Summer Fun For Kids

Summer Fun For Kids
As a Step Mommy keeping the kids busy with fun activities has been a fun challenge! Here are the Top Ten Activities that my kids enjoy!
1. The Pool, whether it's the public pool with water slides, or the plastic play pool from the local store. My kids love to splash and play in the water! This is hours of entertainment!
2. The Zoo is so much fun! We purchased season passes (not much more than the daily pass for 1 day). We visit the Zoo, and see different animals and talk about their habitats. They also love to visit the bird feeding exhibit where birds land on them and eat bird seed glued to a stick. This has been a huge hit!
3. The Beach is great fun for the kids. The waves, tide pools, sand castles, and playgrounds make it irresistible for kids! Lots of Sun & Fun!!
4. Petting Farm has been great! We are fortunate to live in Washington where local farmers have petting zoos for the kids! They love to feed the animals, and some even give horse back rides to the little ones.
5. The Aquarium is a favorite. They are able see the underwater world, and play in the tide pools experiencing many different creatures! They love the jellyfish, octopus, walrus, and shark exhibits.
6. Flying Kites has been a fun time! They love to run and launch them into the sky and watch them fly! We have them help build the kites, and use this to teach time about aerodynamics.  
7. Shooting Rockets at the park! You can order them online or find them at stores in your area. We have a great time shooting them off and seeing them parachute to the ground! FYI- check you local city ordinances before finding a launch site.
8. Gymnastics Free Play is a great activity, and most of your local Gymnastic Gyms have specific days and times that you are able to let your kids experience all the fun trampolines, cushy mats, and bars to swing from like monkeys! This is a great way to expend energy and get fun exercise.
9. Bouncy Gym, at least that's what I call them. This is the new phenom where local businesses take a warehouse and fill it with Bouncy Houses. They have huge soft slides, large soft obstacle courses with ropes and ladders, and many other different types of Bouncy Houses all in the same building! The kids run wild and have a great time!
10. Kayaking is another great Summer time activity that you can do with your kids! Whether it's sea kayaking or lake kayaking the kids love to get out on the water! Playing in the water and teaching them water safety is a fantastic adventure! We pack a lunch, and lots of drinks for a day of fun! Look for businesses that rent kayaks in your area. Oh.. and bring lots of sunscreen!!

I hope this gives you some fun ideas, and ways to connect with your kids on this Summer Vacation! They grow so quickly, and teaching them how to explore their environment is a great life lesson for them now, and when they're adults! Play often!

A Topic That All Makes Us Scratch Our Heads - Lice

Lice in Schools - We all dread the note that comes home from our child's school explaining that one or more students have lice, and to check our child. Just talking about this makes my head itch! Here is the BEST solution for LICE PREVENTION, and it's call Fairy Tales (see picture). This leave-in conditioner has all natural plant extracts that repel lice. Yes, that's right... REPELS LICE!! It smells great with hints of rosemary, and it's completely non-toxic. I have used this every year, and we have not had one case of lice at our house. I know that they also carry other products to remove lice... but we have not had to use any of those. This is the BEST line of defense that I have found to keep lice away from my kids. I know it's an unpleasant topic, but from what I have seen, and read lately it seems to be an epidemic in the public and private school systems. Use this after their bath or shower, and leave it in their hair. The Fairy Tales repels lice, and it's also a great detangler. May you be forever lice free! 

Top Ten Toys For Little Girls

I've had some questions about what toys little girls like above all else. I can only answer from my own experience with my 4 year old and her friends. Here is a list of their favorites:
1. Barbie - Barbie Dolls, Barbie Cars, Barbie Unicorns,
and Barbie Clothes
2. Disney Princesses - Cinderella, Rapunzel, Belle, and
Merida are her top favorites
3. Doll Houses with furniture
4. Polly Pocket
5. Jewelry - Everything pink and anything that sparkles.
6. Nail Polish & Lip Gloss - They LOVE to have their nails painted, and wear flavored lip gloss.
7. Princess/Fairy Dress-Up - Dresses, crowns, slippers, lip gloss, wings, and everything frilly.
8. Hello Kitty
9. Tea Parties - Tea Sets, Plates, Silverware, Fake food to serve, and multi level cake plates.
10. Bath Toys - Barbie Mermaid Tale toys (Their hair changes color in the hot water), Ariel toys,
and bubble bath.

I hope this helps finding gifts for your daughters, step-daughters, and grand daughters.

By Kat Johnson

Adorable Easter Dresses and Baskets

           Here are Bella's picks for Easter. This is a lovely Easter Dress found on the FrostMeBaby.com website blog. She aslo found this adorable Easter Basket to complement her dress, and join her in the hunt for Easter Eggs. Very cute... and she is so excited for Easter to get here!

Create Easter Traditions

   Easter is coming quickly, and the trees are beginning to bloom outside! Spring is almost here!
  All the stores have their spring lines coming in, and I LOVE all of the color and excitement. She is soooo excited that she has already found her Easter dress at Frost Me Baby (See the dress on the Frost Me Baby Blog). We are still looking for the perfect Easter basket...
  Bella and I have been planning our easter egg decorating, and what treats we will make on Easter Day. There are several large Easter Egg Hunts in our area... and we must choose one to attend. Sooooo exciting!!
  Celebrate fun holidays, and create experiences that your step kids will carry with them for a lifetime. These are the moments that help them to enjoy their lives, and create family traditions!

• Shop for the perfect dress and accessories 
• Find a lovely Easter Basket
• Easter Egg patterns and dipping packages
• Plan a fun menu that will tickle their senses with color                            
• Choose an Easter Egg Hunt in your area
• Coordinate with their friend's parents so they can join in on the Hunt! Always more fun in numbers!                  

Creating Positive Incentives-Super-Hero-Squad

Creating Positive Incentives- Super-Hero-Squad

My 6 year old boy LOVES the Super-Hero-Squad . He can play out all of the characters; Ironman, Captain America, Thor, and Hulk (his favorite at the moment). It's so much fun to watch his imagination grow as he makes up his own story lines, and makes up girl characters for his little sister to play. It's also good fun when she wiggles into one of his Super Hero costumes with the extra muscles... runs downstairs and announces that she is Captain America! He doesn't quite know what to say or how to react... and she is so excited to play with him. It's really quite amusing, and my husband and I always have a little giggle.
To incentivize him for school we buy about 4-5 super hero action figures at a time, and if he gets top scores at school... and he reaches 5 days of outstanding behavior (they are rated daily by their teachers on a number scale of 1-35) he gets to chose a toy to open! He loves this incentive, and so do the teachers. We have seen great improvements in his school work and behaviors since implementing this incentive. We use http://www.Super-Hero-Squad.com to choose which toys he wants to earn, and then they ship them to the door. They have a wide variety of super hero toys to choose from, and it's super easy. Happy toy hunting!

Valentine's Day-Full of Love & Laughter

Valentine's Day-Full of Love

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! We had lots of laughter and fun! Bella wanted to help decorate the table and make it special for Daddy, so she spread out pink rose petals all over the table. She also wanted to drink her Sparkling Apple Cider out of champagne glasses... Totally cute and Beautiful! We made personalized heart shaped pizzas, and had a lot of fun in the kitchen. My husband thought he was Luigi... throwing the pizza dough in the air... with LOTS of flour. We were all laughing, and covered in flour! We made great memories, and shared love, food, and fun! Definitely a Valentine's Day to remember!

Valentine's Day Treats

Happy Valentine's Day! Valentine's Day is one of our favorite holidays! Everything is pink and red, and we have beautiful dresses to wear! The BEST part is showing the people we love how much we love them , and appreciate all that they do in our lives. Hand made cards from the heart... always melt hearts, and it's not expensive to do. The kids love to make pink cupcakes with heart sprinkles or a heart shaped cake to celebrate Valentine's Day. All day we celebrate the love we have for each other in as many ways as we can creatively think of.  We start the day with heart shaped pancakes, and have arts & crafts that include pink, red, and white construction paper with LOTS of glitter and glue to make hearts for each other. We drop off special Valentine's to their cousins, and friends to show how much they mean to us. We celebrate giving, and appreciate anything we receive. We enjoy spreading the LOVE!! Remember that it's the thought that counts, and you will make life long friends with the simplest gestures of appreciation! LOVE is the best building block for every relationship!

Frost Me Baby.com

FrostMeBaby.com

This is the best site to shop for little girls! It has everything that is fun, and sparkling(they even say this on the front page)! Their dresses for little girls are adorable, and I'm able to shop for the whole outfit... including shoes, and jewelry.  They have  Barbie, Tinker Bell, Belle, Ariel, and all the rest of her favorite Disney dolls! They also have customized kids books which she loves!!  Super Fun!

Hope you enjoy this website as much at I did: http://FrostMeBaby.com

I'm a MONSTER...??

I'm a MONSTER...??

What do you say when your step kids come back from a visit with their mother, and they call you a monster....?



When divorces are ugly, and the kids pay the price of a parent who does not care about their mental wellbeing... only how much she can hurt the other party... what do you do or say when the kids call you a monster?

MAKE IT FUN...or FUNNY for the kids!! Ask them questions...

• What kind of monster am I?
• Am I a cookie monster?
• Am I a chocolate monster?
• Am I a tickle monster?
• Pull out the Tickle Claw (your hand), and tickle them... make them laugh!
• Am I blue?
• Do I have only 1 eye?
• What planet am I from?

Create a different mental tag for them that makes them laugh and associates humor... this will help them deal with the stresses they face, and create a strong bond between you. 

NEVER... let me say it again... NEVER let them see how much it upsets you!! Kids want to please whomever they are with, and they do not know how to deal with your anger.  So please count to 10 or give yourself a mental anchor to make a funny face or joke, and get them laughing. 

Your in it for the long game, and the kids will appreciate your kindness and humor. They will end up having a stronger bond with you, than the hateful parent who is unable to control their emotional state. 

Another good rule is to always tell the truth. When a child has a question, I encourage you to tell the truth. NOW... the truth you tell them should not be filled with hateful details. Keep it simple, and kind. Always be KIND!! 

To Do Lists For Your Family

Check out...  http://ListHoney.com

This website allows you to manage projects with your husband, partner, or SO. It's a great online tool that's free and helps you organize your life.

Step Mommy In The Fast Lane

Step Mommy in the Fast Lane!

Things I like to live by: Laugh often, Love with all your heart, and be kind to others. I do my best to impart these to my 2 precious step kids. 

My husband and I have had our challenges this year with the ex, and keeping the kids safe. Whew... this has been a full time job all in itself. I never really understood how much time, effort, and emotional trauma goes into dealing with "Baggage ..ie. the ex"... and trust me... I have, like everyone else... "Baggage" of my own too.  

I do my best to compartmentalize all of my "Baggage", and this allows me to live my daily life and enjoy the amazing experiences that I have everyday with my husband and step kids.  As things arise I deal with them and put them back in their boxes. It's the only way I keep my sanity intact.

I work from home, so when my husband and I were married, I became a full time mom"Step-mom". This has been a blessing and also a very difficult transition trying to make all the time I have, count. Whether it's working on business projects, meetings, or managing two young kids that need lots of attention and love. Oh... not to mention keeping up the house, laundry, and cooking. I have to say... I have a WHOLE new respect for stay-at-home mothers!! My full time job was WAY easier!!! 

I've consulted for years, teaching doctors how to run their businesses; HR, communications, software configuration, implementing systems, marketing, how to read a P & L, and a multitude of other things to help them grow their businesses. I also invented an Oral Surgery instrument that will help a lot of doctors and people. 

That being said I have taught lots of skills to lots of people, and been very successful. Now.. teaching a child can't be that hard... HA! I used to give people information that they would respectfully take and implement. With kids they are constantly challenging you in every way possible... in your face... all day long. Some of this I find quite amusing, and some of it can begin to wear on you day in and day out. I have managed to keep my good humor and laugh about most things, and remember what a terror I was as a child. My mother was a SAINT! 

Professionally, have to apologize to all of the mother's, and step-mothers out there because until you have kids, you do not fully understand the inconveniences they deal with that are NOT their fault as a working parent. I have much more sympathy, and admiration for working parents then I ever did before. 

Ok, off my soap box now. More to come later...