Six Reasons to Celebrate in May

I always say May is JUST as busy and crazy as December, except you don't have the enchanting twinkle lights and Christmas cheer.  It's nuts!  Never fear, though.  Between all the end-of-year school projects and field days you'll find some pretty fun reasons to celebrate.

Cinco de Mayo

Put on a breezy Mexican dress and dish up some fajitas.  This is a great reason to gather up some friends BECAUSE TEX MEX.

Kentucky Derby

The most exciting two minutes in sports is perfect for my limited attention span. Whether you put on a big hat, place a friendly wager, or just get a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken and tune in, this is one the whole family can enjoy.  Of course I always pick my favorite horse by which name I think is most clever.

Teacher Appreciation

Sure, we are all tired of signing homework folders and packing lunches at this point.  We also realize all the hard work teachers put in day after day.  Teacher Appreciation is typically the second week of May, although different schools do different things.  This is a great opportunity to be generous and creative in ways that benefit the teachers who put in so many hours with our children.  

Mother's Day

If you're a mom, put your feet up and milk it!   Also remember to celebrate your mom, your mother-in-law, your grandmothers AND friends who are mothering alongside you.  Lavish them with love!  There can sometimes be overly high expectations attached to this day.  Just ride it out.  Do your best to enjoy that toddler-prepared breakfast-in-bed and wear your macaroni necklace with pride.  

The Royal Wedding

It turns out an American girl can in fact grow up to be a princess!  Will you be watching when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tie the knot?  I know I will be.  It's a lovely excuse to invite a bunch of girlfriends over for brunch to gush over the royal wedding in all its glory.

Last Day of School

Oooooooooh I love the last day of school.  I love turning off my alarm clock, stashing the backpacks and lunchboxes and smelling the freedom in the air. (Of course I'm totally ready for the return of structured days come August.)  I have a "last day" playlist we crank up with the windows rolled down as we head out from school and toward summer break.  I also have a little "finish line" made of streamers for my kids to bust through on the front porch.

What are you celebrating next month?  Preschool graduation?  College-bound seniors?  My family gets to celebrate many birthdays as well.  Here's to putting on our party hats for May!

Movie Night: Three Netflix Picks for Older Kids

It's finally Friday and you're ready to unwind with the fam.   What should you watch?  Today I'm sharing three movies we've recently enjoyed on Netflix.  Is it weird that I think of Netflix movies as free?  When you compare them to going to the theater or even buying a DVD, they pretty much are!

All of these picks, in my opinion, are more suitable for older kids.  For reference, my kids are 8 and 11 years old.  So, these are not for toddlers, but if you're looking for something older kids can enjoy that's clean but not babyish... one of these could fit the bill!

There's a new Benji movie on Netflix and it's really well done.  The little dog is as cute as ever and so are the kids.  This movie centers on the kids being kidnapped, so take into account your children's sensitivity.  It could be a little scary for some, but it's clean and will have you rooting for Benji the whole time.

Full Out is based on a true story (I always love when that is the case) and was surprisingly entertaining.  It has both gymnastics and hip hop dancing.  Hip hop cardio is my workout of choice so I got a kick out of the dance scenes.  The ending has some fun surprises as well.  This one is cute!

We missed The BFG in theaters, but my son and I watched it one day when he was home sick from school.  The animation is incredible and the movie offers lots of laughs.  I think some scenes could be too scary for my daughter, but my 11-year-old and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What are your favorite Netflix picks these days?  Let me know!