Parenting
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5 Ways to Enjoy Venice Like a Local
There is no place in the world quite like Venice. It is magical and beautiful, yet can get extremely crowded and chaotic. If someone only visits for a day or two and only stays in the most crowded areas, they may never feel the true charm of the city that exists beyond the “tourist zone.” Here are 5 Ways to Enjoy Venice Like a Local: 1. Get Out Early In the early morning, before the hoards of cruise ship tourists arrive, Venice is at its local best. Boats delivering their goods weave through the canals, kids walk or scooter to school, and the scents of freshly-baked croissants fill the streets.…
- Awareness, Culture, Kids, Parenting, Plan, Play, Relationships, Slideshow, Southern California, Special Needs Parenting, Travel
The Special Olympics World Games July 25-August 2
“[Eunice Kennedy Shriver] will be remembered … as an extraordinary woman who, as much as anyone, taught our nation – and our world – that no physical or mental barrier can restrain the power of the human spirit. ” ~U.S. President Barack Obama History of the Special Olympics: I am always amazing how it can take one person to care about a situation and how many lives they can affect when the go after creating good! It all began in the 1950s and early 1960s, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver saw how unjustly and unfairly people with intellectual disabilities were treated. She also saw that many children with intellectual disabilities didn’t even have a place to play.…
- Awareness, Creativity, Culture, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies, Parenting, Plan, Play, Reviews, Slideshow, Southern California
Movie Review :: All Creatures Big and Small
This past weekend my family and I attended a screening of the new animated movie All Creatures Big & Small which recently debuted on Google Play and in select theaters. Based on the Noah’s Ark story, all the creatures of the world gather to board the great Ark before the flood arrives. This fun and imaginative story includes a few made-up creatures like the Nestrians. As the flood arrives two young animals are left behind and are forced to learn to work together to overcome the challenges of survival. They find friendship and learn a few things about themselves along the way. My kids laughed at the humor and…
- Awareness, Culture, Family Travel, Lifestyle, Love, Parenting, Play, Relationships, Slideshow, Travel
The Art of Simplicity – Life in Venice, Italy
Wouldn’t it be nice to step back in time to when life was simple? Where people would enjoy walking every evening to the main square and chatting with their neighbors and friends? Where moms and dads could relax at a cafe while their kids run and play away from their parents’ gaze? Where teens could meet up all over town without worrying about a car, a bus, or the subway? Where local markets and shops sold freshly grown foods and handmade goods and strip malls didn’t exist? Well, we don’t have to go back in time to find this simple life. If there is one place where time stands still and…
- Awareness, Crafts, Creativity, Culture, Kids, National Geographic, Parenting, Play, Slideshow, Tech, Travel
Kids will love Camp Google – an online summer camp
This past week was the start of Camp Google featuring Sylvia Earle, marine biologist and Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic and host of the first week of Camp Google. This online summer camp was created to spark curiosity in children with four weeks of live adventures geared towards students ages 7-10 now through August 7th. During each of the four weeks of Camp Google, kids 7-10 can explore different subjects by joining live adventures—from the depths of the Atlantic to the top of one of the world’s most active volcanoes—and doing fun science projects. Last week, Sylvia and National Geographic diver Erika Bergman took kids on the first adventure—a live…
- Awareness, Creativity, Culture, DIY, Entertainment, Kids, Lifestyle, Parenting, Plan, Play, Slideshow
4 Summer Science Projects to do with the Kids
We are well into summer now, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped learning. In fact we’re still doing quite a lot – I just don’t call it “school”. Instead I just ask the kids if they want to do an activity with mommy and they’re sold. Science is the favorite subject in my house so we are doing a lot of mini-experiments and crafty projects that allow me to slip some scientific education into the day. We’ve dyed celery, made a seashell display box, and skinned an onion to see plant cells. Today we started a compost experiment using one of the small plastic fruit containers and some of the…