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The Many Benefits of a Garden
We had our first taste of spring here in Northeast-Ohio this week. Windows cracked, doors open, breathe in that fresh air! With this taste of weather to come brings thoughts of my summer garden. I have bought the seeds, diagrammed what and where I am going to plant, and dreamed big thoughts about this upcoming summer’s produce. The Garden, my passion, on so many fronts. It embodies good health, good stewardship, and good eats! Emotional Have you ever picked up a hoe and pounded the dirt? Got down on your knees and ripped out weeds with gusto? Cut flowers from around the garden for a beautiful bouquet in your kitchen?…
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A Minute Out of the Norm: Dance Party!
Do you have a case of the winter doldrums? – Feeling a little low? – Kids a little on edge? Turn the music UP. – Put on your dancing feet. – Have a Dance Party! Either find your favorite CD or find a good dancing song [CC Music Factory is an old favorite :)] on Pandora and turn up the computer! Even 5 minutes of pumped energy is good for the heart and soul! Get ready for some smiles! (And not a bad workout either!) – Leanne from MilitaryAvenue.combyLeanne KocsisonMonday, January 24, 2011Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to PinterestMilitary Life:Leanne,Minute out of the Norm
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A Minute Out of the Norm: Cooking with the kids
It is summer time! School is out and the kids are thinking AHHHH a break from learning. HA! Little do they know that there is learning-opportunities in the every day 🙂 One of the boys ‘Summer Jobs’ options each week is to help Mom make dinner. It is usually one of the first chores chosen but little do they know what I have up my sleeve. They read the recipe to me They measure the ingredients. Just to make it fun sometimes if a recipe calls for a cup of something we figure out how to get up to a cup (without using the actual 1-cup measurer) … 2 half cups,…
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Week in Review: Week of June 6 – 12 (Military News)
Popular Articles for the week of June 6th through June 12th on MilitaryAvenue.com: Effective Communication is the Key to a Successful Deployment: Communication is important in a relationship and is often tested during deployment. Preparing for the mission, from the receipt of orders to understanding the emotions and hardship often associated with separation, can be overwhelming. Effective listening skills, patience and understanding will prove essential during this time. The majority of communication is non-verbal (body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions). … Changes in Iraq! Have Our Sacrifices Helped? Yes They Have! DoD Roundtable: We are withdrawing forces from Iraq and will be down to 50,000 military personnel in September in…
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Minute Out of the Norm: Tie Dye!
We have a summer routine here when the boys are home and not in child-care. We relax in the morning, watch a little PBS; get dressed for the day; do a few pages in their age-appropriate workbooks (we like to keep the mind active EVEN during the summer… ) and then it is time for something FUN! This week our fun was TIE-DYE! I bought a kit at WalMart… It was about $15 for a kit to make 7 shirts, plus I bought 4 white t-shirts ($3 each) and one toddler-onsie. The plan is to take the shirts to ‘Camp Grandpa’ this summer; so we made one for each of…
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A Minute out of the Norm: St Patrick’s Day Shamrocks
I have to admit it… I have the perfect kitchen door. It is a sliding glass door that catches the morning sun, brings about afternoon shade and a perfect view of the evening stars. I am a light-person. I crave sun-shine. I LOVE a warm sunbeam. Winter can be long and hard on me, especially in cloudy, wintry northern-Ohio. But back to that perfect kitchen door. It is a great spot to hang hand-made seasonal decor. We’ve hung painted-Easter egg crafts; Valentine Hearts; a cut-out snowflake or two; even some summer home-made flowers. If there is a decoration that can be made out of paper, made by a preschooler or grade-schooler … we…
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A Minute out of the Norm: Pinecone Birdfeeders
Thanksgiving is this week! My favorite holiday of all of them. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. – Psalm 145:7 This year we are travelling to see my family. We are on the two year rotation. Two years here at home with Hubs family and then the next two at my parents house. I love travelling out to see my family and staying a couple of days. The only thing I struggle with is keeping my boys ‘entertained’ away from their usual toys, friends and routine. This year I have a plan to fill a few moments of time, to lessen the “MOM, I’m…
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A Minute Out of the Norm: Science!
I have to admit I have an affinity for science! I remember as a child making ‘mud pies’ in the backyard. Armed with a big bucket, I’d add water… dirt… leaves… sand… whatever I could find… and thoroughly enjoying watching the change. Add a little bit of this and a little bit of that and watch what takes form. Add enough dirt to the water and my mud-soup practically went from a liquid to a solid. I never thought of it as science but in hindsight … it was watching matter change, and therefore in its own way science. Just the beginning of a lifetime love of watching science take…
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A Minute Out of the Norm: Christmas Craft Idea for the kids
I struggle with Christmas ideas for my deployed husband. The deadline for getting packages in the mail is quickly approaching and I know I need to get everything wrapped up and mailed. But it is hard to wrap ‘nothing’. Hubby says that he doesn’t need anything. Hubby tends to get his boxers in a tizzy if I spend too much money. [He’s the financial conservative in the family… I’m all about keeping the economy going ;)] So when Hubby says he doesn’t need anything and doesn’t want me to spend money … makes it hard to send a Christmas package. So I was walking the crafts section of our local…
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A Minute out of the Norm: Take A Hike
This past Sunday I could feel the monotony of our weekend settling in. Soccer was Saturday; Church on Sunday; No school, no major running around to be done. I was quite content to sit in the family room and read. My boys though were at each other like cats and dogs. It was getting cool out so it was not quite as comfortable to sit outside and play. We had… aghast… a possible case of the Autumn Doldrums. With Hubby deployed it is not as easy to pack the kids up and get moving, but it is so very necessary. So we packed a couple water bottles. Put on our…
