I love summer. Many complain about the hot temperature, but I love it. I love to go sit by the pool or in the pool.  I don’t even mind the mowing.  I just love the feel of the sun on my skin, and I’ve passed this love on to my daughter who is happy to go outside and play for hours without even seeming to notice the heat.  Her birthday is coming up and even though she’s getting older, I’ve been considering buying her an updated and handy wooden jungle gym. I don’t live there, but I was looking at connecticut jungle gyms and thinking about how much she’d still enjoy such a thing and now that I’m going to be a grandmother soon (only a month left!), we could get many, many years out of a fun playground in the yard.  Can’t wait to update our yard to make it even more summer proof!

Cameron – 1st Place Gingerbread House (errr….Castle)

Becka – 2010 Ms. Merry Christmas Queen

Cameron – 2010 Ms. Merry Christmas Duchess

I LOVE YOU GIRLS!  You are beautiful, hard workers, and the most awesome daughters ever!

Experts from the California Poison Control System offer 12 Holiday Tips:

1 — Don’t let babies chew on foil wrapping paper. It may contain lead.
2 — Holiday gifts can have flat, coin-shaped batteries. If swallowed, these can cause serious burns, choking and lead exposure. Keep all batteries away from babies, kids and pets!
3 — If using snow spray indoors be sure to open windows. Solvents in the spray cans may cause nausea, lightheadedness and headache.
4 — Poinsettias won’t kill you. Ingestion may cause mild stomach upset, but aren’t fatal.
5 — Pine needles can get stuck in the throat and cause choking in small children & pets. Keep swept up.
6 — Carbon monoxide: open chimney flues, never use stove or BBQ for indoor heat & keep outdoor generators away from windows.
7 — Holly & mistletoe berries can cause nausea, vomiting & diarrhea if eaten. Pyracantha berries are safer substitute.
8 — Lead can still be found in new and used children’s products, like toys, backpacks, lunchboxes & jewelry. Find out about product recalls & tested products at healthystuff.org
9 — Have the poison control number programmed into all phones. Call anytime, 24/7 for expert advice or questions. We’re here to help.
10 – Holiday visits from grandparents? Purses/bags attract curious kids. Be sure any medicines are put out of the reach of kids.
11 — Washing hands, counters & cutting boards with hot water & soap and washing fruits & helps prevent food poisoning.
12 — For more free weekly safety tips to cell phones, text the word TIPS or PUNTOS for Spanish to 69866.

Become a fan on Facebook at California Poison Control System and follow us on Twitter @poisoninfo

My daughter loves to go to the nurse. Why? Probably because I won’t give her any attention when she has a scrape or boo boo.  I am the “toughen up” type mom.  If it’s not worthy of major medical treatment, we move on.  She’s only been to the doctor twice in 10 years for being ill.  Yes, I’m that mean.  So I think she goes to the nurse just for some “babying.”  She walks in sees the charts, the cot, the medical cart filled with medicine and such. The funny part is that our nurse isn’t the sympathetic babying type nurse either so she does get some attention, but not a lot so I love listening to her nurse stories (and then listening to the nurse tell me later on).

It’s time to signup for “Fall Ball” – softball.  We are watching closely each day to see if signups have started, and checking out our local sports store for new equipment. You have to buy new stuff every season it seems (and we’re playing 2 seasons a year now). Last year we bought a personalized helmet. Well, we had a helmet personalized after we bought it by having it airbrushed.  This year we are looking at personalized baseball bats, well softball bats. Plus Cam’s feet grow every season and so we are always buying cleats. *sigh*  It’s time to play ball!