Cyber Space Play

Maclaren pushchairs, also known as umbrella pushchairs, were first invented in 1965 by Owen Maclaren. So called because of their ability to fold to the shape and size of an umbrella, these pushchairs are extremely lightweight and durable. Today, the company manufactures a wide variety of pushchairs for parents to choose from, depending on their specific requirements.

The main product of Maclaren, however, is the umbrella pushchair. This stroller can be folded to a size as small as that of a folded umbrella, and can be stored easily. This was the original design of the company, and it has been carried forward till date. In addition, it is light in weight, easy for travelling, and needs minimum space for storage. Moreover, the frames are made of aluminium and other such strong materials that make it really sturdy and well suited for all kinds of terrains. Its lightweight makes it perfect for the parent pushing it, as it does not cause any discomfort and ensures total ease of handling.

Maclaren pushchairs are highly flexible and can be modified to suit one’s requirement by making a few additions. Their designs are trendy and robust, and they totally emphasize on the comfort and well-being of the child. .

An interesting point about Mclaren pushchairs is that they are endorsed by celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Sarah Jessica Parker, who prefer them for their elegance and robustness and use them to carry their babies. However, despite their high-trend value, these long lasting and handy pushchairs are very affordable and do not demand much in terms of monetary investment.

Big Foot Relay. Have the children fetch 2 shoeboxes with them. Magnetic Tape the hats onto the corners, then cut a one-inch-wide and four-inch long slit in to each one top. Get the contestants slip their feet into the slits in the boxes and race.
Batty Bowling. Find a number of mad or odd items that can be knocked over by a ball, such as a plastic milk carton, a candlestick, a stand-up dolly, a plastic vase of blossoms, a pizza box, a pillar of bare cans, an umbrella stand, an empty oatmeal container, and a book. Draw them up like bowling pins and grant the bowlers try to tap them over with volleyballs, tennis balls, or golf balls.

Cross Step. Draw a ten-by-ten grid on the sidewalk or patio with chalk. Have each player stand on a different square. One at a time, each participant must move to a new square after crossing out the square she or he was formerly standing in. The magic is that players cannot step into a square that is settled or crossed out. If a player cannot move to a fresh square, he or she is out. The game proceeds until one player is left.

Drag the Body. Split the group into two teams. Give each team a blanket. Have one player from each team lie down on the blanket. The teams must drag the body on the blanket from one end of the yard to the other. Whoever crosses the finish line first, wins.

Emma was awake and jumping around the house since morning. She was excited about the news of a new arrival at home, Richard had told her about it the night before while tucking her into bed. In the morning, she came rushing into the kitchen with a worried look on her face and asked gravely, “Oh! What about a baby nursery? Don’t all babies have to have one?”

On hearing this, Richard and I both burst out laughing. Well, that was a valid point she had! All babies have one! So, Richard asked her to choose the place where we could have the baby nursery made and also the things they would fill the nursery with. Emma was so happy to hear this that she immediately started searching for the perfect place for the baby nursery.

Emma wrote down all the information on the baby nursery in her little note book. Sometimes, she would get confused and overwhelmed by the wide assortment of toys from which she had to pick. At such times she would call Richard and ask her father to help her with the choices.

A week before Hank’s arrival both father and daughter went to the stores to buy supplies for the baby nursery. After getting back, they set to decorating the nursery and filling it with all the things they had bought.

Emma was waiting anxiously for the day when Hank would be coming home. She hoped he would like the baby nursery she had so painstakingly decorated for him. Finally, when Richard brought him home, Hank’s the first trip was to the nursery. He started chewing on the rugs and toys to claim his territory!

Well! Now I could safely tell Emma that Hank, our chocolate brown cocker spaniel puppy definitely loved the nursery she had done up for him!!

Stoles

Professional organizations every once in a while issue stoles to members to recognize their achievements. The same is true for high schools, universities and colleges that have various categories of graduation stoles. A preschool honor stole also serves the same purpose but it is much smaller in size as expected. This graduation outfit comes plain or can be inscribed with embroidery or ink prints. Some of the popular writings on them are the word honor, year of graduation and other initial or symbols.

stoles

used in graduation ceremonies have different colors to represent different things. Some are offered for academic excellence while others are given to graduates depending on their honor society membership or graduating class. Academically talented students are usually offered the schools stole or those colored in gold, silver or bronze. Honor society members on the other hand get to put on the society’s custom design stole that can come in different colors along with the society’s symbols. In terms of dressing code the stole is put on around the neck with both ends hanging vertically in front. An academic honor stole is normally issued during the graduation service while those offered by honor society are usually issued earlier and can be worn before the event.

GraduationSource, a leader in graduation regalia products since 1960.

Lessons for Life: How to be a Grandparent

Today we took two of our thirteen Idaho grandkids to Twin Falls for a special day.

We went to Walgreens® to pick up some medications I needed and told them to grab something if they liked it. They are a bit bashful about doing anything like that. When I was checking out, they showed up while I was waiting for the store manager to find the $100.00 cash I asked for when using my debit card. They had found rings with their names on them plus a box of candy bars of some kind.

After Walgreens® we went to lunch at the Golden Coral®. We spent ninety minutes there stuffing ourselves having a good time laughing together.

I needed some turpentine and linseed oil so that I could use some oil paints my son sent me for Christmas a year ago. I’ve wanted to switch from acrylics back to oil for some paintings. Oils are superior when you want to blend for color and for other subtle effects.

We went to Michaels® for the paint and linseed oil and the two girls picked up birdhouses that they could paint and hang in their yard. I asked them why they chose the same model and they said they were going to paint them differently.

I had a gift certificate my Michigan daughter-in-law gave me this Christmas. It was for Barnes and Noble®. There I bought a world atlas, a book about Bible myths, and several books on the Civil War. The girls were hesitant to take anymore of my money but I convinced them that they should each find a book they liked, which they did.

Then we headed home.

Their parents passed us on the road and came back to their home. They piled the two happy girls in their huge van and took off for my Idaho daughter-in-law’s home up north of her on a family emergency. Before they left, my daughter-in-law thanked us for spending some time with the two girls.

So, why did we favor the two girls over the other grandkids?

Well, we didn’t.

We took the whole family to dinner before we left for Michigan for Christmas.

This was a special occasion that required that we split these two out of the herd. They had done something very special at Church. On the day that we set aside for members to go to the pulpit to say what they want about God, family, and church, they stood before about 200 people and spoke for the first time.

It took courage and conviction to do that. I told them they could have whatever they wanted as a reward. They never came up with anything so we took them out for the day.

Grandparents need to support their grandkids. I don’t mean that you should spoil them with gifts; I mean you should spend time with them to help them gain self esteem, to know that they are loved, and just to know you.

That’s why grandfathers should take some of them with them when they go fishing. You won’t catch any fish, but if you keep their hooks baited, they will. We run split shifts here in Idaho. I take the girls one time and the boys the next.

You don’t have to take them every time you go fishing. Don’t take them when YOU want to fish.

My wife teaches girls who are interested to knit and crochet. When they are doing this, the grandkids hear stories about my wife’s childhood. They learn about their great-grandparents.

Last year we took our two oldest Idaho granddaughters to New York State for their cousin’s wedding. Having them with us made them very happy and it made our trip much more enjoyable.

Back in the good old days we had our grandparents living with us. Associations were much more meaningful. Now days, many grandparents live far from their far-flung grandkids. It’s more difficult to have deep associations. You must work at it.

So think about it; do you want your grandkids to know that they have caring grandparents?

Sure you do!

What did we bring the kids we left at home? Candy, of course!

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He calls himself “Taylor Jones, the hack writer.”

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.dumbincome.com