Santa - Come Back!

So in Kindergarten, K was somewhat isolated from older kids. They didn't eat in the cafeteria with the older ones and separated them in extended day. But K started day camp last week. The kids are more mixed K-5. On the second day, K lost a tooth. When she was putting under her pillow at bedtime she says to me "Mom, do you give me Christmas presents?" I said of course. She says "But does Santa give me presents - or is it just you?" I was so sad. I thought we would have more time!!! I said, "why are you asking that?" She said "A boy in my camp says he doesn't get presents from Santa, they are all from his Mom and Dad. He says Santa isn't real" I said, "well maybe he isn't a very good boy, and that's why Santa doesn't bring him presents." She thought about that and said, "he seems ok". I asked her what she thought. She said "I think Santa is real" and I said, "well, there you go".

I think she is ok for now..but I was so sad that it happened so quick. And its summer -what were these kids doing talking about Santa anyway???? Sheesh!

we are off to the beach for a few days....will try and post....

Kids Who Behave in Restaurants

Whenever I am talking to people at work or something and mention we went out to dinner, people always say, "Oh, I can't take my kids to restaurants". It makes me want to scream. The reason why kids "can't" go to restaurants is because the parents don't take them to restaurants. The only way kids learn how to behave in restaurants is to go to them. We make a concerted effort to go out with the kids every two weeks or so.

Now, I'm not saying we bring them to Ruth Cris Steakhouse or some high-end restaurant (although we do occasionally)..but just going to the neighborhood joint or a chain restaurant like Chilis or Olive Garden or something is enough.

And you can't expect little kids to just sit there, wait for their food, and make polite conversation. You have to be prepared. We carry crayons and coloring books, as well as aqua-doodle sheets and pens. It is not always easy. Especially with Big Man - keeping him in his seat is not an easy task.

Some times it is a nightmare, and we end up getting our food in boxes and leaving. But I think that has only happened once. More often we don't have a leisurely dinner, but more sort of rush through a bit so that the kids can handle it. But most of the time it works out just fine. The kids understand how to behave, amuse themselves with crayons or the like, and we have a nice family dinner.

But we think it is important that our kids learn how to behave in public. And the only way that will happen is if we do it. (And it means we go out for dinner without paying $15/hour for a babysitter.)

More and More Mom Blogs

Ok, so I got tagged with a blog designed to get people to check out more mom blogs. So...here you go!

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Instructions:1. Copy and paste this tag from "Start Here" to "End Here". (don't forget the image)2. Place your blog's name with your URL at the end of the tag. If you have more that one blog, please add them too! Just make sure that you post this tag in all of your blogs.3. Tag 5 blogs that is not yet in this post (just to avoid duplications ^_^ )4. This is the twist... Go to the 5 blogs that you tagged and comment on any of their posts. Why? So that search engines can crawl to your site. ^_^5. Return to the Momhood Moments blog and leave a comment saying that you joined the tag together with the URL of the tag. I'll be checking on it and add you in the master list.Momhood Moments Tags You List: (updated June 13, 2008 10:14pm GMT+8)1. Momhood Moments 2. Business Mars 3. Concealed Mind 4. http://www.ritzie.info/ 5. Personal Development Blog For Money 6. Vhiel's Corner 7. Anything and Everything in Between 8. Can of Thoughts 9. moms..... check nyo 10. Pinay dot US 11. My Blog Entry 12. Byaheng Pinay 13. The Sweet Life 14. A Mother's Journal 15. Welcome to my World 16. Thoughts of Mine 17. Pheandy's blog 18. stolen shots 19.veniz-great things come in small packages 20. Motherly Instinct 21. A Mother of Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow 22. Filipino love stories 23. A mom's note 24. Tasteful voyage 25.Pinaymama's Diary 26. My So Called Life 27. Straight from the Heart 28. Deranged Insanity 29. Aeirin Collections 30. FunFierceFabulous 31. Teacher's Corner 32. Hailey's Beats and Bits 33. Twerlermz Blog 34. Our Family Adventure! 35. Complex Life 36. .Bisdak's Footprints 37. Mummy Diaries 38. It Is Nap Time 39.Motherhood and All Its Adventures 40. Threetimemommy.blogspot.com 41.YOUR TURN! =)--------- END HERE -------------





I chose to tag: Teff at http://www.xtraordinari.net/, Laura at http://walkinglunaticfringe.blogspot.com/, M at http://2under2whoknew.blogspot.com/, and Suzie at http://wellbehavedwoman.blogspot.com/.

The Gift of Life

I gave blood today. Specifically I gave a double-red donation - meaning they took double the number of red-blood cells than a regular donation, but gave me back the other stuff (platelets? white cells? No clue really). For me, it makes things easier, because they get double the red cells (which are most needed), and I only have to donate 3x a year.

I have O-negative blood, which is the universal donor. So once I give, I get calls every 8 weeks or so begging me to give again. Giving double red will shorten that - because I can't give again for 16 weeks.

I believe that every community in the country is facing a serious blood shortage. If you have an hour or so - please go donate some blood. I know some people aren't crazy about it, and Lord knows I don't like needles. But I like to think that if someone in my family or amongst my friends needs blood one day, I did my part to replenish the supply.

For more information visit http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/.

Come On DOWN!

I am a game show junkie. I have always like them. I remember loving being home sick from school cuz it meant I could watch the Price is Right. Now days I don't get to watch many shows - but I have always loved Password. So I am so excited about the new Million Dollar Password. I love the game, but not sure about the way this one works. Basically if you make it into the money round, you first have to get 5 words to make $10k, then $25k - which is a safety level. Once you reach $25k, you can never lose it. But all the rest are losers. Starting with $50k, $100k, etc you would lose it all down to $25k. And in the million dollar round you have to get 5 words out of 5 with no mistakes and no passes. I just don't see anyone ever going for that. They need to have another safety level. I would LOVE to be on this show.


I tried out for Scrabble when I was in college, but didn't make it. I have a friend who was on Jeopardy. Anyone ever been on a game show?

Last Day of School!

So today is the first day of summer, and the last day of K's year of Kindergarten. This morning that made me sad. I know how much she loves her teachers and how much fun she has had. I am sorry for her that it is over. Also, the school kind of protects the Kinders (as K calls them) by keeping much of their day separate from the older kids. They don't have lunch in the cafeteria with everyone else (they eat in their classroom) and for extended day, the Kinders and Preschoolers are in their own room. Next year she will be in the mix with everyone else. She has been very anxious about it, and we have been trying to work that out. She was very comfortable in kindergarten, and I'm sure she will be in 1st grade too.

The worst part is - she is missing the last day of school! Last night she was complaining of a sore throat and by bedtime had a fever. Given that her siblings both had strep last week - we assume she has too. She is at the dr now, but we started her on antibiotics last night (left over from her brother).

DH went to school this morning to drop off gifts for her teachers and pick up her remaining stuff. The teachers had awards they were giving all the students in the class. My guess would be that K would have won "Most Likely to Answer a Question Without Raising Her Hand". Her teachers were much nicer. She got "Future President"!!! So awesome.

Luckily to celebrate summer, we were planning on having lots of messy Popsicles with dinner - should be good for the sore throat!

Pure Joy

So we have a partial season plan to the Washington Nationals. We all enjoy going - although the girls think we are there for entertainment other than baseball. Namely Screech and the President's Race - which happens during the 4th inning. The President's race is simply a race around the field by the mascot-like Presidents of Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington and Teddy Roosevelt. The biggest part of the race is that Teddy never wins. He always stops for a hot dog, or falls down, or something intervenes so he doesn't win.

The kids LOVE this race. And they so want Teddy to win. (Although K has figured out he never will). However, they are afraid of the giant Presidential heads if they are within 20 yards of them. Sometimes the Presidents wander around the Park, and the girls are terrified. They are pretty big - about 7 or 8 feet tall, with big foam heads.

They also love the official mascot - Screech. He is a baby eagle and oh so cute. The girls - especially B, love Screech. B always says she wants to give him a "high five". Well, a few weeks ago she got her chance. Screech was in the upper deck near our seats. DH took B down to see if she could high five him. The whole time she was standing waiting for him, she was so excited she was jumping up and down. It was precious. And then, Screech not only high-fived her, he gave her a hug. She was in Nirvana.

Now she needs to find and try and see him every game. Maybe one of these days she'll even be willing to high five Teddy....