Fun and Silly Moments

Summer time is a fun time for kids because they are off from school and they can enjoy the  warm weather everyday.  We  have  fun games at home  that both can play inside the house when the  heat of the sun is so intense.  We bought our daughter some crafts to do like crochet and  weaving kit.  She has been doing  neat stuff like  pot holders and even sell some of  it.  Our son, on the other hand, is not into  doing any craft at all so keeping him busy  is a little tough when we don't go somewhere.

One thing that he likes whenever he is  inside the house is playing  cartoon network games online.  There are  many games like Naruto that enhances their    way of thinking.  It makes their mind think faster  figuring out the right technique to win the game.  If you are looking for some summer games to play when you and your kids can not go outside to play, try visiting the  above mentioned website because they have a huge selection of  fun games  to play.  

Right now, my kids are   creating designs from the play dough machine.  This enhances their creativity and  camaraderie to work together.  I love it when both of my kids are  working good together.  Hubby and I gave them  reward for that once in a while.  Sometimes, fun means  being just silly with each other while enjoying their snacks.  

These two are night and day sometimes but  the one thing in common that they have is to brighten up my day!

8 Great Hobbies to Try With Your Kids

Hobbies are important for our health. They give us time to ourselves to think, relax, and let our imagination flow. Not only that, they can offer great skills that can help in everyday life. By getting your kids into a hobby of their own from an early age, you should notice that their confidence improves. They may even become more happy and creative! If your child doesn’t have one of their own yet, see if they like one of these great hobbies:

1. Reading

Reading is one of the greatest hobbies in life. A book is a tool to spark the imagination, and lets us step into a whole different world - even if it is just for a short while! By reading, your child should improve their reading level, as well as their spelling. If you ask them to read to you, it could improve their communication skills. Read to them, and it’ll improve their listening.

2. Writing

Writing lets your kids use their imagination to create any world or situation that they like. You could ask them to write their own short story, a poem, or even a description of the scariest monster they can think of.

3. Cooking

Cooking is an extremely useful skill to have in life. We all need to eat, and sometimes it’s nice to impress people with great food. You could start your kids off helping you to make cookies and cakes, before letting them try easy to make foods on their own. They’ll probably make a mess, but that’s all part of the creative process!

4. Collecting

Collecting things is a lot of fun for kids, and they often take great pride in having a big collection of something. They may even like to show it off to friends and family, as well as at shows relevant to the collection. They could collect anything, from coins to Eddie Stobart trucks. Make sure you’re reasonable with the amount they’re allowed so the collection doesn’t start to take over the house.

5. Gardening

Getting green fingered will teach kids all kinds of things. They could learn about different flowers, plants, bugs, soil, and how plants grow. They might even develop a love for landscaping - who knows!?

6. Playing an Instrument

Kids pick up things much faster than adults; so many find playing an instrument a breeze. Let them pick something they like the sound of and see if they enjoy playing it. You might want to buy a second hand instrument first, just in case the novelty wears off. If they do enjoy it, they might also enjoy playing in a band or making their own music.

7. Get Into Sports

Getting into sports will keep kids fit and healthy. Their motor skills should improve, along with their ability to coordinate their hands and feet!

8. Drawing

Drawing is another messy hobby that kids love. Buy them different drawing materials, from felt tips to paints and let them get creative. If they need ideas, ask them to draw things like their dream house, or the funniest thing they can think of. You’ll end up with some great pictures for the fridge. Make sure you don’t try to help them too much - you want to nurture their creativity, not stunt it!

Have fun!

Mary H. Weir Library Performance of SJS Choir

This is one of those events that I have forgotten to  post sooner.  These photos and videos were taken/recorded on May 5th when the choir from Saint Joseph was invited to sing at the   public library in Weirton.  It was very nice to see them having fun while performing.  They were on their element as they sung different songs.

 I applaud Mrs. Bernardi, the music teacher in school, because if her patience and dedication in  training and practicing the kids.  She really does a good job in not only honing the kids talents but  making them get used to performing in front of a big crowd.  

 After their performances, they let loose by  goofing around the camera.  Even Dr. Mascio joined the fun lol.

My little man is very shy  and just explore the library.  He isn't part of the choir yet  but he plans to when he  is in third grade.  Below is some of the videos I managed tio record during the event.

Text Your Heart Out with BlabCake

Oh how time flies!  I can't believe that  November is almost  over and here comes Christmas.  I haven't started  shopping for  Christmas gifts, maybe because I don't have the   budget lol.  Last year, "Santa" was very generous to our kids.  He delivered an iPod touch for my daughter which  she really love.  The good thing about this iPod is that, it is wifi compatible so she uses it here at home where she can   do stuff online like her  mist favorite thing to do, the Minecraft.  She also downloaded her  favorite games  which is not always free so Daddy has to pay for it.

Anyway, as I was saying, time do really fly by so fast.  My daughter  is turning 10  in few more months and we  are starting to see the changes  even with her  friends.  She started  getting home phone calls from her  classmates and friends and they also started Face time chat.  I thought that the BlabCake App  would be  an enjoyable one for her.  It is a fun and new way to express your  feelings while you're texting.  Kids nowadays are  really different from my generation.  They are more tech savvy.  My kids knows more about my  iPhone than me.  Whenever I  want to know something about a certain app, I always ask my daughter.  

The good thing about  having gadgets is that it keeps them occupied especially when traveling or when  visiting the doctor or the dentist  office.  It relaxes them so  they don't get stressed out when waiting for the  doctor to call their names. The only downside of it is that,  they tend to  busy themselves with the gadget sometimes.,  That's why, I only give certain time to use the gadgets they have so it is not taking away  the time for other things, especially family time.  

I think that my daughter and her friends would love this BlabCake.  It will add more fun when they do their facetime.  They can text their heart out, express fully their feelings through using the  cool emoticons available, and set the mood for a happy and enjoyable chat with their friends.  You can get this by visiting the   App Store or the  Google Play Store.  The great part is, you can get the BlabCake for free for your device.  I will definitely recommend this to my daughter for her to try.  I am sure that she would like this.  I will try this first on my iPhone though to make sure that it is safe.  I will test it  first then will make the final recommendation to my daughter.  

EJ's Class Saint Day

Hubby and I went to church today to attend the mass for the second grader's Saint Day mass.  Saint Elizabeth is their class saint.   She was known for helping poor people which is a very valuable  lesson that  kids need to learn.  Each second graders brought some  canned goods  to give to their chosen  charity.  They put it at the wagon and  presented in front of the altar during the presentation of the gifts.

Glad that both of my kids doesn't have  stage fright.

I recorded part of the readings.

They sung a song  after the mass (video below).

The mass was attended by classes from Kindergarten to 4th grade.

Next year, my kids will be separated because  our daughter will be in  the 5th grade.  They will no longer have the same schedule for lunch and for the masses.  I am  happy to see them  grow but at the same time, I am sad that they are growing up so fast.

Wedding Dance

One thing that  hubby and I did not do during our wedding day  was to dance.  He was  living  in Guam back then so there was no time for us to take any dance lesson.  Looking at one of the santa monica dance studios makes me wish that  we could have  a chance to have our first dance if given the opportunity.  I always feel so happy when I see a newly wed  do their first dance as a couple.  That is something that  we  didn't do.

Creativity

My daughter has always been showing her creative side  even when she was  a toddler.  She would always create  stuff and would not  just sit without doing anything.  She wants to use her time and  make her brain working all the time.  

 This is one reason why, I can't really  maintain  organization all the time at home. Sometimes I would tell her to clean her mess up but most of the times, I just clean it as  my way is faster.

 I do however love that she uses her imagination and exercising her creativity.

 She made those pizza and bundt cakes  with  real flour, baked, and paint them.

 She even packed this "chopped nuts" that she made and colored out of  foam.

We have so many things here that she made .  I put them in a big box so she would be able to see them when she's all grown up.

Youth and Innovation

One of the many things that my kids enjoyed during the summer time was riding their scooters.

 When I look at them do things like this, it makes me ask  myself "Where did the time go?"

 I feel like they are growing up so fast and  I miss  the stage when they were  babies lol.

I find the infographic below very interesting. It is about inventing the modern micro scooter.  Please read a very good representation of this youth and innovation and tell us what you think.