Smartphone Safety Risk

I got a forwarded email today with a link in it to a news story about how it is dangerous to post pictures online from your Smartphone.  The GPS technology in the phone adds information to the pictures that tells the exact location the picture was taken.  So a predator could find out where you live, etc.  You can disable the function that does it to make your pictures safe.  Here's the link to the news story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY.

Halloween Costumes

This is Sweetheart's special request.  He wanted to be a dog (I think because his Pillow Pet was on his mind when the costume conversation came up).  I made him a thick polar fleece jogging suit and sewed a tail on the rear and pinned ears on the hood.  It's a simple costume, but it's just what he wanted.  No make-up because "That would be too weird."

 Belle walked in her parade with her arms behind her flapping her wings.  That made me laugh.

 

 They were so excited to get out the door and trick-or-treat that they didn't bother to put on socks.  They both regretted it later.  The weather was so nice that I left without a jacket (and also regretted that later).  The next morning it rained and snowed.

Notice Belle's white jack-o-lantern missing its two front teeth.

Busy Times

I've been trying to avoid the computer a bit lately because of how much time it absorbs.  I have been super busy!  I finally finished sewing the kids' costumes in time for their school parades.  Belle's fairy costume was a great challenge since I was using small scraps of stretchy velour with no pattern.  The huge grin on her face and the way she sacheted around when she tried it on the first time made it all worth it!
I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

Happy Halloween!

Christmas Cards In October

I recently saw a store ad for a sale on Christmas cards.  I though it was crazy at first, but then it dawned on me that it is actually a really good idea to get started early and have them all done and ready.  Some years in December I get so busy that my cards don't get finished and sent out.  If I signed and addressed all the cards in October and November, stick on a "forever" stamp, I could have them waiting and ready to drop in the mail at just the right time in December.  Brilliant.  I already have the cards since I bought them at last year's clearance sale.  I do like to put in a family photo, so that is something else to be thinking about getting done early.  Ritz photo has 3x5s for 7 cents every Wednesday I think. 

Lets see if I actually do it.  I'm still sewing Halloween costumes at this point, (but I am proud to say I have a considerable portion of my Christmas shopping done already!)

The Maze Runner: A Review

Yesterday I finished reading The Maze Runner by James Dashner.  It is a sci-fi book for teens, the first of a trilogy.  I'm giving it a 2 star rating, but let me explain.  James Dashner obviously has a great writing talent.  The book was very well written with plenty of mystery and excitement.  It had that blasted sentence or paragraph at the end of each chapter that makes it impossible to close the book and move on with real life.  It was a gripping story, and I was guilty of letting my chores go a bit too much.  But as well as it was written, I simply did not like the story.  Thomas is a teenager who gets deposited into a community of boys who've all had their memories wiped.  They are trapped in an artificial world where their only hope of escape is through a maze that changes daily and where giant slug robots try to hurt and kill the "Runners" of the maze.  It wasn't pleasant.  I don't enjoy reading for hours about young men being tormented and traumatized.  The end of the book didn't resolve the feeling of angst I had for Thomas and his friends.  I don't intend to read two more books full of this stressful stuff to try and find a happy ending.  Dashner also included his own made-up curse words which are generously slathered throughout the book.  That bugged me.  If you like blood and horror, then this book is great for you, but it's not my thing.

Magnificent

I received this link in an email to day.  It is an uplifting song with 6 1/2 minutes of gorgeous images of the earth.  Have a look for a spiritual boost.

Magnificent

Nanny 911

I've been watching reruns on Netflix of Nanny 911, a 2004 TV show where British Nannies come into the homes of American families having trouble with discipline and try to turn things around in a week's time.  Although the screaming and fussing can get irritating, it is nice to get a refresher on some of the parenting techniques that actually work.  There is definitely a pattern in the episodes I have seen so far.  The kids are going nuts.  The parents are going nuts.  Nanny comes in and just observes and takes notes the first day.  Many of the parents think that whatever she will do could not be effective on their kids.  She goes out to formulate her plan and brings back "Nanny's Rules."  Many of the same rules return from family to family.  There are usually between 4 and ten rules, I think.  Here are some I can remember:

Hands are not for hitting. (No hitting, kicking, biting, etc.)
Be respectful. (No name calling, sassing, etc.)
Use your words.  (Express your feeling with words rather than violence or shutting down.)
Take responsibility for your own things. 
No lying.
Wheeled toys stay outside.
Listen to each other.  (Lots of families are yelling a lot to be heard, but nobody is giving anyone else the time of day to be heard.)
Keep a schedule.

Nanny reminds the family that rules apply to ALL.  Whiny kids come from whiny parents.  Children learn disrespect from the model their parents set for them.  Violence breeds violence.

Next she brings out some tools to help them get organized.  Some families need a written schedule to follow.  Most need an incentive program.  There are points of some sort (marbles, magnets, tickets balls, fake cookies, etc.) the children can earn for good behavior or lose for poor behavior and a point collector (clear jar, magnet board, etc.).  Some parents need to learn how to put the kids in timeout--one minute per each year of age.  Plenty of them need to learn how to use tough love and realize that it is a child's prerogative to get upset and cry when they don't get what they want.  Parents show greater love for their kids by setting limits and being consistent than when they cave in and give the kids what they want just because they complain.  They will not be traumatized because they spend one entire night crying while you firmly and patiently return them to their own bed again and again.

Nanny reminds that behaviors are unacceptable, but children are not unacceptable, and we don't tell children that they are bad.  We say, "That is unacceptable" or "That's not okay," but we don't say, "You're being bad."

The parents who are resistant to the nanny and don't have faith in what she tells them are the ones whose problems persist.  The parents who give their best humble efforts to admit that what they've tried hasn't been working and are ready to listen to a professional experience the greatest change in their families.

Each episode ends with an uplifting and hopeful wrap-up describing the great changes happening in the families, but it is clear that some families will fare better than others.  Many parents really need to go to get some couples therapy to work out their relationship issues that are spilling over to the kids.

I think this is a really great program.  Surprisingly, my children enjoy watching it with me.  I was a little worried that they'd learn some naughty behaviors from watching these other kids after they saw some children literally climbing the walls (I saw the light go on in their minds--"I didn't know you could do that!") but usually they look at me regretfully and say, "We do that sometimes, too."  I thank God that my children are not as wild as the ones I see on this show, but since we started watching this, we've been able to tweek some things in our own home and enjoy a little more peace.