What?! No plans?!

I got home from the college today after my four hours of tutoring. Actually it was slow today so I didn't actually tutor, I just read my book, "Believing God" by Beth Moore and played on the internet. It was a strange day for us. It was a day with no plans. Today is our Friday. My husband works Sunday to Wednesday nights, so Thursday afternoon is like Friday and we normally do something fun with the kids, like go to the drive-in or out to dinner. Sometimes we will have a "sleepover" where we move the couch back and spread blankets on the floor so we can watch movies and eat popcorn into the wee hours. Today was different. I got home and we ate dinner (another oddity about us: we eat dinner in the early afternoon, skipping lunch). After dinner, my husband, our baby, and I laid down for a nap. I woke up at eight p.m. to find my baby still asleep and my husband working in the garage. With no plans to speak of, we improvised and went to Coldstone for some ice cream and then did some shopping at Wal*Mart before returning home. Maybe this is the sign of a quiet weekend. There is nothing on the calendar until Sunday. Three free days in a row only comes about once a year in our household, so I look forward to getting lots done this weekend.

*Just a little plug for Coldstone: They are doing a baseball themed summer promotion. One of the promo flavors, blueberry muffin ice cream, should not be missed!

Horsin' Around

I did a search today to find some great ideas for my daughter's fifth birthday party. She wants to have a horse theme and I thought that I would find some unique and creative activities. I struck gold with the first site that I clicked on: www.kids-birthday-party-guide.com. I found games, invitations, food, drinks, and more. Best of all, it was all FREE! Some of the ideas I had already thought of, such as "Pin the Tail on the Horse," but there were also some things that I added to my list. Another plus for this site, almost every idea is workable with a limited budget and resources. I'm not sure where I could find horse-shaped gummies, but most everything else they suggested to use I already have. There is no excuse for a boring birthday party!

Do you have any ideas to add to my list for a horse-themed birthday party for a five-year-old? I would love to post them here!

A Wise Choice

My oldest daughter is an interesting girl. She enjoys dressing up and being pretty, but she also loves to play in the mud and be a kid. In first grade, her school friends were already telling her things like, "If you you don't join my Girl Scout Troop then you can't play with me at recess." Banana just did her own thing and didn't let it get to her. She chased boys on the playground regularly, so she could tell them about Jesus an invite them to church. She isn't into the things the kids around her are into. When she got a Hannah Montana doll for Christmas, she asked if she could give it away because she just didn't like Hannah Montana. I urged her to play with the doll because it is, after all, just a doll. I told her that Miley Cyrus, the girl who plays the character, is a Christian. She still didn't want anything to do with it because she just didn't like how Hannah Montana looks and acts. After the recent choices made by Miley Cyrus, it looks as though my daughter has made a good choice in who not to look up to.

Disclaimer: Before I get angry messages about knocking down Miley Cyrus, I must say that I am praying for her to make wise choices. As difficult as it is to be a "regular" kid, it must be many times more difficult to grow up under public scrutiny. At the same time, I do not want my child to idolize any person (including myself) and expect that person to always make the right choice. I am proud of a child that can see past the glamour that captivates many of us.