My role as a Max Mom was had several facets:

• to host a contest on my Jenny on the Spot blog for readers to be able to nominate a teacher of their choice for a $100 Visa gift card to use in their classroom… and CHOOSE the winner *that was HARD*
• to host a local party to raise supplies and/or funds for a local teacher
• to deliver “the goods” to the winning teacher
• to publish the story on Whrrl
• the opportunity to attend a local school when Office Max delivered one of their 1000 BIG surprises – $1000 of school supplies to one lucky teacher. Linda Willimas from Wolfle Elementary in Kingston was our local recipient. You can see that Whrrl story here.

But I really want to share the following story. Our delivery to Mrs. McClanahan at Vinland Elementary in Poulsbo. My friend Alli McDonald (author of No Time for Flashcards) and I joined blogger forces… and threw a party. Please click here to view that story on Whrrl… It gives a bit of explanation and background I am not adding here. Aaand pictures. I love pictures!

Did a look? It was fun, huh?!

Now. You have seen all the women, families and local businesses (Zero Gravity Athletics, Poulsbo Perk, Poulsbo Athletic Club & KCMT)  that contributed to the story you get to see here… The story of a deserving teacher and second grade classroom get’s surprised with a great big box of goodness!

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There are some safety tips to keep in mind as we wander in relative darkness, tricking and and treating in a quest for a full bag-o-candy. Safe Kids is a company I became acquainted with when a representative came and spoke at a mom’s group I was part of years back.

They provided valuable information on how to help keep one’s children safe at home and out in the community.

In July, I went to a blogging conference (BlogHer) and Safe Kids was there! I was so excited to see them! You bet I added myself to their email list!

I received one of their handy emails earlier this week. It included a link to their site on Halloween safety. It lists out the basics. Nothing extra-ordinary, just reminders. I recommend going over some (or all) of these points with your children before tomorrow night. Here’s the link: Keeping Kids Safe on Halloween on Safe Kids USA.

One point of note — add to or amend these tips as best fits your family. I disagree with the first bullet point, “always trick-or-treat with an adult until age 10″. My son is 10 and I am not ready to let him go it alone, but where we live and how we get our “goods” is not in a familiar neighborhood. We have an ecletic looking Halloween this year. My point is — give a few moments to revisit the obvious. A little reminder before the excitement takes everyone to a land of make-believe…

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A little treasure popped up in our community last year – the corn maze at Sunrise Hill Farm in Kingston.

I know there are many local mazes and patches… all of which have their own distinct fun and charm. We are so fortunate to have such great choices!

I would have to say that right now, the kind of fun at Sunrise Hill Farm is my favorite, and my children’s favorite. My daughter’s preschool went last week, and I am now home all toasty-warm after another afternoon of wandering a Sasquatch-shaped corn maze:

…and eating hot dogs purchased from the quaint concession stand at Sunrise Hill. You might be familiar with some of their unique & delightful bouquets often found at Central Market.

A Sasquatch-shaped corn maze alone would be reason enough to head out in the drizzle and chill. For the sake of the children, that is… But what makes this place so fun for my family are all the “extras”… kiddos can go into the barn and jump in the hay:

There is a preschool-aged trike area:

If the corn maze is just too much, a smaller hay bale maze can feel more managable, for those who are directioanlly impaired like me:

The kids can get their energy out on Hay Bale Mountain:

There are also llamas and horses… a fire pit… and flowers! There’s a u-pick flower garden!

And of course… pumpkins. There are pumpkins of all sizes, but my little Lucy wanted one she could tote around:

Sunrise Hill Farm is open just one more week! You can get more information from their website. You can find info on other local corn mazes at this site.

Please leave a comment with YOUR favorite fall outing spot! It’s always great to find new treasures!

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“You Know You’re a Kitsap Mom When...”

But instead of leaving the observations to my own narrow experience, I opened up the topic to my trusted circle of friends on Facebook. Besides, is you don’t like what you read here, then I can coyly reply… “She said it, not me! Dude. Don’t shoot the messenger. Psh.”

Therefore, today I give you the first installment of “You Know You’re A Kitsap Mom When…”

My friend, Sheila from Kingston, submitted her observation:

You go to the park in the rain and play, A LOT. Then you eat soggy pb&j picnics just because there is not school that day.

Sheila is a local mom and blossoming blogger. You can follow her insanity here!

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For my family, the start of September is the start of a new season. Fall doesn’t “officially” begin until the 22nd this year (today!), but the heart of Fall for us starts on the first day of school…

Oh the excitement of that first day of school!

After 3(ish) months of lazy summer days we head full-on into commitments, schedules and a set bedtime (or we should!).

Personally, Fall is my favorite time of year. Some people do “spring cleaning”. I find that Fall is my time to purge and gather and take inventory… not just in and around our home, but also within.

I love the colors of fall, I love pumpkins and the chill. I love the feel of almost-hot coffee sliding down my throat in it’s effort to warm my belly…

This Fall, my family is being kept busy with not only school, but…. can you guess? It starts with an “s”… The “S” word. SOCCER:

But just one activity is not enough! The littlest gets to go to tumbling class once a week and all three will be working hard with over 80 other talented and dynamic kids with KCMT as they get ready for their December performances of Scrooge – The Musical. It’s gonna be awesome! Here is a little shot from the auditions a couple of weeks back:

I apologize in advance. I have a feeling I’ll be sharing a lot about this. My older 2 each have lines, so this means they will be starring on Broadway in no time.

I am certain of it.

Enough of MY family… how about YOUR family? Are your days filled with activities? Do you have a philosophy or strategy when it comes to taking on the start of school and all the “extras”?

Speaking of school… did you know than on average a teacher spends $1200 of his/her own money per year to supplement his/her classroom? If you know of a teacher who could benefit from a $100 Visa gift card to help his/her classroom, head on over to my personal blog to find out how you can nominate a favorite or needy teacher in our community.

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9/11

Four mere syllables.

Those four syllables are arguably the most emotional breaths spoken here on American soil in recent history.

I remember that morning. I was pregnant with my second child. I had awoken early… I knew I was just weeks pregnant, and I was already feeling the stress of all the things that needed to be done before the baby’s arrival. I couldn’t sleep. I decided to just get up and start on that list.

I remember pulling out a few shoeboxes of photos. I tossed them on the bed and flipped on the television. It was 5 a.m. Pacific Time.

My memory feels foggy… even dreamlike. I recall sorting photographs of my son, my firstborn. Then I remember hearing a newscaster… the alarm in his… or was it HER voice. I don’t remember. Was it Katie or was it Matt?

I looked up at the television and saw smoke coming out of the the first building that was hit. I looked back down at my pictures. I sorted another stack.

I looked back at the television.

“What?”

This wasn’t a movie. It actually took me a few minutes to realize what was happening before my eyes.

I saw the second plane hit. I sat. Stunned. Panic. Disbelief. My husband was in Seattle… he’d have to take a ferry or cross the Tacoma-Narrows bridge to get home…

“What the hell is going on?”

I cried. I broke into a sweat. I grabbed my chest. I paced. I called my husband. I trembled.

And I was hundreds of miles away. I wasn’t even there.

I clutched my belly – where a brand new life was forming…

That morning, I woke up to hope and found despair.

I cannot believe 8 years have passed. I can’t belive 8 years have passed. I can not believe… this ever happened.

But it did.

That baby forming in my womb back in September 2001? That baby is in second grade… she is my heart’s delight. A light in the dark…

I received an email from the school district this evening (Thursday, September 10)

On Friday September 11th, the City of Poulsbo is hosting our local Freedom Walk, which is a Nationwide event. Come listen to a brief ceremony at Noon and then join members from the Poulsbo Fire Department, Poulsbo Police, Navy Region NW, Kitsap County Sheriffs, elected officials and the American Legion as we walk together to pay tribute to those who serve our community.

For those who don’t wish to walk; we encourage you to line the path beginning at the Parks & Recreation building on 1st Street as it winds down 1st Street to Sunset, down Jensen Way passing the National Guard Armory & City Hall. Then the route goes up Front Street past Martha & Mary’s and ending at Legion Park. We look forward to seeing you there as we celebrate Patriot Day with the 2nd Annual Freedom Walk.

Poulsbo Fire Department

If you read this in time, please come. I am planning to go. To remember. To honor. If not, take a moment to remember… to pray… for the families affected, the lives of the fallen heroes, our country, our soldiers, our local and national leaders. Whether we agree with the politics that lead us or not… their burden is great. These are not carefree days in America, but hallelujah we still have our freedoms…

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At the end of June we set out to adopt a dog. For my son, but for the family… but for my son… for his tenth birthday.

We checked out their website and decided to visit a specific dog. Sadly, he had been adopted. Sad for us, but so happy for that fog to have found a home! The news did not foil our mission. Our decision had been made – we were going to get a dog. Yet we knew it might take some time to find OUR dog… Would it be around the corner, would it take days… even weeks?!

We walked through the kennels. We looked at breeds, ages, hair length, and disposition. After a bit, we decided to go meet and play with Daphne in an outside kennel.

Yes, she was shaggy. And she was stinky. But she was a happy 2ish-year old doggy. Daphne had a irresistible spark. She was also a jumper and it didn’t take long to figure out it would be hard to integrate her into a family with a whispy four-year-old girl.

So we moved on.

To the puppy room.

You know where I’m going?

Yup. I dared take my starry-eyed “I have been wanting a puppy for MY WHOLE LIFE” little boy into the puppy room. It was there we met Jack and Juliet.

Cruel. There was no walking away from this. We went home and got dad, and the sisters, and… brought them back to meet Jack (and may I add it was VERY hard to choose between the two! VERY hard!).

And that was all she wrote. Love bloomed.

Because Jack (soon to be renamed Kevin) was only 7.5 weeks old, we took him him under the “Foster to Adopt” program. We were required to follow a few special rules for 2 weeks until he was old enough to get “fixed”. Once that period was up, we paid  for our newly neutered and micro-chipped puppy.

I was impressed and pleased with the staff at the Humane Society. They were all kind, willing to answer questions, and it was clear they loved those animals. I am proud to be the owner of a Human Society animal, and I highly recommend supporting our local shelter.

Kevin (my son named him!) is a thriving, busy lab/retriever… maybe with a touch of German Shepherd. He seemed to be the most mellow of his litter (there were 7 puppies that day), but I would like to see who is the most mellow now. I’m sure it would not be our Kevin. Here are a few pictures of our life so far with our buddy…

Picking up the mail…

Kickin’ it on the front porch…

Chillin’ at the park…

And finally, a four-month-old Kevin (over twice the weight he was when we brought him home) just chillaxin’ in the living room.

If you are interested in pet adoption, visit the Kitsap Humane Society website. They are having a fundraiser October 17th – Animal Crackers. You can even follow them on Twitter!

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I’m not done! We’re not done!

I am trying to make the most of these last 2 weeks of summer. It has been full. It has been busy, but as I stand at the edge of Fall I feel —> it has not been enough. I am looking forward and I am hit with the realization that this is my last year with a preschooler. I have spent the last 10 years of motherhood with a preschool-aged child or younger.

Do I know how to be a mom to big kids? This first day of school will by MY last first day of preschool…

Oh, the bittersweet ache of growth. A parent’s goal is to grow our children. Our pride is their progression in education and ability and social integration. And I am finding my heartbreak is the very thing I have been striving for… healthy, happy kids who are learning to be independent.

I WANT to keep them close. I WANT to let them go. I want to keep summer close. I want to let summer go because…

Oh the wonders of Fall!!!  The smell. The sound. The feel. It is my favorite season.

Fall reminds me of home. It is a time to refocus and start new routines. It brings a centering of family… The days grow shorter and we hunker down. We build fires, share blankets and snuggle on the couch. We plan for holidays, run to soccer and play practice and rush about in a growing chill. I look at the leaves and talk about the change with my children. Because that is what my great-grandmother did with me.

It’s hard… to wrap-up and gear-up all in one big effort. Yet, it is something that happens every year. It is bittersweet. I am ready for the change, but long for just a little bit more.

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Here’s a side-shot, just so you can teach your kids how to have fun with their Pringles! Any flavor of Pringles will do, but I found the cheesey kind lends to that “beakish” appeal…

Does YOUR family play with food???

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