Wings Over Texas Airshow

I got to see some of the Wings Over Texas Airshow from the road as I was driving by this weekend! The show took place this past Saturday and Sunday and was full of areal tricks and feats. My friends went to see the show. They said the re-enactment of Pearl Harbor was pretty awesome! And the finale starring the Thunderbirds was pretty good too! Their four year old son loved the jet truck, which could go faster than an airplane! The air show was a great family event for my friends, though they did say it was LOUD! At times the four year old got scared. And they were glad they did not take the baby.

Family Self Protection Seminar

Next Thursday, October 30 from 6:00-8:00pm Al Garza's Premiere Martial Arts is offering a Family Self Protection event. This fun and educational seminar will focus on training the entire family as a unit. Family members will learn verbal, mental, and physical defense techniques and they will learn to work as a team if a dangerous situation arises. This seminar is specifically designed for participating 5-12 year olds and their parents. This free event is open to all PMA families as well as families in the community.

talent show

When our kids were small, we got together with several other families to put on our own talent show. Each child chose something they wanted to "perform" and had about five or so minutes to do it. We had kids doing things like bike tricks, reading a book, karate, balance beam, magic tricks, and hula hooping. It was great fun for all the kids. We were sure to video tape them, and have had fun watching it played back after several years!

Friday Night Lights

Here in Texas, Friday night high school football is a big deal! My son has been going to his high school's football games the last few weeks having lots of fun. But my nephew's were able to go to a high school game this week too. And they had a lot of fun. This is a fun place to take the whole family. You get the fun of the crowd and the game, you get the half time show, you get to spend time with family and friends. And it is more affordable than most family outings these days!

sports

Sports are big in many families. Letting kids play sports is good for them in many ways. And having to take turns watching their siblings play too is a good thing to learn. Sometimes, participating with the sibling in their favorite sport can add a new dimension of fun for those who are not normally involved.

One year when my son was in canoeing, all the families were invited to be taken down the bayou by the student. He guided and directed us, led the instruction for paddling and took us to Mud Island. We all had a great time and it was good for us to be able to see what he had been doing, learning and enjoying.

Another time, when my daughter played volleyball for the YMCA and again tomorrow on her competitive team, the last practice is a girls vs. parents/siblings game. It is fun to get in on the game and see how much the girls have grown in their sport. And they love beating us, too!

a "bend" in the rules

A family night with a small "bend" in the rules can at times be just what everyone needs to let off a little steam. Things like staying up a little later at bedtime, or having just a pizza for dinner with no salad, or staying in your pajamas all day on a weekend are fun little ways to let down a bit and (hopefully) help everyone remain on an even keel. This of course works best with children who are old enough and self-controlled enough to understand that this is not the norm, but the exception. And it's sometimes fun for mom and dad not to have to be the "bad guy", if even for a short time!