Field Trip Survival Tips

This week I had the fun opportunity to chaperone my second field trip with wild child's PreK class to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. I had such a wonderful experience! In fact, we all did, parents, teachers and kids alike. So I wanted to share with you some tips on making a field trip with 21 four and five year olds a success!

1. Pay Attention to the Plan! Before you ever leave the school, know the plan. If you are driving your own car, make sure you have cell phone numbers of the teacher, and at least one other parent in case you get separated from the group. Make sure you have any directions and listen to any specific instructions given by the teacher. Make sure you clarify the plan to handle accidents and emergencies. Ask about any allergies!

2. Learn Names! This is a struggle for me! I am horrible with remembering names but you need to make a point to introduce yourself to other parents and the kids. Make sure you commit to memory the name of your "buddy" or child assigned to you. Write it down if you have to! Keep count of your kids at all time. If you are assigned a group, take role as well. A head count doesn't ensure the ones you counted are supposed to be with you!

3. Follow the Rules! Make sure you follow the rules set forth by the teacher and the facility. Enforce those with the children if you have to. You can usually head off any issues if you are paying attention to what the kids are doing. Stay alert and notify the teacher if there are any major issues or concerns.

4. Keep Up! Be sure to stay with the group. Make sure you review any specific times you need to check in with the teacher if you get to go off and explore on your own. Set a reminder in your cell phone just in case you get carried away in the excitement! You wouldn't want someone to have to come find you!

5. Offer to Help! Let the teacher know that you are willing to help with any extra tasks like passing out lunches, washing hands and bathroom breaks. The trip can be fun for everyone involved and the teacher should be able to enjoy it too! It's no fun when you feel like you have to do everything yourself!

Following these tips, and having a good attitude will help ensure everyone has a safe and fun trip! And make sure you are invited back for the next field trip!

Have you been on any field trips yet with your kiddos? I would love for you to add your own tips and share your experiences!

Here are a few pictures of the fun we had!

Stay Fabulous,

PSMB Post: "It's Okay" but Is It Really?

Today I am sharing at Peach State Moms Blog about moms unintentionally interfering with other people's parenting.  Are you as guilty as I am?  Does this drive you crazy too?  Check it out!  I bet you've done it too!

Ever run in to this on the playground?  Click on over and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part 4

 

Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of Manic Monday.  Where I give practical tips in small stages to help you take back control of your Monday's, or any day for that matter. 

 

So far I have covered getting dressed compelely where I encouraged you to get up and dressed before your kid(s) wake up.  A minor change with major impact.  In part two I encouraged you to start your day the night before by laying out clothes for the family.  A huge time saver in the morning!  Last week we talked about my easy approach to meal planning. 

 

Today I'd like to talk about your dirty laundry.  Not that kind!  The kind that seems to multiply at night and never be done.  Getting laundry done in my busy schedule has always been a struggle.  I remember back in college when I didn't have a family to care for and it was still a hassle!  I realized it wasn't doing the laundry that I was struggling with, it was my attitude about doing the laundry that was the issue. 

 

When I realized it had to be done no matter what, things improved.  I never had a problem with the washing, it has always been the folding/hanging and putting away part.  It seems to be that way for most people.  And I don't know what is so daunting about it!  However, I did realize one thing that seems to help and that's what I wanted to share today. 

 

Do a load every day, no matter what!

 

As a family of three, we generate at least one small load of clothes a day.  For a family of  5 you might have to do two loads a day.  I usually save all the whites for the end of the week and wash all of  them then.  But I wash everything else together every day. 

 

Here's the profound thing,  it's really easy to put them away when there is only one small load.  And not just shove them on the couch or toss them on the bed when the dryer beeps. When I don't stick to this, that's when things seem to get out of control.

 

Feel like laundry is running your life?  I challenge you to spend the rest of this week doing at least one load of laundry a day.  You can do it!

 

Stay Fabulous,

 

 

 

 

PSMB: Fair Fun

Today I am writing about the fun trip we recently took with Riley to the Georgia National Fair in Perry. 
Have you been to the Fair this Fall with your family?

Click on over to Peach State Moms Blog and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part 3

Hey everyone.  I missed writing last Monday but we took Riley on an exciting trip to the Georgia National Fair. I will be writing about that later this week on Peach State Moms Blog.  Today I am focusing on another installment in the Manic Monday series.  So far we have talked about getting dressed completely before your family wakes up and picking out your clothes the night before.  If any one has tried these two things I know you can tell a difference.

Today as I laid around the house in pain from another migraine, I was reminded of another tip that helps things run smoothly around the house. Planing your meals ahead of time.  It really saved me today because my husband was able to come home from work and cook dinner. It was wonderful that I was able to tell him exactly what to fix.  And if I had to, I would have been able to cook the meal myself.  I knew I had everything I needed, no running out to the store last minute or eating fast food for dinner. 

I do my meal planning a little differently than most.  I think it is a pretty easy way to do it.  One Saturday when things were slow and we were just hanging out, I asked my family to tell me their favorite meals.  They told them to me and we looked  through some cookbooks together.  I grabbed a stack of notebook paper and begin writing the recipes on to their own piece of paper.  It was a little time consuming but trust me, so worth it. 

By the time I finished, I had about 30 recipes to start building my meal plans.  As I went through the pages I added what side items went well with it.   For example, one sheet held the recipe for my mom's chili recipe.  I added a note to myself that I like to serve it with shredded cheese and raw onions for toppings and serve with cornbread.  Another example is spaghetti. I usually serve with a salad and garlic toast.  It was very simple.

Then I sat down with all of my sheets of paper and picked out a weeks worth of dinners.  I added in a planned day for leftovers too.  From the recipes I made my grocery list.  Checking to make sure of what items I already had on hand.  I was shocked at how little I actually had to buy at the store.  I made a deal with myself to stick to the plan and make all of the meals.  And you know what?  It was really easy to do!

You don't have to do this all in one setting like I did.  I challenge you to start tomorrow writing down what you served for dinner and what sides etc.  Soon you will have a diverse group of meals to pull from and meal planning will become easy for you.  And it will really help when mommy needs a sick day!

Stay fabulous,

PSMB: Impromptu Beach Trip

Today I am blogging about an impromptu trip to Tybee island over at Peach State Moms Blog.  Click on over there and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part Two

It's Monday again and time for another installment of our Manic Monday series!  Where did the weekend go?  We were super busy around here this weekend.  Lots of fun with our friends and family.  Just the way I like it! The end of my week was a little wild you can check out the craziness here. Be sure to check out the picture of the sign the guy smashed! 

Anyway, how was everyone's week?  Anyone give getting up earlier a try?  Was it harder or easier than you thought?  How did you feel during the day?  Were you more energized?  Get a lot more accomplished?  I hope so! And if it was hard for you, let me share my tip for this week that should make mornings easier. 

Whether your morning's are hectic or not starts the night before.  Before anyone goes to bed we set out our clothes for the following day.  For Riley that means everything is laid out down to her socks and shoes.  Even her hair bow.  This is such a big help because she is old enough to put on her clothes herself and then she brings me her bow when she is ready to have her hair done. 

It also saves my sanity!  No fighting over what to wear in the morning.  Any discussion we are going to have about the outfit happens the night before.  So we're not wasting precious time in the morning and getting behind. 

I also do this for myself.  I lay out everything down to my shoes and jewelry.  It really helps me in the morning to keep things running smoothly.  Plus, lets face it.  Don't we all have some times of indecision staring in to our closets?  Think about how much time we waste!

It's a huge time saver too if you wake up late.  All you have to do is throw on your clothes and walk out the door.  This has saved us on a few occasions!  Think you can give this a try?  I bet you can!  Let me know how it goes!

Stay fabulous,

 

Don't text and drive

Today I had a crazy experience.  It was so close to being so disastrous.  I was on my way to pick Riley up from school when this Lincoln in front of me veers out of his lane and in to the opening in the concrete median.  I thought the car was turning but it never slowed down and plowed in to the divided median sign and entered oncoming traffic.  The car then crossed back in to traffic heading straight for my lane.  I swerved  and was able to safely maneuver out of the way. 

Here's the poor sign all smashed in the median!

It all happened so fast.  We were approaching a very busy intersection where the car proceeds to drive down a few miles before pulling in to a gas station.  As soon as I realized that the car had no intention of stopping, I dialed 911.  While I was on the phone with the dispatcher, the driver exited his vehicle.  He must have been 80+ years old and was shuffling his feet to walk.  As I was finishing with the dispatcher, I watched him struggle to get his card in to the slot to pay at the pump. 

So I did what any proper southern girl would do, I got out and helped!  After getting his gas pumping, I asked him if he was okay and explained that I witnessed the collision with the sign and the median.  I then asked if the damage to the front of his car had been there before and he said no.  I told him he would need an accident report to file with his insurance to get the car fixed. It did significant damage to the front bumper and hood.  The man told me he was planning on "dodging" the report (unlike the sign)! Thank goodness they were already on their way!

About that time the police officer arrives and another young mom stopped to tell him about the accident.  She was also a car he ran out of the lane. She was traveling behind my SUV.  She told me she was thankful that I called in the accident and she was terrified because she had her kids with her in the car.  I was terrified and it was just me!  I gave the officer all of my info and expect I will be hearing from an insurance agent soon!

Why did I share this and what does it have to do with texting and driving?  Let me explain.  I am an exquisite multi-tasker and I have been known to text on few occasions while driving. (Yes, bad I know!)  I always thought of my impact of me texting only as it related to me being a bad driver.  It NEVER occurred to me that I needed to be fully aware of the craziness going on around me!  If I had been texting I would not have been able to take proper evasive action at the exact moment I needed to and this would have been a very different post.

I am sharing this with you with the hopes that you have a similar awakening without the near collision experience!  Be careful out there!

Stay Fabulous,

 

 

So, who is Riley?

Meet Riley.  My wild and uninhibited daughter.  She's 4 going on 24.  And everyone knows her.  Even people we don'tknow.  When I describe her to other people, especially at our church, they automatically know who she is.  To which I reply "everyone knows Riley."  In fact, I say this so much on an almost daily basis, it seemed natural for me to name my blog after it.  So here's Riley:

"Momma, Take my picture with this boy!"

 

 

She loves to have her picture taken.  As long as it is her idea of course.  She makes me take her pictures with all of the iron statues when we are shopping at The Avenue. 

 

Here she is on another trip: 

 

     {No special instructions from her on this picture}

 

Taking random photos with the statues is her second favorite thing to do after she empties all of my change in the fountains. I'm pretty sure she thinks the only purpose for change is to be thrown in to fountains.  And that's okay with me. 

 

We have a lot of fun together and a lot of challenging times together.  I look forward to sharing our fun and fabulous life with you a little at a time. 

 

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