Rethinking Easter: It's Out of Control

 It seriously astounds me every time I go shopping in the spring, after the Valentine's Day hype has concluded. I think I must be dreaming when I see 153 different Easter basket (or box or bag or suitcase) designs piled floor to ceiling in the most prominent aisle possible. The accompanying shelves lined with pastel-packaged toys, games, and trinkets are a sad and gaudy interpretation of a holiday that has absolutely nothing to do with bunnies, bonnets, and somewhat vinegar-scented dyed eggs.

And then there's the candy. I can't even talk about all the candy.

I get it. It's fun to give gifts to kids. Birthdays and Christmas don't come around often enough to give your kids the latest toy release that you know they will love. But Easter? It should NOT be an occasion steeped in commercialism and the greed of consumers. Why have we turned this day into a celebration of things?

Easter is about celebrating a risen Savior. 

It's a day of remembrance.

What kid is going to be excited about listening to a story about someone who died on a cross if he is greeted at every turn with another chance to hunt for Easter eggs filled with candy? As an adult, I know which one is more important. But my three-year-old son is far more likely to develop expectations about Easter that lead him to care very little about Christ's compassion for the lost.

Some people may say I am overreacting. Perhaps I am, I don't know. I'm fairly new at this mom thing in the grand scheme. But my gut feeling is that Easter baskets mean nothing in the long run, while a relationship with the Savior means everything. Maybe I'll be the unpopular mom my whole life because I just don't find it necessary, helpful, or realistic to indulge my kids with piles of candy and toys on the anniversary of Jesus' death and resurrection each spring. I can invent another reason to give my kids toys in the spring, if I decide it's necessary. But I won't do it on Easter.

I would rather that my children grow up knowing the true significance of the day. And if that means they reach adulthood without a single photo posed on the lap of a giant, somewhat frightening bunny? I truly think they'll survive.

Mom-Friendly Businesses & Attractions: They're Important

Before I had kids, I heard moms talk about how difficult it was to get out of the house with little ones. I thought they must be crazy. I had worked as a nanny and managed to get everyone out the door on time. I guess I was over-confident, because once I had the kids of my own (and the accompanying sleep deprivation), I heard myself saying over and over "it's easier to just stay home."

In my three years of mothering, I've learned that there are some places that are more mom-friendly than others. And if I get up the guts to leave my house with my little people in tow, you can bet you'll find me at one of those places.

What makes up a mom-friendly space? It really doesn't have to be much. A free sample from the bakery at Target goes a long way in keeping the peace while shopping. A place to change a diaper saves everyone from a potentially terrible experience. A chair to sit in while nursing a baby, if (like me) you aren't always talented enough to nurse a child in a baby carrier. Since I've been nursing for over three years now, that one is especially important.

My kids love adventures, and I love seeing the world through their eyes. But Lincoln is a very spirited child, which translates into a lot of time spent chasing after him in stores and parking lots and parks. He's learning that he has to stay with me, but it's a slow process for sure. So for now, we're sticking to locations that I know well.

One of the best spots we've recently found is the Mom Room at the Kansas City Zoo (in the new Penguin Plaza building). It features a little cushioned bench, toys secured to the walls, board books, plush toys, and a lock on the door. Places like this are ideal for an adventuring mom and family. Being able to change diapers without worrying that someone will run away is awesome.

I have no issue nursing in public anymore - I don't even carry a cover with me, because I know Addie won't tolerate being closed in to nurse. That doesn't mean, however, that I'm not still a very modest person. I don't appreciate nursing sessions when she is distracted - which is most of the time - because she doesn't mind if passersby get an eyeful. A little private space like this one (or the one we found in Branson) is perfect - whether for nursing or bottle-feeding moms, or to soothe a cranky child to sleep, or just take a break from an overwhelming adventure.

I am so appreciative of the businesses that specifically think of moms when planning their shop or attraction designs. Happy moms equal happy kids, and that leads to a higher rate of happy adventurers in everyday life!

What's your favorite "mom-friendly" place to visit?

14/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Lincoln - Crawling at my feet.
Addie - Couldn't get my camera settings changed fast enough to get a great capture of her climbing up on the kitchen table. Yikes!

 

Linking up at Practising Simplicity.

DIY Firefighter Birthday Party Preschooler Game Idea

When I was planning Lincoln's firetruck birthday party, I knew I wanted to find some sort of activity to do with the kids. Planning a party for preschoolers is easy in some regards - they like everything - but difficult if you want to have any structured activity. I considered coloring sheets or crafts, but I can barely get Lincoln to focus on activities that require sitting down when we're having craft time one-on-one. With the excitement of having friends and family here for his party, there was no way he was going to be thrilled about having to sit and do a craft.

So, on a whim, this Firefighter Game came to my mind. I was actually planning to just use it as a decoration, but I thought the kids would have a blast "putting out a fire" at the party - and it turns out I was right. Here's how to make your own!

Supplies Needed:

-Large Box Fan. Mine swivels so it can point upward, and that was perfect, but you could make it work with a stand-up box fan, too.

-Fire-colored Crepe Paper. I used red, orange, and yellow.

-Tape.

-Scissors.

-Tweezers.

-One or Two Pool Noodles (these are the "fire hoses").

1. Cut strips of crepe paper. Mine ended up being around 12-18" long. If you're using multiple colors, make sure you have a roughly equal amount of each color.

2. Use tweezers to thread piece of crepe paper through the fan.

3. Use tape to hold at least one side together near the paper fold (shown above). If you don't tape them, they'll just blow out when the fan is turned on.

4. Test your fan's speeds to see which setting makes the best fire. On mine, it's Medium. You may have to encourage the pieces to stand up once the fan starts turning; sometimes they get stuck around the edges.

That's it! It's so simple. Once you've constructed your fan, take a few minutes to plan your setup for the game. We ended up setting it on a TV tray behind a gate in our hallway, near an electrical outlet. This kept the moving fan blades out of reach of the littlest hands and gave all of the kids a boundary.

How to Play: Assign an adult to be in charge of the fire (plugging the fan into a power strip with an on/off switch is probably the easiest method). Line up the kids and let them take turns with the pool noodle hoses to "put out the fire." After a few seconds, the adult turns off the fan and the fire has been extinguished!

Okay, so it sounds really silly. But the kids loved it. Several of them wanted to play over and over and over - and they had to be pulled away when it was time to eat cupcakes. It turns out that entertaining preschoolers is actually pretty easy.

Addie, Ellie from A Beautiful Ruckus, and
Grace from Moments That Take My Breath Away

Lincoln has been asking to play the "fire game" for weeks. Definite birthday party success!

What's your favorite birthday party game?

There's No Such Thing as Too Many Shoes {Hotter Shoe Giveaway}

Who can say no to a new pair of shoes? I have shoes literally everywhere. There are shoes in my closet, under my bed, in storage in my garage, in the basement... And that's not even counting my marvelous stash of shoes in multiple sizes to costume my drama student productions. If I had to give a number of pairs of shoes I own, it would be in the hundreds. Not even joking.

So, while you may not be quite as obsessed as I am, chances are that you would like to start off your spring with a fun new pair of shoes - right?!

This Hotter Shoes Giveaway was organized by:

Bugs and Beans

Sponsored by: Hotter Shoes

Prize Includes:

One pair of Hotter Shoes New Spring Collection

*Open to 18+ USA and UK ONLY

I have teamed up with Bugs and Beans to bring you an amazing Giveaway for spring! Hotter Shoes is a great company who is offering one of our readers One New Pair of Shoes from their New Spring Collection! What do you think - is a new pair of shoes on your spring wish list? I can't think of a better way to get the shoes than by winning them!

Here's a little more information about Hotter Shoes...

• They are the UK’s biggest shoe maker.
• Shoes have pillows of cushioning, air bubble filled soles and wiggle room for toes to explore.
• Super soft leathers are breathable.
• Flexible soles include special grooves that yield and support your feet as you walk.
• Every pair is tested to ensure the perfect fit.

 To find out more about Hotter Shoes you can check out the full review at Bugs and Beans.

Now onto the amazing giveaway! Enter to win a pair of shoes from Hotter Shoes New Spring Collection! You must be 18+ and this is open to USA and UK ONLY!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Director Jewels is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by,or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. For more information, you can read my Giveaway Policy and my Disclosure Policy.