Showing posts sorted by relevance for query what she's wearing. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query what she's wearing. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query what she's wearing. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query what she's wearing. Sort by date Show all posts

What She's Wearing Wednesday ~ Santa's littlest Elf ~ Helping Raise Money for Christmas Gifts

Teaching kids how to participate and help other with Community Service Projects.





This past Saturday, we attended a Craft Fair and Rummage Sale to raise money for Santa's Elves of Indy. A friend organizes the event and often has more families in need than incoming donations.

The organization is young and struggling. Last year, I didn't feel we could take on a family or even a child, so we donated gift bags, tape, and wrapping paper.  

Every little bit helps.

This year, things are a little better for us.  We have "adopted" a family. That's what it is always been called, adopt a child or family for Christmas. When I posted this on another website, someone sent an angry message. It seems, they found the phrase "adopt a child for Christmas" offensive. Organizations have been collecting wish lists for needy children for years and using this terminology. We certainly don't want to offend families who are adopting children forever into their homes. 

We are in no way adopting a child or even meeting a child. To be clear, each volunteer takes a child's wish list which includes clothing and shoe sizes and shops for items for the child. Then, Santa's Elf volunteers wrap the gifts and deliver them to the children's parents or caregivers prior to Christmas Eve so no children miss out on a visit from Santa.


Teaching kids how to participate and help other with Community Service Projects.

The craft fair wasn't bustling as we'd hoped. It is difficult to spread the word. Even for such a good cause, people have little money to spare. Donations are used to purchase gifts for families that haven't been "adopted" by a volunteer.

We manned the booth for Santa's Elves matching volunteer shoppers with families in need. We were also offering deep discount gift cards for Incredible Pizza, but no one was buying. For just $10 you could/can purchase a gift card valued at $20.

Here's your sign.


Mayhem asked if she could wear the sign and walk around the vendor area selling the gift cards. I agreed. She went from person to person and received many a no thank you. The little elf came back with a sad face and a great idea.

"Can I take the cookies and offer a bag of cookies with every card sold?"

What a great idea!

She sold 3 (the fair was almost over) and had a blast.

If you'd like to donate or purchase a gift card visit the Santa's Elves of Indy Facebook Page. There is still time to ADOPT a child's Wish List and play Santa for a family needing a little extra help this season.

Happy Holidays!

I am so Thankful for this magical little Mayhem.


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What She's Wearing Wednesday ~ Elf on a Shelf or What to Wear to a Gingerbread House Decorating Party


Mayhem thought it'd be nice to dress like the Elf on a Shelf.  Note the candy cane stripe socks. She was disappointed Mommy refused to let her wear the the Women's Size 9, Red, Pointy-toe Cowboy boots from the 1980's. See, sometimes I draw the line. It was a safety issue, the bottoms are flat and slippery and the boots are 3 times the size of her feet!
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Peeping Tom? Still Suffering from a Load of Junior High Lack of Self Esteem

Confessions of Self Esteem Issues in Junior High

Remember how you hated junior-high - we all suffered with a lack of self-esteem. Here is my story. Enjoy!

spongebob band, self esteem
Sponge Bob in Marching Band.


Hey you, I see you there. Are you a Peeping Tom? Junior High is the worst. Are you still suffering from a lack of self-esteem? We all struggle with life in those awkward teen years. Here's my take.

Shh...  Don't tell anyone. I like to window peep, strike that, make it love.  I love to window peep especially during the holidays.  Driving thru the city with the clever vise of looking at Christmas lights, I secretly spy on families thru their picture windows. It's neat to see what they are doing -to notice their dining room decor or their living room doings.  I'd never hop out of the car, knock on the door, and scream, "Hey, I'm watching you!"


No, I'd never do that.

Why do we like to know when someone reads our blog?  Why do we ask them to advertise our button to share the love?  Two years ago, when I launched my blog I worried about who might see or read it.  I got a few blog hoppers who asked me to visit their blogs. I discreetly perused other blogs for ideas and ways to improve mine.  I never left a comment.  I didn't want anyone to know I had stumbled upon their most personal thoughts.  Mostly, I wondered why I would want other bloggers to read my blog.

I wanted readers, fans, followers, anything but bloggers...  Now I get it.

Bloggers are our equals.  Bloggers will become friends.  Friends will become followers and fans.

So, why do I still hide much of the time?  Most bloggers know I've visited because they keep track. I look at many blogs everyday following anyone who asks me to, and I visit other blogs, but I only read a few.  One of my favorites is "I'm a Lazy Mom".  Why?  Because, I am a lazy Mom.  It validates my life.  It makes me feel okay with my lazy, little secrets.  In a recent post she discusses cleaning the stove off with a vacuum.  Been there, done that!  I peek in her window a couple of times a week -she didn't ask me too- but I'm sure she doesn't mind.

Why, then, do I feel uncomfortable about peeking into a blog that is written by someone I know in real life?  I've read several blogs written by friends and acquaintances from high-school, but I rarely go back for more.

 A girl, okay a woman, I went to school with, blogs regularly.  Apparently, she's been doing it for awhile.  I pop in and covet her header, her followers, her style. I knew her in high-school. We weren't exactly friends, but we weren't enemies either. At least, I don't think so.

I don't really know much about her. Whenever I talked to her, I liked her, but we rarely talked. I heard an occasional hearsay comment about this or that from her brother or my boyfriend who were best friends.  I made assumptions about her through hearsay as I expect she did about me.

Cheerleader clipart, self esteem,  junior high

She was a cheerleader and I was band-geek.  A cool, band-geek I might add.  I played the bass guitar in Jazz Band.  The point is we had different interest and different classes. The last time I remember having her in class was in eighth grade, I think.  Oddly, I sometimes confuse her with another girl.  I think this is because they were both nice to me at times, and I didn't know what to do with it.

You see, I felt geeky most of the time. Yep, I know we all did; too bad  we didn't know that then. Both girls were pretty and popular.  Apparently, I was too, but I didn't understand that back then. I was an awkward skinny, terrible-toothed, little girl until the fourth grade. I got cuter for a second, and next thing I knew I was a chubby puberty-bound girl with a fat face.

The summer before seventh grade apparently something changed.

Bert and Ernie Picture
Bert and Ernie.

Seventh Grade.  Yuck.  All of the elementary schools meet up.  New faces. New friends.  New people to tease me.  They called me "Jimmy Carter" and "Big Lips".  I smiled a lot and had, get this... big lips.  They told me I had bushy eyebrows like Brooke Shields and a uni-brow like Bert.  I guess today that would be considered bullying?

I was clumsy.  I could  can trip over nothing.

I plucked my eyebrows to nothing.  Oh, how I wish I had Brooke Shield's eyebrows to sculpt today.  Please explain to me how having "Brooke Shield's" eyebrows transpired to lowered self-esteem?

Advice for Teens who struggle with self-esteem: My story

The first thing my husband said to me when he saw me - you and your lips remind me of Angelina Jolie. (Wonder if he still thinks that two kids later?)  Brooke Shields?  Angelina Jolie?  Smiling all the time?  Aren't kids nuts?  Today, those things make me blush.  What extraordinary, backhanded  compliments for a middle-aged, overweight, has-been.

So, I confuse these two pretty girls because they both complimented me during Junior-High.  One spoke to me for the first time after gym in the locker room.

"Are you trying out for cheerleader?"
I blushed.
I laughed.
I said, "No!", as if it were the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard.

It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.

Why would she ask that?  Was she teasing  me?  Of course not.  At that moment, I lost a potential new friend.  She later became one of my best-friends, best-friends.  I never really talked to her again.  How rude and nasty she must have thought I was... I bet she never knew I thought she was beautiful and untouchable, someone who couldn't possibly want me as a friend.

Tortoise Shell Glasses
Tortoise Shell Glasses.

Back to the blogger.  I think she once told me she liked my clothes.  Another time, my hair. Preposterous! I think both girls were in that eighth grade English class.  I didn't care for the snobby, preppy teacher and the feeling was apparently mutual.  One day, she asked if anyone knew what kind of glasses she was wearing. The other girls, fashionably aware, raised their hands.




My best sweater came from Sears and had my initials neatly embroidered on the front.  The preppy teacher called on me!  I figured she picked on me to humiliate me.  I looked around and thought, "Of course, they know the answer!"  Why didn't she call on them?  I had no idea so I blurted, "Bifocals"?  I don't know.



Wow.  No... apparently not bifocals.  If the teacher didn't like me before...  Yikes.

Everyone laughed, but I didn't get the joke.  I was red from ear to ear.
'You're so stupid,' I thought to myself.

Now, I get it.  Oops!

The irritated, English teacher called on one of the prettier, popular girls.  The girls whose hair and clothes I coveted, their smiles, and bubbly personalities, and their confidence.

"Tortoise Shell?"

"TORTOISE SHELL!  What the heck?"

The teacher looked back at me.

"I've never heard of that!"

"Of course you have," she grunted. (She thought I was a royal b who purposely said bifocals to make a mockery of the situation. I didn't even know what bifocals were. To me, they were just a type of eyeglasses.)

No, I really hadn't. I may have looked like a fashionista in my garage sale, K-mart, Hill's, and Sears clothing, but I'd never even been to a mall until eighth grade.

My mother always ironed my clothes. I obsessed that everything matched perfectly all the way down to my socks.  I appeared to be a preppy.  Other kids would call me a 'Prep' with a nasty glint in their eye.  I didn't really know what a prep was, but I sure knew I didn't want to be one.  Unfortunately, even though I couldn't afford Ralph Lauren, Gloria Vanderbilt, or Nike's in eighteen colors I was a prep.

In retrospect, the teacher probably called on me because she assumed such a stylish, popular, pretty, young girl would know the answer.  Again, I cast a stone against them (all three of them) without warrant or intention.

I dated boys because they asked me too; rarely because I wanted to. I didn't want to hurt their feelings.  It never lasted long.  They moved on when they realized nothing was about to happen.  So when a cute boy asked me to the carnival I decided to meet him there.

We waited in line to ride the octopus and he combed his hair.  He combed his hair in glare of the adjacent car.  He wore a comb in his pocket.  That was that.  End of story.  Back then, I heard this girl, now turned blogger, liked him and was upset with me.  If you know anything about me, you know I am nothing if not naive.  Again, I cast a stone.

My boyfriend was a hussy.  He told stories on himself all the time.  He told stories about blogger-girl.  She unknowingly cast a stone against me or maybe not.  Maybe it was intentional pay back.  Maybe it never happened.  I don't know.  I don't care.  It never mattered.

I always liked blogger-girl's point of view; apparently, I still do.

I follow her, but I try to hide my visit when I see myself show up on the Blog-Frog button.  I feel my face burning like I am doing something wrong.  What if she thinks I am spying on her?

The truth is, I like her blog.  I like her style.  If I didn't know her personally, I'd be telling her how awesome I think her blog is and how much I enjoy her postings.

Oh I don't know... she probably thinks she is lazy and imperfect but there are different levels of imperfection to consider here.  It seems she likes nice things.  It looks like she takes care of herself.

I am a lazy, mom blob.  I don't know if we'd ever be friends in the real world, but I really like her blog; it makes me smile. I read it whenever I get the chance. Is it because I enjoy peeping into her life- seeing how her life turned out? Or is it because her writing entertains me and her anecdotes often bring a tear to my eye or have me laughing out loud?  You decide.  It's a great blog, so I'll share a link, http://www.sellabitmum.com I'm tired of deleting my visits.




Don't worry, I sent her a head's up so she can read this too. This is my Olive Branch for the week.  'Tis the season go out and extend your own Olive Branch today.

This post is dedicated to my teenage daughter who will one day understand what it means to feel beautiful.


You Might Also like:  What's on Your Mind?


Recommended:

Teen's Guide to World Domination*

Teen Pages






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What She's Wearing Wednesday: Creative Play Leads to Self-Esteem: Mandy Mayhem 10/03/2012

Creative Imaginative Play and Dress up Leads to Self-Esteem

We attended a practice party for the race pit crew of Rex Norris. It was a special event, so it called for a special attire. Mandy Mayhem styled herself in sparkly, pink slip-ons, black leggings with silver glittery sparkle, a turquoise tee with silver and rhinestone buttons, and her Snow White costume from last year. Enjoy!

Upon, slipping the costume over her clothes she noted it had shrunk. This ability will become very useful later if she goes through a chubby stage. Remember, it is the dryer ~ not you. It always helps with self-esteem if you can blame someone else.



Creative Imaginative Play and Dress up Leads to Self-Esteem
Creative Imaginative Play and Dress up Leads to Self-Esteem.

Her special accessory is a giraffe, perhaps Geoffrey from Toys R Us. She entertained anyone who cared to watch with a puppet show on the deck.

Mayhem is always allowed to dress herself no matter where we go. If the occasion requires specific attire; I give her choices. She is excellent at matching and pretty good at choosing the right outfit.

I never find her clothes embarrassing. I would be embarrassed if they were dirty or too mature for her age because that reflects on me, but fun, self-expression is healthy and makes for great self-esteem. "I can do it!" Allow your child to be themselves- your relationship will appreciate it.


Recommended Reading:



Great Big Book of Children's Games: Over 450 Indoor and Outdoor Games for Kids, Ages 3-14*

What She's Wearing Wednesday - Christmas Fashion

Just walked out of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with candy cane stockings and Santa cap.

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What She's Wearing Wednesday: Power Ranger Costume_Girls are SuperHeroes too

Costume Ideas for girls will she be a rock star kitty or a super hero power ranger?

We spent two hours making a Perry the Platypus costume, but Mayhem decided to wear her Power Ranger costume from last year. Good thing, because last year we searched high and low for a Green Power Ranger costume, and she decided to go as a Lady Gaga style, black cat.


Girls are SuperHeroes too.
Girls are SuperHeroes too.

Green Power Ranger costume
Green Power Ranger costume accessorized 
with black snow boots, green gloves, and glow sword.


Avatar, Power Ranger, and Headless Scarecrow. 


Trick or Treating.
Turns out no one in the country leaves their lights on, 
so we headed to a safer community event.
Classic cars and candy.  
It was so cold most of the car owners took refuge inside.




It's a hearse! It is a car for transporting the dead. 


A superhero with local heroes.


The Trick or Treat event sponsored by firefighters and police.
 A safe alternative to going door to door.


Recommended Reading:


Halloween past safe alternatives

Kids Creative Chaos Cooks: Kitchen Kids Series: Holiday Recipes

Power Rangers Super Megaforce - Green Ranger Mask*

Power Rangers Green Rangers Costume T-shirt* 



Real Family of Indianapolis Takes a Bike Ride: Family Focus

Family Focus: A Typical Outdoor Experience


So, we've been planning to go on a family bike ride for a year now. One thing or another caused delay. The last time our real family of Indianapolis went on a ride, the little ones rode in a carrier trailer behind Mommy's bike. This is the real story behind a typical family fun outing. Enjoy!

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

Real Family of Indianapolis Takes a Bike Ride: Family Focus
This is not a bicycle. Do not take one on a bike ride!