All posts filed under: Fiesta Fridays

Fiesta Friday: Gifting the Teachers

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By Leslie Lindsay It’s that time of year when we get a little more generous than usual…and were not just talking about stuffing the stocking over the fireplace, but perhaps a little grade bribery.  At least that is what some folks are doing. This morning as I was making my way to the gym, I listened in as my favorite morning show hosts, Eric and Kathy of the MIX 101.9 were discussing the very idea of parents bribing teachers for their students to get better grades.  Imagine that! Here’s what some callers were saying: “My son and I are giving his kindergarten teacher a Coach purse this year.”  Seems the little guy was in private preschool and learned a whole lot there…while public kindergarten was well…too easy.  The mother mentioned that she has talked to the teacher about this concern before, but no changes have been made.  Perhaps the Coach purse will get her attention?!  (I’d think so!) “My sister is a school teacher.  One of the parents in her classroom presented a weekend trip to Napa Valley!”  Wow.  …

Fiesta Friday: Thankful Turkeys

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By Leslie Lindsay Next Friday at this time, early-morning crowds will be beating down the doors of retailers looking for holiday shopping bargains and our tummies will still be full of pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes.  How did it get to be nearly Thanksgiving already?!  Funny, that linear time thing… So, what’s on tap for the annual stuff-your-face-fest?  I know–how about some fun, unconventional crafts and activities?  Here are a few to consider: Have a collage party with your kiddos and some of their friends.  Get a variety of colored construction paper, enough to spell Thanksgiving…(uh, that would be 12 sheets of mulitcolored paper).  On each piece of paper, add a single letter until you have spelled Thanksgiving.  Next, either look in catalogs/magazines or find some of your own photos and cut out pictures of objects that begin with that particular letter. For older kids, you can have them write down all of the “T” words they are thankful for.  Punch holes along the top of each letter card and tie together with ribbon or yarn to …

Fiesta Friday: ‘Tis the Season for Family Photography

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By Leslie Lindsay You may be thinking it’s time to get the kids in their holiday best and snap a photo or two…or at least get them to wear something other than the noon-time meal.  Maybe you’ve been meaning to get a family photo done for years…at least since kid #4 came a long.  Or maybe you just want to pause time and capture the cheesy grins and cherubic smiles of your little angels, because you know it won’t last forever. Then it is time to *snap* up a good photographer–and have I got one to brag a about!  You see, it all started innocently enough…I wanted some fun, fall photos of my kids (and hubby) in the fall foliage.  I wasn’t happy with the do-it-yourself variety of using our point-and-shoot digital camera and an ancient tripod (not that it really matters if the tripod is old, uh…just makes for a better story).  The results were ho-hum, and it was challenging to get both kids to look cute and to look at the camera at …

Fiesta Fridays: TGIF…CUL8R: Cell Phones and Kids

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By Leslie Lindsay You’re not the only one who is chanting, “T.G.I.F,” your child may be, too.  In fact, they may be doing it in a different way than you–on their cell phone.  Ugh–gasp–eye-roll.  Or, it may be that this is typical for your child, depending on their age. I wasn’t prepared when my then 5-year old announced that she “needed” to have a cell phone like all of her other friends.  “What friends?!”  I asked.  Not that I was questioning whether she had friends, but more specifically, what 5-year old friends actually had cell phones.  Well, you may be surprised.  Seems kids are toting cell phones younger than you would expect.  But that doesn’t mean it’s the “right” thing to do. Just yesterday, as I was dropping my precocious 4-year old off at prescchool, her friend Hadley announced that she wanted her mom’s cell phone, “Hey, mom.  I want to play ‘Angry Birds’ while we wait for the teacher to open the door.”  Wow.  And I thought it was my kid who was precocious. …

Fiesta Friday: Firepit Fun

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By Leslie Lindsay It’s October and for those of us who love fall, this may be the best month ever.  It’s time for crunchy leaves, vibrant colors, brisk hikes, and campfires.  (Did I also mention that October is Fire Safetly Awareness month?).  Well, it is and with that in mind, I wanted to share with you some tips for a fun fall tradition as well as what you can do to prevent burns or fires from spreading.   Want to  study fire science?  Well, you can!  Learn more  at http://www.accredited-online-colleges.org/   This link will give you some great information about becoming a firefighter from online accredited colleges. Our family has has this tradition to retreat to the patio in the evening with a little firepit action, complete with s’mores, hot cocoa and stargazing.  The girls eagerly await the day when we have decided it is neither too hot, nor too cold, there is not much cloud cover, and the winds are just so (we live in the Windy City, after all).  But, like everything, there are rules: Only daddy can build …

Fiesta Friday: To Babysit or not, that is the Question

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By Leslie Lindsay The weekend’s here–hooray!  You can’t wait to tackle all of those projects that have been put on hold as you have been running around like a decapitated fowl all week; and perhaps a little one-on-one time with your honey.  But you need a sitter. I get ya.  It’s hard to find someone you 1) like 2) trust 3) is good with kids 4) available 5) interested in watching your little nuggets and 6) won’t cost an arm and leg.  What’s a harried parent to do??! Check out http://www.babysitters.net, an on-line community of dedicated professionals helping you find quality childcare at a fair price.  This company has been around since 2006, and in addition to providing parents and sitters reliable information, hints, and tips, they also help you find a baby-sitter in your area for FREE just by entering your ZIP code.  Cool, huh? Here’s an article that you may be interested in sharing with your baby-sitting aged daughter (or son), “Ten Tips to Know Babysitting is NOT for you.”  (originally posted on http://www.babysitters.net …