Summer is for slowing down

Where did the summer go?

As our school inches closer to the balanced calendar, we parents are finding that question to be more urgent than ever: Where did the summer go?

While we can't lengthen our calendar, we can lengthen our days: simply, by slowing down. Unplug and just soak in all that's around us.

Summer shouldn't be about families racing from competition to competition.

Summer should be about splashing in the pool and playing at the park.

Summer shouldn't be about cramming every experience in while you can.

Summer should be about enjoying the moment and realizing it's OK to say when it's enough.

We are just two weeks from our first day of school. And we plan to enjoy it. At our pace.

If it means the kids are too tired after camp to play at the park when I get home, that's OK.

If it means my 6-year-old just wants to decompress with his John Deere trucks or Legos, that' OK.

If it means my fourth grader tucks away with a book or her art supplies, that's OK.

Because at the end of the day, we - kids included - just need to slow down.

How do you slow down in the summer?

An InLinkz Link-up

Prayer Kneelers for Kids

Helping my children learn to pray is once of the greatest joys - and challenges - I have had as a parent.

While perusing the garden clearance, I was inspired to make prayer kneelers for my kids. I had seen this idea last summer on Catholic Icing, initially considering this as part of our Brownie troop's Family of God religious award journey, but would think about gathering supplies for the project when it was definitely out of season.

Lately I've noticed that my youngest has created a "prayer spot," completely unprovoked, in his room. There is an "Our Father" poster he made in kindergarten, as well as a cross and the various crafts he's made during Vacation Bible School. I thought a prayer kneeler would be a great addition.

I found these apple-shaped garden kneelers on clearance at Walgreens for $2 each, and I used marker to decorate them with a rosary and children's names to create portable prayer kneelers for my godchild and for my children. 

(Why portable? Of course the kids are going to carry things around. Everywhere...)

The kids' prayer kneelers will be packaged with some inspirational reading for Christmas gifts. (I can also see it as a gift for First Communion, or a craft project for Vacation Bible School or Sunday school class.)

On the back, it says "When life gets too hard to stand, kneel." I hope the kids take it to heart.

Winter Olympics Party Ideas for Girl Scouts

Looking for more Girl Scout ideas? Visit my new scout leader resource site, Use Resources Wisely. 

The Sochi Olympics are just a few weeks away, and we're planning to celebrate it and help our Brownies kick off their Fair Play badge as well!

A Winter Olympics party has been on my must-do list for this Girl Scout year. It's a great way to take advantage of being stuck indoors.

Some of the great ideas I've found online for our Winter Olympics party next month:

Learning about Olympic Traditions

• Sochi and Winter Olympics Trivia
• Sochi Mascots
• Games Go Global Patch - World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts
• Winter Olympics Sports

Games

• Olympic Ring "Snowball Toss"



• Indoor speed skating and tabletop curling
• Olympic ring torch toss



• Tabletop ice hockey

Quick Crafts to Go

• Snowboarder



• Olympic ring bracelets
  
• Edible Olympic Torches

The challenge? Narrowing our ideas down to an hour's worth of fun!

Looking for more ideas? Check our my Winter Olympics Party Board on Pinterest.

Jessica Alba's essential oil chest rub

An essential oil chest rub for allergies or cold season - tried and touted by Jessica Alba in her new book The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True to You. I am putting this to work this week!

Chest Rub Recipe

Blend a few drops of euchalyptus, ginger, peppermint and tea tree (melaleuca) essential oils with a body oil (ie fractionated cocoonut oil) or balm. Rub on chest back, under nose and on bottoms of the feet.

I love, love, love that someone who has so many resources at her disposal chooses simple home remedies to help heal her children at home!

Essential Oils for Infants

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

I truly wish I had known about essential oils and how they could help our family five years ago. Just knowing how they could have helped would have given me additional confidence to deal with my son's colic, my daughter's croup or other minor health issues that came across.

As I've gotten to know some new moms who are interested in more natural ways in helping their children's health, I've been challenged to learn more and more about how best to use essential oils to care for infants.

Below is a summary of some of the research I've found, and I hope you can find it useful.

Cautions: Infants should not ingest essential oils. Do not put them on babies’ hands, as they could get into the mouth. Put socks on feet if applying oils there. Do not apply near mouth, nose or eyes. ALWAYS dilute oils used on babies. The recommended dilution is 1 drop per tablespoon of carrier oil. 

And finally, use your maternal judgment. This is not a substitute for seeking medical care! Always call your physician with concerns.

If you do need a resource for essential oils, please consider using my referral link for doTERRA products. My family uses them and loves them. (You can also save 25% off of retail prices by becoming a wholesale member or independent consultant - even if you just "consult" to yourself. Please email me if you have any questions about that option.) 

Issue	doTERRA essentail oils that may help ease symptoms*
Colic	Lavender, DigestZen blend (diluted), Marjoram, Bergamot, Ginger- use on an abdominal massage
Cold	Thyme, Lemon, Melaleuca, Rosemary - dilute 1-2 drops into 2 tablespoons doTerra Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 Ounces and massage on neck and chest
Constipation	Wild orange, lemon or Roman Chamomile - 1 drop in 1 tablespoon carrier oil. Massage abdomen, lower back and feet twice daily.
Cough	Lavender - 1 drop in 1 tablespoon carrier oil. Rub on chest/back.
Cradle Cap	Lemon, Geranium – mix 2 tablespoons almond oil with one drop lemon and one drop geranium
Croup	Marjoram, Thyme, Sandalwood- dilute 1-2 drops into 2 tablespoons doTerra Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 Ounces l and massage on neck and chest
Diaper rash	Lavender, Roman Chamomile
Earache	Melaleuca, Roman Chamomile - combine 2 tablespoons doTerra Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 Ounces with one drop Roman chamomile and one drop melaleuca.  place a drop on a cotton ball and apply on ear, behind ear and reflex points on the feet
Fever (mild)	Lavender, On Guard, Peppermint - dilute 1-2 drops into 2 tablespoons doTerra Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 Ounces and massage on neck, back and feet * Call your pediatrician for high fever.
Gas	Lavender - 1 drop lavender in 1 tablespoon carrier oil. Massage 2-3 drops on the abdomen, moving clockwise
Sleep	Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Serenity, Citrus Bliss
Teething	Clove, Lavender, Myrrh, Roman Chamomile  - Dilute the oils with one drop oil and 3 - 4 drops FCO and rub directly on the gum or rub the diluted oil on outside at the jaw line.
Thrush	Melaleuca, Lavender, Thyme, Lemon, Geranium - dilute 1-2 drops into 2 tablespoons doTerra Fractionated Coconut Oil 4 Ounces and massage on location

Sources: Modern Essentials: A Contemporary Guide to the Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils; Essential Oils for Maternity; everythingessential.me; articles in medical journals International Journal of Nursing Practice and Early Human Development

* Using essential oils should be a complement to, not replace seeing your physician with ANY medical concern. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The recommendations above are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

 

Beating Sunburn Naturally

Photo from Google Image

A sunburn was not what I counted on during a cloudy, cool week at summer camp. But yes, my little guy came home with red, sore shoulders one afternoon.

I was blessed to find a quick home remedy within my "medicine cabinet:" a blend of coconut oil and melaleuca essential oil (otherwise known as tea tree oil). After rubbing it into my son's shoulders a few times a day, his redness was quickly relieved.

The good news is it wasn't a fluke. The bad news is I got to test it out a few weeks later.

After a day at the lake with a friend, my daughter noticed what she called a "rash" on the back of her legs and any other area she neglected to put sunscreen. After nearly eight years, she had her first sunburn. And it was a painful one at that. As we were at home rather than at camp, we had a larger arsenal of essential oils to tap into (good because it gave a break from the complaints about the smell of melaleuca oil!) We primarily used melaleuca and lavender essential oils and coconut oil to help spread it. I went quite liberally with the essential oils, and the redness was gone by morning. The soreness in a day or two.

Needless to say, I have a bottle of "sunburn blend" mixed up and ready for our next outdoor adventure!

What is your favorite natural home remedy for sunburn and other summer maladies?

Bug Fest (Wordless Wednesday, belated...)

American Doll clothes for pennies

Sophie is one admittedly unstylish American Girl knock-off.

Since she joined our family two years ago, she's gotten not one name-brand outfit.

Sure, Santa's bought her an outfit or two, and she got a Girl Scout sweatshirt for a birthday. But largely she's been spared of high-priced duds.

Lately my daughter has been begging for more clothes for Sophie. Admittedly these can quickly break the bank. But I found a simple solution: hand-sewn clothes for pennies.

Liberty Jane offers a small selection of free doll clothes patterns on its website. I downloaded the pants and tank top patterns and used some worn khaki shorts of mine to make a pair of pants and a pair of khaki shorts. Sophie also got several tank tops and T-shirts cut from a layered shirt she'd taken a pair of fabric scissors too, and she'll also be getting a swimsuit this Christmas season too.

The patterns are fairly easy for a rusty sewer to work with; in fact, I hand-sewed mine while catching up on Revolution. The only out-of-pocket costs were for elastic.

So if you have an hour to spare and an old piece of clothing, you might consider reinventing it as a Christmas present for your favorite American Girl-type doll.

Book character costumes from the closet

Costumes - whether for Halloween, school plays or book character day - don't come cheap. But a little creativity can help your little girl become a favorite literary character. Here are a few ideas that don't involve a trip to the store, nor a hunt for a fairy or princess costume:

Junie B. Jones: Cardigan, T-shirt, skirt, socks pulled up, dress shoes and hair bow. Combed hair or matched items not necessary!

Fancy Nancy: Take your pick of your frilliest accessories to dress up your fanciest of skirts: baudy necklaces, clip-on earrings, hair bows and barettes, dress shoes. The more details the better!

Thing 1 and Thing 2: Repurpose two long-sleeve red shirts and write "Thing One" and "Thing Two" on the front. Use hair products to create a wild look!

From Winnie the Pooh: Abbie at the Farmers Daughter quickly created a Kanga costume from a sweatsuit.

Little Mermaid: Take that old prom dress or other formal and convert it into a mermaid costume.

Star Wars: OK, in my world, it's a stretch, but given the popularity of the book series, I'll add it too. Here, Suburban Greenmom shows off her Annakin Skywalker costume.

Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Dressed from old PJs and mom's T-shirts.

And of course, there's the simplicity of the eternal vampire.

What are your favorite costumes that came from the closet?

Green and healthy lunch box ideas

Packing a healthy school lunch is tough enough, but when everything seems to be out of season, it feels far more challenging to pull together something fresh and healthy.

Still, you're not reduced to serving "fruit" snacks or bleached baby carrots as your only options. Here are some fast solutions for fixing school lunches that are as easy to pack as to manage at school.

Main dishes
The main event doesn't have to be a boring peanut butter on plain bread sandwich. With a little flexibility you can easily shake up your "sandwich" into something more creative.

• Choose homemade breads, flat breads or crackers.


• Even serve almond butter on banana or applesauce bread for something different.


• Go 'round by creating wraps.


• Slice cooked chicken or cheeses into strips.


• Serve chicken or ham chunks, cheese and small veggie chunks as as "kabobs" on toothpicks.


• Don't forget your thermos. Just a few hot meals packed in a thermos, and you'll come out ahead of hot lunches. My daughter has enjoyed spaghetti made with homemade - and homegrown - pasta sauce, and lo mein and other dishes are easily packed for a fun menu choice.

Winter veggies and fruits
It takes mere minutes to slice carrots into coin shapes or sticks, yet it's a far better alternative than bleached baby carrots. And if you can get some locally grown carrots - yes, even in January - you're in for a better treat!

If you have a salad lover, grab some winter lettuces; just pack your salad separate from the dressing, or your child could have a soggy mess by mealtime.

For an easy dip, drop the bottled ranch dressing and substitute dressing mix mixed with plain Greek yogurt.

And dont forget your seasonal fruits, which are suprisingly hardy (good for those of us whose children routinely whip those lunchboxes around!). Think apples, oranges, tangerines, tangelos, and pears. You could even add some homemade honey-yogurt dip for a fun option. Dried fruits tossed with nuts help meet that sweet tooth too.

What other options do you like for an easy - and healthy - school lunch alternative?

This post is part of the Healthy Child Network carnival on green and healthy lunch ideas.

A Thanksgiving Tale

An oral history, as told in the back seat by "Star Dancer" and "Laughing Sun."*

This is what happens when a 3 year old and 6 year old learn American history. It started when my son starts sharing abut the history of the first Thanksgiving.

"The boys with feathers, they had naked bellies."

"All the Indians wear mocassing, and Pilgrims wear tennis shoes," my 6 year old corrected. "They were always black. The boys would wear tennis shoes which is all there were in the olden days. The girls would wear high heels.

"Then they sailed to America. There was a storm. When it got to winter, some of the Pilgrims died. Like three Pilgrims."

"We don't know how many Pilgrims died."

"I do. Only 10 of those Pilgrims. One hundred minus 10 equals 90. There were 90 Pilgrims. And after 84 days, they were back to 100 Pilgrims. And the Indians were so happy they celebrated Thanksgiving for three days."

And thus, we eat well each November, to celebrate the spontaneously reproducing Pilgrims wearing black tennies.Who knew?



* Wondering about the names? These were the Native American names their teachers had picked for them this week. If you know my children, the names fit so well!

Halloween is over...Now what?

Halloween costumes may seem worthless on Nov. 1, now that the Halloween parties are over and the candy wrappers are stacking up.

But this year's costumes don't have to be doomed. Here are just a few ideas on what to do with your "last year's" costumes.

• Princess, cheerleader and other "dress-ups" in good condition can be shared with little girls in need. In our house, we've collected a bag of "dress-up" clothes and costumes that are going to two little girls our day care has adopted for Christmas. (You can always pair them with accessories from the clearance isle, if desired.)


• Store and trade your costumes in for nearly new ones on National Costume Swap Day 2012, held in mid-October.


• Donate or sell them to a resale shop, particularly if they're individual items like pants or shirts in good shape. Even period pieces can find a reuse.


• Those "bloody" shirts your teenager created? Bring them back to a new life as rags to use around the house.

What are you planning to do with this year's costumes?

No clutter for Christmas

Christmas gifts for my kids have thankfully never been a problem. I'm blessed with pretty generous children who don't ask for much, and at home we've stuck with the three-gift rule from us. (Santa and siblings are the exceptions.)

This year, I have our "birthday-Christmas" gifts fairly well planned out, and truthfully they lean on the practical side this year. My son, who turns four five days before Christmas, will be getting more than his share of clothes, a "big boy" booster seat, a lunch box for all-day preschool next fall (he likes to pack a "lunch" for daycare too), and a few fun items, like a small stash of Cars toys. My crafty daughter is being blessed with jewelry-making supplies and a book, some books and clothes, and tickets to the princess Disney on Ice show in January. Santa, knowing the kids' interest in lacrosse, is splurging on a kid-size lacrosse set for the pair.

But when it comes to gifts for the kids from family members, I'm always searching for ideas. The truth is, we don't have a lot of room for large toys, or little things that clutter the space up, for that matter. We've worked hard to purge cuddle friends and other outgrown toys, and we're working on workable systems to store the rest when not out in use.

I'm thankful that my kids are more interested in experiences than stuff. I get fewer complaints about a friend having toy X than not getting to attend Girl Scout camporee or ice skating or trying out tae kwon do at the parks department, for example. But when you factor in a family of four, even going out adds up quickly. A $15 per person trip to the Children's Museum is suddenly a large chunk of your grocery budget.

Not that I'm one to say "no presents under the tree," but given high shipping costs and long distances, perhaps the gift of experiences is a far better deal than anything else. If you're looking for ideas this holiday season for your loved ones far away, you might consider giving gift certificates or memberhips for the family to experiences like:

• art classes


• a day at the zoo or aquarium (or a special event)


• children's museums


• sponsoring a scout or Camp Fire activity


• contributing toward athletic activities like a class or team at the parks department (Great for burning off energy in the winter!)


• tickets to a sporting event - even the "cheap seats" or the minor league team are thrilling to a kid!

What are your great ideas for clutter-free gifts for kids?

Derail the TRAIN Act

Imagine this scene: Some maniacs have tied your children to a train track–then hopped on the train, released the brakes, and sent a mighty engine roaring down the track. Right for your children.

That’s what’s going on in Washington DC right now.

The train is, literally, the TRAIN Act of 2011, and next week, the House will vote on a bill (HR 1705) that was designed to cripple Clean Air Act regulations and intimidate the Environmental Protection Agency. The TRAIN Act requires a committee of cabinet secretaries to re-analyze the costs of public health protections. That’s right: RE-analyze. For a third time. Because when a bill is introduced, its costs are analyzed during the comment period, and again by the White House Office of Management and Budget.

Learn more about the TRAIN Act, and then write your legislators to help derail it!

Killer cantelope and arsenic in apple juice: What's a mom to do?

The news is depressing -- and it's not just from the political debate!

This week alone, I've come across three major news stories involving food-borne illnesses and health crisises in what's supposed to be "healthy" food. And that's with very little interaction with the media.

So how can you, as a parent, help prevent food-borne illnesses? Check out today's post at the Green Phone Booth for simple steps you can take to keep your families safe.

Organizing kids' clothes: A way to Excel at it

Garage sales, hand-me-downs, resale and other sources for kids' clothes have gotten us through the last few years. The challenge is keeping tabs on my finds.

Whether it's my daughter tearing apart diaper-size boxes of clothing in her closet out of boredom or my accidentally stockpiling 20 (yes, 20) short-sleeve T-shirts in a size for my son, remembering what you've acquired can be a challenge.

My solution? It's a simple one: Creating a spreadsheet to track numbers.

I track each kids' clothing pieces by size and type, and I have it uploaded so that family members who are Christmas shopping or hitting sales to splurge know what we have. My hope is it keeps us from wasting money and space, and freeing us from having more than we really need.

Want to start this simply? Create an Excel or Google Docs spreadsheet with a column for size and a row for each clothing type. For example:

uniform shirts
uniform skorts or pants
sweater
sweatshirt
fall/winter weight PJ's
spring/summer weight PJ's
jeans
yoga/dance pants
t-shirts (long-sleeve and short-sleeve)
sweat pants/athletic pants
winter coat
swimsuit

I could expand this to include shoes I've picked up (such as at clearance or soccer cleats from garage sales), but those for now are much easier remembered.

I update the spreadsheets after purchases, and reprint the well-folded sheets as needed. It's an easy reference at a garage sale and has kept me from at least one unneeded purchase.

Virtual Bible School

Vacation Bible School is a great idea - unless you're a working parent.

It's tough to tackle carpools, cranky not-old-enough siblings and schedules. Yet, most churches around here do daytime sessions.

A church en route to my work was offering an evening Vacation Bible School this week, one my preschooler could even attend. Yet I did the math.

5:30 leave office
6:00 arrive at daycare
6:30 arrive at VBS
8:30 pick kids up
8:45 home
9:45 battles continue over bedtime...
7:00 am fight over wake ups

(repeat)

Of my 30 minutes between pickup and VBS, every minute would be spent commuting. Which meant that we'd be eating takeout or cheese and crackers in the car, neither of which are appealing. Coupled with a forecasted excessive heat watch this week, and my husband and I did something I never thought we did.

We ditched the church. And went online.

Earlier this summer, I'd signed up for a virtual Vacation Bible School based on the recommendation of another blogger. I thought it would be at the very least an option for activities during the week.

Instead of plays and group games, we watched videos online and did coloring pages. Instead of baggies of goldfish crackers and juice boxes, we had cooking activities that tied in with the day's lessons. Instead of being constrained to a five-day period, we've dropped in activities as interest arises. Crafts are coming, as are the rice krispy treats that are part of "Day 5" activities. (Not sure about the theological aspects of marshmallows, but what the heck.)

Yes, I miss the idea that my kids will miss out on the camaraderie of being at a traditional Vacation Bible School. But with $3.79 gas, a heat wave and overly tired children, I'm glad to know there are alternatives out there, too.

Staycation or not: Finding age-appropriate activities that won't break the bank

Recently we had the challenge of planning a trip to visit my sister and her family, nine hours away. That is, nine hours of uninterrupted driving. Factor in a family, and you know it's a much longer journey than that.

Planning that kind of road trip poses unique challenges. What are good things for the kids to do to burn off energy? What is age-appropriate? What will let them have some fun without breaking the bank?


Here's what worked for me:

• Local chamber/state travel websites. Often they included agritourism information, so if we wanted to stop at a u-pick stand or farm along the way, we could. (A great way to work in a snack or meal too, without having to hit fast food or make another peanut butter sandwich.)



• Scout council websites. We were able to find several age-appropriate activities by checking out the scout council websites that covered our travel route, and searching for her age group. Ideas ranged from museums to horseback riding. I felt it was far more efficient than the tourism websites.



• State/national park sites. I contacted one national park site by email to clarify about a program's approrpiateness, and I received a response within a few hours. They were extremely helpful, and enjoying our national and state parks, no matter how obscure, is a great reminder of God's creation!



• Local parenting blogs. Often they have tips about great options (often free) and resources in the area (great parks, etc.)



• On the road, don't overlook rest stops, which have green spaces. Bring along a ball or something to work off some energy.

What works for you with travel planning?

Survival camping

Wasn't it Kenny Rodgers who said you had to know when to fold 'em?

Well, I caved. A mere 20 hours into our first camping trip, we were packing up and headed home.

Camping with a 3 and 5 year old for a weekend obviously meant I had a few screws loose. I posted the idea on my Facebook page for suggestions on managing it; there I got responses ranging from the optimistic ("Just tell them to stay away from the fire") to drugging them with Benadryl.

I figured I had it all planned out. Our Girl Scout council opens up one of its camps to families on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. I thought it was a great first forray into camping: no need to pitch a tent, family-friendly environment, unit house with kitchen in case it stormed, no drunken idiots.

I planned simple meals (hot dogs and Cheerios, anyone?) and hoped for the best.

Except I forgot who I was dealing with: Worn out children who were coping with lack of sleep from two night's worth of storms, a night with the engaged couple from church we were mentoring, the excitement of the end of school, the thrill of bike races the day before at day care, and by the way, we are CAMPING!

Somehow by the grace of God we straggled into camp at 8:30 p.m., delayed by the fact that life meant that we didn't start packing until six that night. The next morning, the kids were up as soon as daylight peaked through the gaps in our tent. They didn't want to hike the trails. They wanted to go into the ice-cold lake when it was still maybe 60 degrees outside. My daughter wanted to boat; my son didn't. Instead, I had to hear about whether we'd drown as we paddled the two of us across the lake while her brother and dad played in the nearby sand.

The men was what killed the trip. My little guy refused to understand the concept of staying with us, staying on the trail, watching for cars and, by the way, don't run out of the tent alone. Oh, and latrines? That would not be a consideration. Instead we hiked back and forth to the lodge so he could use the more modern facilities. Meanwhile, my husband, bless his heart, was getting sick not long after lunch.

So after one last roundtrip to the lodge and a hastily made batch of smores on the stove, I threw up the white flag. I knew when to walk away (though I felt like running). I swore to the camp manager that it wasn't about the camp (because we would go back!) as we hastily checked out two days early. We packed up and drove the hour home. The kids slept all the way. (Ninety minutes later, they're still out, husband included.)

It wasn't my fantasy weekend, happy memories of us sitting around the picnic table like when we camped as kids. But somehow, we all survived. And maybe, just maybe, the kids will find their glimmer as they recount their first camping trip.

Hot cross buns and other Easter plans

We're radically trying to change how we handle our holiday seasons, moving them more in line with what we'd initially hoped for our kids (more memories, less stuff). This is applying to Easter as well.

Instead of big baskets (which we'd never quite gotten to), the kids are each getting a bug box and magnifying glass. The in-laws have sent over candies from Russell Stovers in KC, and the Easter Bunny is largely sneaking in a few small candies and goldfish crackers for tomorrow's (likely indoors) hunt.

We're kicking up our Easter traditions in the kitchen, too. This year will be our first to dye eggs, and I have finally convinced my 5 year old that does not mean watercoloring broken eggshells after we've cooked! We also made for the first time Hot Cross Buns last night, a time-consuming project, though not as bad as making homemade cinnamon rolls. We deviated a bit from the original recipe, swapping dried cranberries for the currants. You could likely swap for raisins or any other dried fruit as well. You'd think my youngest had gone to heaven this morning at breakfast. Tomorrow, we're planning to make Resurrection Rolls, which hopefully can engage even the 3 year old for a few minutes.

But the biggest memory of this season? The grandparents are driving up. And that is the best thing any kid can wish for. Happy Easter!