Chasing Children is Excellent Exercise!

Yesterday, we wanted to give our kids the gift of FUN! And I wanted them to burn off as much energy as humanly possible before we sat down to dinner. It's the only day of the week our store is closed and we're actually together as a family.

We headed indoor to a place called the Blast Factory. It's got bouncy castles and bouncy slides and padded flooring. The girls, ages 5 and 6, can run all around and do everything on their own, but my little guy... well, he needs assistance. Since I'm smaller than my husband and can manage to climb in and out of those holes that serve as bouncy entries, I was assigned the task.

Bouncing, bonding and burning calories too!
Photo Credit: FredThompson via Flickr/Creative Commons

I had told my hubby earlier in the day how we needed more exercise. Well, I got it! Have you ever carried a 30lbs toddler up a very tall flight of bouncy stairs? 6 times? Then bounced down a slide? 6 times? I don't even know what you call the different bounce activity centers they had, but I climbed in, climbed up, climbed over, under and through (cue Grover) and bounced for 60 minutes. Whoo! If that isn't a workout, I don't know what is. And it's the very best kind. Bouncing around with my babes and having a blast. The place is aptly named.

Have you taken your babes anywhere fun lately and burned off lunch at the same time? Do tell!

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks: Puzzles

I'm re-launching "Tuesday's Tips & Tricks" where I'll share a tip or trick (thus the name!) with you. If you have a great tip, drop me a line at adgmommy(at)gmail(dot)com and you may be featured!

Today's tip:
The Puzzle Basket

This is a previously published tip worth repeating! If your preschooler loves puzzles as much as mine does, then this will prevent lost & mixed-up pieces.

Remove all of the pieces from the puzzle boards and put them into ziplock-type bags (1 per puzzle). When your child has finished with one puzzle, (have them) put the pieces back into the bag and both the board and pieces go back into the puzzle basket.  

For more advanced puzzles, simply snip the small picture of the puzzle and include that in the bag with the pieces.

Store all your puzzles in one accessible, yet tidy, spot!

As an added security measure, you can number your puzzles for easy sorting. This is beneficial when your toddler comes along and delightfully slides the puzzles off the table in a grand sweeping motion and mixes up all of the pieces... in front of the tearful eyes of his big sister.

Search Amazon.com for puzzles for toddlers

What quick tips and tricks to you have for storing your little one's puzzles or other toys with multiple pieces?

Crindelstar Review & Giveaway!

Crindelstar: Where the Universe Dreams

Let's start the week off with a Giveaway!! 

CrindelStar is a unique and totally green new digital book that comes along with an uplifting music track. The artwork on the cover is enough to stop any unicorn lover in their tracks.

The story begins with Maria crying - she's feeling peer pressure to give up her belief in Unicorns. That is until CrindelStar comes crashing through her open window, in the form of a non-magical creature, and tells her of magical things she never knew, or rather, things she had forgotten.

The message of the story is a beautiful reminder to hold on to your dreams and never stop believing; and more importantly, to always believe in yourself. As a mother of two girls who are just reaching the age when peers actually matter and self-esteem becomes an issue, I loved CrindelStar. Maria calls herself "stupid" when she talks about her belief in unicorns, but CrindelStar, urges her never to do that, because what you "believe, you become." It's a message my 6-year-old needed to hear from a source other than me!

The story is in digital format - not a book, but an MP3 file for you to download and listen to. My daughters enjoyed the story, but they were disappointed that there weren't more pictures! They are crazy for unicorns (as you may have learned from my most previous book review). I'd suggest that this story suits the 7+ crowd best. The very cool thing is that after you purchase your download (or win one!) you'll receive what seems to be just a small cardboard square with the pictured graphics (see above). What it really is, though, is a seed packet of wildflowers!! My girls went crazy for this because we love, love, love to garden. All you do is (wait until spring!) plant the card in the ground and voila! Wildflowers.

You can buy it here or simply enter below to win your digital download and wildflower card packet! Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Note To Myself From the Future

The things I could tell
that new mom -
the me of nearly 7 years ago

When I was about 20 years old, my sister gave me a book called Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much.  I was 20, going to school full-time, working full-time and honestly, not much else. As I look back on what seemed like a very busy, stressful time in my life, I laugh at my former self. Oh, that girl did not know how easy her life was.

But everything is subjective. We can only see things from our own point of view, from exactly where we are, at any given moment. Knowing that, I'm attempting a different perspective. I'm actively trying to look back at myself. That is, imagine me 10 years from now thinking back to where I am right now. Are you confused? Imagine, if everything looks better in hindsight, why not try to achieve "hindsight" every day?

Try this exercise with me: write a short note to your 20-year-old self. Name just 3 things that are/were awesome about life at that time, or that came out of that time. Do it again for you at 25, 30, 35 and onward, depending how old you are!

If you went through a rough patch during any of those periods, point out the benefits that resulted. Then, especially if you're going through something today (and aren't we all?), write yourself a note from the you who will be in 10 years.

Here's mine -

Dear Tam, 
Remember in 2012 when the store was about to close? The bank account was a big, fat zero and you felt upset and worried about the future. But you didn't just sit there. You published your first book! You sold only one that first day and you were so scared, but once you got it up on Kindle you sold tens of thousands!!! Every challenge during that time led you right to where you are/I am today! Secure, free, successful! The bank account has a big, fat bunch of zeros now!! But with a much higher number in front of it! A spark of an idea with a friend led you to a hugely successful company that you run from anywhere in the world you happen to be and you're a prolific and well-published author. Your children know a life that few experience and your marriage thrives. So, here I am, ten years ahead of you, reminding you to embrace every moment. You are taken care of, so fear not. Step bravely into what you will be; what I am. 
Love, Yourself

What's yours?

I've Finally Done It!!!

Every day, I tell my daughters, "Choose your day. You can make it anything, any way you want it to be." Choose a happy day, or choose a crabby one. Either way, you choose.

When life seems difficult, look around you. What are you choosing? How have your brought your circumstance into your life?

Today, I chose to take life by the reigns! Nothing can stop me! No rejection, no business closing, nothing! Today, I have achieved a dream. I am a published author.

Go check it out! You and your little ones will be happy you did.

How Do You Sleep, Baby Dolphin?

I love you all!