this wonderful natural Arm and Hammer product.
Arm and Hammer products have been in my home for as long as I can remember and for me that is quite a number of years.
It is a product label, my grandmother and mother trusted…and now I am passing that on to my family…five generations later.
Thank you, Simply Saline, for helping me through this cold and flu season.
Disclosure:
This post is sponsored: I was given product to review, all opinions are my own.
Sometimes sand and sun is all I need to rejuvenate me…what about you?
For the past few days, I have been relaxing and taking in the beautiful hospitality of Grand Cayman.
It is a wonderful island …the beaches are pristine and the water is welcoming, especially after leaving sub-freezing temperatures in Chicago.
Tomorrow reality will return as we travel back to the cold…but in the meantime even though it is cloudy today, there is still a little sun and sand alongside the beautiful Caribbean.
See you all stateside…Happy Thursday!
Chicago is a world class city.
Being a native of New York, I really thought that I would never get used to living away from it.
But Chicago is where I have been at home for many years and where my children have grown up. Now, as a grandparent, it is my turn to enjoy Chicago and all it has to offer.
Last night was unusually warm for December, so we took advantage of the balmy weather and made a spur of the moment plan to have dinner downtown and try to take in the Zoo Lights at Lincoln Park.
First, we stopped at Viaggio on Fullerton and had an excellent meal with our granddaughter.
To our surprise, it was child friendly and they were very accommodating with our late arrival due to horrendous traffic.
Viaggio came recommended to us just that afternoon so it was a new find and a wonderful one. We met the owner, Dave and his daughter.
I think we will find our way back there soon maybe without our granddaughter so our meal can be more leisurely.
Unfortunately, our attempt to visit the Zoo Lights was limited to driving along Stockton with the rest of mankind, looking for parking. It seems that everyone was taking advantage of the unseasonable weather.
The light show was fantastic even from a distance and Lakeshore Drive lived up to my expectations on a clear night.
The lights along “The Drive” make me so happy to live near Chicago, such a gorgeous city.
My granddaughter thought all the lights were pretty fantastic and exciting… her enthusiasm was contagious!
Postpartum depression …you do not need to suffer through it!The holidays can seriously effect our mood. After having a baby around the holidays, a bout of postpartum depression can hit hard and come right out of nowhere during a time when a mom feels that she should be rejoicing over the birth of her baby.
If a new mom has recently suffered a loss in her life, the holidays can add another burden of trying to “carry on” when she just doesn’t feel up to it.
Grief combined with the emotions and adjustment of having a newborn certainly can predispose a new mom to postpartum depression because she may already be somewhat depressed.
The following is a post I wrote a year ago.
If you or anyone you know is at risk for PPD this may be a helpful read.
If you are depressed please seek help…in an emergency go to your nearest emergency room.
If you want to find a therapist call your Ob-Gyne doctor for a referral…do not suffer on your own…you do not have to be in mental and physical pain…there is help available.
January 30, 2012 by lorettelavine
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
Postpartum depression is a serious problem that can occur after having a baby…it can occur up to one year after delivery. Sometimes the signs and symptoms can just be an overall sense of anxiety and an inability to enjoy your baby. As a new mom, if you just don’t feel happy you can attribute it to many things especially lack of sleep and the many changes occurring over such a short period of time but you could be suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).
Personally, I did not experience PPD but there were days when I did not feel in control of all the responsibilities of motherhood. It was positively overwhelming. Back in the day…postpartum depression was somewhat overlooked and under treated. A new mom was made to feel like she ”just had to suck it up” and get it together. Fortunately, since them that attitude has changed and most obstetricians screen for PPD at the time of the postpartum check-up.
I thought that I would post a list of symptoms of postpartum depression. If you have more than one or two of these symptoms or are feeling generally depressed for more than two weeks you should check in with your doctor.
The symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as the symptoms of depression that occurs at other times in life. Along with a sad or depressed mood, you may have some of the following symptoms:
A mother with postpartum depression may also:
Memories from my childhood…what about you?
Do you know the name of this doll?
What dolls do you remember?
I love throw back Thursdays…for me it is fun to see how far or not so far people go back…
My memories are from a different time when there was no internet in fact there was barely television!
I love this commercial from Kohl’s
which just speaks to me about Christmas Spirit.
I am all about Christmas right now…
my feelings go from utter frustration
to smiling, with thoughts of how a perfect Christmas would look at my house
if I had my wish!
My perfect Christmas would be to walk to midnight Mass where there would be seats together…
Christmas music would be sung by the choir reminiscent of the one I sang
with years ago in Riverdale, New York…
It would end with the Hallelujah Chorus sung with the help of a few professional New York Metropolitan Opera singers.
Following Mass…a small snack of cookies and egg nog…
then playing Santa…gathering the presents under the tree…
then off to bed in order to capture
the early rising of our 5 year old granddaughter!
Christmas morning around the tree with fresh brewed coffee and camera in hand
enjoying the squeals of delight…and the smells of breakfast strata baking in the oven
A quiet early supper of beef tenderloin and roasted potatoes…with nostalgic holiday music
and conversation.
and that would be a wrap!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
