Posts Tagged: fun
Free
Everyone knows us at our local grocery store. If I go in without any of the kids, it’s known which ones are missing, and asked where they and why they didn’t come along on that given day. Most of the time it’s just me and Davey. He rolls around one of those little carts for kids, having a grand time putting bananas, Nilla Wafers, and cans of tuna for his sister in his buggy; usually running into my heels making me gasp with eyes popping out in pain. I digress.
One particular afternoon I went in with Olivia to get a few things to make for dinner. I didn’t have a lot of time to cook since I had a Yoga class to get to, so I bought a rotisserie chicken and this fantastic cornbread salad that they make at the deli, daily. While the deli lady, Jackie, packed the salad into the little container she began to tell me about this Fall Festival that her church was putting on at a local farm. She told me that I should bring all the kids, that it was going to be amazingly fun, and that it was free. I thanked her for the invite and forgot about it, like I usually do, because if I don’t plug it into a calendar it’s–more than likely–not happening.
A week-or-so later the door bell rang and it was a neighbor from one cul-de-sac over. She handed us a little flier about the festival that Jackie had told us about. It’s free, she said. I was so happy that she came around to tell [us] about it that upon coming back into the house I went directly to the calendar and wrote it down as not to forget again.
It’s true: The best things in life really are free.
S’more Summer Fun!
I am sooooooooo excited to be a part of a campaign in conjunction with the Hershey Company and The Motherhood. Later this summer I will be posting about a surprise theme involving Hershey’s and S’mores. You surely won’t want to miss it! Because, seriously….
Summer + S’mores = FUN!
Too, this summer, the Hershey Company is encouraging families to create their own S’mores memories with the Say S’mores campaign. Starting today, families are invited to capture and share their favorite S’mores moments on the Hershey’s brand Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hersheys for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes.
The grand-prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, (we all know how much I love Canon), a slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers set and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars.
Families who visit the Hershey’s brand Facebook page on or after June 16 can download the Say S’mores application to participate in monthly photo contests and receive a $1 coupon good toward the purchase of any two Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar 6-packs.
Bliss is…
Lunch with a table full of friends.
Seeing an old friend’s baby for the first time (not to mention hugging his beautiful Mama and Aunt).
Laughter. Unadulterated silliness. Rinse, lather, repeat.
Taking pictures of beautiful women.
Listening to a smart, funny, good looking guy talk about stuff that you just “get”.
BEING PART OF A FLASH MOB!!!!
Blissdom Flash Mob, FTW! [Photos Courtesy of Dawn Camp]
***Look carefully, I’m diagonally behind Chris Mann in the black and white, and in the color picture both my hands are back as we are doing the “slow-mo Matrix” part of the dance! Thank you to Jana (and everyone else who was involved) for the choreography and execution of this awesome, and most memorable experience!
We Rock! [Courtesy Hannah Braboy]
My Bliss: Part VII
{Part I}{Part II}{Part III}{Part IV}{Part V}{Part VI}
Weekly Winners {The “Our Week in Pictures” Edition}
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”—Jim Valvano
Our week filled with laughter, thought, and emotion…
Sunday: We enjoyed some fun time at Bogg’s Creek, laughing and splashing, getting all dirty.
Monday: We swam at our local pool where it’s filled with seven different kinds of crazy fun.
Tuesday: We hoped and prayed that Michael’s truck would start so we could get it out of Dawson Forest (it didn’t start, but we got it out, later that night, with help from a neighbor).
Wednesday: Just another lazy dog day of Summer; kick back, relax, read, and reflect.
Thursday: Davey and I admired Miss Beverly’s flowers at sunset. I also announced my “Shooting from the Hip” Photo Contest where you can win your very own HighKey Camera Strap; won’t you please enter!
Friday: Sometimes [you] just gotta fall asleep where you eat, making your Mama and Papa laugh at your snoring and cry about just how big you’ve grown.
Saturday: And, sometimes you just gotta eat, eat, eat, and eat some more! Thanking your lucky stars for a sale on meat, a slow cooker, and a man who knows how to make his own barbecue sauce.
Back to Sunday again! Now you must go visit Lotus for more Winners!
Tradition Hangs in the Balance
And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word. Tradition!
–Tevye, the Papa, Fiddler on the Roof
The date has been blocked on the calendar since the month change. Countdowns were issued weekly. Thoughts were exchanged verbally amongst siblings about how the night would be, what they would wear, when we’d actually leave the house, and where we’d go. Daydreams ensued about pumpkin heads filled with all kinds of delightful treats. All in the name of a fall time tradition that [we] love to celebrate: Halloween!
The day started out rather slowly. Coffee. Mama needs coffee. And once the quota was filled–the quota being my two favorite mugfuls–I was ready to face the day; the busy day that would more than likely not bring any rest. First stop was acting class where Olivia did her little one minute skit and wowed the socks off of her teacher. During the time that the kids were there, Davey and I went to hell. Ok, so, fine, we really just went to Wal-Mart, but honestly it was pretty close to hell. Saturday, on Halloween, at Wal-Mart–what was I thinking? We survived, though, and got back just in time to pick up the little actors.
Then it was time to work. There was lunch to be served, cupcakes to be made, and pumpkins to carve.
Time flew by, and before we knew it night was upon us. I started to get the kids in their costumes.
First up was Zombie Girl. This girl has been something ghoulish for the past three Halloweens. Gone are the days of Princesses and Pop Icons. She wanted scary, spooky freakishness, and scary, spooky freakishness she achieved.
Next was Benny the Bionicle. When I found the box of old costumes in the garage, and he saw that Mikey’s old costume would fit him he immediately knew what he’d be. After all, this is the kid who lives, eats, and breathes, Bionicles.
Then it was the Ninja’s turn to get ready. He wore a costume that was once his eldest brother’s, too. Mikey was three when my parents took him and Olivia trick-or-treating in our old neighborhood in Cheektowaga, NY. I can still see toddler Mikey walking down the cracked sidewalks, his plastic pumpkin in hand, excited about getting chocolates.
We kept asking David what he was going to be for Halloween and he reply was either “inja” or “I not gonna be a inja.” Cutest damn Ninja that I’ve seen, oh, in eight years!
Finally, there was Billy Mays. I don’t know if I can add anything other than I love that Mikey chose to be him for Halloween. Earlier in the week I had asked Twitter what they thought he should dress up as, knowing that he liked to wear creative, home-made costumes as opposed to the store bought. Someone said, “How about Billy Mays,” and as soon as I told Mikey that, the deal was done. Respectfully, Mikey became the OxiClean spokesman for a night. He threw that thumb up and flashed his big, pearly whites.
After it was all said and done, Olivia and I were talking. She said, “Mama, I’m happy about Halloween, but I also have this sad feeling now.”
“Oh, baby,” I said, “sounds to me like you have Halloween let-down.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Ya know on Christmas morning, when you’ve done opened all your presents, and the candy’s been eaten, and there’s nothing but crumpled paper under the tree?” I answered her with a question.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Well,” I said, “that’s Christmas let-down, and what you are feeling now is Halloween let-down. After all, you’ve been thinking about this night for a whole month. And now that it’s over, you feel kinda sad. The good part, though, is that we get to mark a new holiday on the calendar tomorrow!”
She was satisfied.
Me? I’m still not entirely satisfied. November has started and–as quickly as time flies–it’ll be over before we know it. That’s why I’m just going to take it one day at a time. I’m allowing myself time to fix any mistakes I’ve made. I’m resigning myself to be patient with myself; my mind, body and soul.
So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world.
–John Clare, November
This is {NaBloPoMo}
