Philadelphia with the kids !

We approached Philadelphia, a bit unsure if the kids would enjoy it. Truly, if you asked my girls and their cousins what the best part of the winter weekend vacation was, they’d all shout in unison, “the hotel pool!”  Nonetheless, we were impressed with how engaged the kids were during our visit to the Liberty Bell and the surrounding sites.  It’s hard to get kids (all below age 8) excited about an untouchable old bell that’s not going to even ring.

Drawing the Liberty Bell

We were fortunate to visit over a quiet weekend, allowing us to get close views of all the cool stuff and not deal with crowds.  But, the magic happened due to some smart educators at the National Park Service who developed an activity packet and little information cards the kids collected at each stop.  The kids moved from place to place, eager to fill in their book and find the next item on their lists.  Learn more about children’s programs and download the activity booklet in advance of your visit.

The kids enjoyed all the sight seeing because they were charged with capturing facts and drawing the special objects they found.  Their uber cool incentive, upon completion of the activity book, was to be sworn in as Jr. Park Rangers.  Months after this trip, they still have their badges, reminding them of the trip.

And now that they have an appreciation for the early stories of America, I think we can explore Boston or Sturbridge Village or Colonial Williamsburg.

Park Ranger helping the kids with their activity books

Learning about Ben Franklin’s printing shop

Posing beside George Washington statue

At last, after all that hard work and patience, the kids are sworn in as Jr. Rangers.

Family Talents

Hello and Happy New Year.  I hope 2013 has brought a sigh of relief that the holidays and the extra energy they require are behind us and it’s now time to return to some normalcy.  As I have two plumbers evaluating my hot water heater in the basement at the moment and the bill is already in the low 400s, I figure a little escapism / blogging is a good idea !

I saw this sign below recently at TJ Maxx and had a good laugh. I feel I am blessed with a relatively normal family (pun intended), but I know most people would argue their family presents the zaniest, most outlandish behavior possible.  I am sure for   a whole host of people the holidays provided them with colorful stories to tell about their relatives and how they artfully made it through dinners and gatherings with grace and composure despite it all!  I do hope, however, that most people found a connection during the holidays.  Maybe you got some new information to aid your genealogy work. Maybe your Grandmother told you more about her wedding day.  Or someone unearthed some family photos and was able to identify the faces.

 My big “ah ha” moment of the holidays was when I walked into my Aunt’s house and saw paintings in the kitchen and sun room. I asked, “where did these come from?”  She replied, “I made them.”

Who knew?!? My Aunt recently retired after working in technology her entire career. I had no clue that she had a talent to paint.  It suddenly made sense that my brother is a good painter too. We never were quite sure where his talent stemmed from, but here was the connection.  My Aunt went on to explain that she never had time to take an art class post college and decided to give it a try again in retirement.  And she’s good !  She painted a scene of the Nubble Light House in Maine for me and it just arrived.  Below is a photo of my daughter holding the painting.  It is really nice to have this, as it shows that all things are possible post retirement.  My Aunt entered it sort of unsure of how she’d fill her days and she found something really neat to do.  Further, now I have an original painting from a budding artist who happens to be my Aunt and it’s something my girls will see every day too.

Looking at Lincoln (I promise not another movie review)

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia !

wait, I meant:  Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln !

This is an exciting time for American History buffs – the Lincoln movie has finally been released after much fanfare.  And the press seems to love it. The actors are making their way around the TV circuit promoting the movie.  And you know it’s a hot topic when Barnes and Noble dedicates a display to Lincoln:

Lincoln display at Barnes & Noble

To no surprise, The Chronicle of Higher Education included a piece about the movie. It was really informative, explaining how public sentiment and scholars changed their views about Lincoln over the years.  Worth a few minutes to read.

I must sadly admit that I haven’t managed to escape my house and Thanksgiving guests and all the regular hoopla in my life to go see the movie.  Hope to see it next week as I know it will be an amazing story to see on the big screen.

Instead, I offer a review of a different Lincoln. One that is more within my everyday realm: children’s stories!  I picked this up at a school book fair for my 7 year old, who now appreciates this president as she’s been along with me to visit Gettysburg and The Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

So, I present to you, straight off my book shelf with no oversized popcorn or a super large soda or people checking their cell phones during the show…. Looking at Lincoln, by Maira Kalman, author and illustrator, and a bit of a Lincoln fanatic herself!

Looking at Lincoln, published by Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin Group USA

My daughter has made the connection to Lincoln at school, since they are learning about money and the famous people appearing on coins and bills.  The book was nice for her mainly because it reiterated facts about him that she knew from elsewhere like his nickname, Honest Abe.  And that he had sons named Tad and Willie who she’s getting to know from a Magic Treehouse series book called “Abe Lincoln at Last!”   In any case, for a child unfamiliar with Lincoln’s story, the imagery will pull him/her in.  Then the quirky facts of his life will carry interest, such as how he stuffed notes into his tall hat.  When he wore the hat, he was seven feet tall!

Beyond the odd facts, slavery and the Civil War are touched upon, so you may need to explain those concepts to younger children.  Plus his assassination is included.  My daughter inquired, “what does wounded mean?”   So, if you ‘re not comfortable tackling these topics with your children, this is not a great book for your family just yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I highly recommend this book to families with elementary age children and certainly a must if headed to Washington, DC to see the sights. It will put the Lincoln Memorial into context when you visit.

And I promise to see the movie very soon and, at minimum, to tweet about it.  I don’t know if the world would benefit from yet another movie review.  Maybe just 140 characters from me will suffice.   For now, enjoy this lovely book!

Neat Exhibit at Children’s Museum in Portland, Maine

On a foggy, gray  Maine day, we headed for the Children’s Museum & Theater of Maine.  We escaped the very crowded first floor and went upstairs where, much to our surprise, the crowds were fewer and the exhibits more fun!  After seeing the space shuttle simulator, we were happy to find a cool area about families in Maine.  The title, “We are Maine” highlights the many ethnicities Maine families encompass through video from children’s point of view, as they explain their family’s special customs and traditions. I could’ve sat and watched these for an hour — they have 20 videos, each several minutes in length.  Really enjoyable and simple for kids.  Here is how the museum explains this exhibit area:

Learn about the connections that Maine families have to countries around the world. Twenty Maine kids with roots in countries around the world show you some of the unique traditions they share with their families, as well as some things that make them just like you! Use the “Share Your Story” kiosk to share your own family rituals, and try out games, foods and traditions from around the globe.

In addition to this, the culture highlighted currently in 3 small exhibit areas depicts an Indian family’s home.  That piqued the interest of our family of course and Jasmine (age 6) enjoyed playing in the kitchen area with the Indian cookware and seeing the spices displayed.

I think it’s impactful — and this is what I LOVE about children’s museums — to bring a person physically inside an environment allowing them touch and feel and see things up close.  And to bring a child into another family’s home whose decor and utensils and food may be new is an effective way to make the unfamiliar familiar!

Has anyone seen this type of exhibit at another children’s museum?

Gettysburg

I promised myself once we moved and got settled, I’d add to my blog, which has been woefully overlooked in past months due to selling our apartment, moving twice and ultimately landing in the suburbs, all while my husband was on a heavy international travel schedule for work. I can characterize the first half of 2012 as nothing less than hectic, riddled with uncertainty and BUSY !  Looking forward to returning to life as usual and smooth sailing, allowing me to turn my sights back towards the world of Me On A Tee.

A trip planned with relatives months back happened to fall the weekend after we moved in, but I decided to press on with it, as we were going to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  Even though I was exhausted, I figured it’d provide me a break from unpacking boxes and a nice exploration of this epic battle during the Civil War.   Here are some photos of the highlights. I have included multiple photos, but by no means all, of my 3 year old running around the area. Of all the battlefields, statues and monuments that Gettysburg has to offer, the stop that held her interest for more than 2 minutes was the statue with Sallie the Dog, who served with the Pennsylvania 11^th.

Sonya with Sallie the Dog – a great statue for kids to see

Perhaps Gettysburg is not ideal for little kids, but at least they’re not terribly disruptive if they’re acting up, shouting in quiet museum galleries or religious buildings. Here they can roam.

As for my 6-1/2 year old daughter, I sure hope I handled the concepts of war and slavery well enough. The guide mentioned them, but I should’ve done my research on how to explain them best ahead of the trip…. then again, there were all those boxes and floor installers and painters and chaos. So, I’ll do my homework post trip and share some links for kids below. Weeks after the trip, she still asks about slavery, and I’m trying to carefully explain it to her, not over-educating her, but giving her bite size pieces she can process in the moment. I imagine the questions will continue to pop up from time to time.

• Civil War Trust
• And for Kindergartners, recommend the Jack and Annie series by Mary Pope Osbourne – brings history to life and my daughter loves each adventure through time. Here is the Civil War book on Amazon
• Finally, I like the ideas shared on eHow

If you’re considering a trip to Gettysburg, 2013 should be a banner year, as next July marks the 150th anniversary of the events! Book your hotel rooms early….

View from Big Round Top

Catching up with our favorite fearless leader, Abraham Lincoln, outside the Visitor’s Center.

Devil’s Den at Night

Running from Eternal Light Peace Memorial

Reenactors (and some 2012 tourists) atop Big Round Top

Straying from the group again ! Perhaps a future American Historian?  Think the jury’s still out on that one…

MOMpreneur Made — Me on a Tee 12/08 by Word of Mom | Blog Talk Radio

MOMpreneur Made Me on a Tee 12/08 by Word of Mom | Blog Talk Radio.

I wanted to share a radio show I was on yesterday (link above).  It was a nice conversation about being a mom and starting a business as well as the idea behind the t-shirts.

I also wrote a blog post to coincide with the show, and here’s a link to that post.  The entry explains some of the reasons I chose to start a business.

 

 

Connections

We made a trip to Washington, DC last week.  An exciting place for an American Studies major to visit, but her 6 yr old and 2.5 yr old children? Perhaps not…. Below is a photo of my younger daughter sleeping at, of all places, Lincoln Memorial.

But my older daughter was more, well awake, and open to hearing me point a few select things out. She usually shuts me down after 2 sentences of information. The names of the states around the top of the Lincoln Memorial and why Lincoln was an important president.  Can’t get started on explaining the concept of slavery, but could make some sweeping statements about him being a great leader during a difficult time in the country (when people were arguing a lot about how the country should work since it was still very young).  And then comes the super easy connection with “this is the man behind Lincoln Logs!”  Phew, that caught her interest.

 

She must be dreaming of visiting Colonial Williamsburg....

Fast forward a few days and my daughter sees a $5 bill and points out that “we visited here, right?”

“Well, yes, yes we did !!”   I was really excited that she realized this. I think seeing this president’s image on money solidified just how important a leader he was.

It was one of those moments when you’re thrilled to see your child grow and learn. Must be similar to the little magical moments teachers witness each day when their students make connections.

Holiday Hop !

A lot of people associate December as being a crowded time on the calendar for holidays; however, for Indians and Jews — Fall is the season of religious events and gatherings and a packed calendar.

I felt like I was on a “blog hop” sort of experience recently when within 2 days we baked challah for the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah); then attended a Navratri party in the afternoon followed by an Oktoberfest party in the evening.  A globe trotting feel, less the jet lag and frequent flier miles.

And this weekend, we embark upon celebrating Indian New Year (Diwali) with relatives along with Sukkot, a Jewish festival holiday.  But ask my daughters what they’re excited about and the answer is the almighty Halloween.

I totally get it, I really do… from a kid’s perspective. Alas, Hallmark and so many retailers push these holidays and our national economy sadly relies on these for mini boosts.  It’s just a whole lot of visual noise to me. So, I ask, how do you emphasize some holidays and de-emphasize others with your children?

As a child, with a mother raised Protestant and a father raised Jewish, I knew the demarcation of Hanukkah and Christmas – Christmas was not at our house; it was always at a cousin’s or at my mom’s parent’s house.  Hanukkah was the only winter holiday we celebrated inside my home. We got our presents over the course of 8 days – never the deluge of gifts our cousins received all in one fell swoop on Christmas morning.  We got to celebrate both. I got lots of the fun of Christmas PLUS Hanukkah, however my parents imparted through actions and repetition that I clearly had one holiday and my cousins another.   It didn’t make me feel bad, it just drew the line in the sand, made things clear for me.  Despite all the nice Christmas holidays spent with relatives, I have no desire to put a Christmas tree in my house.  It just isn’t my holiday to celebrate.  Fair enough. At least no confusion there.

With the winter holidays on the horizon, how do you juggle the secular with the ethnic/religious ones in families in which there’s so much to celebrate?

Oktoberfest

Navratri display

American Flag on the Moon

I love flags and they are central to my designs, so I had to share this video footage, as it shows the American flag waving on the moon !

My daughter asked me if I had ever been in outer space and that led to a conversation about space travel and how her grandparents were teenagers when the first person walked on the moon.  That prompted me to look up footage on YouTube, and voila…. I wasn’t even born when this happened, but the significance of the event wasn’t lost on me.  Just amazing to watch this, so I hope you’ll take a few minutes.

My most poignant memory of the space program is, sadly, the Challenger accident. I was a 7th grader and I must’ve watched the explosion dozens of times on TV.  In my childhood, space travel was a given, and then this tragedy happened. I think for my parents it must’ve been a huge deal to grow up hearing plans for human space travel, then see it finally happen!

Fleeting Days of Video & Book Stores

First, apologies for how long it’s been since I blogged… it has been a busy summer both revamping my business (behind the scenes stuff mainly) and trying to create some cool memories for my daughters. Back to school is just around the corner, along with some more free time as my youngest starts preschool 2 afternoons per week.  I am hopeful I can add more to the blogosphere then.

With the recent announcement of Borders stores closing, and kind of mourning the “end-is-near” for book stores, I started to think about how all the Hollywood Video and Blockbuster stores have closed in my area as well.  I can’t remember how many years ago I last rented a video from a bricks and mortar store.  In any case, someday maybe my kids and grandkids will ask me about growing up and jobs I had.   I’ll start talking about my very first job at Movies and More, Sharon Mass’ premier (and only) video store… and I’ll quickly be interrupted with “um, what’s a ‘video store?'”

I guess I’m getting to that age when the next generation won’t be able to fathom my childhood before the arrival of the Internet, 100+ TV channels and cell phones.

My kids will know libraries, but will my grandchildren understand the concept of a physical library (another job location of yours truly)? I think archival libraries are here to stay, but the town libraries – what is to become of them?  Public programming spaces?

Just keep your eyes open as the physical world about us changes and take a mental note.  Remember your ordinary daily experiences.  We may well have to explain the idea of grabbing a coffee and perusing the “summer classics” and “NY Times Best Sellers” tables at a big book store some time down the line to perplexed progeny.