Update...

Hello peeps... I haven't blogged in a while, so I thought I should give you an update or a why.... I'm switching my blog over to be hosted on my site. Stay tuned as the new blog should be completed shortly. Thanks for your readership. Ciao. Ciao.

What happens when you leave...

After a great visit with my nieces, there comes the time when I have to hop on a plane to return home. It breaks my heart to see them sad and crying when that time comes. I used to tell them if I don't go, who will send them mail? That worked but then a friend of mine found a great quote, from Dr. Seuss even! He says "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened". I'm going to try that this weekend when I have to leave my nieces. Dr Seuss is a wealth of great advice and quotes...check out what else he said. http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/61105.Dr_Seuss Have fun. Ciao. Ciao.

Perfect Birthday Gift...

So what do you get a niece or nephew who has just about everything they need? How about starting a travel fun for them? Each year, I'll send my nieces a little something, since they love mail, but then I'll put what I would have spent on them into a travel fund. As they get a little older, I can give them books on exotic places to peak their curiosity. When they are 18, hopefully the fund will have enough for fabulous trip (or two) someplace fun and that they have dreamed about. If I'm lucky they might even ask me to join them! Ciao. Ciao.

Make nutrition fun and educational

My sister constantly inspires me. If I were to have kids, I think I'd be raising them the same way. My sister, a health nut, wants to instill that in my nieces too. So she is starting to let them choose there own cereal. Naturally, there is a catch. It must have 10 grams or less of sugar and 3 or more grams of fiber. They have to find the word, and then figure out is 12 more or less than 10. They are after all in preschool and first grade. If they select the cereal, they can't really complain much either. Hopefully, just learning they didn't like it all that much and to make another selection next week. There are lots of fun ways out on the Internet to help kids learn about nutrition too. Check it out http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids/activities-main.asp
Have fun. Chow. Chow.

Happy New Year...

Here I am just wrapping up Christmas with barely a chance to put away my holiday decorations and it is already January 7th. How does that happen?! Every year instead of just tossing all my holiday cards, I love to keep an album of all the photo cards. I feel like I get to watch my friends children grow over the years...and boy are they getting big. Teenagers even!! Talk about time moving fast... It has even come in handy during the year when I can't remember a newborns name etc, I just refer to my album. Have fun! Ciao. Ciao.

Christmas Countdown....

December has descended upon us so fast this year! But I know for kids it can never come fast enough! The countdown until Christmas morning. A couple of years ago I started an advent calendar for my nieces. I found one that had little boxes and I stuff those boxes with chocolates kisses, mini-ornaments, red & green hair scrunchies etc. My nieces love it. I know my sister uses it as a reward sometimes....clean you room, then you can open today's box. Advent calendars are easy to find....www.target.com or even on www.ebay.com just search for Advent calendar. If you don't have time to "stuff" your own, many come prestuffed. It is not too late to get one today....they still get 15 days to open goodies, or look for one on sale at the end of the month and save it until next year! Have fun. Ciao. Ciao.

Thanksgiving Enjoyment...

Thanksgiving at my sister's house is a wonderful time to see and dote on the nieces. I'm simply amazed at how fast they are growing. Kids love traditions. They not only have favorite foods at Thanksgiving but one of our family traditions is to make Christmas cookies the day after Thanksgiving as well as decorate a gingerbread house. Yes, the sugar is flying! But it only comes once a year, and we have even started to call it Thanks-mas weekend. Thanksgiving and Christmas in one weekend. Works for me, since I don't get to see my nieces on Christmas day, but I'm happy just to help them kick off the season. And you can't forget the advent calendar. Leaving them a little something to remind them Christmas is coming. My younger niece even asked my sister in July, when she got to the the calendar countdown again?! They remember. What are you favorite holiday traditions?? We can all learn from each other. Enjoy. Ciao. Ciao.