Archives
Monday, February 2nd marks the 128th Groundhog Day. The first one was celebrated back in 1887 at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The tradition says that if the groundhog comes out of his hole and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t see he shadow it means there will be an early spring. Whether or not you buy into the whole idea of a rodent predicting the weather, there are fun activities you can do with your family that center on this quirky holiday. The day your child is born is a special day that changes your life forever. Your world and your schedule now centers on this new addition to the family. Diapers, feedings and the dream of a full night’s sleep consume your thoughts. World events, top news stories and what movies are in the running for an Oscar are probably not on your radar. Your attention is on your new baby, as it should be. But once the newborn fog clears and you settle into your life again, wouldn’t it be nice to have something to remind you more about the day your baby was born. Bkeepsakes has created personalized, “Day You Were Born” prints to do just that. New Year’s Eve is a time to reflect on the past year and look toward a brand new year. It is a time many families enjoy spending together and making memories. I have one adventurous friend who goes winter camping with her family. They spend several hours around the campfire, under the stars, enjoying black-eyed pea soup and talking about their favorite memories of the last year.
Children love having stories read to them by the special people in their lives. They enjoy the closeness that comes from the time spent together and they learn so much about the world around them through books. Through books, children learn good communication skills, they learn the rhythm and cadence of language and they learn higher level thinking skills. In addition, there is a special value in having children read books about themselves. Reading a personalized story teaches children about their own uniqueness, and promotes a positive self-esteem, along with an early love of reading. Taking pictures of special moments with our family is easy these days. We don’t even need a camera anymore. It can be baby’s first steps, a funny moment between siblings or a school concert; all we have to do is take out our phones or tablets to capture the memory forever. Thanksgiving is right around the corner bringing with it food, family, football and more food. It is a time to reflect on what we are thankful for by slowing down to appreciate it all. One way to slow down and enjoy the pre-Thanksgiving prep is to get the family involved making decorations and fun edible projects. The Christmas season is right around the corner. Soon, houses will don holiday lights and lawn decorations. The warmth of the season will radiate from the beautifully decorated Christmas trees, the smell of cookies baking, and from the songs like Santa Clause is Coming to Town playing throughout the house. For the kids, the anticipation and excitement of Santa builds as the special day inches closer. They embrace the spirit and magic of the season and are filled with wonder and hope. Although it is unclear exactly when it began, writing letters to Santa is a tradition many children continue to enjoy and look forward to each year. Cuddling up with your little ones on a big comfy couch or snuggling with them on a bed with pillows propped up, while reading to them, creates warm memories that will be them forever. They will feel loved, safe and secure as you nurture your relationship with them and with books. Many have fond childhood memories of Halloween; dressing up, the parties, trick-or-treating and of course the candy. Now, as parents you have the chance to help your children create wonderful memories of their own and at the same time, make keepsakes for you to enjoy for years to come. Your children will enjoy sharing the memories with you too! And sharing this time together strengthens the bond with your children while instilling in them a sense of how special and unique they are. |