The 5th and 6th grade girls that I have been teaching on Wednesday nights since they were in 1st grade, were invited to sit in on youth group for the first time. There was a special speaker and an extended worship time. You could tell they were nervous as we filed into "big church" and as the service progressed, they relaxed. As we were leaving, they were talking about how they couldn't wait to be in youth.

Being in a youth group was essential to my well-being. I cherish the relationships and lessons I learned there.

Those years can be difficult and lonely, struggling to fit in, taking on new responsibilities, and filtering messages from all sides. Teens can use as much encouragement and love as we can give them!

I had a verse taped inside my locker each year. One of the most memorable I remember, I traced a picture our of my Precious Moments bible. The verse read, " I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...." Reading Jeremiah 29:11 between classes offered comfort many times.

Here are a few options for middle school or high school lockers you may know of...

• 1 Corinthians 10:13
  13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
• 1 Timothy 4:12
  12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
• Deuteronomy 31:6
  6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
• Ephesians 4:29
  29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
• Exodus 20:12
  12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
• Galatians 6:9
  9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
• Isaiah 41:10
  10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• Jeremiah 29:11
  11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
• Psalm 119:9
  9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
• Psalm 119:105
  105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
• Romans 15:13
  13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Philippians 4:6-7
  6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
• Proverbs 1:8-9
  8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 9 They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
• Proverbs 3:5-6
  5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
• Matthew 11:28-30
  28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
• Isaiah 40:29-31
  29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORDwill renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
• Ephesians 6:1-3
  1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

My sister made appointments for all of the girls to get a royal make over at the Bippity Boppity Boutique during one of the first days on board. She booked it online weeks before we ever set sail. With the on board credit we recieved from our travel agent, it was virtually free.

Girls can be princesses, mermaids, Tinker Bell, Minnie, or a pirate. When you make the appointment they ask for dress and shoe sizes, and the child’s personal dress package is compiled and ready when you arrive. My tween choose to be a Disney Diva and was embarrassed by all of the attention and fru-fru, but at the end when she saw how adorable she was, she was pleased.

She giggled the entire time. The bet part was that she made friends with the girl in the chair next to her. They ran around and played together the rest of the trip.

I have  no idea how I first learned of this dog ball. (My husband brought it home) I have no idea what ever possessed me to actually buy one. (He bough it) Perhaps I thought that it would be funny.  (You guessed it,  he thought it was hilarious)  It's not. (It was for the first few minutes.)

This Bable Ball is the MOST annoying dog toy ever.

This is a video we found on YouTube. It's proof that others find it annoying too.

It's so anoying that we actually hid it - months ago. However, you'll never guess what amazing discovery one of of kids made this week. And then gave it back to the dog. Yep. The Ball.

We heard an unfamiliar voice chattering and we kept looking and looking... and then we made the discovery. The Ball was back. We have taken the ball away from our dog over and over. Yet, we still have The Ball.

We love Santa Land. Even though the kids are getting older they still enjoy this tradition. Every year when we top the hill on Broadway and can see the lights welcoming everyone to Santa Land, they kids still gasp. It was nothing different tonight.

Everyone should take the time to walk around, look at the scenes, and huddle with friends and neighbors by the fires. Most nights there are live music performances. There is hot coca for sale and of course, the main attraction is Santa Clause. 

Learn More

These days it's a given that at some point our children will have a cell phone. Just like the gift of a bicycle, there are some basic rules and responsibilities of cell phone.

When our oldest child recieved his first cell phone, which he was probably too young to have, we looked in quite a few places (There is a great list here) to creating a cell phone contract to teach him about the responsibilities that come with having a cell phone, as well as the consequences for not seeing those responsibilities through. We went through the contract, asked and answered questions, and have since edited and revised the original contract based on usage and trends.


Cell Phone: Tween Responsibilities

• I will not send threatening or mean texts to others

• I will not text or place phone calls after 9 p.m.

• I will keep my phone charged at all times

• I will not bring my cell phone to the family dinner table

• I will not go over our plan's monthly minutes, text message, or data limits. If I do, I understand that I may be responsible for paying any additional charges or that I may lose my cell phone privileges
• I understand that I am responsible for knowing where my phone is, and for keeping it in good condition
• I understand that my cell phone may be taken away if I talk back to my parents, I fail to do my chores, or I fail to keep my grades up
• I will obey rules of etiquette regarding cell phones in public places. I will make sure my phone is turned off when I am in church, in restaurants, or quiet settings
• I will obey any rules my school has regarding cell phones, such as turning them off during class, or keeping them on vibrate while riding the school bus
• I promise I will alert my parents when I receive suspicious or alarming phone calls or text messages from people I don't know
• I will also alert my parents if I am being harassed by someone via my cell phone
• I will not use my cell phone to bully another
• I will send no more than _____ texts per day via text, messenger, etc.
• I understand that having a cell phone can be helpful in an emergency, but I know that I must still practice good judgment and make good choices that will keep me out of trouble or out of danger
• I will not send embarrassing photos of my family or friends to others. In addition, I will not use my phone's camera to take embarrassing photos of others
• I understand that having a cell phone is a privilege, and that if I fail to adhere to this contract, my cell phone privilege may be revoked
• If needed, I may help pay for the cost of the phone and/or for excess charges that I incur without permission from my parents

Cell Phone Contract: Parent Responsibilities

• I understand that I will make myself available to answer any questions about owning a cell phone and using it responsibly
• I will support my child when he or she alerts me to an alarming message or text message that he or she has received
• I will alert my child if our cell phone plan changes and impacts the plan's minutes
• I will give my child _______ warning(s) before I take his or her cell phone away
• Signed ______________________________ (Child)
  Signed ______________________________ (Parents)
  Date ______________________________

The Sail Away Celebration Deck Party is not to be missed! The Sail Away Deck Party is full of excitement, has lots of music & dancing, and your first glimpse of some fantastic Disney characters decked out in their cruising gear. Captain Mickey Mouse and his friends Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and of course, Pluto put on a fantastic show. ​The Disney Cruise Line will make you and your family feel special from the very start.

This was our first chance to see some fantastic Cast Members who want you to join in on the fun. We tried to get as close to the stage as possible so that the kids could see, enjoy, and participate in their first big Disney party. If you don't grab a spot up front, video cameras are out and about to put smiling faces and killer dance moves, up on the huge television screen on the forward funnel.

At the end of the party, the ship’s horn will blow in the tune of “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which, to be honest, brought a tear of two to my eye. It was truly magical.

​Boarding the ship, your family name is announced and the cast members line the entrance and clap.

Setting set sail with Disney Cruise Line on Black Friday, you walked onto a Very Merrytime Cruise.  DCL takes the wonder of Christmas and adds their own creative touch to create an experience that is purely magical.

We walked in and saw a life-sized gingerbread house and a huge Christmas tree. The cast members even wore scarves!
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There was so much to see in the amazing lobby. I just paused to take it all in. Then ​I jumped in line at guest services to sign us up for anything that we could. We got tickets for the gingerbread house decorating class and a few tips about things that were going on that afternoon.

With an 11:30AM boarding time, we had plenty of time to get on board and make it to the buffett  before there were just a ton of folks in line. It was nice to stop and make a plan together about how we were going to slip up and wander all over the Wonder.  

We heard there were tours of the ship, but we took off on our own and explored and wandered around. Stairs up each deck and from one end to the other, we saw the kids club, pools, and resturants. We saw it all! 

We left the day after Thanksgiving from my sister’s house. Getting up early and getting everyone moving was a breeze because we were all so excited. We started planning our cruise two years earlier.

Part of the online check-in process (Learn more about check in here) includes selecting a port arrival time that are in 30 minute increment arrival windows beginning at 10:30 AM. Arriving a little before our time was a good idea. It allowed us to make sure we knew where we were headed, unload, and get organized.

We pulled right up the terminal at the Port of Galveston. We unloaded our bags right at the curb and there were plenty of porters there to help. With 13 people piled in two mini-vans, it was an adventure. The dads took the cars to the parking garage where we pre-paid and rode the shuttle back, just the two of them.

In our matching shirts, we watched all of the other guests in their matching shirts arrive for a bit until the dads made it back to us. Then we all went through check-in together.
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While we waited (and by that I mean, corralled and entertained all 7 children) I went through our boarding bag on more time to make sure that I had all of the documents that I needed to help us get through check in quickly and smoothly, things like signed pre-board documents that we printed from the portal as well as passports and birth certificates.

-Once we entered, we waited in a short line at a check point where each member of your party over the age of 18 presented a valid form of identification and our cruise documents. From there, you stepped up go through a standard security check and our carry-ons were zipped through the x-ray.
Once we entered the terminal and waiting in another very short line, I completed the Public Health Questionnaire for our group. It asked if any members of your party have been experiencing a fever in conjunction with a sore throat, cough, runny nose, muscle aches or headaches, as well as if there has been any vomiting or diarrhea over the last 3 days.
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At the desk, we all had our photos taken and received our Key to the World cards. Once everything was signed and counted, we decided not to stand in the line to check our children into kids club, but chose to do it on-board. As we explored the ship, we knew that was one of the first places the children wanted to check out. We also just walked past the photo backdrops in the check in area to make our way up the escalator. Once we were upstairs there were more lines. One was to take photos with Mickey Mouse and one was for backdrop photos and your first Key to the World Card scan.
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​Once the key was scanned we were on the bridge to the ship! 

We chose to stay on the 2nd floor in an inside stateroom to save money. We knew that we wouldn't spend much time in our rooms and with it being our first cruise, we honestly just didn't know. In hindsight, a little port hold would have been fun, but I'm not sure it would have been worth the extra cost.

There was a generous size double bed and a couch that slides into bund beds. We had 2 adjoining rooms and there was plenty of room for all of us. As a matter of fact, one afternoon towards the end of the cruise, we can back to the room and there were probably 20 teenagers in the kids room watching a movie!

When you first meet your housekeeping staff, they will ask you questions about how you want the room, the beds, etc. We asked them to leave the bunk beds out in one room and to leave the couch in the other. There were a few times that we asked them to go ahead and make the couch in the kids rooms, but you never know when a mid-day nap for the kids might just do the trick.

There was storage everywhere. We unpacked the first day, slid the suitcases under the bed, and just enjoyed the cruise. There were 6 of us. We had several drawers that went unused.

​I saw an idea on Pinterest to pack a shoe rack with pockets and hand it in the closet. I filled the pockets with suggested items like baggies, medicine, band-aids, our FE lists, etc. and it was a fantastic idea. 

We joined a Facebook group made up of people who were going on our cruise. They answered questions, alerted us to deadlines and things to look into, and create groups for Fish Extender Gifts. Outside each stateroom door there is a fish hanger and this is where those who choose to participate, hang their pockets, stockings, file organizers - all decorated and festive. Our groups were made of 10 families and by joining the group you agree to bring treats, gifts, momentos for the others in your group. For our group, you could bring whatever you wanted, no price range, no rules about the number of days, or even if the expectation was for a gift of each person or for the cabin... It was all up to the giver.

I cannot even tell you what fun this was. Our family signed up in a different group for each cabin and the variety of gifts was astounding. We were absolutely blessed. Each time we came back to the room, the kids - young and old - would check their pocket to see if they had a new FE gift. 

Was it difficult to get it organized and made and packed? Of course. Was it worth it? Definitely. 

Another fun surprise were the amazing towel animals on the bed each night. They were so creative and fun, it was delightful to see what new creation would appear each day. At the end of our cruise there was an event with the housekeeping staff where they taught us how to make several (probably the easiest) animals.

With a child entering high school next year, it is becoming increasingly more urgrent to talk about college, prepare for college - and figure out how to pay for college. Luckily, I have been working in higher education for over a decade. I wanted to shre what I've learned with my friends who are in the same situation, so we planned an event, invited all of the other 8th grade parents, plus some of my scholars to share what we know, help them prepare, and give a few pieces of advice to begin high school with the end in mind.