Camp Listenbee 2020

Camp Listenbee is often an adventure. A new city and a global health emergency required us to get creative and adapt. Adapting we did. 

We spent time with family. This summer, my nephew is officially taller than I am. We love spending time with our sweet family. The kids had a great time together exploring our town. The public swimming pool is open with restrictions so they all splashed quite a bit. 

We spent quite some time in the public library getting books and returning books. I signed up for the summer reading challenge (which we more than completed) I just haven't logged in their books. I guess I should before school returns. I read quite a bit myself. The library is new to us but a familiar place at the same time. The kids and I love books. It's amazing to scape to the world of a book. 

 

We swam quite a bit. There were restrictions everywhere but the kids had a solid swim team season. They enjoyed it and I was happy to see their progress. I've always said that swimming is a gift. I'm glad to share it with my littles. For the record, I've never been in a swim team. My parents put me in lessons and I learned three styles. I'm not a competitive person so I swim for the joy of it. I like to swim because it gives something different than running. I am thankful to God for the ability to swim as a sport. 

I learned that there are millions of berry farms in our area. My sweet friend invited us to visit one and we had an amazing time. The kids enjoyed the ice cream and the hot dog at the end. Ha ha! We will be back again and again for sure!

We did a little bit of traveling in our area. It was fun to get away for a bit. We visited an indoor waterpark. The kids absolutely loved it!

We also had a chance to get to know Canyon Lake. It was so incredibly beautiful! Our family loved that area of Texas and we will return for sure. 

This summer the kids wrote quite a bit as far as letters. They were faithful to keep in touch with friends. It was fun to see their smiles when they got letters in the mail. I'm glad we share the same appreciation for letter writing. 

We stretched our musical abilities quite a bit. One of my littles gave us a concert featuring a song she wrote. It was so precious and encouraging. 

Summer is my favorite season. I enjoy the warmth. I enjoy celebrating the kids' birthdays. I enjoy seeing family and friends. I enjoy swimming and eating fresh fruits and veggies. I thank God for summers. They remind me of how good God is to us. He gave us new life and we get to enjoy it to the fullest. 

It took a village but we had an amazing Camp Listenbee. I can't believe this is our first in East Texas. The only thing we didn't do was Cow Appreciation Day. We did give Chick-fil-A quite a bit of our money tough. Lol! 

I think that when I look back at the summer of 2020, I will remember the smiles of my kids. I will remember their incredible faith and trust. I will remember our adventures together and I will remember the goodness of God. 

More in this series:

• Camp Listenbee 2019 • Camp Listenbee 2018

• Camp Listenbee 2017
• Camp Listenbee 2016
• Camp Listenbee 2013
• Summer Organization Tips for Mothers of Preschoolers
• Preschool Summer Camp Coop

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Summer Activity Ideas for Kids

Summer break is upon us! Here are some easy, frugal and creative ideas to enhance your summer.

1. Library reading challenge • every summer, our local public library offers a summer reading challenge for kids. We sign up every year and the kids enjoy it so much! Many are concerned of the amount of learning kids lose during the summer. I choose to focus on the different type of learning that summer brings. Reading is a joy and it is so good to share it as a family. During the summer, I have more time to read out loud as well as read what I want to read. I sign up to the challenge as an adult because I can always read more.

2. Community Pool /Splash Pad • we swim a lot during the summer. We try to get in the water as much as possible. Swimming makes every summer special so we make time for it. I know some parents sign up for swim lessons or for a local swim team. Even if all you have is a waterhole in the back of the house: get the kids in the water.

3. Children's Museum • I admire the children's museum for always keeping their exhibitions relevant and interesting. We go to the children's museum throughout the summer. It is a great break from the summer heat and the kids learn as they play.

4. Vacation Bible School • Most chinches offer Vacation Bible School during the summer. I've been part of churches who did not, so I went to a church that did. I also volunteered when I was a SAHM. VBS is also part of summer for our kids. It is a great way for kids to learn about Jesus while having fun. I also think the summer is a great time for adults to deepen their faith in God. Many churches offer summer studies. You can also buy a book where you can specifically study by yourself or with friends.

5. Galveston Beach • we are blessed with proximity to the beach. We try to go as much as we can. Galveston is one of many beaches in the area. We pack and picnic and we enjoy hours of fun. The kids love the beach as well. There are other things to do in the area, such as taking the ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula, visiting  Moody Gardens and many other things!

6. Picnic • the kids and I love picnics. I even bought a picnic basket because we love it so much. Our picnics are simple. I pack a few foods, water and we go to a local park. The kids play and when they get hungry, we sit in the grass and eat together. I recently learned that when I am suffering from stress, taking the kids to the park to enjoy a picnic helps me relax.

7. Rice University • Rice is a great place for kids! The grounds are beautiful. Kids can visit Fondren Library and see a piece of the moon. They can walk outside and swing in the hammocks. My kids love the frog wall. Rice is a great place to bring a picnic lunch and explore the grounds. There are so many fun things to!

8. Coding for Kids • Do you know a skill? You can teach it to your kids. I've been teaching my kids to code and we will have an intensive during the summer. They will also learn other skills I have but it is challenging to include in our school year schedule. The summer is also the time my kids get a Portuguese intensive class. Think about something you know and teach!

9. Outdoor Theater • Many communities have summer outdoor theaters. We have a great one here in Houston. In the past, we enjoyed taking a blanket, sitting outside and enjoying the play.

10. Community Playdates • Not all of our neighborhood kids go to the same school. The summer is a great time for neighborhood playdates. We are planning on getting the kids together for community playdates. The summer is a great time to meet our neighbors. Playdates are a great way to do that.

11. Dinner Parties • During the school year, everyone's excuse not to be with friends is the famous busy schedule. The summer is a great time to host dinner parties for the entire family. Dinner parties are perfect to teach children about hospitality and serving. I like to involve my kids in all aspects of the a dinner party. Hospitality is to be shared. The best way to learn is to practice.

What are your favorite summer activities for kids? 

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Spring Break Staycation ideas

Spring Break is quickly approaching in this side of the world (yes!). Here are a few ideas for you.

Log on to the Cheapo sites - there are a million out there. Every city has a resident writer who does all of us a favor and looks for the deals and freebies. A word of caution is that some sites are completely for advertisement purposes so do what’s best for your family.

Make a list and check it twice - our family has a mental list of place we’d like to go. One of them is a famous Ethiopian restaurant. The kids keep asking about it so that will be on my list of things to do. Writing things down guarantees that you will have plenty options for the question what should we do today.

Get some rest - Remember how tired you were during the holidays and after they were over? Spring break week is a good time to rest. Sleep in. Take a siesta. Give your brain a break from the news cycle. It is important to feel recharged after Spring Break. Your health always benefits from rest. 

Declutter - If you have an area of your home that’s driving you nuts, Spring Break is a good week to Declutter. You don’t have to Declutter your whole house. Even if all you do is to switch your kids wardrobes from winter to Spring, count it as a win.

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10 Free Spring Break Activities

1. Pinterest Projects - Remember your Pinterest board? What about those supplies you got in the store to complete those cool projects? This is the week to get busy with them. Let's be honest: you could open your own craft store with all the things you have in your house. Get creative using what you do have. Your kids will love the things you come up with! 

2. Public Library events - This is the money maker friends. Your public library understands their goal demographic and they planned amazing events for this week all for FREE. In my neck of the woods there's an opera performance for kids, story time, movie and teddy bear camp just to name a few. Log on to their website and look at their schedule of events. I know you'll be glad you did. 

3. Your Gym - This is the week to put your gym membership to use. We're blessed to have activities for the whole family in my gym so the kids get super excited about going. 

4. That membership from Christmas - If one of your loved ones gave you a membership to the zoo or to the Children's Museum, use it this week. Of course it'll be packed but there are ways of getting there in less visited times (such as when they first open). Take the dust off those memberships and use them this week! 

5. Free Museum Days - Museums are wonderful places. Some are generous enough to offer free days. find out when those days are and start exploring. 

6. Parks - I love parks with all my heart. They are always there, they are always free and they are great ways to enjoy the great outdoors. I often take a picnic to make the occasion extra special. Plan a visit to a local park with your little ones this week. 

7. Church - Really Cintia? Church? You bet. These wonderful places do not close on Spring Break and they have great activities for kids. If your excuse has been 'I'm too busy with other stuff,' this is the week to engage in some faith building time for the whole family. It will make an eternal difference. 

8. The Beach - If you live close to the beach, this is a the week to go! It's not super hot but we can all agree that just looking at the water and letting the kids play in the sand is super fun. 

9. Playdates - Most people do not do a good job keeping in touch with their friends, so getting together for a playdate is a wonderful thing to do this week. Here's the 'big girl' challenge: offer to keep your friends' kids so she can have a few hours to herself. This is a true test of selflessness and love. I'm just saying and yes, I do practice what I preach. 

10. Grandma's House - If you live close to your folks, going to their house for a few hours is a great way of getting some family time. We don't, so we rely on our church family for that. The kids will also build some great memories that will last for a lifetime. 

11. Boredom - Most people don't know how to be bored and disengage their brain from the digital buzz. This week, give your kids the gift of boredom. I often turn off all the screens at our house and I force the kids to use their own brains. Goodness what a gift it is to be trained to use the brain and the imagination God gave us! 

I hope I inspired you to find some free fun this week. Let me know how it goes! 

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VBS 2015

It's VBS time for us! We are participating in Vacation Bible School for the third year. This year the theme is "Everest: Conquering Challenges with God's Mighty Power." What a great theme! I was really blessed with all the lessons from day 1.

I enjoy the idea of Vacation Bible School. I don't know the history of it but if it is what the name says, it's great. I think that parents should also take the summer to enjoy a Bible School of some sort. Whether your church offers a Bible class or not, there are a lot of options out there for those looking for increasing their knowledge about this book that's all about God.

VBS is not childcare. From my experience, people are really serious about loving kids into the Kingdom of God. They do it in word and deed. I know that while I'm volunteering I'm praying that every child has an experience with God that will change their life.

I know not every parent can't volunteer but here are some options of what to do to help:

• Volunteer before or after VBS. There's a lot of work to be done before during and after. Find a way to plug in and help.
• Find a Night VBS if you work during the day. If your town doesn't have one, start one. I'm serious. I have family members who work during the day so they volunteer in night VBS. They love their experience!
• Thank the Volunteers. Volunteers go through background checks, training and daily prayer time in order to be sure that the kids have a great experience. A simple thank you is a blessing and some partner with the church to feed us and appreciate us in that way.
• Pray for the Leadership. Leading VBS is hard work. I grew up seeing my mother do it and I have a heart for the brave leaders of Vacation Bible School. I make the point to pray for them and serve them well. If you can't be there, you can always pray for them. Pray for rest and for God's grace to lead. You can also ask what their prayer needs are and go to work with those.
• Take Vacation time and Volunteer. I just talked to someone who is doing just that. The interesting thing is that this person didn't have to do this but she chose to serve God that way. Some vacation time is for us and I think that some is for helping God's Kingdom. I pray that God will richly bless this sweet lady who is serving the kids so well this week.

Vacation Bible School is a great way to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ones He loves so much. He said do not impede them but instead, lead them to Me.

Previously in this series:
• Our First VBS
• VBS Part 2
• Vacation Bible School 2014

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Chicago Marathon Training Week 12

• As a gift to YOU, the Hyatt Regency O'Hare is offering a great Discount from now til December 30th! Go to this link and enter the Code: OHFUN

Oi queridos! Estou chegando no fim do meu treino pra Maratona de Chicago. Semana passada corri 32 km, que é o máximo que corro antes da maratona. Com 20 dias pra maratona, estou grata a Deus, a minha família e a minha amiga Rita pelo apoio que eles tem me dado. A Rita começou os 32 km comigo, foi levar os filhos pra escola, voltou de bicicleta (estava até chovendo naquele dia) pra me acompanhar no final do treino e me trouxe café da manhã! Deus é bom e sempre me manda uns amigos sensacionais como a Rita! Ela tem sido uma inspiração pra mim porque ela participou de vários IronMan (113 km)  e sempre está treinando pra alguma competição. 

Uma das novidades que eu estou trazendo pra vocês meus queridos leitores, é que o hotel Hyatt Regency O'Hare está de parceria com o SimplyCintia.com durante a Maratona de Chicago. Eu vou "levar vocês comigo", e vou escrever um artigo sobre a minha estadia no Hyatt Regency O'Hare. Outra coisa legal é que eles estão dando um disconto pros meus leitores de agora até dia 30 de Dezembro se vocês estiverem viajando pra Chicago. Vá nesse link e na parte do Code, escreva OHFUN

Amanhã vou falar sobre outra coisa bem divertida que vou fazer em Chicago além de correr 42 km. Obrigada pelo apoio e por ler o SimplyCintia.com!

Previously in this Series:
• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
• Week 5
• Week 6
• Week 7
• Week 8
• Week 9
• Week 10
• Week 11 (Português)

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VBS: Part 2

This week the kids and I are at Vacation Bible School (VBS) again. We are attending it at a church really close to our home. Today was our first day and the kids really liked it! I am volunteering in the Story Telling part. I am amazed at the creativity of our leader! This week we will be telling different stories of the Bible and the kids actually get to act them out. We have sweet preschoolers and our workshop is super interactive which makes it very much fun. 

I am thankful to God for the opportunity to introduce the kids to VBS at such an early age. I'm amazed at how much you you can learn at such an early age and actually use it for the rest of your life. I didn't know anyone at the leadership of this VBS (good thing I'm outgoing) but I have met some awesome folks thus far.

I'm looking forward to seeing what God is going to to in all our hearts during this week. As one of my friends said, it's a blessing for our kids to see the Bible coming alive at VBS.

You may also like:
• Our first VBS

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ABC Matching Game

If have some egg cartons laying around, the letters of the alphabet, and a permanent marker, you have all you need to make this ABC Matching Game. 

The kids enjoyed it very much and really got into the game! I had kids from 2 to 6 years old doing this activity and they really loved it. I hope you can add this super easy activity into your activity bucket.

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Traveling without Kids: Vlog

Related Videos:
Hotel Tips for Parents traveling with Kids 2 and under

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Taking a Break

Hello friends! I'm taking a break from the blog this month. I'm fasting with my church for 21 days during the month of January. I can't fast foods but I chose to 'fast media' (this is an automatically scheduled message). I'll be back next week on January 25. Here is a Bible passage about fasting:

Isaiah 58:6-11 (Amplified Bible)

"[Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house--when you see the naked, that you cover him, and that you hide not yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

    Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away from your midst yokes of oppression [wherever you find them], the finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and every form of false, harsh, unjust, and wicked speaking,

    And if you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity and gloom become like the noonday.

    And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not."

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Estou de Férias!

Oi gente, estou de férias do blog por 21 dias. Nossa igreja está jejuando e orando por 21 dias. Como não posso jejuar alimentos eu escolhi jejuar mídia (essa mensagem é uma mensagem automática). Essa é uma passagem sobre o jejum: 

^"Acaso não é este o jejum que escolhi? que soltes as ligaduras da impiedade, que desfaças as ataduras do jugo? e que deixes ir livres os oprimidos, e despedaces todo jugo?

    Porventura não é também que repartas o teu pão com o faminto, e recolhas em casa os pobres desamparados? que vendo o nu, o cubras, e não te escondas da tua carne?

    Então romperá a tua luz como a alva, e a tua cura apressadamente brotará. e a tua justiça irá adiante de ti; e a glória do Senhor será a tua retaguarda.

    Então clamarás, e o Senhor te responderá; gritarás, e ele dirá: Eis-me aqui. Se tirares do meio de ti o jugo, o estender do dedo, e o falar iniquamente;

    e se abrires a tua alma ao faminto, e fartares o aflito; então a tua luz nascerá nas trevas, e a tua escuridão será como o meio dia.

    O Senhor te guiará continuamente, e te fartará até em lugares áridos, e fortificará os teus ossos; serás como um jardim regado, e como um manancial, cujas águas nunca falham." Isaías 58:6-11

Volto no dia 25 de Janeiro. Um bom mês pra você!

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Vacation Notes

Being on vacation has been awesome. So far we've been able to get out and have lots of fun. We're visiting family, so we have free care for the baby. The funny thing is that I'm such a mama bird that I don't go that far from baby. It's a mom thing and it's alright, isn't it?

The Little Prince is so easygoing that he's been getting along with our extended family really well. Everyone loves a new baby, specially a cute one like the Little Prince.

Believe it or not, I've been able to fit workouts on the trip. This week the goal is to run 3 times. So far I ran 2 out of 3. We're in Mississippi and it's hotter and much more humid than North Carolina. What I thought about doing was to sign up for a gym and run in the treadmill. I've been running in the asphalt for the whole training, so this will be the first and probably the last week I do this before the race. Having flexibility while on vacation is good but I seriously need to be getting my miles in. For the first time since October 2008 I've been able to run for 3 miles. It's a great sense of joy just to be able to know I can do it. Repeating this endeavor in the asphalt will be a whole different thing but what I am focusing on is 'endurance.' I thank God for being able to run 3.1 miles. Sometimes it's just good to know you can do it. My friend who's running the 5K with me has been training hard in the asphalt and has been able to run up to 5.2 miles. She's awesome and I'm so very proud of her. She's now working on her timing. Signing up for that with a friend was awesome. We haven't trained together - I'd eat the dust from her tracks - but it's nice to talk to someone about training and it will be awesome to know someone there.

We went back to Oxford, MS where my husband and I met and fell in love almost 7 years ago. We usually go to our fav restaurant, see old professors, ride around and remember how things used to be. I also buy fabulous earrings in the square :) Today I walked around, thought about our past and realized I would not trade the life I have today for anything that ever happened in the past. God's been gracious, we've been happily married for 3 and a half years and now our family is growing and thriving even more with the birth of our first child. I love my life. I thank God for it.

Sometimes I'm guilty of sitting around and remembering how things were cool in 1996 when I could wear skinny jeans. I need to forget about the past and press forward. No one can successfully drive a car and arrive to their destination while looking in the rearview mirror. They are there so you can perceive if there are any threats trying to stop you to get to your destination. Use your past wisely but focus on your destination. Forget about how many situps you used to do and focus on what do you want to achieve in the future.

I wonder: have you been looking in the rearview mirror of your life while trying to drive forward?

Video Blog Update: I have been resting a little bit more this week. We try to fit so much in just a small window of vacation time that rest is not a priority. I did pamper myself after that first running workout, a pedicure was welcome and it looks awesome. I'll get some rest now, what about that?

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