Lifestyle & Family Resource site for everyday women and moms
April is coming to an end which means Autism Awareness Month is also drawing to a close. Don’t let that stop you from teaching your child what Autism means.
As a parent, I am always looking for great ways to introduce ideas on how to teach acceptance to my children. Acceptance of cultures, adversity, those with disabilities, and even those with Autism.
Disclaimer: If you haven’t watched Game of Thrones through the current episode, Season 8 Episode 2, then you may not want to continue reading this article. There may be spoilers contained within. Also, this is not a sponsored post. I am participating in a Marinade Designs GoT KAL at my own expense and just want to share my progress with our readers. No compensation is being received from the KAL designer.
Previous GoT Show Thoughts/KAL Progress Posts:
So, winter is here. The Night King and his undead army loom large on the horizon. And I know many people have expressed some concerns about the first two episodes of this final season being slow. Well, I for one, am really digging all the characters coming together again. Many of them have been flung to the far reaches of the landscape for multiple seasons and have gone through a lot of growing and changing. So, I think it’s good to see them come back together again.
If you’re looking for an in-depth analysis, this ain’t the place. I love the show, but I certainly do not portend to be the most knowledgeable. For crying out loud, I haven’t even read the books! Not that I won’t. I have them. But, I didn’t hear about them in time to delve in before the TV series started. So, I decided to wait a while before reading them so that I wouldn’t get the book events confused with the series events, since they quite often can differ.
Now that the end of the series is near, I will be picking up the books and having a grand old time rediscovering the characters all over again.
So, what do you all think of the final season so far? Brienne got knighted! Yay! Jamie was forgiven (sort of?) for tossing Bran out the window. (Meh. Ok.) Arya became a woman, all the way. (Some viewers are confused by this turn of events — and I mean, it was a tiny bit awkward, I guess. But, in my view if you are developed enough to become a world-class assassin, you go get yours girl!) And Pod can SING; who knew???
Sansa’s backbone is steel in the face of Dany’s thirst for the throne. (I always knew it would be.) And Dany is …finally… thrown off kilter by learning Jon has a stronger claim to the throne than she does, should he choose to pursue it. Confusion isn’t becoming to Dany as a potential kingdom ruler, but they do love each other so if they survive the Night King (and Cersei) I think they’ll work it out to rule together. I really do.
Tyrion is clever and intelligent. But, annoying, too. Let the Night King have him. (gasp, my husband would be mortified to hear that. He loves Tyrion!) And then there’s Theon. Theon, Theon, Theon… I’ve loved him, I’ve hated him, and I’ve pitied him. But, he’s here to defend Winterfell (after everything he did to destroy it) and I think I like him all the more for it.
I’m totally with many others when it comes to Bran. He’s creepy now. Way creepy. And NO ONE uses his gifts in a way that is helpful or strategic or intelligent. Like, no one. Maybe he creeps them out, too, but damn, dude! The Night King. Human annihilation. The end of the Seven Kingdoms as we know it. Get over yourselves people and use this guy to your advantage!!!
I can not wait for the battle to end all battles to begin in the next episode. Who will rise to the occasion and who will wimp out? One theory I’ve not heard mentioned is one that has crossed my mind a time or two. Will Jamie deserting Cersei change her mind about joining the battle? Will she ride in to lend her army to everyone at the last minute like the Knights of the Vale did in the Battle of the Bastards? I doubt it. But, it could happen, right?
I don’t even want to think about who’s going to die and who (if anyone) might survive. It’s massively overwhelming to think that even if our heroes win the battle and vanquish the Night King and his army, the landscape of the power dynamic is likely to be forever changed by which people survive.
So, I (like every other GoT fan) wait with bated breath to see what happens next. I have high hopes and expectations for the remaining episodes.
On to the knit along I’ve been participating in that is themed for the final season of GoT. It’s the Ice & Embers Shawl from Marinade Designs. The above pic is from the article I posted last week about episode 1 of GoT and shows the very beginning little bit I’d completed of the shawl. It’s not much, but I had to do some prep work to ball up the yarn from hanks, knit the gauge swatch to make sure I had chosen the correct size knitting needles, etc.
Also, during that week, I’d been dealing with having the stomach flu. So, I’d been pretty well sidelined in terms of having energy and frame of mind to get much done on it.
This past week, immediately on the heals of getting over the stomach flu, I was slammed with a fierce sinus infection. I mean, come… on… ! For someone who doesn’t get physically ill much, this has been a crappy month healthwise for me.
Still, I did manage to get some more work done on the shawl.
Even with being sick and also working on a few handmade knitting and crochet items for my daughter for Easter gifts, I’m pretty pleased with the progress I made overall.
I really love the edging of the shawl that is created with Make 1 Left stitches. I think it really sets it off with this line of V’s along the edge like that.
Still got a long way to go on the shawl, but it’s introducing me to a new project type and some new stitch skills. Plus, it’s just fun. And I think that’s the most important thing.
So, share! What are your thoughts about the final season of Game of Thrones so far? How do you think it’ll all turn out? What fun activities are you doing to make the most of it? Are you crafting GoT-themed items, attending GoT watch parties, gnawing your fingers to the bone in anticipation? Let us all know!!!
Hello there!
With April here and my oldest just turning 5, we have been on the hunt for fun ways to prepare for Kindergarten. We have all of the basics down but you can never spend too much time reminding young children about the things they already know or other ways to use their knowledge. Board games are fun and with the right games, perfect for working on skills for Kindergarten.
March is here which means it’s time to start submitting the enrollment forms for Kindergarten. At least in my area, that’s the case. Over the past year, we have really buckled down and began preparing for kindergarten when it comes to my oldest who just turned 5 last month. Reading has been a huge help for prepping with kindergarten.
Now I know you are probably asking yourself, how? How does reading really help with preparing for Kindergarten? It all comes down to the way you introduce books to your children. There is more to reading than just the words on the page.
When you read a book to your child and you make reading an interactive experience, it feeds young imaginations as well as their problem-solving skills, communication skills, and even their ability to understand what the intent or purpose of something is. My end goal with every book we read is to leave a lasting impression. This may not always work of course but I do put the effort in to make the story worthwhile.
When we truly began introducing books, and not in the I bought these because they were cute and in all of the nursery decor sections of Pinterest, we started with just looking at the pictures of the book. I worked on W questions which help with one’s receptive language skills as well as critical thinking skills. Who, What, Where, Why? What do you see? Why do you think “insert person, animal, object, etc” is doing that? What colors are on the page? Where do you think they are going? Etc. Take this time to let your child think for themselves but also as an opportunity to explain the W questions back. This allows your child to see that not only is there an agenda with the story but that there is more to the story than words on a page.
One other extremely important topic we have addressed with reading is our emotions as well as how their actions/choices matter. I wanted my children to understand how they are feeling, why they are feeling that way, how someone else is feeling, how actions or events might make someone feel, etc.
We really enjoyed reading The Boy Without a Friend by Bruce Jassett, These Are My Faces by Bret J. Ludwick and Leo’s Moon by Cinthia del Grosso. Now, these books aren’t crazy popular like other books and that is really what I liked most about them. When preparing for Kindergarten, a variety is best when it comes to reading. Just like you and I, children will have different tastes in books. My 5-year-old is on the more serious side and he enjoys books that are more realistic. My 4 year still enjoys the bright colorful books you find in every book section. That’s okay!
Get silly with the books you read and plan some fun activities to go along with them. Coloring pages, crafts, recipes (If You Give A Mouse A Cookie), and anything else I can find. Eric Carle has always been a favorite of ours and there is an endless amount of ideas on activities to go with his work. Pinterest is an amazing resource for finding ideas and I know if you are anything like me, most Pinterest ideas are a fail. However, this has not been the case so far when it comes to finding activities to go with the books we read.
These ideas don’t just apply with preparing for Kindergarten but it is one way we have chosen in our home to help prepare. You also don’t have to use the most popular books on the shelves to make reading interactive for your child. Let’s face it, some children mature far beyond their physical age. Use magazines, read chapter books, whatever you have to do to gain their attention. Reading is such a crucial part of education and you can never go wrong with using it as a step to prepare for kindergarten.
I also wanted to take a moment to point out to those with children under the age of 5 that Dolly Parton runs an Imagination Library. When you sign up for this program, and it is determined on where you live if the program is available, every month from birth until age 5 you receive a free book in the mail. We have quickly been able to build up our mini library simply by participating in Dolly Partons Imagination Library.
Another great option for building your book stash is through The Book Bundler. This company bundles gently used books and sells them at a fraction of the cost. For example, a stack of 100 books for approximately $50 (this does change based on promotions and other variables such as age group, types of books, etc). That is an amazing deal! Their customer service is also on point.
Would you be interested in a Pinterest board or even a separate blog post sharing books we enjoyed as well as the activities we enjoyed with them? Let me know with a comment on this post or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram.
Who would have ever thought that the story of “The boy who lived” would have become the worldwide phenomenon that it is known as today? The Harry Potter franchise has sold over 400 million copies and continues to sell. As J.K. Rowling continues to dominate the printed and film world.
I’ve found myself constantly on the computer or on my phone, which makes it harder for me to fall asleep at night. In fact, my sleeping pattern has been so horrible that I’m falling asleep while I’m working. So, I decided it was about time I unplug from the Internet. Not all day or anything, but after a certain time I’ll fully log off and do some of these relaxing things.
… [read more]
As a single mom, I haven’t had the time or resources to travel as much as we would like to. I miss traveling. Due to my son’s special needs, we usually traveled by car or train. In the last several years, I’ve only traveled by plane a few times. Each time, it was such a culture shock for me because I learned so much from what other travelers used.
Drinking water is something that we all need in life to survive! I personally got so tired of going through cases and cases of water every week. Between myself and my husband drinking it, using filtered water to mix all of our formula for baby bottles, and also having to use it for our dog due to her having prior issues with calcium build up causing kidney stones, I can say that we have spent a lot of time and money on bottled water.
While the June weather in Chicago doesn’t seem to match up with typical summer, it’s here! Which means it’s time to pick out a couple of books that I plan on reading during my free time this summer. I spend a lot of time working, freelancing, and working on my blog that I neglect my books and being able to relax a little bit before I go to bed.
… [read more]
Books, books, and more books. Sounds pretty awesome to me. If I ever run out of books to read, I think I might die! LOL Seriously, you know that fun riddle about what one or two or three things you’d take if you had to be stranded on a desert island? For me, I would have to have at least one book. Period, end of discussion. Books are essential for me.
I read all kinds, too. Fiction, non-fiction, horror/fantasy, memoir, biography, self-help, romance, history, political — you name a genre I’ve probably read something that falls within it. I’ve been reading a lot of fiction lately, some of which I’ve discussed on Beauty Brite in my articles. I’m itching to read the new Stephen King book, The Outsider, but haven’t started it yet.
I’ve recently read a few books that are non-fiction and that fall into the self-help genre. So, today I’m sharing this short list with readers, along with my thoughts on each.
Chasing The Merry Go Round by Kelly Bargabos — A fascinating look into the life of someone realizing the special needs a family member has and learning to provide them with the care they need.
Sanity Lost & Found by Tarra Judson Stariell — A true story of cult brainwashing and recovery, how to recognize one’s vulnerability to it as well as how to how to recover and heal from the experience. Forgiveness is a big theme in this book, both of ourselves and of others. I kept thinking of one person in particular while reading this book. She could definitely benefit from reading it as she has spent most of her life feeling victimized by the men in her life.
Elevate The Essential Guide To Life by Joseph Deitsch — Full of common-sense wisdom, this is one of the few self-help books I’ve read that I believe has the potential to really help. It not only explains why we do (or don’t) do things, but contains actionable steps to take to make your life your own and the best it can be.… [read more]
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
 |
|  |
 |  |
 | |
