Category Archives family

My Disney History

As a child, I remember going to Walt Disney World and staying at the Contemporary Resort. Those were the early days when there were only two resorts to stay at.River Country was the big water park, and Figment was making his debut in Epcot. I feel that the history of the parks in Orlando are part of my childhood and beyond. My family stayed at many of the new resorts as they were opened, and then TechyDad and I stayed at others on our honeymoon and with our own family.

Disney World 1983

Focused on the Magic

Be sure to stop by Focused on the Magic by clicking on the button above to join in the Disney magic this week.

It's Me

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Goodbye to 2013 – Part 1

It is hard to believe that that end of 2013 is already here. Looking back at this year, it is difficult to focus on a theme. There were many ups and downs, but I really feel that my growth as an advocate was huge and a major accomplishment over the last 365 days. Here is a trip down memory lane of the year that was 2013.

January:

January 2013

February:

  • This was the month where the kindergarten kiddo celebrated 100 days of school. We had fun putting together his project.
  • February also marked my sixth year of blogging. My have I come a long way from those first days.
  • A favorite activity from the winter months was definitely when we made slime. The boys spent hours playing and exploring for days and also enjoyed making a fort in our living room.

.February 2013

March:

March 2013

April:

, April 2013

May:

, May 2013

June:

June 2013

There was so much more that happened in the second half of 2013. More of that to come in a second post. What were your favorite memories of the year gone by? Please share below or leave a link to one of your favorite posts if you blog.

It's Me

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Disney Character Encounters

Over the years, my boys have made finding Disney characters at Walt Disney World a sort of sport. Of course, it was not always like that. I still remember the first time they met characters at Chef Mickey back in May 2009. That trip we have a lot of photos of the kids keeping their distance from most of the characters they met, until a breakthrough on JSL’s second birthday with Tigger. They have come a long way from screaming, crying, and hiding under tables. Now both of the boys like to see what new characters are at the parks so they can add their autographs into our collection. Some more recent memories of magical moments with characters at Walt Disney World.

Disney World Character Encounters

Focused on the Magic

Be sure to stop by Focused on the Magic by clicking on the button above to join in the Disney magic this week.

It's Me

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Birthdays Come and Birthdays Go

For weeks, I have been dreading this week. Not because of my birthday (today) and getting another year older. It has more to do with the crazy that is the week. Winter band/chorus concert, orthodontist appointment, Hebrew School, meeting, and another doctor appointment. In addition to these items, I need to turn up the heat on my public school advocacy. Some recent events have me even more concerned about the damage being done to children by education reform, specifically Common Core. Happy Birthday to me writing and calling more members of the NYS Assembly, more NYS Senators, and following up about something that still brings tears to my eyes from last week.

To distract me after plans for the weekend changed, my family thought ahead and asked to celebrate my birthday a day early. Sunday night we had a delicious dinner and ice cream cake (my childhood favorite) at Nana and Papa’s house.

Ice Cream Birthday Cake

Earlier in the day, TechyDad and I went shopping before the malls were super busy. I finally made it to the newly opened Vera Bradley store at the mall. I had received an amazing coupon to use and usually spent it online. It was such a great experience to go into the store and see the patterns and different items in person. In the end, I scored an amazing deal on a Backpack and wallet in Indigo Pop. Something very different, practical for my use, and fun colors to brighten the days and my travels.

Vera Bradley Birthday Backpack and wallet

Assuming we do not have a school delay for ice/snow, I hope to have a quiet day getting some work done and crocheting a bit. Now I will take a deep breath, count to ten, and get ready for whatever this week and the year ahead bring me.

It's Me

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Being An App Game Playing Family

Did you play video games when you were a child? I know I did. I still remember having a Coleco Vision and Atari systems to start. We eventually bought a Commodore 64 Computer. While I do not recall my mother playing the games with us, my father did. He would help us to figure out new games. One of the favorites on our new computer was Load Runner. This was a puzzle like game with a character that really made you think. We would work together and compete to see who could pass and figure out levels. As my brother and I grew up, this continued with other gaming systems and better computers and games. Of course, these days we have several gaming devices and most recently added the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 into the mix thanks to being a Verizon Lifestyle Blogger. The boys loved the one we received so much, they split the cost of a second one using gift card money they had saved up.

Bonding with My Muppets App on the Galaxy Tab 2As a teacher, you may think that I am not a fan of gaming. You would be wrong. I think they have a place for children and parents that enjoy them. In fact, many of them are educational and require the use problem solving strategies. They also provide a great way for families to work together, talk, and bond. The case in point this summer would be the My Muppets Show app that is available for Android and Apple devices. All three of the boys fell head over heels in love with this. I was haunted by the Muppets music often coming from two Galaxy Tablets. TechyDad and I boys would chat up what they were accomplishing. The boys would assist each other earning new Muppets. It was not simply TechyDad telling them, they all helped each other. I actually hate to admit it, I felt a bit left out of the conversations because I had not really kept up with using the app on my Android phone.

So why am I writing about this? Well yesterday Monia Vila, The Online Mom, shared a post that she had written on The Huffington Post. Can Playing Video Games Make You a Better Parent? was inspired by the recent TEDTalk by Jane McGonigal. Thanks to Monica’s article, I spent the time and listened to the powerful words from McGonigal. As a parent and educator, I now want to use my extra minutes that she notes to connect more with my boys. We already read together, play board games, and go to places near and far as a family, but I want more. I want to be able to chat with them and understand the gaming apps that they adore. I want to geek out with them. I do not look at gaming as a waste of time. It is something we can do together for years to come. I take this up a notch from what Monica wrote about in her article and suggest that educators, including teachers, get in tune with games and things that their students are playing. Not only can you use these as ways to connect with the kids in your classroom, but you can expand on the apps/games for use in your teaching for a more authentic experience.

Fess up, do you use gaming as a way to connect with your family? If you are a teacher, have you ever made lesson plans that reach out to the gamers in your class? I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Oh and be sure to head over to read Monica’s post where she also has the TEDTalk with Jane McGonigal – it is worth reading and watching. No doubt it will leave your brain racing a mile a minute trying to figure out how to utilize this information in your life.

I know that in our house gaming is not a waste of time, but something that we use to keep everyone problem solving, talking, and focused. Oh and one other item, it’s fun and helps to relieve stress from every day life that does happen.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 to test out and share ways that I use this in my life. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

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