Love Makes a Family

Logan got a little spoiled with books this Christmas, thanks to Mommy’s thrift shop rummaging. I was tempted to be an indian giver when I fell in love with one of them, but luckily he is a good sharer. As we read the book I felt as if it was written just for us, so much so that it brought me to tears. It is about a single mother who is raising a little girl on her own. One day the little girl comes home from school and decides she wants a “real family,” and storms off next door. They … Continue reading

Love Your Pet but Not the Cost? How to Reduce the Cost of Raising Your Best Friend

Have you ever taken the time to calculate how much your furry or feathered friends are costing you each month? There is food, vet care, that regular application of flea and tick protection, grooming fees, litter or bedding, and of course toys, treats and equipment such as carriers, cages and the like. Depending on where you live and how eco-friendly or upscale you want to go with food and supplies, expect to pay up to $1,500 for a cat and $2,000 for a dog during the first year. Rabbits, hamsters, birds and fish are somewhat less expensive. Let us take … Continue reading

Family Friendly Volunteering

When you can’t always afford to pay for family fun, you can make your own by volunteering! How Can Volunteering Be Fun? First of all, helping others often puts things in perspective. Benefiting people or even animals that are not as fortunate as you are can make anyone appreciate all that they have. Often it forces even children to look around and start enjoying the blessings they already experience. Volunteering really makes us feel good. It is fun in itself. Studies have shown that people who volunteer tend to me more joyful and happier in life. Isn’ t that a … Continue reading

Who is Jane Goodall

Every Sunday in church, the children get a handout that makes them think about how to become better, more caring people. Today’s handout listed four individuals that parents were to tell their children about. There was the Dalai Lama, Caesar Chavez, Rosa Parks, and Jane Goodall. We talked about all four, but as I was explaining who each was, I wondered how many adults know who Jane Goodall is. Goodall has spent the last 45 years of her life working with chimpanzees and it all started with a gift from her father. When Goodall was young, her father gave her … Continue reading

Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels

Disneyland and Disney World aren’t identical. One of the big ways they differ is in size; Disney World is much larger than Disneyland. Because of this there are far fewer hotels at Disneyland than Disney World; I can think of dozens in Orlando, but Disneyland has only three: the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian, and Paradise Pier. Disneyland makes up for that by teaming up with several local Anaheim Hotels as part of its Good Neighbor program. A Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotel isn’t officially a Disney hotel. Anyone can stay at them without going to the park (though I suppose … Continue reading

Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Shelf

So it’s back to school. This year, I’d really like my seven-year-old to start making her lunches. While she can come home for lunch sometimes, packed lunches are the way of things most days. I’m no fan of making lunches, and I’ve been known to be notoriously un-creative at times. In grade three, when I made my own lunch, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for an entire year. I still can’t eat a plain peanut butter sandwich without gagging. Enough said. Children have their own ideas about what makes a good lunch. If you’re aiming to have them make a nutritious … Continue reading

Is A Home Party Sales Business A Good Fit For You?

If it seems like you are constantly getting invited to sales parties, you are probably not alone. Many people are taking on direct selling as a full time or part time business. Some people seem to enjoy what they do as home party sales representatives. It is not the right business opportunity for everyone, though. If you are wondering whether direct selling is right for you, read on. It is important to remember that in order to succeed as a direct sales representative, you must enjoy working in sales. This may seem like a simple thing, but often people try … Continue reading

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – June 24 – 30, 2012

Every week, the Special Needs Blog Week in Review brings you a quick summary of each of the blogs that were posted here in the past seven days. It makes it easier for you to find out about the ones that you might have missed. The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on June 25, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of NPR’s “Weekend Edition Sunday”. The episode was called “Planes, Patience, and Slightly Kid-Friendlier Security”. This is a good one to listen to for parents who will be traveling by plane with their children this … Continue reading

Toddler Snacks You Can Feel Good About

If you feel like you are lucky to get a few bites of each meal into your toddler, you are not alone. Even toddlers who enjoy eating are sometimes too busy to sit down long enough to eat an entire meal. Of course, they eventually do get hungry and they usually do not let you know about it until they are starving and want something to eat immediately. Parents can help their toddlers to get the nutrition that they need by offering a variety of nutritious, easy to prepare snacks throughout the day. Snacks that include both protein and fat … Continue reading

Family History Stories Are A Good Read

As I looked for an interesting topic to write about for today, I came across a wonderful story that was posted on a genealogy blog. The story was about how the blogger’s grandmother and grandfather met – a friend had given a young woman’s address to a young man, they began writing letters to each other, and eventually met and got married. I really enjoyed reading that story, and it reminded me of just how wonderful real life family history stories can be. Whether the story is a romantic story, a funny story, a story of a brave hero, or … Continue reading