Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

What Will They Remember?

Tuesday, April 7, 2015


I wonder if you ever do this...?
Sometimes I wonder what my kids will remember most about their childhood, one day in the future when they are older, much older- adults or maybe even parents themselves.
When the time comes, I wonder how they would answer these questions;

"When I was a kid we used to __________"
"When I was I kid I loved it when we got to ____________"
"One of my favorite childhood memories is ______________"

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You never know what they will remember most, what it will be... and I am pretty sure it won't be any of the the things I imagine it would be.
A couple of weeks ago we were watching a movie on a Friday night and we made chocolate milkshakes for the kids, in the fancy(or not so fancy, but not the regular old every day ones)glasses.
As I was getting the "fancy glasses" out of the china cabinet, I was reminded how my mom used to make us Coke floats on the weekends when we were kids and we used these certain glasses that we only ever used when we had Coke floats.
They were kept in a different cabinet than the usual dishes.
I still remember what they looked like and that the cabinet was one that slid open and it always kind of got caught and you had to close it and reopen it again before you could get your glass out.
My memory is not fantastic but I definitely remember that, it's a favorite for sure.

So you had better believe that the following Friday night while the kids were watching the original Karate Kid I made them Coke floats.
I said it was just like a Friday night in 1984.
And it may not ever be one of their favorite memories, even if I kinda hope it is, but it will always be one of my favorites as a mom.

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Do you know how you would answer those questions? Could you answer right away or would you need to think about it?









Most Unique Halloween Costume /// Laura Ingalls Wilder

Tuesday, November 4, 2014



So I think I have shared plenty of Halloween pictures on Instagram and I know in our minds Halloween is long gone, but
I had to share a couple more plus Charlotte's super exciting news.
My kid's school still celebrates Halloween when it seems like most don't anymore and let me
just say, that I  L  O  V  E  that.  Like a lot.
This year they had a short musical program for 2'nd, 3rd and 4th grades(so both of my kids were in it) and then they have
the Halloween costume parade.
Usually the parade is outside and the kids walk around the block in the neighborhood and everyone gets to see them, it's a
long-standing school/neighborhood tradition.
This year the weather wasn't great, a little chilly and windy, so it was in the gym instead.

After the parade they have parties in the classrooms and then the costume judging.
I think the teachers and/or staff do the judging and then call the winners over the intercom.
I left right before the end of the day and missed that part and had kind of forgot about it although I don't think Charlotte had.






Here is Charlotte as Laura Ingalls Wilder.
I think this is my favorite costume so far, I just think it is so cute + just perfect for her.
My mom made the dress and apron, Charlotte gpt to pick the fabric herself, which was quite the chore, she knew exactly
what she wanted and was not really taking our suggestions at all.
That girl has her own opinions on everything. 
But in the end it turned out great and she was VERY happy with her dress.

The bonnet we borrowed from my cousin which was exactly what we were looking for and
really completed the whole costume I think.
I have had that vintage lunch pail laying around here for years and we grabbed some old books and tied them together
for her to carry.
Obviously she already has the hairdo down to be Laura, right?

A couple different people asked if the costume was mine from when I was a kid, but it wasn't.
This costume was all Charlotte's idea.
We  certainly love the Little House books and the show in this hosue and I love that this is what she
wanted to be, just perfect for my little reader + book lover.



{nevermind the chocolate on her apron from the school party ;) }



After school I was sitting on the porch watching for the kids to come up the street and saw Charlotte
runing as fast as she could to the house.
She won the costume contest for most unique costume, she was so excited!
I was excited for her too,  just thinking how that would've felt in 2nd grade, to win in that category for the whole school, to have
your name called over the intercom and to win a prize.
It was a good day and a great Halloween indeed.


Have a great day everyone !




The Reindeer + My Imaginary December Bucket List

Friday, December 6, 2013



Sunday I dominated my imaginary  December Bucket List.
I mean, assuming I had a December Bucket List, I would have been so proud of myself for knocking two big, awesome things off of it.
In ONE DAY... on the first of December.
BAM!
We hit the Christmas Tree farm  and  the Reindeer Ranch and it was a good, good day.
That was my attempt at getting my Scroogey self in the Christmas spirit, while getting the kids out of the house for the day and to give
Eric a break as he has been left with the kids a lot lately.




I have to say, the Reindeer Ranch was pretty cool and we had never been so it was something
 new and fun for all of us.
We went with my cousin and her 2 1/2 year old, so it's a great place for all ages of kids.
Here's the website for Hardy's Reindeer Ranch, and if you're in my area, it's in Rantoul, Illinois
 and I would say totally worth the drive, especially of you are going to do something in 
Champaign first, which is what we did.




Interesting Reindeer Fact ::

Reindeer do not have top teeth, only bottom teeth.
Crazy, huh?
The reindeer ate oats and graham crackers right out of the kid's hands.
It was pretty awesome, and their fur is so soft.




I am so glad we decided to go last weekend, it is so cold today and I think it is going 
to be FREEZING this weekend.
I admit, I have some weird issues with Christmas(and in general?!) but last weekend I was reminded that this season in my kid's life is so very short.... I mean, they don't know that I have these issues, 
and I want to make the holiday season as fun and magical for them as I can. 




I think this trip definitely got me a little more excited about Christmas and it did for the kids, 
too, although I don't think they needed it as much as I do!

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Happy Friday everyone.
Tell me...
What do you do to get  YOURSELF  in the Christmas spirit?
Or does it take no effort for you at all?
If that's the case,  I think I might be kinda jealous.


Have a great weekend.







Sick On The Couch On Halloween

Thursday, October 31, 2013


I'm here drinking my coffee on the couch and feeling quite sorry for myself this morning, if you wanna know the truth.
It's Halloween, and I love Halloween and I want to be excited about the costumes and the candy and the school stuff...
But Wyatt woke up at 3:00 a.m. throwing up and now has to miss Halloween.
The strong, it'll be fine mom in me completely vanished and the crying, life is so rough mom in me is here today instead.
And she ain't pretty, folks.




I'm sad that he is missing Halloween, that he doesn't get to go to his school party or the school parade... Mad that he has to miss the
glutton-filled night of trick-or-treating, McDonald's for supper and staying up late for a Halloween movie... the best way to spend
Halloween night, in my opinion.

Part of me wants to throw a big, fat fit about it and the other part realizes it's not the end of the world and I am grateful it is just the flu.
But really?
I just want to throw a fit mostly... with lots of cussing and maybe kicking.




But the Halloween festivities did go on...
Wyatt was going to be a detective and Charlotte was a Reporter/Photographer, we used what we already had around here pretty much
out of pure laziness on my part.
Sometimes I think the creative use-whatcha-got costumes are the best ones though.
Charlotte's name tag says: Charlotte B., The Daily News.




Tonight while Eric and Charlotte went trick-or-treating, Wyatt and I watched Ghostbusters for the first time(for him). 
We didn't have nearly as many trick-or-treaters as we usually do because it rained all day.
We made the best of it though, I guess.
Now the kids are in bed and I am raiding the candy bags for peanut m & m's while watching the original Halloween.
I have to confess, just the music is enough to scare me... and that mask?
Yikes.




So it wasn't the BEST Halloween ever... but I guess they can't all be, huh?
October is actually one of my very favorite months of the year, maybe my most favorite, 
but this hasn't been the best month.
I usually dread the beginning of November because I know the long, cold Winter is coming...
but I might just be ready for it this year.
Happy last day of October to you.







Just Kinda Blahhh...

Monday, February 18, 2013


Today was dreary, gray and just overall one of those funky days.
I really wanted sunshine today, I needed sunshine... my body(and mind) actually craves sunshine.
These days make me feel as lazy as a slug... almost unable to do anything.
We did eventually get dressed and headed to the park- where it continued to get grayer, drearier and a little more
just blahhhh.
But I think the fresh air still did us all a little good though.

I know I would really miss the changing seasons because I truly do love them all in a different way and for
different reasons, but man, I think I could totally handle living somewhere that the sun shined every day...
even when it was cold.
Just for a while anyway.



Sometimes the gray + dreary days fit my mood perfectly... most of the time I just hate them, I want nothing
to do with them... nothing at all.
I want cheerful, motivating, encouraging, happy, SUNNY days.
I need those days because I can easily be gray, dreary, down and in a funk all on my own without
any help at all from the weather or anything else, thank you very much.

It looks like the sun might peek out this weekend...can I wait that long?
Oh, I am ready for Spring, so very ready for it.
How about you?



Mrs. Bramer(aka: Reading Mom)Goes PTA

Wednesday, February 6, 2013


I have a not-so-secret to tell ya.
This whole stay-at-home-mom of school-aged kids is different.
And weird.
Wonderful...
But guilt-inducing.
It's perfect... and a little too much free time.
But not quite as much free time as I had expected.
All at once.




Weird I tell ya.
Last week I think I was at school four days.
And I think two of those days I was there for over 3 hours each time.
Ummm... they should just hire me and it would take care of my little issue of needing to
find a part-time job.
That might work.

Our new school became a Project-Based Learning Laboratory School this year associated with
the University.
We love it.
Its a different approach to learning and it is working great for the kids, for all of us.
I think as a new parent +  new kids at this school, which has a lot of big changes going on
this year, we want it to be successful.
There are other of families just like us that switched schools to go here and also lots of families just starting out with this whole
school thing and I think we're all hoping for the same thing while doing what we can.
It feels really good to feel good about our decision to make this big switch.
That means a lot of volunteering but also lots of cool + unique projects and extra stuff in the evenings
and on weekends.
But, I am taking full advantage of the fact that I am able to spend so much time over there this year, it's a big year full of changes and
lots of good stuff...and who knows, next year might look different for us.

The other day at school I heard someone mention my name in conversation and said;
"Mrs. Bramer is here...." and once again my first thought was; Huh? My mother-in-law is here?
Some days you just wonder how you got from being in school yourself to becoming the Second
Grade Reading Mom of a kindergartner and second-grader?
Weird, I tell ya.





Simple Things :: An Empty Pumpkin Patch

Sunday, October 28, 2012



A couple of weeks ago now I took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch right after school--  note to self : 
never go again on the weekend if you can help it.
There was only maybe two other families there when we were and it was so nice.
Can you tell I'm not really a crowd kinda person?
It was so empty, in fact,  that I had no problem wollering on my stomach to get some of these pictures.
Had it been crowded I might have been a little too self-conscious for all that.
But this day...perfect weather and perfect light.
Sigh.



I am loving the white pumpkins this year.
And the gray ones... and the warty, bumpy ones.
For some reason it still amazes me that these things all come from a seed, survive the elements,
 the seasons and even a draught and make so many people happy.
Seriously.

Sometimes the littlest, simplest things make me the happiest.

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