Our lives are so busy and it can be hard to keep in touch with elderly relatives. Here are some of the ways you can stay in close contact with your elderly loved ones, and show them you care.
I’ve mentioned before how my children are so different. Complete opposites in a lot of respects. Graham can chow down on some food. Maddie eats like a bird. Graham isn’t affectionate at all. Maddie would crawl back inside of me if she could. Graham loves building things. Maddie loves active play. Graham loves super heros. Maddie loves princesses.
They’re so different when it comes to discipline. Graham has so many wonderful traits, and he’s truly an amazing kid. But he is also the most stubborn, manipulative, and argumentative kid I’ve ever met! Needless to say, we’ve tried any and all discipline tactics with him and have finally settled on a few that work…most of the time. I am mentally exhausted every day trying to get him to do what he needs to do. Maddie is a people-pleaser, and already very empathetic. It doesn’t take much to get her to obey.
I love Chick-fil-A. They have some tasty, tasty food, decent coffee, and great customer service. And those milkshakes? Oh yeah!! But best of all, they have an indoor, climate controlled play area where my wild children can burn some energy while I sit and take a much needed mom-break.
But there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing. On Tuesday, we spent 2 hours at Chick-fil-A. I took the kids to play and have dinner since Dada was traveling for work. And I have to say, that 2 hours is too long to spend at any restaurant with kids, even Chick-fil-A.
1. Chick-fil-A is the only place where it’s socially acceptable to let a bunch of young children run around a restaurant barefoot. And go to the bathroom barefoot. #gross
2. When another parent walks into the tiny, enclosed play area that smells of toddler sweat, bare feet, and dirty diapers, and has at least 5 ice-cream-high-induced monkeys…er…kids running around, jumping, and screaming, I want to say to them, “Welcome to Hell.”
3. Forget frosted coffee and lemonade. What we really need up in here is some frosty alcoholic beverages.
Me: “Can I get a margarita?”
Chick-fil-a employee: “Of course! My pleasure!”
4. Is that my kid licking the slide? OMG she is!!! “Stop!!! Don’t lick the slide!!” Gag me.
5. When I get to the point in my life where I don’t have to stop, mid-bite, into my spicy chicken sandwich to hop up and go wipe someone else’s butt…that will be a good day.
So I learned my lesson. 2 hours is too much at Chick-fil-A. Unless they really do start serving margaritas…
Do you think that the cows would tell us to eat more chicken AND drink more tequila? Because I’d be all about that.
I’ve been visiting Helen, Georgia, a replica Bavarian Alps town in North Georgia, for longer than I can remember. My parent’s have a timeshare at a beautiful resort right on the river, and we’ve spent so many weeks relaxing and exploring the small town.
Now that I have my own kiddos, it’s been so fun going back and doing all the things I grew up doing. Some of them are just as wonderful and fun as I remember, and some seem a little strange now that I’m older. (Like watching the birth of a baby doll out of a cabbage…)
But if you live in the South East, you may want to put Helen, Georgia on your travel bucket list. The town is cozy and quaint, and you can find some great eats and some amazing outdoor views and adventures!
August is always a difficult month for me.
Most of the public schools have started back, but our church-run preschool doesn’t start until after Labor Day. Usually by August, I’m burnt out, exhausted, and in desperate need of some kid-free time. Mama needs a break!
August days are long and hot (or rainy seems to be the case for this year). The kids are bored, I’m bored. By August, we’ve done all the fun summer activities so many times that they don’t seem fun anymore. We’re over it and ready for school to start. I seem to loose my cool more often than not. And then there’s the cycle of yelling and guilt that seems to control me on my bad days.