Toy Story 3 Family Event

This past Saturday, we had a wonderful family event!  It was movie, pizza, games, crafts, and family night with the theme of Toy Story 3!  It was so much fun and Cara and her crew outdid themselves-  as always!

The kids had such a blast and it was fun to be able to hang with the parents, watch the movie together, and enjoy each other's company!

St. Patrick's Day ideas

1. Turn the toilet water green and spread toilet paper all over the bathroom

2. Green eggs

3. Leprechaun footprints ( stencil into floor on kitchen floor)

4. Make a trap together to catch the Leprechaun

5. Eat Lucky Charms

6. Make cereal of any kind extra lucky by putting a few drops of green food coloring in the bowl before you pour the dry cereal. When the kids pour the milk, it will all turn green!

7. Green milk to drink

8. Rainbow goldfish

9. Chocolate coins

10. All green meal ( pancakes, mashed potatoes, eggs, biscuits, etc)

11. Green kool-aid

12. Shamrock SHakes from McDonalds

13. $5 St. Patty's shirts at Target

Mommy/Daughter Event

Tonight was the first ever Mommy/Daughter Event for TMG and it was a sleepover/Girls Night IN theme!

TONS of mommies and daughters came out to listen to girly music, do crafts, eat, and watch a picture slideshow!

We all loved wearing our pajamas too!

Just the daughters!

Katie and Amara

Lori & KateTracy & Alison

Emily & Danielle

Kandace, Kaitlyn, Audra, and Megan

Andrea and Ellie

Kathy and Cora

Kathy and Maggie

Cara and Emmerson

Melissa and Alyssa

Stacy and Grace

Jenn and Elizabeth

Meghan and Jessica and Charlotte

Cookie decorating

Making door hangers and bracelets

Painting nails

An icecream sundae bar before watching a picture slideshow

Dance party during cleanupLots of memories !

Girls RULE!!! TMG Moms love their daughters!

How to Combat the Winter BLAHs for yourself and your kiddos!

1. Re-arrange stuff! Sometimes you just need a new perspective on your home and thus your lives....furniture, toys, you name it!

2. Get dressed! Don't stay in PJs or sweatpants! Put on jeans or something that has a waistline. Wear lace-up shoes while you are at home. Not only will it "professionalize" your career at home but also keep you focused on getting things done!

3. Make it a theme day at your house...red day ( everyone wear red, do red crafts, eat red food), beach day ( swimsuits and beach towels, beach music, swimming in the bathtub)

4. Embrace it! Sometimes you DO NEED A BREAK!! TAKE IT!! Give yourself a lazy/snuggle in day so you have the energy and the emotions to be the best mommy/wife you can be!

5. Hold yourself accountable. Schedule atleast one "HAVE TO" a day so you are sure to get something accomplished!

6. Have a picnic inside. Have lunch or dinner on a tablecloth on the floor

7. get the sleeping bags and the tent and put them up! Camp out during the day or after school in the living room!

8. have popcorn for dinner-corn is a vegetable,right?

Real Love by Anita Renfroe

How to stay connected to relatives who live far away and encourage your children to build relationships!

1. Skype video chat

2. Photo flip books for kids to look at

3. Snail Mail letters, pictures, drawings

4. Facebook

5. Blogging

6. Phonecalls, texts and picture messages from phones

7. http://ezinearticles.com/?Staying-Connected-With-Long-Distance-Relatives&id=3791108

8. http://powertochange.com/blogposts/2009/12/14/faraway-family/

9. http://theohanamama.com/2009/01/living-far-away-from-family-how-do-you-stay-connected/

10. http://www.ehow.com/how_5517553_stay-family-live-miles-apart.html

11. http://www.highlightsparents.com/polls_and_your_opinions/parents_poll_staying_connected_with_extended_family.html

12. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/445072/5_ways_to_stay_connected_with_family.html

13. http://www.urbanmoms.ca/moms_the_word/2010/07/technology-keeps-me-close-and-a-contest.html

Ways to Show Gratitude

Click here to see what ideas TMG brainstormed last year to help show gratitude.

A Thanksgiving Article Worth Reading

Click here to read a very touching article that might resonate with you this holiday season as it is with me right now ( its posted on our old blog)

What to do to help make your morning routine meltdown and tear-free!

1. HAVE A ROUTINE- stick with it! No matter what it is, do the same thing everyday

2. Make a chart with pictures and words for each thing that needs to be accomplished in the morning. Allow the child to checkoff as they go.

3. Set goals for what needs to be done. Perhaps, get dressed, brush hair, and feed the dog before breakfast. Brush teeth, pack backpack, and read a book after breakfast.

4. Bribery! A donut if you get your stuff done!

5. Allowance...have them earn some money while they show they can be responsible for themselves in the morning.

6. No TV

7. Wake up even 10 minutes early

8. Lay out clothes, make lunches, and pack backpacks the night before

9. http://specialchildren.about.com/od/familyissues/tp/morningroutine.htm

10. http://childcare.about.com/od/behaviors/tp/gettingkidsup.htm

11. http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/24-ways-to-brighten-your-morning/article15916.html

12. http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/articles.asp?id=1010

13. http://hubpages.com/hub/Parenting-Tips-De-Stress-the-Morning-Routine

14. http://dailyparentdrivethru.thinkitthroughparenting.com/wordpress/?tag=morning-routine-charts

15. http://shine.yahoo.com/event/backtoschool/back-to-school-how-to-ease-the-morning-routine-2384664

16. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1199201/effective_ways_to_create_a_stress_free.html

17. http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/2536.html

Ways to Organize your winter gear ( hats, gloves, scarves,etc)

1. Hang two cup hooks on the back of a door with a string between and use clothes pins to hang hats and gloves.

2. Use an over the door shoe organizer inside a closet to hold winter gear. In the summer switch it to sunglasses, sunscreen and hats.

3. Hang hooks at kid height for backpacks and coats.

4. Use a wall hanging file folder holder for kids to put their papers from school in - one folder per kid.

5. Store winter gear in a diaper stacker or laundry sorter.

6. Use a bookcase to hold shoes - boots on the bottom shelf.

7. Use a hanging closet rod extender to add more usable closet space that is easy for kids to reach

8.We use those cloth baskets from Walmart to store the hats and gloves and put them in the coat closet on the floor. Then we hang backpacks on hooks outside the closet...

9. http://www.ehow.com/how_4863831_away-winter-hats-gloves-scarves.html

10. http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=758169

TMG's First Ever Mommy/Son Event

Today was our first ever Mommy/Son event and it was WONDERFUL! I loved my time with just my son and had a great time with the other moms too!

We started at Dairy Queen for an icecream treat. I tried to save seats and these two sweet older women say down near us. I told them that we were having a mommy/son event and it might get loud. Her response, "I raised 5 boys- loud doesn't bother me!"

Then we headed to the bowling alley for some competition. Mommies were on one lane and the boys were on the other.

Kristi and Mason

Kathy and Cole

Sandi and Ethan

Andrea and Liam

Sandi and Caleb

Sandi and Westin

Moms battled it out with their sons!

The boys crouched around the computer checking out the scores and cheering on their moms and their new friends.

Katie and AlaricMoms, Kristi and Kathy had their own battle with their iphones and their lightsabors ap that really makes noise when you move your phone ( the boys thought it was so cool)Kim and Andrew and ThomasWe LOVE our boys!!!!!!!!!!

Homecoming Parade- TMG style!

You tell one mom in TMG where the best parade view is and you might as well have told everyone ( actually, we did tell everyone) and we definately had the best spot to see the parade and get the most candy. TMG members and friends took almost a whole block as we gathered, had picnic lunches and waited for the parade to start.
This group of kiddos can't wait to fill their candy buckets

Max says, "GO SAGES!!!"

To Let Go

To let go doesn't mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone else.
- To let go is not to cut myself off, it's the realization that I can't control another.
- To let go is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.
- To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.
- To let go is not to try to change or blame another, I can only change myself.
- To let go is not to care for, but to care about.
- To let go is not to fix but to be supportive.
- To let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
- To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes. but to allow others to effect their own outcomes.
- To let go is not to be protective; but to permit another to face reality.
- To let is not to deny, but t accept.
- To let go is not to nag, scold, or argue, but to search out my own short comings and to correct them.
- To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes.
- To let go is not to criticize and regulate anyone, but to try to become what dream I can be.
- To let go is notto regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.
- To let go is to FEAR less and LOVE more!

A few of our inspirations

*I mean, seriously... how could I respond to this with any other answer? Martha( Stewart)!! ~ Kathy

*My parents are my inspiration!!~ Sandi

*All the Mom's at Mom's Group- With out their inspiration I am not sure I would have had the will power to survive raising 2 boys 16m apart or the ability to move so often. I love this Wonderful, strong, exciting, powerful, godly group of women... Kim O

*My friend, Arin Cox, Breast Cancer Survivor, mom, wife, and teacher ~Katie

Fall Fest

Today was The Fall Fest for TMG at Lodge Park. What a perfect day to gather families and be together.
Daddies and Daughters....

Mommies and sons.....many gathered to enjoy some fellowship together

Kathy created an amazing scavenger hunt for us that sent families all over the park on the search for some very interesting and spooky things

The Fairs looked high and low

Kim and her little boy found a witches mode of transportation

The O'Linc boys and mom found the most stuff- way to go!!!

Bobbing for apples was enjoyed my many kids

And the hay-rack ride was a huge hit!

Amara gets help from a friend as kids of all ages played and played and played

Parents and kids played in the sand, played football, played on the play structures, played bags, and played and played and played

Others relaxed by the fire and met new friends.

What a wonderful day it was!