PerryBuilt Family

I let my daughter stay home from school on Friday, and she wasn't sick.  It was so funny because I didn't really think that was a very big deal, but I got a very mixed reaction. My husband asked why?  I said because she wanted to and she always wants to go to school.  I figured if she was tired, then why not follow her lead.  After all it is the holiday season, it's a crazy time of year, why not take a day where nothing is planned and we do what we want in the moment, with no agenda.  A friend of mine said that her mom called them "mental health" days.  I was allowed to play hooky occasionally when I was a child.  Maximum, maybe once or twice a year, so I didn't abuse it. Both of my parents worked full time so it was only when they could be home with me which wasn't very often. The holiday season is so packed with special traditions and getting together with family and friends that we don't see all of the time.  If you can, why not...

If you are on facebook you are probably sick of November, with all of the thankful daily posts.  My favorite facebook posts are the posts that start a discussion or prompt a comment, or gives me more information on a subject I am interested in that I did not have without it before.  I don't need a 20 something list of the things people are thankful for. What is important to me is teaching my children gratitude.  It's also important to me to show them gratitude by example, and I am not sure I am always so great at that.  I always remind them to say "Thank You's" and "Please's."  But, they don't often remember on their own without the reminder, and then they just hear me say it over and over and over again. More important than just having manners, is thinking about what is meaningful in you life; it's why you make the decisions you do, it's being appreciative of life's little gifts.  When we see a beautiful sunset, do we say thank y...

It's time to make room for all that extra stuff that comes with the holiday season. From cleaning out the freezer to make room for leftovers for Thanksgiving, to getting out the decorations and wondering what items to put away while putting the seasonal stuff up. Additionally, my kids are working on their Christmas lists and I am thinking, where is it all going to go? My daughter has a hard time letting go of things.  Call it an emotional attachment, or as her teacher put it a pack rat.  I sneak into her room when she is at school to clean out things and she rarely notices they are missing. I was discussing this with a fellow mom recently, and she suggested that this is a value teaching point that I should meet head on to teach her how to let go of items that are no longer played with.  And there could be some added incentives.  Used clothing stores, usually have sections for books, DVDs and gently used toys.  I could put the items in her name a...

I have been a little more motivated in creating some decorations this year for Halloween.  I mean we are in a house that we own now, so I can make things to fit our specific space. We live in the mountains and don't get many or possibly any trick or treators according to the neighbors.  But I think there is something festive about decorating for the people that might be driving by.  More importantly, I think the kids get a kick out of it.  Although it's been a bit difficult explaining to a 3 and 6 year old why scary décor is kind of fun, or even why being scared is fun. Have you tried to explain what a zombie is to a 6 year old? I didn't get a lot of reassurance it was understood. I finally used my favorite book recommendation site, A Mighty Girl , (I have a boy too and still: great title recommendations) and ordered a bunch of books from the library for their age groupings and hopefully that will help explain some of the concepts more in s...

This is my second year where I have looked forward to and dreaded being a slave to the school calendar and going back to school!  My oldest will be in first grade this year.  It seems that there are two sides to every point I am thinking of in saying goodbye to the beautiful Summer and hello to Fall. First off, I think we have had an amazing summer.  We had a few beach days, played in a pool that was given to us most everyday, rode bikes, gone to the aquarium and the zoo, gone camping, boating, maintained a garden, checked off several house projects, and done it all while we both (Perry Mama and Perry Papa) somehow worked and kept it all on track. Boy, am I tired; and still attempting to fit in a few final activities in the last two days before school inevitable starts at 8:30 on Wednesday of this week!!  OMG! I am looking forward to a longer school day, my daughter will go to school until 2:30 for the first time in her life!  But, I am going t...

I'm trying to revive some of my kitchen staples to add a fun splash of color.  I was left with all of these unused paint samples that I wanted to use for a fun summer project, I thought it was going to be for something outside, but I found something inside that needed a  face lift.  Don't forget 1 coat of primer, even if your paint comes with primer in it and two coats of color (I learned that the hard way, thinking I could skip the primer step).  Unfortunately, all of the samples you get from Home Depot are flat, so I also needed to spray them with a glossy sealer, so they would also wipe clean.  Just some tips if this should inspire you! I definitely need to learn about wax sealers, if you have used them, please comment and give me your tips!          Yes, it might look a little like Easter, but with my tired linoleum counter tops that I am going to have to wait to replace, I needed something a little fun!   I al...

I'm usually full of thoughts, but today the only thing I can think of that I have spent and huge amount of time on lately other than work and family is gardening. I am honestly enjoying it! Even the weeding. I have tried to take before and after pictures, but I just get going when I have a few moments and so much changes so quickly and before you know it I haven't taken a before and after shot. I think the main thing is that I am learning a lot, and I am really enjoying it! It's been a great activity for all of us to do together.  And we get some sun and fresh air. I am also experimenting so much and just trying to see what works here in this climate, with our predators and maybe a few clumsy people that trample the wrong spot. The main thing is that the people that had this house before me, knew a lot more than I did. And, with a little help from my friends; I post what I don't know about on facebook and I get a ton of great advice and things to google and loo...

My daughter has 4 weeks and counting until summer starts. What am I going to do with 2 kids home all day, everyday, all summer long? And what do I remember most about being a kid and my summers? Summer to me, means flexibility in schedules, and being outside and staying up late. After ending Spring Break a little disappointed that I didn't focus on more activities that I wanted to do with the kids, I am creating a cup with summer activities that I am writing on Popsicle sticks. We will pull 3 each week and plan our week around those activities. The amusement park, beach days, cooking, reading, and craft projects will all be attained and I feel with this plan we will all have a fun fulfilling summer. Here are some ideas: Before school ends, post a calendar of park meet ups so the kids can see their friends throughout the summer and you don't have to entertain a bunch of kids in your own home. You can get to know more of the parents,etc. This has been very fun f...

When I was a kid I went back and forth between my parents houses because they were divorced. I had gone every other day (I usually get a pitiful look from people when I say that, but it was awesome, what kid doesn't want to see both parents everyday?) And, I don't remember feeling disconnected with my space until I was 8 and started going every other week. Every week I would get home and even if my room wasn't dirty I would clean. I was reacquainting myself with the space. In a big world where still many things are out of my control; cleaning, is a simple task where I can feel satisfied and some what accomplished. Here's a link to an article about sanity and cleanliness. (I'm still on the hunt for a better one out there which I will share with you when I find one, but when I google psychology and cleanliness I get the biblical verse about cleanliness and godliness, which isn't what I was trying to share with my readers). In my new home, though it has been a slo...

The first few pictures I hung in my house, I used the help of my handy dandy talented contractor husband who, has all the right tools and does math easily in his head to hang pictures at the right height and can easily match the height or divide up the space perfectly. Having two kids, the project got interrupted, of course. But, there is something about moving, I don't feel quite settled until I see my artwork or families and friends faces on the walls surrounding me. It's how I mark my territory, or something. So, if you walked into my home, you would know my style, and immediately what I love. And, what I love, which as you will see in the next few pictures are my kids! My husband did complain that we need either different people on our walls and or more artwork. I agree, we spent a pretty penny on getting professional pictures taken of our kids as infants and that time was really the last time I updated what was in my frames. I told him, we will get the frames u...

I should not be writing my blog today, but I need a little brain break and I would rather be thinking about all these things than work and bills. Spring is such a wonderful time of year! Living in California, it is the short time of the year where everything growing under the trees is actually green without a sprinkler, and it does not last long. The trees start to blossom and the sun gets warmer, yet the mornings are still crisp and clean. We just moved into a new place with lots of garden beds. Last Friday, my kids (and the neighbors, Thank you, by the way), dug up some poorly placed garden boxes right outside our front door and moved them to the side of the house where all the rest of the garden boxes live. It has been a few years since I have actually had a vegetable garden, so we will see how it goes, but I have high hopes and have actually started my veggies by seed. I know I must be crazy. I have followed this website where you put in your zipcode and it tells you wha...

The flu shot is something, as a mother of two, I debate about every year. However, I never remember getting the flu shot annually when I was a kid.  So has the flu gotten worse? Has the shot gotten better? Or, are the pharmaceutical companies distributing the shot playing off of our fears?  They even have the insurance companies offering free shots to limit medical expenses as a result of the virus. It is a very personal decision and I am not sure I have the answer. Nor do I criticize or condone the administration of it. I was pregnant with my second child when there was a big H1N1 scare a few years ago. I had to get through the peak of flu season right in my last trimester.  No one wants to put their child at risk or themselves when your body needs to be ready for labor.  And, boy did I get sick that second pregnancy. My daughter was in preschool and I worked there one day a week, so having us both involved there really increased our susceptibility. I was told aft...

I believe that socializing your child as early on as possible is the best gift you can give them. This means more than play dates and siblings. I chose to take my children to a co-op when they were only toddlers (before preschool age).  I don't know that most toddler parents know that this option exists.  My son started at 17 months. My daughter started at 24 months and most parents I feel don't look for preschools until their kids are closer to age 3.  This was great because it gave me parenting skills along with skills to manage interactions among other young children and strengthened my comfort level and confidence in being with other kids.  It gave my children the experience of what is acceptable play, encouraged independence and confidence in their abilities.  In short, they blossomed, or actually, we collectively blossomed. In this post, I am going to outline the expectations and rewards of being involved  in a co-op. It can be a little scary ...

We first started this harrowing process of buying a home  nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, over  a year ago.  Finally, with the wonderful help of our  realtor  and lender , w e found success two days after Christmas. What a wonderful gift.  Although, if you had asked me,  I wondered if we would ever close the deal. We  had been so close to closing before,  but  it had been  delayed  over and over again,  that I could  not believe it until the keys were placed in  my  hand! My husband was a champion at making all the hard decisions about sticking with it and not backing out, given all the disclosed problems that a house built in the forties would have. He is a gifted  contractor and has the knowledge to make these tough decisions, because he knows what the work is going to be like to fix them.  Not to mention, the house was bank owned and had been sitting vacant without any regular maint...