DIY Day Camps During Pandemic

Anyone with a child at home under the age of 18 is experiencing some level of stress as summer stretches out before us in a world dealing with the COVID-19 epidemic. This is NOT a post to debate the issues of whether or not to venture out for organized activities or camps. If you want that local (Arizona) debate, there is a great post from Raising Arizona Kids.

However, if you have decided to create your own "at-home" experience, here are some resources that might help you. The key point is plan, plan, plan! If your kids are at camp, whether sleep camp or day camp, their schedules are tightly controlled. To create your DIY camp, I would suggest doing the same. My second suggestion is to make these activities feel "different." You've been home with the kids for some time now and to get everyone in the "camp" mood, this needs to feel special or different. Of course, you can always pick and choose fun activities from this list. So, let's create your own DIY summer camp with step-by-step instructions!

1. Create a name for your camp. Many years ago, I entertained my (now adult) niece and nephew at Camp Campbell.  One of our first "arts and crafts" activities was making a camp shirt.  Here's a link for an easy way to make tie-dye shirts with acrylic paint. It would be very easy to create some stencils with your "camp" name and paint them on after your tie-dye shirts are done. You just created 2 days of arts and crafts activities and a memento of their camping experience!

2. Plan your "camp" meals. If you want to keep it easy in a "day camp" setting, you just need to plan fun lunches that you can eat picnic style. I've packed a ton of ideas onto a special Pinterest board, Day Camp so you should have no problem planning ahead. If you really want to be adventurous and include a "sleep-over" camp with a fire, don't forget to include the s'mores and at least one "campfire" meal.  I've also included some links on the Day Camp Pinterest board for that.

3. Keep a strict schedule. Be sure to plan educational activities, physical activities, arts & crafts and quiet time into your camp, keeping in mind the ages of your campers. See the list of links below as well as my Pinterest Day Camp page for specific ideas on each type of activity. Consider creating a schedule board for each day, or a handout for the "campers" so they know exactly what is coming.

4. Consider at least one overnight camp out in the yard. This could include a tent and campfire, or as simple as some blankets and sleeping bags in the living room. 

5. Get some "camp counselors." If you have older kids, get them involved! Younger kids will be thrilled, you give those older kids something to do, and take some of the pressure as "camp director" off of you!

6. Have a specific "start" and "stop" to camp, especially if you are doing a "day camp" format. It's not sustainable to keep "camp" going indefinitely and kids will likely lose interest if you try. Keeping a "start" and "stop" is almost as important as keeping a strict schedule because it gives kids the feeling of something "different".  You also get time off when camp is not in session!

Can't bear to do this alone at home?  Here are some resources to local virtual day camps this summer. 

Ideas for Educational Activities

• Phoenix Water Services has a brand new digital resources pages. The left side is for kids and the right is for adults. Don't miss the fun videos of "Wayne Drop" and "Loo Poo".  There are activity books with coloring pages you can print for the little ones or order free hard copies in advance. Be sure to check out the tons of lesson plans you can use.

• Virtual Water Festival is another page from Arizona Project WET and geared to teaching elementary students (especially 4th grade) about water. Filled with videos, lessons and games, this is a treasure trove.
• STEM Lessons Activities from Nerding teaches how to build or do a bunch of fun things, especially for elementary and middle schoolers.
• Mystery Science has a ton of activities for kids, Kindergarten through Middle School
• Make a Time Capsule What better time than now??
• Make homemade cards and send a letter to relatives (just like at camp!)
• Grow Borax Crystals
• Make Elephant Toothpaste with a few household items. Cool science experiment - outside.
• Make up stories, create your own book and illustrate (this can be done over several days)

Ideas for Physical Activities

• Play at Home - This is a great, interactive and local website that includes mindfulness, songs and a little yoga. It's especially great for preschoolers.
• Children's Museum of Phoenix has a bunch of videos with movement and yoga, as well as other videos with projects and learning.
• Swimming - Don't have a pool? Create a slip & slide with the hose, bubbles and/or shaving cream. Hose them down when you're done. See a bunch of DIY slip & slides on Pinterest
• Biking
• Scavenger Hunt, Obstacle Course or Relay Game - see my Day Camp board on Pinterest for tons of outside games you can put together for a relay
• Paint with Squirt Guns - Arts & crafts and physical activity in one!
• Make bubbles - see Pinterest for a recipe for giant bubbles

Ideas for Arts & Crafts

• As You Wish Pottery has complete kits you can pick up or they can ship to you!
• STG Top 5 Kids Crafts - our very own!
• Cake decorating. This is fun whether you have a lot of supplies for decorating or just a few. Each kid gets to make their own cake and then decorate it.

• Create Birdseed Hearts - for a truly outdoor craft
• Make Painted Kindness Rocks and then take a walk and leave them around your neighborhood!
• Salt Painting
• Q-Tip Painted Art
• Tie-Dye T-shirts
• Make homemade pizzas

Ideas for Quiet Time

• Listen to some stories!  There are lots of resources on the internet now to watch videos of someone reading to kids.  Here are a few of my favorites:
• Hall of Flame Museum
• Phoenix Public Library
• Dolly Parton
• NASA with Story Time from Space

• Virtual Field Trips! offered through Arizona State University are seriously cool for K-8 to explore
• Australian Reptile Park has a number of short, engaging videos on its YouTube channel featuring animals American kids don't get to see much, including koalas!
• San Diego Zoo has a bunch of animal cams for your viewing pleasure
• Kitten Rescue Cam because everyone needs a kitty fix.
• National Geographic Kid Videos - This includes some great projects and games.

Whatever you decide to do this summer, take some time to relax. It's been a hard couple of months for everyone and you deserve it!

cindy

Vacations with Teens

Last week we took advantage of some cheap flights and headed to San Francisco with our kids, ages 16 and 14.

Family vacations have always been a high priority for us.  With our varied work schedules, vacation time IS family time.  Kent and I realize that as the kids get older, there won't be as many family vacations in our future with just the four of us.  (Of course we joke that as long as we are paying and the destinations are cool, they will find the time!) 

While Kent and I have been to San Francisco several times, the kids haven't experienced a "city" vacation - no car, no hotel and no "kid" destinations (i.e. amusement park).  It was amazing.  We introduced them to Uber and a studio apartment.

We biked the Golden Gate Bridge.  We toured Alcatraz.  We shopped and ate in Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf.  We rode the BART and the cable cars.  Yes, it was touristy, but it also was amazing.

When the kids were younger, we thought vacationing with teens would be a drag because they wouldn't want to hang with us.  We were wrong.  We have no physical limitations (they're not too little now and we're not too old yet).  We share the same interests in exploring and seeing interesting places, and the two of them stop bickering just shy of killing each other.

Best of all, by visiting "real" places, we get opportunities to talk about what it's like to be with people and in places that are very different than those they know.  While they don't have to be "of the world," they have to live "in" it. I love the fact that my kids still seek my opinion on things.  I don't know how long that will last, but like our vacations, I will enjoy it while it lasts.

Let's hope that's a good, long time.

cindy 

Isn't She Lovely?

That was the Stevie Wonder song we picked as background to her First Birthday video.  It's what I hear in my head when I look at her today:

Today was her promotion ceremony and she starts high school in the fall.  Two kids in high school!  Where did the time go?

It seems like last week I dropped her off at Brownies or softball or kindergarten.  A couple of days ago she was talking about studying nursing in college and moving away.

She's smart, sassy and kind.  She's beautiful - but she has no idea.  (Maybe that's OK too.)  We are so proud of her.

It's the time of year for graduations, and so many of our friends have graduations - college, high school, eighth grade, kindergarten.  Regardless of the age, the truth is all the same - time passes, children don't stay children forever any more than they stayed babies forever.  There's never enough time to think about it and get the most out of every age before the next age or stage or phase comes along.

So right now I'm liking this age, even with the disagreements and the rolling eyes and exasperated "Mom!"  I remember being this age and its nice to be there with her as she picks her way through a rapidly changing time in her life.

I just want these last four years before college to slow down - just a little bit - so we can enjoy them together.

Just don't blink.

cindy

Everybody is Back

They're baaaaacck.

Everybody.

Who is Everybody?  Or should I say who are Everybody?  I think they are related to Everyone.

I'm not sure who they are, but I do know my kids go to school with them.  They are on every child's sports team, school club or just hanging out at friends' houses.  I bet your kid knows them too.  But who are they?

You've heard your kid talk about them:  "Everybody has a backpack like that."  "I am the only kid without a cell phone!  Everybody has one!"  "Everybody gets to go hang out at the park, why can't I?"

School has seemed to flush Everybody out.

I just want to know who Everybody is.  They definitely aren't my kids and it's doubtful they are yours.  Who are the parents of Everybody?  Someone might need to report them to the child welfare services because they are doing some questionable things.

When I figure out who Everybody is, I intend to get to the bottom of who Everyone and Nobody are.  Clearly children know who they are, but they won't tell you their names.  However, Everyone knows the names of Everybody and Nobody because Everyone knows that!  I think there might be a need to call child welfare services to investigate the parents of Nobody, because they seem to be the kids lacking safety equipment, warm clothes and sensible shoes.

Just remember - now that school is back in session, drive carefully.  You need to watch out for Everybody.  And if your kids want to bring them home, get their names.

And let me know who they are.

cindy

Loving the Lego Movie

I know I'm a little late to the game on this one, but we saw The Lego Movie tonight with our kids (almost 11 and 13).  I thought it might be a little childish for them, but it definitely was not!

I expected a huge number of commercials before the movie and my expectations were more than met in that area.  Instead of trailers there were actual commercials - lots and lots of commercials.  Boy, I thought, this is going to be one dumb movie.  Try not to fall asleep.

I was surprised.  The dialogue was witty and the characters and plot were engaging.  I honestly couldn't see where the film was headed which was unusual because the plot seemed simple enough.  The movie kept me guessing through to the end and I couldn't even go to the bathroom because I didn't want to miss anything.

It was absolutely commercial and I bet Lego sales will shoot up.  Even my kids mentioned they wanted to go home and play Legos and I didn't know they owned any.  My husband mused that the movie should have come out right before Christmas.  Three things I learned:

1.  Everything is awesome.
2.  Even a 2 hour commercial for a toy can be fun and entertaining; and
3.  Lego Land is the home of "Kragle"

Thanks, Lego Movie, for a great family night out on a holiday weekend.

cindy

Last Minute Crafty Valentines

This was a project I wrote about previously, but thought it might save a few people who need a few ideas before Friday.

These are actually Danish hearts that are traditionally made at Christmas.  In this example, they are made with felt, but in blog page describing this craft, there is also descriptions of the hearts being made from paper. Voila!  Perfect valentines!  Did I mention that these hearts open up to little baskets that can be used for candy, notes, etc?

Here's how I made mine:

I used pink and red (prints and solids) from my enormous stash of scrapbook paper (that almost never gets used).  I didn't use a card stock weight, but instead the thinner weight (something between copy paper and card stock).  I cut an oval about 4" wide and 10" long from heavier card stock for a template.  You can make it whatever size you want, but the way I created mine was to use a circle 4" in diameter and cut it in half to make the ends.  Then, make it the length you want.  The shorter the length, the smaller the heart and resulting interior "basket".

Using the template, you will need two ovals for each valentine.  I made a bunch because I have to make 30 for my daughter's class.

Take your two ovals and fold them in half together, print side out.  Then cut three cuts through both ovals, beginning at the fold and up to about 1" from the curve of the oval.  The spaces between the cuts will be the sections that are weaved together.  I tried being very exact about the width between each cut and making sure they were perfectly matched.  Don't bother.  If you fold the two ovals together and cut both from the fold, they will be fine.

Now you're ready to weave.  Hold the folded ovals at the top curves in either hand.  If you understand the idea of weaving in and out, you're halfway there.  The only difference here is that the papers must cross in the folds to create the in-out weave.

                   

It's a little hard to do at first, but what I learned is that you shouldn't be afraid to bend the strips to get them weaved together.  They won't tear.  Also, do one strip at a time and keep pushing the weaved strips toward the curves.

When you get them all weaved, pull a little outward on all sides.  This will keep it from looking like you have strips sticking out the sides of your heart.  If done correctly, you should be able to open the top and see the basket weave.

Whatever kind of valentines your kids take to school, make it a fun and special day for them.

cindy

Comfortably Catholic

I've been writing "Straddling the Gap" for over two years now and I enjoy writing about crafts, family life and recipes.  As much as I enjoy writing this blog, there is an important part of my life that I don't write about much - my faith.  It's not that I'm hiding it - it permeates my family life - but I don't want to change the focus of Straddling the Gap.  So in 2014, I'm introducing "Comfortably Catholic."

Comfortably Catholic is a blog about my life as a cradle Catholic, and my thoughts on faith, hope and love.  I'm really excited about the new blog and have lots of ideas for things I want to say.  I would love if you would check it out - www.comfortablycatholic.com.

I am a mom, though.  As much as I'm crazy about my new baby, I still fiercely love my older child.  For those of you who don't read code, that means "Straddling the Gap" isn't going anywhere.  I will continue to write about life and my struggle to straddle the gaps between being a working attorney, wife and mother.  I love my crafts and can't wait to show more soon - especially the ones that will be in my Etsy store, Pretty Pretty Cindy.  I'm also testing a few of those internet recipes and cleaning tips, so stay tuned!  If you stick around, I will show you more about my favorite places in my favorite state - Arizona.

Thanks for reading out there - hopefully you've now added another blog to your reading list!

cindy

Merry Christmas Traditions

It's 20 minutes until Christmas and I'm catching my breath.  I have been at church since 3:30 p.m. watching my daughter sing, singing myself and directing my husband's choir.  Christmas Eve is always a long day, but we are just getting started.

My husband will be home about 12:30 a.m. from his last Christmas Eve mass.  (If you haven't figured it out yet, he's a music director at a Catholic church.)  By that time we are both tired.  It's been a long day.

Now is the time for our private Christmas traditions.  When he comes home and kicks off his shoes, we'll watch the Pope at mass at the Vatican.  We'll also watch some of the local midnight mass with our bishop here in Phoenix.  We just can't seem to get enough liturgy, but it's nice just to watch and pray instead of serving as a liturgical minister.

Now is the time for the egg nog, maybe with a little bourbon whiskey :)  We will talk over how the night went, whether the children sang the Polish Christmas carol well, whether the contemporary band sounded OK on O Holy Night and how the adult choir fared on the Hallelujah Chorus at the end of midnight mass without a director (I needed to come home with the kids!).

Then it's time to get to work - Santa time.  There are gifts to be wrapped and others to be "placed".  Thank goodness our kids are tweens so we are out of the phase of assembling toys!  We're mostly removed from the 15 minute battle to wrestle toys out of boxes and packaging.  Usually we grab a bite of Santa's cookies, but this year we'll have to eat See's candy because the kids didn't have any cookies.  Works for me.  We're happy to help Santa however we can.

Finally, about 2:00 a.m. we will roll into bed.  Hopefully the house isn't too messy and the gifts are all there.  Hopefully I will be able to get dinner on the table on time and find something to wear for my Christmas dinner guests.  Hopefully everyone will be happy with their gifts.

Ready or not, Christmas is here.  Ready or not, the Christ-child is here.  Babies are like that.  You can clean, prepare, decorate, buy gifts and even celebrate, but in the end they will come in their time.  Christ came in His time.  Christ will come again in His time.

I pray I'm ready for that day.

School Daze

I guess I'm feeling a little preoccupied with school this year because this is my second post about it.  Today I'm thinking about all the things my kids are doing that we never had to do.  It seems a little different from the conversations my generations had with their parents about school:

"When I was a kid, I walked 3 miles to school in the snow, all uphill."

Even though I spent 12 years in Catholic school, the stories I could tell my kids pale in comparison to the things I see them do in connection with school:

They carry too many books.  My 98 pound kid is carrying 30 pounds of books.  All the time.  To every class.  Everyday.  My daughter has a rolling backpack that has a broken zipper because it's stuffed with books (and she still carries a 3" binder separate from the backpack).  Our solution?  We just bought an extra set of books for my son ($60).  It's absolutely worth every penny.  We have found some of my daughter's books online so she doesn't always have to carry her binder.

Homework.  Where do I begin?  I know I've said here that I've done too many salt dough maps and book reports.  I know my parents didn't do that, probably because I was kid #4 and they refused to go there again.  I understand that kids have homework, but I just didn't realize we they would spend so much time each night doing homework.  2-3 hours is not unusual.  And is it really necessary to do 30 math problems every night?

With all the books that are coming home and the amount of homework we are doing, I'm wondering what they do at school?

cindy

We CAN Stop

At the risk of giving a certain young lady more unnecessary publicity, as a mom it's hard not to comment on her recent escapades and wonder what happened to a girl who seemed to have a promising career as a singer.  (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, Google the word "twerking".)  I think much of the answer can be found in the lyrics of her song:

It's our party we can do what we want

It's our party we can say what we want 

It's our party we can love who we want 

We can kiss who we want

There are no boundaries - no restrictions - no respect.  Maybe I sound like a nagging mother, but she sounds like a petulant child in her own version of "Home Alone." She seems bent on rejecting anything remotely related to restraint:

This is our house 

This is our rules 

And we can't stop

And we won't stop 

We run things, things don't run we 

We don't take nothing from nobody.

I really don't care if she is determined to throw her life and her body around like they are things, but  I don't want my kids to think this is acceptable, mature or smart.

Last night I sat down with my 10 and 12 year old and confirmed they had not seen the video.  However, my daughter did find a still photograph on Instagram and my son saw the video for the song.  I reminded them that their bodies and lives are not things that they own and can do with what they want.  They were created in the image and likeness of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit.  

I held up a pencil.  I explained that a pencil is a thing you can own - you can do whatever you want with it.  You can snap the lead, stick it in an ant hill, break it in half, throw it in the trash.  I then asked them if their bodies were pencils.  If so, you can do what you want, say what you want, love who you want, kiss who you want.  It doesn't matter, your body and your life are things you own.  Problem is, bodies aren't pencils or things to be owned or thrown about.

I think my kids got the message.  I wish Ms. Cyrus would too.

cindy

Kenzie Does Crafts - DIY Finger Paints

Kenzie found this "recipe" on About.com.  We tried it out and have some "comments" of our own.

You  need 2 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt in a mixing bowl.

Pour 2 1/2 cups of cold water in and mix THOROUGHLY.  It will take a while, but you need to get the clumps out.  Mix until smooth.



 Boil 2 cups of water in pan

Pour the flour mixture SLOWLY into the boiling water (so it doesn't clump).  Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick (like Cream-o-Wheat).  (It might take a little while)

Pour the mixture into multiple containers.  Glass works best because the mixture is so hot.  You will have enough to make A LOT of paint.  Use food coloring, but use very little.  If your package describes how much to use for dyeing eggs, use half that amount.  We probably used too much.  The colors were vivid, but I was a little concerned about getting the dye thoroughly mixed.

I didn't have lids to all of these containers, so I spooned each color into a Ziploc bag.  That actually works very well because you can squeeze out only as much as your little artist needs.  Make sure, however, that you wait until these paints are completely cooled, because I may have put ours in too soon.  The bags didn't melt, but there is a bit of a "chemical" smell on the bags after one day.

One word of caution - these finger paints are food based (flour, salt and food coloring) which makes them great for even little ones.  However, food coloring can stain.  Also, and most importantly, because these are food based, they will "spoil" in less than a week.  Don't keep them too long because we learned the hard way - they will STINK.

Have fun painting!

cindy

Day One - Great American Road Trip

Me.  My husband.  My kids.  In a RV.  For 20 days.  Traveling the West.  It's the Great American Road Trip and we'd love if you joined us (vicariously because there's no more room in this RV).  We didn't leave Scottsdale until 1:30 p.m. because we had to pick up the RV, learn to use it (we've never driven or stayed in one before) and pack it.

Today's route - through Flagstaff north of the Grand Canyon and ending in Kanab, Utah.  In between we saw gorgeous untouched parts of northern Arizona, near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We drove through the Painted Desert on the Navajo Reservation and saw the Vermilion Cliffs.

  

It was beautiful right at sunset even if we took the pictures from the car.  We then stopped at Lee's Ferry just below Lake Powell.

We finally arrived at Kanab, Utah 9 hours after we left.  This should be the longest driving day on the trip (hopefully).  It was surprisingly easy even though we got 6 miles to the gallon going up to Flagstaff.  At that rate it's going to be a little expensive.

The kids LOVE the RV which means Kent and I love the RV.  They can move about somewhat and have more options for activities.  We even ate lunch while driving!  I'm hoping we are as enthusiastic about this on day 19.  We only left a few items at home - that we know about at this point.

Tomorrow we are off to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon.  Tonight it's just time for bed.

See you tomorrow!

cindy

Mom, I Have Arrived

My kids are 10 and 12.  They've always been good kids and generally well behaved.  I ask them to do something and eventually it gets done.  Yes, I may have to ask more than once, but no one has perfect kids, right?

Recently I've started to hear things I have never heard before coming from my children's mouths:   Why?  How come?  Now?  When it first started happening I was too surprised to respond or I tried to explain why, how come, and when I needed them to do what I asked.  Today, after I asked for something to be done and heard "why," I was shocked to hear my own voice with my mother's words.

"Because" I said, "Because I said so.  Because I'm your mother, and I don't need a reason to ask you to do something."

Whoa, who is that?  It's my mother.  I've become my mother!  You know what?  It's O.K.  What else would I say?  It's true.  They should do things because I asked them, I'm their mother and I don't need a reason to ask.  Right?

But I know more is coming:  "When donkeys fly" (That's a particular twist from the usual "when pigs fly" courtesy of my mother.);  "As long as you live under my roof;" "I'm the mother and you're the child;" and my personal favorite that has been handed down from my grandmother and then my mother: "If I say white is black and black is white, then white is black and black is white!"

I feel like I've attained an entirely new level of parenthood.  I guess it's a transition I must accept.  My kids are entering the testing phase.  I guess I need to transition with them.  I miss my mom - she died a few years back.  But now, whenever I hear one of these statements coming out of my mouth, I will think of her and smile.

And hope my kids are doing whatever I just asked them to do.

cindy

The Tooth Fairy and Economies of Scale

What is the going rate for a molar these days?  How about a regular tooth?  If the tooth loser doesn't put the teeth under the pillow, is the Tooth Fairy obligated for "back pay"?  I have been pondering these deep philosophical questions all evening.  I finally did some research with CBS Moneywatch which reported that as of April 2010, the going rate in Manhattan and New Jersey was $5.00 for the first tooth and then $3.00 after that.  In the boonies, the rates are more like $1.00.

My son is currently at a standstill with tooth loss at 12 years old.  It's not that he has all of his permanent teeth, it's because he hasn't lost any molars other than the ones that were pulled for braces.  On the other hand, there is a run on the Tooth Fairy based on my 10 year old daughter's teeth just popping out, including two molars in the last two week.  She hardly thinks about the Tooth Fairy anymore.  I'm not sure whether she gave up after the Tooth Fairy inadvertently left a tooth under the pillow for a day (or two), or whether the Tooth Fairy just doesn't pay enough to make it worth her while.

When I was a kid, the Tooth Fairy paid a standard rate of $0.25 per tooth.  This was an outrageous inflationary rate according to my older siblings, who were lucky to get $0.10.  Cry me a river - gas was $0.32 then too.  Now my kids are not impressed with anything less than $1.00.  Personally, I think the Tooth Fairy's payout is based on her liquidity at the time the tooth is under the pillow.

Tonight I have it on good authority that the Tooth Fairy is feeling both guilty and neglectful for teeth that were left under the pillow or not even offered for her purchase.  Based on that, I think a molar will fetch $5.00 in hard currency (but not gold or silver) this evening.  Lucky for the Tooth Fairy that this kid sleeps so soundly she could use a jack to raise up the pillow, take the tooth and leave $5.00 in singles without interrupting a single snore.

That Tooth Fairy really has a cushy assignment in our house.

cindy

Contemplate - Living in the Now

Tonight I was going through the photos on our Mac and managed to do a quick trip down memory lane with pictures of my kids.  Mackenzie is now 9 (10 in a couple of weeks) and Christian is 11 (almost 12) {sigh}.  While I looked at pictures from infancy to elementary school, I remembered the times when each one was taken and what I was thinking then.

By the time Mackenzie was 2 and Christian was 4, I remember thinking that they were such big kids and I missed their "babyness".  Now I look at pictures of them at those ages and wish I could reach back in time and smack myself.  Didn't I see how adorable they were?  I also think how "busy" I was (or at least I thought I was) when I was a SAHM.  Some of the cutest pictures were taken while I was trying to take pictures of items to sell on Ebay.  I had to stop and take pictures of them because they wanted to spend time with me.

Today I look at them and still catch myself thinking how their "childhood" is almost gone.  How ridiculous is that??  They still have plenty of "kid time" and I need to enjoy it NOW.  Sure, they were cute back then, but they are still cute now.  Mackenzie asks if we will pay for college, but she doesn't want to go more than a couple of miles away :)  Christian is still creeping into our room at night every once and again.  They are still so innocent and I'm trying to stay in the present to savor every minute.  I wish I had a device to record all the funny things they say.

You know, when you try to drive while constantly looking in the rear view mirror, you are bound to crash into something in front of you - the future.

cindy