Glow Word Books Blog

Theme Parks versus National Parks

Last time we visited Florida, we thought about going to a theme park in Orlando, but the prices were through the roof so we checked out a near by national park instead.

We were thrilled to learn that they were conducting guided canoe tours of the river… and thankfully enough other people signed up, so down the river we went. The guide lead us under groves of mossy trees and I got to see my first alligator in the wild. (I learned my husband is nuts as he tried to get us closer — but thankfully the person in the back of the canoe got to steer!).

After the tour, we relaxed on the bank of the river with a snack. The lazy sun darted between the foliage, leaving beautiful reflections on the water. There was no doubt in my mind that we made the right decision. The magic and adventure of nature could never be re-created in a concrete theme park. I’m still amazed that America never tries to sell itself as a nature destination because there are so many gorgeous parks!

What was the last park you toured?

Swaddling a bear is different than a baby

When I was pregnant, my husband and I learned how to swaddle a baby by practicing on our teddy bear. It was funny to stumble across this cozy bear in different rooms… sleeping happily… just like our baby would be before too long.

However, within 12 hours of returning home with our son we quickly realized swaddling a teddy bear is nothing like a baby. Our son could squirm, kick his legs and wiggle like nobody’s business. I think it took us three days of practicing before we learned how to do it. (Making sure the swaddle was over his shoulder helped… and it also stayed on better when he wore a onesie — baby skin is so soft that the swaddle just slid around next to his skin).

So if you have learned how to swaddle on a doll, don’t get too cocky…. I don’t think there is anything you can do to guarantee a good night’s sleep the first few days :)

Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

I grew up opening presents family presents on Christmas Eve and stockings from Santa on Christmas Day. I’m not sure if my parents gave up on making us wait or if that was simply their tradition. I always liked that because then you had all Christmas day to play with your toys.

My wife grew up opening gifts on Christmas day. She loved the excitement of waking up and tearing through all of your gifts. There was so much excitement piled into one morning.

As a family, we’ve chosen to blend the two traditions. We open many of the gifts on Christmas Eve, but usually save the big presents for the next morning with Santa’s gifts. After getting married, I’m always amazed by the number of traditions you’re used to that might be slightly different than how your spouse did them. Everyone grows up thinking their family is normal, but normal is different for everyone. (At least my wife and I agree on the toilet paper going over the roll!)

When do you open presents?

To master a skill, be a baby

I have dabbled in most of the arts (studied ceramics in college, acted professionally for a hundred shows, started out as a music major, created educational movies and published two books) and it’s easy to get discouraged. There are many more artists than high paid jobs for artists. But I think artists forget that success doesn’t come over night — instead practice makes perfect.

I’m reminded of this everyday when I watch my son. This week alone, he has grabbed my finger, let go, moved his hand away and grabbed my finger again at least 200 times. He is constantly practicing new skills. Over and over again. When he masters one thing (holding on to a toy) he starts mastering the next (passing it to his other hand).

As an adult, it’s easy to forget how much you have learned and how long it took to master. You think that every new skill should be as easy as walking, biking or drinking from a cup. But all new skills — regardless of your age — take time to perfect. So don’t give up until you’ve given your art the time it needs to flourish.

NASA: How I learned about dreaming

As a kid I dreamed about being an astronaut. I wanted to see the Earth from space. I wanted to experience all those photographs of stars and the moon first hand. But all of that changed when my brother told me it took a lot of maths to be an astronaut… and I changed my mind. (Suddenly space didn’t seem as appealing when it looked a lot more like homework.)

Touring NASA as an adult, I realized how right my brother was: astronauts were extremely smart (and surprisingly fit to endure the extremes of space travel). But it also made me think about dreaming. My dream changed so quickly based on one, tiny harmless comment from a family member. How many other dreams did I give up on just as easily? I never realized how much of an impact comments (or the approval/disapproval) of friends and family had on my life. Whose opinions do you listen to? What dreams did you give up on?

So thanks to all of my friends, family members (and husband!) that believe in my dreams and help me accomplish things that seemed impossible five years ago. A generation ago, we couldn’t comprehend space and now Sir Richard Branson is offering tourists a chance to visit space like you visit London…. someday I may be taking my son into orbit with me on a family vacation!

Online Mad Libs: Twelve Days of Christmas

Fill out these questions to generate your own silly mad libs letter instantly online! (Hint: a verb is an action. A noun is a person/place/thing. An adjective describes a person/place/thing.)

Adjective:

Noun (plural):

Place:

Mythical Creature (plural):

A Professional (example: Actor):

Adjective:

President:

Verb (ending in “ing”):

Food (plural):

Thing:

Verb (ending in “ing”):

Smile like a Baby

Evidently kids smile 400 times a day and adults only 20 — something along those lines isn’t hard to believe.

My baby recently learned how to smile and that’s all he wants to do. It’s so strange to have someone stare happily at you for ages and want nothing in return but a smile back. I feel like I’m the sun in his sky and wonder what I have done to deserve such special treatment.

But when I think about my husband and I, we never smile that frequently and we’re both very happy people. It seems natural and I think it could be helpful to smile more. It can help attract the perfect mate, move up the ladder at work or make a new friend. Plus, it’s so simple to do: just take the corners of your mouth and move them up. Then repeat. :)

Travel Tips for Long Flights

Since I’m from America and my wife is from New Zealand, we have had our share of long distance flights. Here are some tips for making the best of your plane ride:

Bring Water: In the middle of the night, nothing is more uncomfortable than being thirsty and waiting for a steward to get you some. Bring an empty bottle through security and fill it up at a drinking fountain before boarding.

Spend a bit extra for a nice flight time: If I already have to save $1200 for a flight, it’s worth it to me to spend an extra $100 to get the flight with fewest layovers or best departure time. I prefer leaving before so I can eat their meal and then crash.

Know how you sleep: What does it take for you to fall asleep? A comfortable pillow? Sleeping pill? Warm blanket? Snack? Figure out what you need and make sure you have it packed. I like a blow up pillow for my neck.

Pick your seat with sleep in mind: I generally like isle seats because I can stick my very longs legs into the isle so I don’t feel as squashed. But on long flights, I always take a window seat so I can lean against them. Pick your seat accordingly. Isle = easiest for bathrooms, stretching legs, but others wake you when they get up. Window = colder, better view, can rest head against wall, but not good for small bladders or pacers. Middle = never really a good option unless you want to sit next to an isle/window person.

Also, be careful where you sit on the plane. Sometimes the very last row and rows around the emergency exit don’t recline. Also keep in mind the location of the lavatories. Will the light and slamming of doors keep you awake? It’s hard to know where babies will sit, but many large planes have bassinets near the front of the plane.

Do you need entertainment? My wife knows she’ll never be able to sleep, so she always packs a book with her. I don’t bother since I’m never up longer than it takes to eat.

Practice sleeping while sitting upright: Use meetings at work as a great practice for sleeping upright in a chair. (Just kidding!)

Parents: Good luck. Make sure you have food, water, entertainment, diapers, pacifiers and blankets packed. Try to time flights with their nature bedtime or naps. Tire them out before you leave or in the terminal so they are ready to sleep on the plane. And if all else fails, claim you have no idea why these kids keep following you around.

Glow Word Books Blog

Authors Steve & Natasha