September Birthdays

Does anyone else have a huge amount of September birthdays in their life? In my world, September dominates the birthday scene. My youngest son, my mother, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law all have September birthdays. Plus a huge number of friends. So, if you’re one of those September babies, happy birthday!

Now, the problem with this many birthdays (and by birthdays, you know what I’m really talking about. I’m talking about the important ones. Did you read the first paragraph well? My MOTHER and MOTHER-IN-LAW have birthdays within ten days of each other. If that’s not enough to cause a shopping-induced panic attack, I don’t know what is)! Wait, where was I? That was a long tangent! The problem with that many birthdays is that I must make a plan of attack.

So I have to think ahead. For both my sanity AND my budget. I have to be sneaky and cunning. I have to be on my game. I have to watch and listen for clues. This hunt for the perfect gifts could mean life or death for me. Okay so that’s extreme. But still, it’s important!

Both of these women are unique and like funky gifts, so it’s actually fun to keep my eye out for cool little things as I browse around town. Lucky for all of us, we have some really creative places to shop locally. Be sure to check out the consignment and vintage stores all around downtown Winston (especially Burke Street)…  as well as the amazing local art for sale in shops along Trade Street and Fourth Street. These local spots have saved me many times!

Happy hunting!

Labor Day… Did You Know?

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

Let’s do a little history lesson about Labor Day. According to Wikipedia, the first Labor Day celebrated in the United States was on September 5, 1882. It is always observed on the first Monday of September. The guys who thought up this idea first wanted to have it in May, but didn’t want to interfere with May Day festivities and all the other crazy things that happen in May (well, I have no idea what happened in May during the 1800’s, but you get the idea. It happened to be a busy month back then, too).

Why do we have an official “Labor Day?” Basically it was a way to honor the working class Americans who had been unfairly treated (and yikes, even killed) by the US military and had been mistreated by the government during a major strike. President Grover Cleveland (pictured above) wanted to make things right, and fast. So he and congress rushed a bill through the paces and passed the act declaring “Labor Day” as a way to say “thanks” to the hard workers who made (and still make) the American economy tick.  I’d have to agree… giving people a well-deserved day off sounds good to me!

These days, we certainly honor everyone who works hard on a daily basis to make this a great place to live. We also use Labor Day to mark the end of summer… it’s a ceremonial goodbye to all the fun we had during the summer months.

So, on that note, farewell, summer (and hopefully oppressive heat). We at Forsyth Family Magazine wish you a happy (and hopefully relaxing and fun) Labor Day!

Time For The Pigskin!

Wake Forest played the first official college football game of the 2010 season, last night. Thinking about the Deacons and college football, I let my mind wander back to my childhood. I have very fond memories of attending WF football games in Groves Stadium with my family. Umm, sorry BB&T but it will always been known to me as Groves stadium.
My first game was a shocking win over Auburn in 1979. I thought this was how it always was! We actually went on to play in the Tangerine Bowl that season, but lost to LSU. I remember the fans throwing oranges and tangerines onto the field that year. And there was lots of heartbreak too. WF lost a lot, and painfully so. One memory is so vivid to me. My family and I had left early because we were getting pounded by Clemson. Somewhere to the tune of 60 something to 20 something. But as we got closer to home, Wake Forest started to score. The score got closer and closer and I remember running around my front yard listening to the radio, as Wake lost in the final moments. It was an unbelievable (almost) comeback! My family and I spent several seasons there rooting for the Deacons. I am not sure when, but somewhere in those seasons I fell in love with college football.
Maybe it was the tailgating, or my mom and I staying in the pouring rain to watch the end of a game. It could have been the after game entertainment of beach music and fireworks. Or the fact that I could always ask my dad questions and he would have an answer! I am not sure exactly what it was, but it has stayed with me.
My parents have passed and these upcoming fall days at Groves Stadium are bittersweet.
My family and I now attend all the home games of UNC and also make road trips to see the Heels play. It is a passion that I am so happy my husband shares as well! My daughter has caught the bug and I love it!
I may cheer for a different team, but my heart will always hold a spot for the Deacons who introduced me to a sport I LOVE to watch.

Live It Up..Summer is Oficially Setting!

We still have about 20 some odd days to go and I can’t see this heat letting up anytime soon, but supposedly this weekend is the end of summer! It always makes me a little sad, because I am a summer girl at heart. Born in the middle of June and salt water running through my veins, my heart always aches as the sun sets on summer.
But as I get older, this heat and humidity make me long for the cool mornings and the thoughts of long sleeves and jeans!
So, with the said, GO OUT AND SAY GOOD BYE TO SUMMER!! There are a ton of things to do and if you don’t have any plans, check out my list. Heck, even if you do have plans, you might find a couple of things to throw into your weekend!!
• Wake Forest kicks off their football season tonight with a game at home against Presbyterian. The game is early enough and tickets are reasonable so take the whole family out and support the local team. Nothing like watching the game from the hill!
• The Dash play on Thursday as well as Friday. If you haven’t gone it is a really good time!
• Reynolda Gardens is still in bloom and a great place to have a picnic!
• Call up some of those friends you haven’t seen all summer and invite them over for a cookout.
• Most pools will be closing, so make that last hurrah before you pack up the pool toys!
• Take a Nap. Remember we all deserve a nap.
• Go to a new restaurant you have wanted to try. We have so many great ones it is hard to choose.
• Head to the mountains, it is cooler up there and only a few hours away.
• Go splurge on Ice Cream. Cookies and Cream and Ben and Jerry’s have some super flavors and remember since it is a holiday, calories don’t count.
• Drive with your hubby to a football Kick-off Classic.. Go Heels!

Whatever you decide to do, be safe and share it with the ones you love and care about!
Happy Labor Day!!

Activities… How Many?

We’re heading into a very busy season of family life. Not the fun, carefree busy of summer, but the structured, scheduled busy of fall. It can be hard attempting to balance work, school, and the infamous activities.

You know, the activities. The dance classes, piano lessons, sports, clubs… not to mention the homework that our kids have to wade through after a long day of school. My children are still pretty young, and I’m already a bit stressed out by the number of activities they want to do, or are expected to do.

So far, I have a one-activity-per-kid, per-semester rule. My daughter chose dance one day a week, and my sons chose soccer. That is a relatively small number of activities (my boys play on the same soccer team). I only have two extra places to be per week. But I know some kids who choose many activities, like soccer and dance and piano, all at once.

I think it’s a personal decision to make, based on how much your child can handle while still doing well in school, how much you can afford, and also how much the parent is willing to drive (if their child isn’t of driving age). I just hope that a balance can be struck in each family, so that neither the child(ren) nor the parents are too stressed out with the extra activities.

What do you think? Is there a right or a wrong number of activities for a child?  I think it’s personal, and all about balance! I hope you and your family find a great balance this fall!

Excuses Excuses!

I hope everyone had a good week getting back into the school routine! Be sure to check out the posts below for some great back-to-school tips from our awesome blog team.

So, now that we’re back to it… who’s kid has already tried to fake being sick? I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, when I got a phone call from the secretary at my daughter’s school on Friday, saying she was sick. With stomach pains. But, there seemed to be no evidence, said the secretary. She hadn’t vomited, and none of the other stuff had happened, either. She’d been there, in the office, for about thirty minutes, but wasn’t feeling any better. Come pick her up, please!

Being the sensitive, kind-hearted mother that I am, I was immediately suspicious of my sweet child. “Hello darling! So sad that you’re feeling sick! Come on now, let’s go home.” [Child fakes despaired look and sticks out lip]. Riiiiiiigggghhhtttt, thinks the mommy [me]. “So, child, what’s REALLY bothering you?” I ask, about 10 minutes away from the school. “Well,” states child, “I was really sleepy. And it is Friday, and this one girl was being really mean.”

AHAH! GOTCHA! (I didn’t say that. I just gave a sympathy smile and remained silent).

So, have your kids tried to fake you (or their teacher) out yet? Were they successful? What’s the best trick they’ve ever played on you? Oh how I’d love to feel less alone and hear your stories… After all, they are pretty funny .

Water Bottles!

We have been in school for 3 days and already the fun has begun!!! Mom, I need art supplies, the book order just came out, we are getting ready for our fundraiser and I need a water bottle! Ugh…water bottles.  Don’t get me wrong, I love being friendly to the earth, I just can’t find a kids water bottle that is friendly to me! I have tried several varieties and just can’t seem to find one that doesn’t leak. For some unknown reason I KEEP these water bottles and hope that the next time, they might just be okay! Why, I don’t know. There is no H2O fairy coming to fix all broken water bottles, but one can hope. So to spare you all some headaches, I have compiled a list of water bottles that are supposed to be leak-free, earth- friendly and cool as beans to kids!

Check out our Rants and Raves review In Forsyth Family Magazine of Kleen Kanteen water bottles for the lunch boxes!

http://www.kleankanteen.com/

REI has a great selection of bottles:

http://www.rei.com/category/5760722/q/Kids%27+Water+Bottles

These have the cutest designs and are eco-friendly!

http://www.waterbottlekids.com/

Want to get snazzy and personalize? Here is a great site!

http://www.pitterpattercreations.com/category_175/Personalized-Water-Bottles.htm

This site gives you the top 5 BPA-free bottles. Yea Earth!!

http://www.inhabitots.com/2009/08/25/top-five-100-bpa-free-reusable-water-bottles-for-kids/

 So here are some choices for keeping the little one hydrated and happy!!

Good Luck on a great school year!!

Day 2 & What Are You Feeding The Kids Afterschool?

So, it is officially Day 2 of the school year with only 178 more days to go until summer vacation. But who’s counting? To celebrate the 2nd day of school, I thought I would write about after school snacks.
Look, I am no snack guru and I try really hard to have options available for my child that have some sort of wholesome goodness. But, I will admit there are chips hiding in my pantry. But I try to make them a little less “potatoey” and a little healthier.
• I have found that my child loves guacamole and blue corn chips. She also likes whole wheat crackers and low fat cheese cubes. She is a big fan of pita or bagel chips and hummus. I can usually put any vegetables, especially snap peas and carrots beside vinaigrette or green goddess dressing and she will gobble them down. She also loves English muffins with spaghetti sauce and cheese toasted on top. I have a great fruit recipe, which is just 2 cups skim ricotta cheese, ½ cup plain yogurt and a 3.4 oz package of instant vanilla pudding mix. Just mix together with a hand mixer and serve with fruit!

• All of these options are great healthy snacks and they believe it or not they are really easy.
Easy is good and so is healthy!! So what snacks do you have on the menu for these next 178 days of school? Please share, us busy moms would like to know!!!

Teachers, Teachers, You’re the Best!

As we send our kids back to school this week, let’s take a minute to praise their teachers. Men and women who dedicate their days to helping children learn and reach their full potential.

I have a little confession though. Before I had kids, and before I had a school-aged child, I often thought “yeah. Teachers are awesome. But they get summers off and get to play all day, so their salaries are accurate.”

Before you start throwing tomatoes at me, let me tell you that I immediately repented of this thought the minute I picked my daughter up from her first day of kindergarten.  Twenty 5-year-old children had learned to cooperate, listen, stand in line, sing songs, and play nicely in their beautifully decorated classroom… in the period of one day. The teachers remained happy, calm, and considerate after a long day. And they genuinely seemed to WANT to be there for my child, and the nineteen other children in the class.

As the year progressed and the kids blossomed, I carefully studied the teachers. They truly wanted to do this, and wanted this, teaching, to be their career. They had gone to years of school themselves, to learn how to educate children. And they were dedicated to doing a fantastic job.

I think teachers deserve so much more of our respect, and I hope they feel it from parents like me, who are thankful and impressed by their hard work, their intelligence, and their commitment. Thank you teachers! Here’s to a great school year!

Sleeping in…

…Is about to end. Well, for us it already ended, as school started for my daughter last week. Then I got another taste of it this weekend. The “sleeping in” thing. That extra hour of sleep is so glorious! For most of you who read this, get ready to say goodbye. School’s starting!

Since my daughter’s school year started last week, I got to preview the terrible side effects of losing the ability to sleep in.  I also had to get up and be productive immediately, or else my daughter would be late for school. And no way would I let that be my fault. No way. So when the alarm sounded, I JUMPED out of bed each morning and turned into a crazy task-master. Get school child up! Get school child dressed! Feed school child! Pack school child’s lunch! Don’t forget about other two non-school children! Pluck them out of bed, place them in car seats, take school child to school! Oh, and don’t forget to get myself dressed!

If only we could peacefully return home and go back to sleep. Nope. So let me remind you of the absolute worst side effect of this loss-of-summer-schedule. For me, it’s grumpiness. I was grumpy for three days straight. I’m sure my kids really appreciated that.

And then, like a kind and gently revelation, a wonderful idea descended upon me to combat and treat this horrible side effect (grumpiness) of not sleeping in. Are you ready for it?

Go to bed earlier the night before.

I know, I’m brilliant! . Happy first week of school!