Fun For All During WonderFALL

I have been thinking a lot about vacation lately. While Eric and I were in Newport, I saw all the kids with their parents and wondered if our kids would have enjoyed it as much as we did.  I am sure it would have been great, but I am not sure it would be our first choice destination with the whole family.

So that begs the question: where would our first choice be? I have come up with a few ideas, many of which involve the whole family in mouse ears. But after doing a little research online (and I love doing "research" online) I came across an option I had not considered.

Apparently Beaches is not just for honeymooners. That is honestly what I always thought of whenever I heard  someone mention Beaches Resorts, but after looking at their website I see I am seriously mistaken.  Recently heralded as one of the top ten family beach resorts by Parents Magazine, the wide variety of activities available for the entire family is very impressive.
There are all kinds of activities for kids, many of which revolve around Sesame Street. Kids can have a meal with characters like Bert and Ernie. There are fully staffed nurseries for the tiniest of tots, with professionally trained nannies available whenever you need them. Crafts, swimming, stage shows, baking, parties, dance, the list goes on and on and it is all geared to create the perfect vacation for your little one. 

Added bonus? While your kids are so busy having the time of their lives, you can be relaxing next to this....

Or you could be having a nice dinner with these nice people pictured here...
Tempting, I know.  And lets not forget that these are all inclusive resorts, meaning all fun and activities, meals and amenities (except spa packages) are included in the price. Yes, that includes drinks. And a Butler service. And transportation to and from the airport. 

So, the bottom line is that Beaches is not just for honeymooners anymore (they still like honeymooners, too!). Give their site a look and I dare you to decide between their 4 fabulous resorts in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica. Right now they are offering some great deals as part of their WonderFALL promotions. 

Grace being Grace

Once again, I found myself picking up so I could vacuum. The girls came running by, so I stopped them and enlisted them to help. Bellie jumped right into the cleaning. Grace, of course, had a few things to say.

GRACE: Ok, we are going to be a team, ok? So, We are each going to have our own job. Bellie, you are going to pick all the toys up off the floor. Mama, you are going to vacuum, ok? Does that sound like a good idea?

ME: Sounds great so far, but what is your job going to be?

GRACE: I am going to draw pictures of you and Bellie cleaning.  

Changes

There are going to be a few changes going here on The Rogers Family. You are going to see the usually posts about the family, hopefully with pictures if I ever get the camera problem figured out. 

You will also be able to read about some different products, services, etc... that I feel compelled to tell you about. Enjoy (or not)  and comment (or not).  Have suggestions about what you want to see here? Tell me about that as well. 

Enjoy!

A Little Help?

By chance, has anyone seen the cord that connects my camera to my computer???

Yes, I understand how ridiculous it is to post about this, but perhaps this explains how frustrated I am that I can't find it. I have looked everywhere I can think of, and it just seems to have (as Annabelle would say) missappeared. 

Any suggestions as to where I should look? I am at a loss. And you realize that there will be no new pictures posted until I find it? So, please tell me where to look. 

A reward will be offered to anyone who leads me to aforementioned cord. And yes, I have looked in Grace's bed, where all missing things usually seem to end up. 

Summertime Safety

Summer is upon us and hot weather safety is something everyone needs to think about, especially those of us with children. A great resource for parents is Mommy Docs, a website by moms who happen to be doctors, too. 

I have listed some of their summer safety tips below, but be sure to check out their site for all kinds of useful information. 

Have a Sun Protection Strategy: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Look for products that provide "broad spectrum" coverage to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Use this sunscreen routine with your child--daily application 30 minutes before going outside and reapplication every 2 hours (or sooner if swimming, toweling off, or sweating). Creating a routine will establish good habits for the future. In addition, don't forget a wide brim hat, sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, and sun protective clothing.

Keep Pests off Your Little One: In the summer, many insects can bite or sting your child. For pesky mosquitoes and ticks, consider a DEET containing insect repellant. Apply sparingly to exposed skin (avoid backs of hands and around the eyes and mouth) and/or to clothing once a day. As the percentage of DEET goes up, the duration of action increases. To prevent unnecessary exposure, always use the lowest percentage that will last for the planned length of time spent outdoors. Never go above 30% or use on children under 2 months old.

Keep the Pool Cool and Clean: Small yard pools provide a great way for kids to have fun and cool down when the temperature rises, but they can also harbor germs, such as bacteria. To keep the pool free from unwanted "swimmers," after each use disinfect it with bleach by cleaning with a solution of ¾ cup regular bleach to one gallon of water, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it's a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.

High Heat Means Hydrate: Excessive heat exposure may cause your child to experience a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. How to prevent this: take breaks in the shade, avoid playing outside during peak sun exposure hours, and drink, drink, drink! Make sure your child is taking in plenty of fluids before he become thirsty.

Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies: Running through the yard in bare feet, taking a nature walk on a trail, and picnicing in the park are some of the joys of warmer weather. But all of this outdoor activity can expose your child to a host of plants including those which cause poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. If an allergic reaction occurs, ask the pediatrician about an oral antihistamine and/or a topical skin care product such as a steroid cream or calamine. If the rash is extensive, looks infected, or is not getting better, call your doctor right away.

All safety tips can also be found on MommyDocs.com

Are You Smarter Than a Four Year Old?

Forget about being smarter than a fifth grader, because I can't seem to keep up with my four year old. This evening, Grace was speaking to me in CHINESE.

Thanks to the good folks and Chik Fil A, with every kids meal comes a CD teaching a different language. After having lunch there this afternoon, Grace came home with Chinese and Annabelle with Spanish. Upon arriving home, Grace popped her CD in and started listening. 

To be honest, I thought the novelty would wear out rather quickly. Wrong. She sat at the dining room table, coloring, and learning some basic words and phrases pretty much all afternoon. When I tried to sit down and do it with her, she was actually correcting my pronunciation. 

When I asked if we should try Spanish, she informed me that she already knows Spanish and proceeded to count to 10. 

Well, EXCUSE me.

My Little Tiger Cubs

The girls are taking tae kwon do. In my search for summer activities, most things were either Mommy and Me (which doesn't really work for one mommy and three me's) or they were too young.  So tae kwon do it is, and they have really had a great time so far.
They are called Tiger Cubs. Hopefully when Eric gets back he can help them out a bit outside of class since I have no clue. 
Grace got her uniform today. Annabelle will have to wait for her size to come in (she needs pretty much the smallest one they make). There are also patches that will go on the front.  Grace was sold once she found out that there were accessories involved. She wants to get her purple belt as soon as possible. 
Here Grace is demonstrating listening position number 2. I am thinking about trying out the listening positions at home. They seem to work very well in class. 

Pizza

The girls were so excited for pizza night. They both got dressed up for the occasion. 

Here they are almost finished. Grace was quite brave and even put a little bit of sauce of hers. Halfway through eating she wanted to clarify that sauce is not the same as eating a vegetable, even though it is made up of tomatoes. 

Annabelle, on the other hand, loaded hers up with sauce, bacon and pineapple (it is under the cheese). 
There wasn't even anything left for George. 

Snakes Coils Around Baby in Crib

I don't even know what to write about this. If you know me at all, you know I am breathing in a paper bag right now.

The Candy Aisle

We were recently in the grocery store, and the girls were being particularly well-behaved. When we came to the candy aisle (which also happens to be the bread aisle, thank you evil product placement team) the girls were eyeing some jelly beans. They brought over a small bag and asked if they could PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE buy some. 

Before I could ask them if they had brought their wallets, a man and his son stopped right next to us. The man said, "oh girls, you don't want those. Candy puts holes in your teeth."

The look of shock and horror on their little faces was truly priceless. The man and his son laughed a little and walked on to the produce.

The girls were frozen, but you could see their minds churning, creating awful images of their teeth full of holes. Annabelle actually started to cry and they threw the jelly beans back on the shelf. 

I was elated. Not only was I not the one who had to say no, they also got a great lesson on dental hygiene. Score.  

Now, I should probably mention something about this stranger. He had a few holes in his face. Piercings in his nose, eyebrows, and some pretty large ones in his ears that you really couldn't overlook.  Tribal looking things like pieces of bone and such. When I thought the girls were thinking about what candy could do to their teeth, I don't think I was quite on point. 

The girls had been silent from the encounter in the candy aisle until we made it to the car. 

GRACE: Mama, I don't want to eat candy. 

BELLIE: Me either. I don't want holes in my teeth.

GRACE: And I'm not going to put candy on my face.

BELLIE: Me either. I REALLY don't want holes on my face.

Happy Sunday

We Miss You Daddy!

You Go, Girl!

Annabelle is looking at a book, so naturally Grace comes over and tries to take over. Annabelle offers as sweetly as she can to read the book to her sister. Grace agrees.

Bellie begins, not actually reading but instead telling a story to go with the pictures. 

GRACE: Thats not what it says. MOM! Bellie is reading it WRONG!!!

BELLIE (very calm): Grace, who is reading?

GRACE: You are (through tears and sniffles)

BELLIE: It absolutely says what I tell you it says.

School Pictures

Lessons

There may come a time when you realize that you are not as neat and organized as you may like, or even as you think you are. Actually, this happens in our house all the time. I was reminded this morning of a recent exchange I overheard between Annabelle and her Daddy.

DADDY: We have to clean up today.

BELLIE: Why? Who's coming over?

Michael's New Favorite Thing

I can't tell you why Michael is crying here. I am the one who just finished working out, so if anyone should be crying it is me. But notice he is doing his new favorite thing: standing.

And here you can see he is standing again, but happy this time. The moral of this story is that my life is about to change drastically. Once he starts walking, I am in serious trouble. And by the look on his face here, he knows it. 

Happy Birthday, Uncle PJ!

Annabelle and Mama

(Bellie was helping me clean up my bathroom and noticed I was putting Eric's razor away)

BELLIE: Is that Daddy's?

ME: Yes.

BELLIE: So he can shave his legs?

ME: No, Daddy's doesn't shave his legs. It is for his face.

BELLIE: Oh. Well, maybe he should shave his legs because they are pretty hairy.

ME: I think you should let him know that next time you talk to him.