Honeybee Mama
Web 2012
05/16/12Playdates Remind Me to Play NiceI love my kids. You know when someone starts a blog post with "I love my kids," there's probably about to be a big "but, [insert various reason your kids drive you crazy here]." I will refrain from telling you any reason why any of my kids my drive me crazy on a day to day, or sometimes minute to minute basis. Instead I'd like to share about a little parenting lesson I'm learning. Playdates are good for me, probably even more than my kids. Not the playdates where my mom friend comes with and we sit and sip coffee or cocktails and ignore the children making chaos upstairs because we need "Mommy Time." No, playdates where I invite other people's kids over to play with mine and I actually make an effort to provide interaction and... |
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05/08/12Thunderbird Berry FarmOh. Boy. It is nearly summer, friends, and that means berry time! I have a friend from high school whose family owns Thunderbird Berry Farm in Broken Arrow. She's been telling me for years to come out and pick berries, and like so many things, I just haven't gotten to it. Well, this past Saturday I got to it! Thunderbird is one of Oklahoma's Pick-Your-Own farms, where you pay $3 per pound and pick your own berries! They're not too far out of town, at 321st and 71st. Though they have mostly blueberries, they do have a few rows of strawberries and have been encouraging people to come and pick the last few weeks before the official open of the blueberry picking season. We were thrilled to finally have a Saturday morning that wasn't filled with traveling,... |
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05/02/12Happy International Doula Month, Tulsa!Guess what. May is International Doula Month! Doulas are non-medical professionals who offer physical, emotional and informational support to laboring women, their partners and families before, during, and just after birth. Both birth doulas and postpartum doulas are indispensable in the childbirth experience. Women who have a doula present at their birth are: 28% less likely to require a cesarean delivery 31% less likely to require oxytocin to progress labor 9% less likely to use any pain medication during labor 34% less likely to view their childbirth experience negatively less likely to require instrumental delivery with vacuum extractor or forceps more likely to experience a shorter labor more likely to... |
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04/27/12A Tulsa Treasure - Gardner's Used BooksI really enjoy writing this blog, and sharing about great family activities and local businesses in Tulsa. It seems like it's relatively easy to find the Chuck E. Cheese's and Zoos in town, so I really like to do what I can to squeeze into the nooks and crannies of our city and find the hidden gems of adventure to share with you guys. I have a special love for books. Especially old books. In college, my favorite place to study was in the basement of the library where the shelves were lined with old yellowed pages of hardbacks filled with history and character. I don't even read as much as I'd like, but I still love books. Real books, with real paper pages that I can feel and turn. I've shared before about Steve's Sundry, a fantastic nugget of Tulsa... |
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04/24/12A Little Change of PlansThis past weekend, our family had every intention of attending the Discover the Dinosaurs Exhibit at the Tulsa Convention Center. We even went as far as to inform the bigs that we would be going (which of course is a HUGE no-no if there's the slightest chance it might not happen, and we know better). Saturday was such a lovely, lazy day that we opted to hang out at home, play outside, nap, watch TV and movies, and we couldn't bear the thought of packing up to leave the house. So, we didn't. We decided to put it off until Sunday. But after picking the littles up early from their dad's and realizing that tickets to get our 6-pack into the Dinosaur Exhibit would cost us about $70 (minus all the extras we'd need to shell out for activities, face painting, snacks... |
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04/21/12Go Ahead! Put Me in the Dog House!One of the things my husband and I have in common is our mutual affinity for hot dogs. Marc would tell you he has a particular affection for "crappy" truck stop hot dogs since he spends so much time on the road, but I think my tastes might be slightly more elevated than that. A couple of months ago, I got to talking with a fellow mom at dance class who told me about a new hot dog joint she'd been to that was amazing. She used the word gourmet. About hot dogs. I knew I had to check this place out. Low and behold, a few days later I saw a groupon for The Dog House, the very place she'd told me about, and I had to buy it! So, I've been sitting on this groupon for two dogs and a side for a while now and knew it was about to expire. I thought it was about time to... |
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04/17/12Groupon's Not Just for Grown-ups!Do you get your Groupon? If you don't, I bet you will once you've heard of it! Groupon is one of the latest and greatest social networking trends that offers discounts for goods and services in cities across the country. The service works when businesses offer discounts for their products and set a limit of purchases for the discount to go into effect. For instance, today you can purchase a wine experience for two or four at Tidal School Winery at a 53% discount. Since ten people have purchased the groupon, the deal is on! To get in on the trend, sign-up with your email address and location and you'll begin receiving emails with offers specific to your area. When you refer friends you get credits too! It's like clipping coupons - you... |
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04/12/12Eat Mor ChikinC'mon, who doesn't love Chick-fil-A? "Eat Mor Chikin," you say? If it puts a smile like this on my kids, you've got yourself a deal! Those nuggets? The waffle fries? Get out! And when I have more willpower, their grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps are super yummy. Get this, they now have real fruit squeezies and grilled nuggets. So, you really can feel good about taking your kids for fast food! Now, I know I'm usually the one to roll out the banners for smaller, local mom and pop restaurants, but this is a chain I can get behind. The restaurant is always clean, and everyone who works there is incredibly friendly; they even come to your table to refill drinks and clear your trash. Maybe it's because it's a company that... |
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04/07/12Luchador Run 2012Last Saturday, I was honored to have been asked to babysit my nephew, Asher, while his momma ran in the Luchador Run. Not only am I completely and utterly in love with Ash-man (how could I not be?!), but I was pretty thrilled at the opportunity to pack up the littles and cheer on Aunt Rebekah and all the other runners! This also happened to be the day that the mighty flu attacked me, and I just thought it was nasty allergies. The following Sunday I felt like death, hence the lack of blogging in my life lately, but I have since recovered - finally! You all probably already know that Elote Cafe is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Tulsa, and not just because their food is awesome. They are big on supporting local farms and vendors, support sustainable practices in... |
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03/31/12Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness"Urban Wilderness" I mean, doesn't that say it all? Don't you feel the need to pause for a moment and shiver after you say the word wilderness? As if you're dropping the last line of a ghost story on your terrified listeners? Okay, okay, maybe it's not THAT dramatic, and maybe I still have ghost stories on the brain after my six (have I mentioned how not okay I am with the fact he's SIX?) year old's "backyard campout" birthday party last night, but still. The word wilderness gives me the sense of adventure, and stepping into the untouched world of the wild. An urban wilderness must be that much cooler, because it's a touch of the untouched right at our fingertips in the heart of the city! Last week, during Spring Break... |
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03/28/12A Whale of an AdventureOh my goodness, was it a wet Spring Break last week! We did our best to stay dry and still have fun, but by Wednesday, we'd had it with movies, crafts and indoor playgrounds. Looking out the window at the rain pouring over our city, I figured if we were going anywhere, we were going to get wet. I told to boys to pack their safari hats, swim suits, swim shirts and crocs and meet me in the car. Oddly enough, I didn't imagine they'd think we were swimming (way to go, Mom); I just wanted them to be able to wear clothes outside that are supposed to get wet so they wouldn't complain about getting wet outside! Destination: The legendary Blue Whale of Catoosa! I knew it would be about a 45 minute ride, so the boys packed some activities and snacks, and we ventured... |
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03/19/12Gearing Up for Spring BreakI realized the other day that this will be my first Spring Break at home with my kids. The last several years the holiday didn't mean all that much to me since I worked 8-5, and my kids remained in daycare just as they did when they weren't on break. This is also the first year all my kids are in public school and have spring break! I feel a little excited but also overwhelmed. Since I work at home, I cherish those two and a half hours of every week day that I'm completely kid free and able to really focus on blogging, sewing, cleaning, exercising, meeting with clients, running errands, or anything else that's easier to accomplish without the constant interruptions. I'm thinking this week will be a good little boot camp for me to get ready for what Summer is... |
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03/16/12Pajamas in Public and Free MoviesMonday night, a Broken Arrow Moviestar offered free showings of The Lorax and Journey 2 for students at our littles' school! I have a hard time passing up free things, especially when it involves activities with the kids. Those are the ones that are usually the most expensive! The boys were SO excited about it; I'm glad both of them had good days at school and we didn't have prior commitments so I didn't have to tell them no! The movie didn't start until 7:20, so I let the boys go ahead and take their baths and pick out pjs to wear to the show. They both chose footie pajamas, which make it interesting getting shoes on. Aidan picked the cowboy boots (which took coaxing to get them away from Alec), which is a fashion statement to say the least! Man, I love... Posted at 07:35 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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03/15/12TASM - Out of This World!When writing my post about cool places and events on my radar, I confessed that until recently, I had no idea Tulsa HAD an air and space museum. Last weekend, my husband and I took our older two kids to check it out! It was a gorgeous day and Corrinne was doing cartwheels in the parking lot before we even went in! The Tulsa Air and Space Museum is a beautiful facility. It's filled with replicas of airplanes, space crafts and tons of historical information. They have a supercool NASA space craft simulation machine. I forget what the name of the machine was, but it simulates what astronauts use to navigate outside the space craft (I keep wanting to say rocket ship...but I feel like that's not a technical term...) to make repairs on the space station... |
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03/09/12Savoring the MomentsThere's an interesting rhythm of life one experiences as a work-at-home-mom. Any working parent has to develop juggling skills, carefully balancing responsibilities of work and home, but when you work outside your home, you have a physical separation of the two. I've become convinced that "working from home" is distinctly different from being a "work-at-home-mom." Here's why: you are part stay-at-home-mom and part business owner or whatever vocation you have that produces income. But they're both jobs. Picking up kids for a play date, monitoring naps and the refusal thereof, attending school parties, instructing during homework time, and delivering forgotten lunches are all equally important tasks as returning emails and making phone calls. I... |
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03/05/12Picnics and PlaydatesThere's something about having someone else's kid in my car for a playdate that makes me feel like a real mom. I feel the same way about picnics at the park. Don't you? Isn't there just something about taking kids to the park that makes you feel good, like you're doing the right thing? Eat your veggies, check! Get a little exercise, check! Read a book every now and then, check! Take your kids to the park instead of planting them in front of the TV, checkola! My four year old has a little BFF. He's ca-ute, and the two of them together - even cuter! His mom and I occasionally trade off picking up the other from their Pre-K class and have a playdate for the afternoon. They are truly well behaved together and have so much fun. It's not in any way... |
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02/29/12Kids Crafts at Sooner ScrapbooksOn President's Day last week, I had the opportunity to spend the day off with my little bees and we had quite a day! After hanging out in our jammies most of the morning and eating pancakes, we got cleaned up and headed out to run some errands and find some fun. I shared recently that Sooner Scrapbooks was on my radar, and last Monday they had a craft activity for $5 per child. We showed up for snacks and stamps and made some pretty cool art! Sooner Scrapbooks owner, Shannon, had put together some darling name art and bubble wrap crafts for us to do that day. What's cool about their crafts, is that all the supplies are covered in the $5, and you pretty much have access to anything she has that you'd like to use in your project including stickers, stamps, scissors... |
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02/22/12Darryl Starbird Car ShowBeing a mom of boys is fun! There are a LOT of boys in our family. My husband and I have three boys, seven nephews, and another boy cousin who might as well be a nephew. Last weekend we had just our little boys with us. As shared in my recent post about events on my radar to attend with the kids, we had planned to attend the Darryl Starbird 48th Annual Car Show on Saturday. To make it even more fun, we decided to invite my brother's boys to go with us. The boys were super excited to see all the hot rods, and when they found out there would be freestyle motor cross and monster truck races too, they were beside themselves. Since it was rainy and cold, we were really glad to have something exciting to do indoors. After a pit stop for snacks at Wendy's, we made... |
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02/16/12On My RadarYou know what’s fun about supporting local businesses and blogging about fun things to do with your kids in Tulsa? People who know what you do give you ideas all the time! I wanted to let you know about a lot of fun places I’ve been catching buzz on, and a few upcoming events to put on your calendar! Muskogee War Memorial Park and Museum – A friend from high school sent me a message on facebook and told me about this, knowing I’m a fan of local businesses, and it sounds really interesting. Her grandfather runs the place, which is also fun. They’ve got submarines, bombers and all kinds of other WWII memorabilia, as well as what looks to be a moving memorial. We love visiting Muskogee; they’ve got River Country water park that we frequent in the... Posted at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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02/13/12Mama Monday - Infant ImmunizationsOne of my jobs as a birth doula is assisting my clients in writing their birth plans. Birth plans include both a mother's preferences concerning procedures and the environment surrounding her baby's birth, as well as her wishes for newborn care. I have been receiving a lot of questions recently about information regarding immunizations for newborns, and I've also seen some pretty interesting posts in health blogs I follow. I think the questions of whether or not to vaccinate, and on what schedule to do so are important questions for parents ask. I posted a controversial article I found on my facebook page several days ago, and posed the question, "How do you feel about immunizations?" hoping to spur on some conversation. I was not disappointed, and was... |
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02/10/12Bouncing Around At Bouncy BarnDoes anyone else struggle to find ACTIVE activities for your kids during the cold winter months? Granted, we have been really spoiled with a mild winter this year, considering most of last year's winter was a blizzard, but it's still hard for me to get out and watch my kids play at the park when my fingers are numb! If your littles start crawling the walls of your home when they're cooped up for too long like mine do, you might need another option in your arsenal of toddler energy busters! A couple of years ago, we were invited to a birthday party at a place called Bouncy Barn, which was then located at 51st and County Line. Recently, as I drove by the shopping center at 81st and Elm (Houston and Elm) in Broken arrow, I noticed they'd moved just down the... |
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02/02/12Exploring Extracurriculars - GymnasticsOne of the areas of motherhood I'm really enjoying as my children get older is exploring their interests and talents through extracurricular activities. It is so much fun to watch them learn, grow, and be challenged in ways that truly expand their horizons. It can be difficult to decide where to start, and how to invest. While we don't want to force kids to commit to activities they don't love, we also want to teach them about committment, hard work, and finishing what they start. We also don't want to spend lots of money on gear for an activity they may not stick with! So, it can be a guessing game as well as a treasure hunt! I shared last fall about finding a great dance class for our little bees, and so far it's been a great fit for them. We tried a... |
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01/30/12Mama Monday - Doulas and EpiduralsAs a Birth Doula, I have encountered many questions about whether or not a woman should hire a doula to support her in her birth if she plans to receive an epidural analgesia for pain relief. This is a very good question, and I'd like to offer some information that might help you make that decision if you're wondering the same thing! The first thing to remember is that a doula's job is to offer physical, emotional and informational support to a woman before, during, and just after birth. Every woman giving birth needs support and encouragement, regardless of her location (home, hospital or birth center), or choices of pain relief during childbirth. Many make an incorrect assumption that doulas only serve women seeking natural and unmedicated births; in fact, doulas... |
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01/27/12Spreading Some Small Business LoveSo, I've been planning all kinds of fun activities to do with the kids to share some great ideas for fun things to do around Tulsa, and as fate would have it, things haven't gone as planned! One of my little guys was sent home with a terrible cough yesterday morning, so I had to cancel a play date I'd planned with a few other moms at Bouncy Barn's new location in Broken Arrow. Don't worry, it's been rescheduled for next Monday, so you can look forward to my review! With sick man in tow, I needed to get a few errands done, and since I was in the neighborhood I thought I'd stop by Sage Culinary Studio to check out hours and get some info on classes. It's something I've wanted to do with the kids and knew it would be a... |
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01/23/12Mama Monday - Exercise in PregnancyHappy Mama Monday, friends! Today I'm writing about a subject that is very important to any expectant mama: Exercise! Many expectant mothers have questions about exercise, often a result of fear. It is understandable and expected that a woman would want to protect her growing baby, and as a result women often fear harming their baby with the strenuous, jumpy, or jerky movements associated with exercise. Add to that fear the intense fatigue that accompanies pregnancy, and the notion of exercise can quickly fall by the wayside! Always, always consult your physician first, but generally, if you are experiencing a normal pregnancy without any high risk factors, you should be able to engage in low impact activities to stay healthy and prepare for birth. Here's the deal:... |
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01/18/12Bowling at School Spirit NightI love our kids' school and the School Spirit Night opportunities they provide. Every few weeks, the school cooperates with a local business so that a percentage of the proceeds from that evening go back to your school. Not only is it a great way to support local businesses and your school, but it's an opportunity for the kids to get to see their friends outside of school, and for us to get to know other families! Last week, Spirit Night was at one of our favorite places for bowling, Broken Arrow Lanes, at 101st and Elm. They had special pricing for games as well as a family meal deal for pizza and soda. The little bees were so excited and begging me to go. That's an easy yes right there! First, we had to get our shoes. A friend once told me she and her friends... |
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01/16/12Celebrating a KingDr. Martin Luther King Jr. that is. This morning, after taking the kids for donuts, we got into a discussion in the car about today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I explained to the littles that there was a time in our country when people were separated by the color of their skin, and not all little girls and boys were allowed to go to the same schools and play with each other. I told them that Dr. King was a pastor and loved God and loved people and stood up for what he believed was right. That he told everyone that God made everyone the same and loved us all, and gave a speech about how he had a dream that we could all live together and be friends. I hadn't planned on attending the MLK Day parade downtown until my five year old asked a few minutes later,... |
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01/12/12Home Depot's Free Kids WorkshopYears ago, a good friend of mine told me about the Free Kids Workshops held at Home Depot. This friend was definitely the resource of all resources. She was a coupon and sale queen, home schooler, and knew all the places in town for a great kid outing. She always seemed to know what was going on, an how to get a good deal on it. Oh Sara, you're such an inspiration! Since then, in the back of my mind I keep thinking to myself that I ought to find out more about this kids workshop and check it out. Last Friday night, it occurred to me that we didn't have any Saturday plans, and I thought I'd get online and see if I could find anything out. I was literally in bed, and grabbed my phone (thank goodness for smart phones!) and got on Home Depot's website. Sure enough,... |
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01/09/12Mama Monday - My Journey of HealthCall it a resolution if you want to, I call it time. It's just time. For a change. I realized as the new year rolled around that I've been on a yo-yo with my diet, health and weight my entire adult life. Since college, I've gained and lost weight, gone on "health kicks" and given up so I could "just enjoy what I ate." I've joined and dropped Weight Watchers twice, started and stopped South Beach Diet twice, counted calories, become a health club addict, trained for a marathon (and gave up), run two Tulsa Runs, one Rt. 66 Half Marathon, and successfully packed on 20 lbs in a decade. Twenty pounds. To be clear, I don't think I look bad (in clothes anyway); in fact, I look very normal and average. Sadly, though, average in our... |
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01/06/12Osaka - A Special Birthday DinnerWhat do you do for an eleven year old's birthday? Nothing really seemed to fit the bill when we tried to figure out how to celebrate, even when we asked Carter. Bowling? Nah. Movies? Not really. He's kind of over the whole Incredible Pizza thing too, though that's always a favorite with the family. Then, something hit me. Maybe it's not an activity we need, but dinner that's also entertainment! As far as I knew, none of our kids had even been to a hibachi grill, or Japanese steakhouse, so I suggested Osaka to Marc. He thought the idea was brilliant, so we made reservations! Last night, when we arrived and sat at our table, Marc gave the kids a reminder rundown of the rules when we're at a restaurant. I just love looking at pics of our... |
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01/06/12Kuts 4 KidsAnyone else have trouble finding a great place to get your kids' haircuts? Now that I think about it, I guess I've never actually TRIED all that hard to find a great place because life is always so busy! I always end up going to the nearest walk-in quickie cut place, and end up unhappy with what they do to my kids' locks, as well as heated with frustration from having to keep my kids from climbing the walls while waiting! A couple of my friends have raved about Kuts 4 Kids near 81st and Lewis, so I was more than willing to try it out. We showed up around 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon, and I was not the only one with the brilliant idea; the waiting area was filled with kids and parents, so the waiting list was considerable. No one seemed to mind... Posted at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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01/03/12Mama Monday - Mom Blog HighlightsI know, I know, it's Tuesday. But I still want to do this post. I guess I could just call it Mom Blog Highlights, but it still qualifies for my Mama Monday category, so let's just pretend it's still Monday, mkay? Thanks :)! I love sharing with you what I'm reading and what inspires me, as well as supporting fellow Mom Bloggers. I don't pretend to think I've got the market cornered or that my blog is the end all of parenting and life inspiration. We all have our unique take on life and each of us has unique gifts that we share. Here are my latest loves! All For the Boys I heart this blog!! I love sewing and crafting, but so many of the projects you find online are centered around little girls. I LOVE me some little girls, but male definitely... |
Having always said that life shouldn't get in the way of living, Missy strives to find adventure with her children even when things get hairy. Missy and her husband, Marc, have four children. With busy schedules and a small business to run, Missy is not lacking for things to occupy her time. She understands the challenges of being a single parent and is learning to be a stepmom. A Tulsa native, this mama loves exploring fun activities locally and shares her experiences with you in her blog. Upfront and honest, she doesn't pull any punches about meltdowns in the mall or potty accidents at public events. She carries her unique perspective into every challenge she encounters, sharing insights with her readers along the way.
