I Really Do Have Something to Say, but....
I'm having a hard time saying it HERE! I write all the time, but, why don't I BLOG?
I thought about this last night... after "Tweeting" it.
I think part of it is that I'm not talking TO anyone.... I mean... I hope that someday, people will be reading this, but, really... I'm just starting out! I need to get over the feeling that I'm just writing a report... to be read only by 1 teacher. Writing reports wasn't fun... writing notes to my TFF(True Friends Forever - old school!)... who I was going to walk out of the classroom with, and down the hall with, and then sit in the cafeteria with... THAT was fun! And, too tempting to forgo. Gotta capture more of that HERE! (Hey Julie, shall I draw some safety pins????)
Another thing hit me after reading The Evolution of a Mom Blogger . There was a time in my life where I wrote fiercely... to myself... hoping against hope that NO ONE would ever see it. (And, to this day, no one ever has!) Those were NOT good times... I was writing it out to get it out... as a form of psycho-therapy, you know? So... maybe I associate "journaling" with being in a bad place... REALLY got to get over that one!!!!!
Too bad I can't DRAW here.... Safety Pins, and TFF , and Smile written like.... well... the way we wrote Smile in 1984!
(And there's another reason... I want to include a photo with a post... but I don't happen to have one handy.... ack!)
Later!
Cindy - HorseLoversMama
My horse lover is turning 7! Birthday Party Time!
Friday night, we had 5 girls over for a Pajama Party. (Not a sleep-over party).
We invited the girls to come in their pajamas. They sang, ate pizza, played dress up (Jessica dressed up AS a horse), ate popcorn, did a scavenger hunt, stuffed some bears, decorated their own tiny cakes, and opened presents.
I also attempted to have them "make magazines". While they were decorating and eating the cakes, I was busy downloading and printing pictures from their arrival and their fashion show. We did run out of time - but each girl got to take home a small scrapbook, and a bunch of photos of herself and some group shots - plus some stickers to dress it up.
We also gave out awards! After the girls arrived, I quick jotted an award for each, based on the pajamas she was wearing... The girls did seem to love getting them (even though everyone got one and they were all silly!) I had "The Most Meowy" Award - for a girl dressed head to toe in Hello Kitty items.... the "Pink and Green" award for a girl in pink Tinkerbell print PJ bottoms with coordinating green top. (A mom's gotta be resourceful!)
I ended up putting more work into it than I needed to - mostly because I planned for OTHER ideas that we ended up deciding against (such as decorating shirts to use when playing dress up, more awards that we never got to). But, it went well, and all the girls seemed to really enjoy it. I hope so!
Birthday Party Time! Scavenger Hunt!
Jessica requested a scavenger hunt at her party. This turned out to be a lot of fun for me, as well as for the girls. And, it was a truly free party idea!
After figuring out what she had in mind.... this is what I came up with:
The Puzzle (Jess envisioned puzzle pieces, and the girls working together to read a message)
This scavenger hunt idea could be done with girls or boys, at birthday parties for age 7 and up (its best if the kids can at least read most of the clue, but it will also be fine if there is a non-reading child, as long as someone remembers to help him). Can also be fun for adults!
You can easily vary how easy/hard the clue is, as well as how simple the reading is (even use a picture if you have a younger attendee) thus accommodating - and making it fair - even with a wide range of players. (I also took into account the kids who had never been to our house before)
It could be done outside in a yard or playground - or - inside a home, classroom, or other familiar space.
If you try it - be sure to check and double check your clues. When writing the clues, you might also write the answer to the previous clue, so you will know where to hide it! I found it easiest to make all clues for each child, then move on to the next child.
While I did spend money on the "surprise activity", I spent nothing on the scavenger hunt itself
The message could read "time for cake" or any other activity you were already planning on.
Enjoy!
After figuring out what she had in mind.... this is what I came up with:
The Puzzle (Jess envisioned puzzle pieces, and the girls working together to read a message)
- Cut a piece of cardboard about 12"x15",
- I wrote "Let's stuff some bears" using sharpie markers
- Some words in one color /one size lettering
- Others in different colors/different size lettering to make it a bit harder. :)).
- Drew some swirls and hearts - to add more design to guide putting the pieces back together.
- Randomly cut the cardboard into pieces (using my electric scissors, of course)
- Made 2 clues on paper for each girl, plus a small envelope for each with puzzle pieces inside.
- The paper clues were folded in half, with the girl's name on the outside. Then folded in half again. We knew some clues would not really be hidden, so we wanted to be sure each girl had to find her OWN next clue.
- I wrote each girl's name on the inside flap of the envelopes
- Buzzzzzz - the clothes are dry (next clue is on top of the dryer)
- I'd like some ice, please (next clue is in the ice dispenser on the fridge)
- I demonstrated where to see the names on the paper clues and envelopes, and gave a few sample clues and how to think of the answer.
- I stressed that it was NOT a race and NOT a contest.
- Handed the first paper clue to each girl (names were on these as well)
- The teen girls and I did help out if the girls needed it to figure out the clue.
- Once they had their 2nd paper clue and their envelope, they were to bring it all to the table.
- Once everyone was back at the table, they dumped out their puzzle pieces.
- It did turn out harder than I expected for them to put the puzzle together. If I were doing it again for age 7 girls, I would make less pieces and perhaps use a background image (rather than plain cardboard) to give them more to go on to match up the pieces.
- With my help, they solved "Let's Stuff Some Bears" (they never did get the puzzle pieces fully put together, but enough to figure the words)
- I had purchased a Lil Lovables Stuff n Fluff factory and some extra bear 'skins" so each girl could stuff her own mini bear.
- The girls "freaked out" when they realized this was what the puzzle said - and loved making (and thus getting) a new little bear. Not even jessica knew we were going to be doing this.
This scavenger hunt idea could be done with girls or boys, at birthday parties for age 7 and up (its best if the kids can at least read most of the clue, but it will also be fine if there is a non-reading child, as long as someone remembers to help him). Can also be fun for adults!
You can easily vary how easy/hard the clue is, as well as how simple the reading is (even use a picture if you have a younger attendee) thus accommodating - and making it fair - even with a wide range of players. (I also took into account the kids who had never been to our house before)
It could be done outside in a yard or playground - or - inside a home, classroom, or other familiar space.
If you try it - be sure to check and double check your clues. When writing the clues, you might also write the answer to the previous clue, so you will know where to hide it! I found it easiest to make all clues for each child, then move on to the next child.
While I did spend money on the "surprise activity", I spent nothing on the scavenger hunt itself
The message could read "time for cake" or any other activity you were already planning on.
Enjoy!
Chincoteague Visit - take 3!
Hi there!
Last weekend, the three of us went back to Chincoteague Island, Virginia. We just love it there. The past two years, we went mid-week during the first or second week of June. This year we decided (on a whim) to try it earlier, and quickly booked a few days at our favorite hotel, The Refuge Inn, at the end of April.
It was just as great as always - although there were no baby ponies yet at the Refuge Inn. There were, however, plenty of older ponies to feed and watch and pat though!
Plus, being earlier in the year, the indoor/outdoor pool was heated, with the roof still in place. Jessica just cannot get enough time in the water - ever! She was thrilled with this trip. Our room had horses on one side and a pool on the other - she could not have asked for more! (but, of course, we did do more!)
This time, we took a boat trip around the South end of Chincoteague Island and the Eastern coast of Asseteague. It was awesome! We went with "Captain Charlie" of Chincoteague Cruises. Being pre-season, I was able to reserve it just a few days in advance, and we were the only people on the boat. (His max is 6, so you'll have a small group no matter what.)
I could tell right away that Captain Charlie loves what he does. He later mentioned how much he still truly loves boating around the islands. I know he does many of these trips each day, but he was fully attentive to us, and in no way did the trip feel "routine". He had great enthusiasm for it.
He was also very knowledgeable and spoke to us totally on our level, as though we had all made fast friends. Even if we had not seen any horses (ponies!) along the way, it would have been very enjoyable just to see the coastlines and the boats fishing the bay between the islands.
Of course, we DID want to see some horses... and we were able to. While no ponies happened to be right along the coast during our trip, we were able to view two wild herds using the provided binoculars. Both herds included a newborn (score!).
We will likely go to Chincoteague again this summer, and definitely will go during pre-season in future years. We will continue to stay at the Refuge Inn, and may well book another Chincotegue Cruise with Captain Charlie.
Last weekend, the three of us went back to Chincoteague Island, Virginia. We just love it there. The past two years, we went mid-week during the first or second week of June. This year we decided (on a whim) to try it earlier, and quickly booked a few days at our favorite hotel, The Refuge Inn, at the end of April.
It was just as great as always - although there were no baby ponies yet at the Refuge Inn. There were, however, plenty of older ponies to feed and watch and pat though!Plus, being earlier in the year, the indoor/outdoor pool was heated, with the roof still in place. Jessica just cannot get enough time in the water - ever! She was thrilled with this trip. Our room had horses on one side and a pool on the other - she could not have asked for more! (but, of course, we did do more!)
This time, we took a boat trip around the South end of Chincoteague Island and the Eastern coast of Asseteague. It was awesome! We went with "Captain Charlie" of Chincoteague Cruises. Being pre-season, I was able to reserve it just a few days in advance, and we were the only people on the boat. (His max is 6, so you'll have a small group no matter what.)
I could tell right away that Captain Charlie loves what he does. He later mentioned how much he still truly loves boating around the islands. I know he does many of these trips each day, but he was fully attentive to us, and in no way did the trip feel "routine". He had great enthusiasm for it.He was also very knowledgeable and spoke to us totally on our level, as though we had all made fast friends. Even if we had not seen any horses (ponies!) along the way, it would have been very enjoyable just to see the coastlines and the boats fishing the bay between the islands.
Of course, we DID want to see some horses... and we were able to. While no ponies happened to be right along the coast during our trip, we were able to view two wild herds using the provided binoculars. Both herds included a newborn (score!).
We will likely go to Chincoteague again this summer, and definitely will go during pre-season in future years. We will continue to stay at the Refuge Inn, and may well book another Chincotegue Cruise with Captain Charlie.
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