UFO: Unidentified Fund-draining object?
I’m not an astronomer or an accountant, but I think I’ve discovered a black hole, and my money is slowly and methodically being sucked into this abyss.
It wasn’t noticeable before … $5 here, $10 there, $20 …
Although it seems to have just formed during the past year, it’s getting stronger by the week.
I fondly refer to this vacuum as ”teenager,” more specifically “Katie.”
Her expenses: gas for her car, school fees, snacks with friends, presents for friends, club fees, more food. The latest store run produced Smorz cereal and Powerade. Yum.
I ration the money a little at a time, and I hold her accountable for how she spends it.
Her dad’s solution: Get a job.
My response: Just keep up the good grades.
For now, I’ll keep opening my wallet a little at a time and hope the gravitational pull from this celestial phenomena doesn’t drain all my money.
– Linda Lynn
Flying Easter eggs? Being a “normal” family
You should still be able to enjoy family outings and restaurants and vacations.
What I’ve learned, however, is that you sometimes might have to adjust your lifestyle a bit, depending on your child. In my case, my son has Down Syndrome.
Not all children are alike, and not all Down Syndrome children are alike. But sometimes there are similar traits or conditions that will present themselves in a child.
For instance, when my son was a little younger, he had a dangerous habit of throwing objects across the room. One Easter, my loving and very patient extended family got to witness Easter eggs thrown through the air in my niece’s living room. Thankfully, some even joined in, making it more fun than a distraction.
This throwing habit took a lot of work to correct, and I’m happy to say, it is much safer in our houses now.
He also has never liked loud sounds. We still can’t take him to a movie or he will start crying. He also doesn’t like dark places. So, we can’t yet go to movie theaters as a family. However, what we have done is take turns. Or, this weekend, we saw a movie on the RedHawks Field in Bricktown during a family movie night.
Eating out is also sometimes a challenge. He used to want to knock everything — drinks, food, utensils – off the table. It was as if it were an impulse he had. Now, we make sure to clear all those fancy salt and pepper racks, menus and candles from his area, so he’s not tempted.
Families with children always have to make choices, whether one activity is suitable for their circumstances. But it was important to me to at least try to continue introducing new and regular experiences.
What I’ve also realized is that, due to our family’s special circumstances, we have been able to grow and experience new situations we might have missed otherwise.
– Linda Lynn
Scrapbooking vs. saving photos from the scrap heap
Stickers, acid-free paper, fine-line pens, cricut, stamps, stencils, sequins, ribbon, twine … the list is endless of the tools and intricate items you’ll want to buy when you start scrapbooking.
My sister and niece are avid scrapbooking fans, and they have the craftily designed photo books to prove it.
Me? I have a scrapbook my sister made for me when my son was born, another she made for my husband’s birthday, and pages that she mostly assisted on. Even with years of buying paper, stickers and special scissors … and making sure to collect tickets and items from vacation destinations and snap photos to fit a theme page … my scrapbooking efforts are primarily a “scrap” heap.
So, I decided this past weekend to do something a little crazy.
I uploaded our vacation, family and first-day-of-school photos to Walgreen’s, picked up the photo order, bought a photo album and spent 5 minutes carefully sliding the paper memories into their protective sleeves.
Voila!
Not exactly crafty — although I was tempted to buy sticky sequins and place them haphazardly throughout the album – but I was done.
Later that day, my daughter was sitting on the couch, and she was flipping through the photo album.
So, the next day, I did it again. I ordered more prints and bought two more albums.
My kids love looking at family photos. Instead of making these family memories accessible, I had been storing them on discs or my computer desktop or stuffing them in envelopes with plans to crop and scrapbook.
I just needed to realize that sometimes a simple approach is still OK.
– Linda Lynn
Mother’s Day – What I want most
5 going on 15
It seems like it was just last week I was pushing around my little man in a stroller … able to contain him in any environment – the mall, the zoo, the arts festival.
But just a few short weeks ago, my baby turned 5 and I found myself registering him for kindergarten, setting up his big-boy bed in his room, and holding my breath as he went on the kiddie roller-coaster at the local amusement park.
Of course, it was a nonstop celebration to honor Hunter’s turning 5. It was a day he’d been anxious for and with all the begging and pleading, it still couldn’t come quick enough for him. For me? It’s always too quick.
A week full of a visit from Gwennie (as grandma is so affectionately called) culminated in the party of the century with a big dancing, talking mouse (any guesses?). A chocolate-only cake, decorated in Star Wars fashion was on the menu, topped with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker with real working light sabres (it doesn’t get cooler than that). Friends, family and even a girlfriend (yes, girlfriend!) made the event extra special for my little guy.
And it seems things have changed overnight. My 5-year-old is already going on 15. The phrases he uses, the facial expressions, the eye-rolls … the ones that say “Mom, you are so not cool” when I’m trying to make him laugh. Worrying about giving his mom kisses in public … worrying about whether his jeans are “regular” or “skinny” and if his shirt is tucked just right. He’ll readily stick up for friends if they find themselves on the receiving end of a bully’s push. And he still manages to tell me how pretty he thinks I am and but now adds how he thinks I should wear my hair.
He’s truly turning into his own little man. As fast as it goes, it gets better every day.
-Erica Smith
Goodnight, Sweet Dreams … Why is everyone still talking?
After my daughter saw a spider on her bed – tis the season of springtime creepy crawlies – she spent a few nights in her sister’s room on the trundle.
She complained, though, that her younger sister talked in her sleep. I told her she used to do that, too, and to be more tolerant, especially since she was the visitor.
A few days later, she ended up sleeping in my room, too, since she had worn out her welcome elsewhere. Early the next morning before she awoke, she started yelling, “No!” in an argumentative tone. She was obviously arguing with someone in a dream. I was hoping it wasn’t me.
Last night, my youngest son started talking in his sleep … “mml…go” … which, in his language, is “Wanta go,” which he loves to do.
So, within a week’s time, all my children have been talking in their sleep.
What does this mean? I would guess it has something to do with unrestful sleep. All have either been sick, suffering from allergies or just tired.
Of course, it was a full moon recently, too.
–Linda Lynn
Earth Day! Let’s celebrate!
Friday is Earth Day. Most of us spend every waking and sleeping hour on this planet.
We call it home, but sometimes we take it for granted.
What could you do to give back to our big blue marble?
- Plant a tree. (or a bush or a seed)
- Walk instead of driving. (or skip, run, dance)
- Ride a bicycle. (or a cow, horse or unicycle)
- Share a commute with a neighbor or co-worker, or take public transportation. (And share good conversation on the way!)
- Volunteer to help clean up your local park or neighborhood. (Start with your own yard.)
- Use reuseable shopping bags, buy less and consider food packaging. Do you really need a separate plastic produce bag for lemons, limes, squash and onions. Go sans plastic bags, since you’re going to wash them anyway. (And use the food you buy. Don’t waste it and let it rot for a couple of weeks in the fridge.)
- Take shorter showers. (Turn water on, turn off, soap up, turn water on and do a quick rinse. Done!)
- Use less pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals around your home. Or stop using unfriendly products altogether. (You might not have the prettiest lawn in the neighborhood, but you’ll feel safe having your kids play there.)
- Spend the evening watching a sunset — not the TV. (The color reception is so much better.)
- Play outside. (Bouncing balls, Hula-hoops and horseshoes are more Earth-friendly than living room-friendly.)
- Take your children on a nature hike, sharing appreciation of our environment. (Don’t touch the poison ivy!)
Share your Earth-celebrating ideas with The Oklahoman and our readers. You might inspire someone else to follow your example.
–Linda Lynn
Car seat recommendations change
The American Academy of Pediatrics has changed its stance and guidelines on infant car seats.
The AAP now advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. It also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age.
The previous standard was 12 months/20 pounds as a minimum for facing backward.
To read the full report, go to www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm.
A reference guide for all age groups can be found at www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
Coupon was pot ‘o gold
Thank you, coupon fairy!
I had stopped by a local store to pick up a few items, and there, on top of the diaper boxes, was a $2 off coupon for the item I wanted.
Someone had shared from their own coupon collection, and though I’ve seen stray coupons scattered with products at stores before, today was my day to take advantage of the gift.
While $2 might not seem like much, it adds up.
Inspired by my daughter’s Lent sacrifice of all softdrinks, I decided to give up everything Starbucks and sweet tea.
These sugary drinks and the food I always bought to accompany them were becoming an addiction that was bleeding my purse of $3 here, $5 there and $7 from somewhere!
The tall, decaf, no-whip, peppermint mocha was my little reward — and for “me” time.
I’m not saying I’ll never drink one again, but I needed to put my “little” expenses into perspective.
Although I never saw my dad with a cigarette in his hand, he would tell a story of how he quit, cold turkey, once he realized he could have bought a car with the money he had spent on his habit.
I don’t think my beverage expenses will even come close to buying a car – but maybe a set of tires for a car.
With so many costs related to basic living needs, my children, their schools, doctor visits, etc. and the desire to be able to maybe afford another home someday, I’m taking a second look at my budget — one cup at a time.
Linda Lynn
Verizon store is hosting Kids’ Day at Quail Springs
Tomorrow and Saturday (March 11-12), Verizon Wireless will celebrate the opening of a new store at Quail Springs Mall with events for kids and adults alike.
According to a news release, the fun will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, during which the company will present a $1,000 check to YWCA of Oklahoma City. And for all us techie parents, at 5 p.m., the store will unveil the new iPad 2.
Festivities will continue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the store’s Kids’ Day, with FREE family activities, such as face-painting, a moon bounce, complimentary tacos from Big Truck Tacos (YUM!!) and prize giveaways.
“The focus is around family and getting the children involved,” said Michael Perry, Quail Springs store manager.
-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com
