Encore: The Geek Trifecta
My geek is showing, as my sister, a dull Muggle, used to say. In fact, this week it reached a harmonious crescendo. My wife, uber geek, found a geek loot of the month club. Now we can receive Einstein bobble heads, LOTR gear, and dwarven keys to the mountain randomly through the mail. And yes, […]
Summer Acting Opportunities
I am looking for a place for my daughter to do a little acting this summer. Do you have any suggestions? Generally, there are summer camps in Knoxville and sometimes in Morristown for children that like to act. I would also suggest that you contact Legacy Theater Group in Jefferson City or Walter State Community […]
Bulls and Cows
My mother broke her glasses today and was in dire need of “seeing,” but it being 11:30 on Saturday, and the office closing at 12:00, it seemed almost impossible that “seeing” was going to happen until Monday. A quick call to her Optometrist was rewarded with our needing to be in his office, by a […]
Social Maturity
Do you ever wonder why some preteens and teens seem so immature, making bad choices in their daily lives? And, there will always be the child that seems to “have it together” even in those turbulent years. There are many things that garners confidence in a child, but the one we will discuss today is […]
Is it Too Early for Tomato Plants?
Now that spring has come, is it too early to put out tomato plants? The short answer is that it is too early for tomato plants. Conventional wisdom says that planting tomatoes for at least another month is not recommended. But, if you are in a hurry, you can start the seeds indoors and you […]
Struggles with Reading
If your child (grades 3 and up) is struggling with reading, you can encourage reading by making a strong connection between reading and life. Hearing a story read aloud is an excellent way to encourage reading. Encourage your children to listen, make comments, and ask questions. Children want to read books or stories that makes […]
Leatherbound Classic: “Classic Horror Stories”
If you follow my reviews, you know I love collections, particularly of horror stories. Unfortunately, it’s been a long time since I’ve found a good monster story I haven’t read. Luckily, I just received a collection of the Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Classic Classic Horror Stories. At first, I wasn’t really sure what to expect […]
Time Changes
Well, I don’t know about you, but I wish “the powers that be” would finally decide to stop messing with our clocks. Once again, we have adjusted the time. This time to “spring forward.” Believe me, the only way I can remember which way to go is with the phrases, “spring forward,” and “fall back.” […]
Fun with Creation: Crystal Easter Eggs
With Easter coming up, enjoy with your children an easy science experiment that’s a fun to observe chemical reaction for kids! Supplies Needed: Borax (found with laundry detergent) Water Jars or vases (glass) Egg shells (cleaned with warm water) Food coloring Directions: Prepare the eggs by carefully removeing the top portion of the egg-shell (a […]
Too Early for a Hummingbird Feeder?
I am really interested in attracting hummingbirds to our yard and was wondering if it is too early to put out our hummingbird feeder? With the early influx of warm weather, the Ruby Throated Hummingbird may make its appearance a little early this year. It is actually a few weeks early for them and they […]
Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time is once again upon us. I find it to be both joyful and immensely confusing. More sun due to an arbitrary reassignment of time is certainly pleasing, even though the same effect could be had by getting up an hour earlier. Being, you know, human and partial to circadian rhythms, I like […]
Early Bird Vacations and Next School Year’s Calendar
I am trying to take advantage of some early bird discounts for vacations, and also need to put in for my vacation time. We always try to go in August because it is a better time for me to take off from work and the prices are slightly down. Do you have any idea what […]
Creating Easter Treats
With Easter arriving this month, it is a perfect time for creating. This sweet and salty popcorn treat is perfect for snacking. For younger children, talk about colors, textures and shapes. Older children can practice following written directions with your supervision and help. Salted Caramel Easter Popcorn Yield: about 8 cups popcorn Prep time: 10 […]
Dances from the Past
This week I have been marathoning on an old TV series Abby McBeal. This is the first viewing for me, and I have fallen in love with the music. All the wonderful old tunes I loved in my teens encourage memories of that part of my life. So many nights were spent dancing to these […]
Jefferson County and Early Voting
I have heard that early voting was slow this time but everywhere else they are saying that there is a big turnout. Does Jefferson County just not vote? Actually, early voting ended strong with the last two days of early voting bringing in more than 1500 voters. While Jefferson County may be running a little […]
Encore: Potty Training
Due to several inquiries concerning potty training, I am encoring and earlier article. Potty training… the mere word strikes fear in the hearts of even the bravest of us. The good news is that many have been there and survived. We each have different stories to tell because there are many ways to potty train […]
