Dating Tips

Good Thursday morning!

Thursday! Only one more night until my guys are home again... and all will be right with the world.

Yesterday we did all of the FREE things we could find. We went bowling for FREE (Josh, Katie, Roxie and Zac) and then we drove two minutes away and ate FREE Beef and Cheddar sandwiches. (I did buy my guys a drink. I'm not that cruel.) However, for four games of bowling (total) and three lunches at Arby's I spent a few cents UNDER $10. That ain't bad! And everyone had a good time. And I've posted bowling pictures in the Gallery. So there.

Weekend Family Fun

The first two items came off the blog http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom/ which was shared with A Simple Life a few weeks ago. There are always several bargains, coupons, etc. on this blog, so please check it out. I'm looking at it mainly for events and weekend fun, but you can use it for a lot of different things.

1. The University of Alabama will be having Birmingham's Summer Band Patriotic Concert on the 4th of July. It is like Birmingham's "Pops in the Park." You can enjoy an open air concert, a picnic and watch Thunder on the Mountain afterward. The concert is on the lawn in front of Bartow Arena 7:30 to 8:45. Fireworks start at 9:00 p.m.

After the concert, you'll have to walk over to the UAB Campus Green on University Boulevard between 14th and 16th Streets South to see the fireworks better. You'll have about 15 minutes to make the move.

2. I know this Saturday is the 4th of July, but this free Home Depot clinic is just too cute. From 9:00 a.m. to noon your kids can build a picnic caddy FREE. The workshop is designed for children ages 5 through 12. You need to get there early because the first children to show up get the kit, goggles and apron. (The number of kits they get differs from store to store.) The clinics are always on the first Saturday of every month. Always call your local Home Depot first to double check.

NOTE: This is a GREAT way to spend a Saturday morning. All three of my kids enjoyed making every kit imaginable. We finally stopped going when we had made everything they had to offer. Now they are too old, AND they have a kit we never built. The picnic caddy wasn't available during our time at the Home Depot. Enjoy!

Here are a few 4th of July celebrations you may be interested in depending where in Alabama you reside:

1. Spirit of America Festival in Point Mallard Park, Decatur. They have the Miss Point Mallard Pageant, children's activities, musical entertainment and a fireworks display. Admission is free and the dates are July 3 and 4.

2. Duck Samford Stadium in Auburn. There will be musical entertainment and fireworks. Admission is free. Gates will open at 6:00 p.m. with live entertainment at 7:00 and fireworks at 9:00 on July 4.

3. July 4th Festival at Smith Lake Park in Cullman. There will be live entertainment, children's activities and fireworks on July 4.

4. Freedom on the River in City Landing, Demopolis. There will be a children's parade and fireworks. It begins at 6:00 p.m. and admission is free on the 4th.

5. Family 4th Celebration at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan. There will be bands all day, car and bike show, kids' activity zone, arts and crafts. It begins at 10:00 a.m. on July 4.

6. All-American 4th of July Celebration at Civitan Park in Guntersville. There will be fireworks over Lake Guntersville beginning at 9:00 p.m. Admission is free on July 4.

If you want more information regarding any of the above, google the following: Dothan 4th of July celebrations; Guntersville 4th of July celebrations, etc.

Also, there are some new movies out at the Dollar Movie Theater in Hoover this weekend. Hannah Montana: The Movie AND Monsters vs. Aliens (2D) are both playing this weekend.

How's that for a Weekend Family Fun List? And I didn't even mention the Drive-In again. (Check yesterday's post.) Everyone should have a good time somewhere this weekend.

Where in the world are Mike and Austin?

Well, they took the White House Tour this morning and they saw the President's oldest daughter and the new dog. They've been in Washington less than a week and they've (kind of) seen three members of the Presidential family.

They saw a few more monuments, but not all of them. They went to the Library of Congress and LOVED it! Their words... not mine. And then they went to Arlington Cemetery. They want to go back to the Library of Congress and Arlington Cemetery, but I don't think time will allow, because tomorrow is already a pretty full day. Plus, they have to start heading home. It's kind of a requirement. You know... "Go on your trip. Have a fabulous time. But be home by midnight Friday night... OR ELSE!"

They were tired boys last night. They were heading to dinner at the Charter House overlooking the Potomac River for fresh seafood. It was a more formal place than they've been to up to this point, so they dressed up a little.

Today's schedule was much like yesterday's... FULL. They are going to the Spy Museum first thing. Just a few blocks from the Museum is Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot so they'll probably visit there, too. Then the "plaque readers" will have to make some decisions. Do they want to finish looking at the monuments they missed? Do they want to go back to the Library of Congress or Arlington Cemetery one more time? What to do? What to do?

I guess we'll find out later today, because last night the guys were so tired, I don't think they even knew what today would bring. (I wonder if they're tired enough that they've fallen asleep in some public places? I'll have to ask them.)

It is now time for one more HONEYMOON STORY! The first evening we were in Washington, we were walking around getting our bearings. We saw a huge white building all lit up. It was snowing a little (we went in January), and everything was just beautiful. We assumed it was the White House. It looked like the White House. It was white and big and had columns. It was all lit up like an important building should be.

We started walking toward the building. We got closer and closer and closer until we were standing on the sidewalk leading up to the door. "This can't be right," Mike said. "Where's the fence that goes around the White House?"

"Well, maybe this is a different entrance or something. Should we walk up to the door?"

We were looking around for Secret Service Agents to take us down, but we took a few steps closer to the building. Nothing. Hmmm. This was pretty accessible to the American people. A little too accessible. I must have taken three rolls of film.

We were almost to the front door when we noticed the fairly large red cross to the side of the door. And then the sign next to the red cross to the side of the door. The American Red Cross Building. Ahh. Now everything made sense. Of course, Mike knew it wasn't the White House. He just wanted to see how close I would get before I "got it." (I told you... I was sooo tired from my wedding. No, I didn't fall asleep on the American Red Cross Building steps, but I did tell the then hysterical Mike Faulkner to take me to our hotel. I was "exhausted." And that was pretty much the one constant on our honeymoon... the overwhelming fatigue and the never ending search for a comfortable bench to nap on while Mikie read plaques.)

Dating Tips

Instead of a new date today, I wanted to address a couple of questions I've received about "starting" the dating system with your kids. A few people have said because they were beginning to date their children a little later, the kids were having trouble with jealousy. Because of the initial problems, the parents were continuing to do things as a family instead of spending one-on-one time with each individual child. I hope these few tips make things a little easier.

1. Sit down and explain what you'll be doing and exactly what "dating" means with your family.

2. When you set your first date with the first child, make it something fairly small and short-lived. For example, your first date should not be a trip to the circus or something similar. It should be something like a trip to the child's favorite fast-food restaurant (McDonald's, etc.) for a 30 or 45 minute date.

3. Make sure when you schedule the first date with the first child, the second date with the second child is VERY close behind. They could even be on back-to-back nights. And they should be similar in nature.

4. After you have dated all the children in your family once or twice, you can then start spreading the dates out over a longer period of time. You can also start planning dates that are interest and age-appropriate to each specific child.

5. Probably the first year or so, you will want to date the children in order and not deviate from that order. In our family it was Austin, Josh and Roxie... Austin, Josh and Roxie. We didn't date Austin twice, Roxie once and then Josh once in the beginning.

6. As time has passed, I keep my quarterly calendar. It doesn't list the order of the dates, but it does list three dates per child/per quarter. It also doesn't list which parent will date which child. That depends on the activity, etc. At different times, one child's date may be more elaborate than the other kids' dates. That's okay, because now you've shown them they will have their turn... they just have to be patient.

7. When Austin turned ten years-old and Mike and I took him on his Ten Year-Old Trip, Josh and Roxie were probably envious, but they knew their time would come. Since Austin has been gone on his Senior Trip with his Dad for eight days, I haven't noticed envy from Josh and Roxie, but a lot of planning has been going on. Their time will come.

8. One more little tip... If the other kids are upset when Mom or Dad take their brother/sister on their first date, the parent staying home with the kids can plan a movie night or a game night. It shouldn't be super elaborate, but enjoyable and a way to pass the time until the rest of the family returns home. If there are tears, they will be short-lived... especially since the next child's date is just around the corner.

Dating the kids has been one of our favorite things we've ever done as parents. Not only has it been a great way to listen to one child, but it makes that child feel special and important. I think it has been one of the best things we have ever done with our kids. (And for the record, it wasn't our idea. Our pastor, Steve Gaines, talked about it several times when we first started attending Gardendale First Baptist 15 years ago. Great advice!)

So don't put it off any longer. Start planning your dates with your kiddos TODAY! Not tomorrow. Tomorrow they go to college. Believe me! It happens that fast!

Have the best Thursday you have ever had... even though the FREE Chick-Fil-A deal is over. Heavy sigh. It can still be good though. Check in tomorrow for the usual, along with a book or two for you to add to your ever growing collection. (I know for a fact you buy every book I mention in the blog. I just know it!)

Take care. Have a wonderful 4th of July and make many, many memories with family and friends. I'll talk to you tomorrow. (You'll probably have to wade through 100 or so pictures to get to the text, but hang in there. I'll have a party plan for you at the end of the Washington, D.C./4th of July pics, I am sure!)