I have been making summer plans now for several weeks, shuffling schedules around to fit all of our activities in. It can be an organizing feat of its own. We have an annual trip we take to my Grandfather’s house for a few days. Other than that our summer is a free for all.

The first thing I do is research local camps and vacation bible schools to see which ones would fit our children’s needs. Of course I have to cross off those that require us to be in two places at once. I still haven’t figured out how to do that yet! I look for activities that will be enriching and teach them something new. For instance archery is on the list for my oldest son. I want them to be able to try new things without making a huge commitment.

This year we will visit a few more family members within driving distance. With gas prices so high, we are fortunate enough that we have family close enough where it will only take a tank or two of gas, and we still get to visit a new state.

The rest of the summer will be one big staycation! This year I think we will have a few themes like nature, crafts and visiting some local historical spots. It’s time to bring out things we don’t usually have time to do during the school year and try something new! Here are a few other ideas you may want to check out.

What is your family’s favorite “staycation” activity?

Mother’s Day is around the corner and everyone is asking the moms what we want. I’m a simple gal and not particularly high maintenance in the gifts department. I don’t want flowers or jewelry for Mother’s Day or any other occasion really.

In fact, my perfect Mother’s Day gift would be doing without some things. For example, there are certain comments made by the general public that we mamas could do without. Mamas of biggie-sized families prefer not to be asked if we own a TV or suggestions that we should take up a hobby. Contrary to popular belief, we are not actually spending the majority of our time participating in baby-making activities. Another classic one – when I go out alone in the evening, I’d like people to stop asking who is taking care of the kids. There is this guy in their lives called their “father”. And no, he’s not “babysitting”. I checked in with Daddy-o and he has never been asked this question when out for the evening, yet I hear it constantly.

As for the Daddy-o list of things we mamas could do without, I think these few simple requests will do:

1) I’d like all men who happen to get up before their sleeping partners to carry their socks and shoes downstairs to put them on. Read: do not sit on the side of the bed and make the mattress jerk around. Oh, and don’t turn on your electric toothbrush either, ‘kay? Thanks.

2) Don’t shop – allow me. On my second Mother’s Day, I had a 17-month-old and a 7-week-old, both with chickenpox. Without naming names, *someone* got up on that day and said he was going out for the morning to do some Mother’s Day shopping. Yeah, right. Just hand over the credit card and you watch the kids – I can do my own shopping, thanks.

3) Let me manage and prioritize the “honey-do” list. You know when you’re out there in the garden puttering around with one of your projects and I’ve got kids hanging around my neck as I’m trying to prepare for a dinner party for 20 guests? Yeah, that. Stop it. Put the hammer down and release the children from me.

What is your Mother’s Day wish list? Does it involve diamonds, breakfast in bed or crap-tastic crafts galore? What could you do with and without on your one day a year?

A recent organizing job has had me working on a 13 year old girl’s room. Which has had me thinking about those organizing transitions from toddler-hood to teen and all that happens in between. Girls have more obvious changes, from baby dolls to Barbies, then posters of their latest heartthrob. In some cases it gets all meshed in one room with no clear sense of who this emerging teenager is.

In this case that is where I came in. Mom wanted to give her daughter an organized room but wanted a third party opinion. The daughter was right at that age where she held some things dear to her but it was obvious that some things were making their ways into nooks, corners and crannies to get hidden, so to speak. She wanted to have certain things out but not where everyone could see it.

As I talked to her about some of the memorabilia she slowly took things off the shelves and said she would be fine with storing them for safe keeping. When I came back with an example of what her new room and furniture would look like, all of the child-like stuff quickly disappeared. She was ecstatic about a new “teen” room and it made it easier to let some of the little stuff go.

It was hard for her at first and she did store a lot which brings me to this conclusion. It is so important to have our kids part of the organizing process through each of these stages so they start learning to let go a little. You don’t have to clear out the memories completely but make it a regular thing so it is not so emotional when they get older. After all when she goes off to college, guess where those boxes are staying?

Every parent has their own variation of how they handle chores around the house, we have even talked about chores here at the Mabelhood in the past.  There is no right or wrong way to do it, but I firmly believe the children should help do SOMETHING.

I’ve gone into homes where the mom rattles off her to do list and clutter issues while falling apart at the seams. Then I ask “What are the kids doing to help?” Ahh, Well, MMM… has too often been the answer. Why do mom’s feel like they have to do it all by themselves? Granted it is best to start kids young so chores become part of their daily lives, but if they aren’t doing chores yet, start now!

But here comes the big question, to pay or not to pay? I understand allowances but I have never used them. Our 11 year old just started getting paid for certain tasks but that is more of a money management teaching tool for us. He has normal chores he must do. All of the kids do. WE ARE A TEAM. There are certain things we have to do in the house so that it doesn’t fall apart or trash and dirty dishes don’t pile up to the sky. Can you imagine if I said, nah I don’t feel like washing the clothes…EVER. I certainly don’t get paid to do them if anything Mom and Dad have to pay for the water and detergent to wash the clothes. We pay to do our chores! My kids look at me quizzical when I say that, probably scaring them out of adulthood all together.

In our home, an age appropriate chore is given to each child. We even have them “graduate” to the next thing, then they all rotate up a chore. They actually get excited about it until they realize the next chore is just as dull as the last. But it gets done and they learn what it means to be part of a team. It’s not about standing over them and hounding them to get it done but working next to them and providing a good example.

I love the idea of intricate chore charts, reward systems and pay rates for chores. I just prefer to keep it simple.

So, what about you Mabelhood readers… Do you use chore charts? And how would you answer the Pay or Not to Pay Question?

If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for what’s next in your child’s development.  I want my kids to grow up to be responsible, well-rounded, considerate contributors to the betterment of our world.  And because of that, I’m kind of on yellow alert to make sure I don’t miss an important piece in their development.

For me, one of those critical components is a camp experience.  Why camp?  Because camp provides kids with an opportunity to build independence and self-confidence, make new friends, and improve their attitude towards physical activity, among other things.   How do I know?  I’ve seen it with my own eyes.  I’ve watched shy kids slowly let caring camp staff into their lives, smiled as a camper tries an activity or sport for the first time, and seen the joy on their faces as they hug a new camp friend they hardly knew a week earlier.  If you’re curious, check out some research that came out at the end of last year from the University of Waterloo.  Dubbed “The Canadian Summer Camp Research Project,” this Canadian, 5-year study of the impact of camp on children provides proof of the positive impact of the camp experience on campers.  Researchers explored the outcomes of the Canadian summer camping experience.  Campers’ behaviours, attitudes & values were observed by their leaders at the beginning & end of camp, and with those observations, researchers looked for changes.  Among the findings:

• New friendships are developed, often with people different from themselves;
• Positive approaches to resolving personal conflicts;
• Improved attitudes towards physical activity (a worthy outcome, given childhood obesity rates, sedentary lifestyles and obsession with technology);
• Growth in self-confidence & independence.

If you haven’t yet completed your summer planning, consider a camp experience.  Fill in a critical piece in your kids’ development.  You might want to check out a contest offering 20% off a week at camp for new campers at: www.pioneercampcontest.com?blog=

About the Author:

LeAnne is married and is the proud mom of 2 boys, aged 6 and 8.  Both boys are quickly becoming veteran campers as LeAnne works as VP Camping for Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.  In this role she is responsible for leading the work of 9 Christian camps across Canada – 4 Pioneer Camps and 5 Circle Square Ranches.  When she’s not working, LeAnne loves hanging out with her husband and her boys, bike riding, playing Wii, and making music together.

It happened last week. We had cousins visiting from overseas and it was all kinds of crazy fun. After several late nights, I allowed them to sleep in and be late for school one morning. This is something I’ve never done before and certainly something my mother never allowed. If we wanted to stay up and party like it’s 1999, I can assure you my mother had us up bright and early to greet that first sunrise of 2000. That makes sense to me – why protect them from natural consequences? But I let them sleep in last week. That one time.

They are currently experiencing something else that makes me think I should come back as them in my next life. They are on a cruise ship performing with their dance troupe. Yes, it’s rough – I know.

I managed to finagle my way in as “Stage Manager” because there was no way these privileged tweens were going without me. So, you’ll have to excuse me – I have to meet Gopher on the Lido Deck for a cocktail. Can’t wait to see what Isaac is serving up!

What about your kids – do you see them experiencing things and having opportunities that were completely off your radar as a child?

April is Earth Month so what better time to talk about ways to get organized while staying green! I often look for ways to re-use items around the house or go treasure hunting at thrift stores for a few interesting finds.

This week I thought I would give you a few ideas to start with. I hope you will share some of your ideas as well!

1. Turn an old door into a desk.
2. Use a window as a bulletin board.
3. A picture frame turned jewelry organizer.
4. Ice trays storage for tiny craft supplies.
5. Rain gutters into bookshelves!

Last but not least my favorite re-use in our home is an old card catalog (shown above) we saved from a library that was switching over to a computer system. We refinished it and nurtured it back to health and now it stores a little bit of everything from the kid’s crayons, to batteries and yes, even our stash of Mabel’s Labels! I had a client once who had a card catalog next to her kitchen that stored her utensils and other kitchen items because she only had one drawer in the kitchen. Great thinking! Can you think outside the box and come up with a few more organizing ideas for common household items?

Lindsey, Linh, Shawn, Ayo, Carolyn, Hannah, Tyler, Tolu, Rebecca, Lindsay, Megan, Samuel, Marcella, Amanda, Stephanie, Kyla.

February 18-25, 2012.

Hi Team!
Allow me to introduce you to the people who became my family during the time I spent in Haiti. On the left is a picture of the 2012 GAiN Student LIFE Team. Sixteen of us came together from all across Canada to live out the mission statement of GAiN: “To demonstrate the love of God, in word and deed, to hurting and needy people around the world, through relief and development projects.” During our short stay at the Ca-Ira Orphanage, we had the amazing privilege to serve some of the people of Haiti, caring for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

shoveling cement

Physical Needs:

Although much progress has been made at Ca-Ira since the earthquake 2 years ago, there is still 3 to 5 years of hard work and construction before the re-building project will be complete. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to make a small contribution to this immense process. During the week, we were able to finish pouring concrete and thereby complete the foundation of the new girl’s dormitory.

We also filled in a large trench and began putting up forms for the boy’s dormitory. Once these housing projects are complete, the children will be able to move from their temporary bunk houses into safer and much larger housing. The two dormitories will later be connected creating a common area for meals and an auditorium in between.

A safe place to play! Cleaning up trash dumped in the front of the orphanage.

A significant problem in Haiti which contributes to illness and disease is their lack of regulated sanitation and garbage facilities. As a result, the people have no choice but to leave their garbage in piles on the streets and beaches or to burn it, resulting in hazardous fumes. We set an example for the children and the community by cleaning up as much trash as we could and burning it in the orphanage incinerator. This way, the children will have a safer place to play and the community’s valuable streams and groundwater will be less polluted, thereby reducing preventable diseases caused by contamination. These small initiatives temporarily improve quality of life for the Haitians but a large scale change is necessary.

Painting Jackson’s new beach house! He is currently homeless, but is Ca-Ira’s trusted driver, getting volunteers to and from the orphanage.

Emotional Needs:

The children at the orphanage are all exceptionally well cared for, with regular meals, clean cloths and good schooling. They are privileged in Haiti, as many children struggle daily for the basic necessities for survival. They are loved by their care-takers and also take care of each other. It was common to see the little boys holding hands on their way to school and the older girls taking turns watching the babies and doing the laundry.  But since there are approximately 60 children at Ca-Ira, it is not possible for them all to get individual attention or affection as one often does from a parent. Our LIFE Team was able and more than willing to step up and offer hugs and cuddles and one-on-one chats with all of the children. The boys picked up on this immediately and clung to us any chance they got. The girls were much more reluctant, but after a few days and bonding over braids and dance, we formed close relationships with the young girls and great friendships with the older ones. It wasn’t hard to love them, even in the short time we were there, as it was obvious that they loved us as well.

In the photo above, the little boy sitting on my lap in the yellow shirt is José. We got to spend a lot of time together during the last few days of my visit. The night before we left, I sat down with him and told him I had to go but that I loved him and hoped I would see him again soon. He gave me a big grin and said “Bon nuit, je t’aime beaucoup” (which means: Good night, I love you very much) before running off to bed. Just like José, all the kids at Ca-Ira have a way of melting your heart and stealing it at the same time.

The lovely girls who braided our hair. It was so great to get to know them and realize that despite such different cultures and lifestyles, we're really all just girls.

Spiritual Needs:
The country of Haiti is predominantly Christian and the orphanage is entirely so, being run by the Church of God the Prophecy and GAiN. So for the children and many Haitians, the most important aspect of their lives is their faith. They love God more than anything and this is evident in their nearly constant worship, lively church services as well as in the education of the children. It was inspiring to see people with so little; that we would consider extremely poor, so grateful for everything they have and filled with so much faith and love for God. When many people would abandon their faith in anger as a result of such poverty and devastation from the earthquake, these people chose instead to draw closer to God and rely on him more, sure of better things to come. They also love each other more than any people I have ever seen before. Our “developed” world would be a much better place if we tried to love half as much as the Haitians do daily.  We helped meet the Haitians’ spiritual needs by reminding them of God’s love through being his hands and feet to serve them in a tangible way. We also assured them that they have not been forgotten, but rather that there are countless people praying for them all across Canada and that our team would personally continue to do so once we had retuned home.

The remnants of the Ca-Ira church. Still a place of worship, even in ruin.

What Have I Learned?
I have learned many life lessons from my experience in Haiti and I am so grateful to every single person who helped make this missions trip possible. I believe we would all benefit from a trip of this nature, but since that is not possible, I will share a few of the things that I have learned with you instead.

1. All You Need is Love!

Many of the people in Haiti have to live without a lot of the things that we as Canadians consider necessary for a “good” life, like showers and family homes and enough healthy food, but they do appear to have one thing that many of us crave. Love. There is more than enough of that to go around. They love God, their siblings, their friends, their care-takers and even strangers like us that come into their lives for such a brief time. If there is one thing I hope to take away from my experience in Haiti, it is the desire to love more and to serve people in a tangible way that makes my love and God’s love visible.

2. Poverty ≠ Despair

I have never in my life met happier children than in the  Ca-Ira orphanage in Haiti. They were full of joy everyday! They took care of each other; offering a hand to anyone who fell, always sharing their food, and they were more than eager to help our team when we were out working during the day. They always played together happily, including everyone and sharing their toys. What surprised me most was that these children never once fought and never cried. Canadian children are so privileged, yet they are never satisfied with what they have and often seem unable to make it through a day without fights and tears. This experience taught me that poverty by no means equates to despair or unhappiness but rather pulls people closer together and closer to God.

3. Sometimes Hard Work Isn’t Enough
When discussing countries plagued by poverty, I have heard people say many times “Well if they’d work harder than they wouldn’t be in that situation”. I have also wondered this myself; maybe the people just aren’t trying to change their circumstances. During my time in Haiti, I learned that this idea is entirely false. Both the men and women in Haiti work so hard! The Haitian men on the construction team worked tirelessly for hours without ever slowing down and I witnessed a woman at the orphanage hand washing the children’s’ clothes for literally the entire day. There is no shortage of hard work. Poverty is not the result of laziness.

Thank you!
I want to sincerely thank each one of you for your prayers and financial support which made my trip to Haiti not only possible but also amazing! This experience was life changing and I feel like I have grown so much as a result. I am already planning to return to the Ca-Ira orphanage to serve again; hopefully within the next year. If you would like to continue to pray for the project and for the Haitian people, I would appreciate it very much.

This would not have been possible without you!
Much love and thanks!
Amanda Schroeder





I cannot tell you how excited I am about Mabel’s Labels new Mom and Dad Label Pack! You know why? We need to keep up with stuff too! And how fun it is to have our own style of labels. Loving the bacon for Dad!

My husband has already gotten into my stash of labels, cutting off the first name and leaving our last so he can put them on things at work. Sometimes things just tend to get up and walk away around there. Or how about your water bottle at the gym, he has one on there too.

We go to many gatherings where multiple people bring food and at the end of the party your casserole dish looks like mine, EXCEPT for my label.  So it makes perfect sense to have some just for us Mom’s and Dad’s! Not only would these make great Mother’s and Father’s day gifts but surely a few friends at work would love their very own labels for the stuff they lose!

There are many uses for labels. Games, dishes and platters you bring to gatherings. Poolside goodies, perhaps? Where would you use your Mom or Dad label?

Recently, I had the opportunity to pick the brain of one of our most successful fundraisers of all. Her name is Rhonda, and she’s from the Optimist Twirling Connection in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

“What’s their secret?” I wondered.

Q1: What do you like most about Mabel’s Label’s Fundraising?

“When organizing fundraisers we always try for ones that are easy to sell, take the least amount of time for our members, and have a great return back to our club. This fundraiser provides it all!”

Q2: What do you find most successful when marketing your fundraiser to parents?

“Well we have asked all of our members to use the e-mail assistance for friends on your website. That has been great! Also, many of us have posted on Facebook to sell the product.  It’s great in that you can put it out there and people can just shop. If they are interested they will buy the product.

We also have access to our affiliated dance studio. We have placed labels on all the dance costumes asking people to have all their costumes labeled for the upcoming competition season and to consider this fundraising opportunity.”

Q3: What specific items do the twirlers label?

“The twirlers themselves can label their costumes, batons, track jackets and pants, dance shoes, hair pieces, brushes, make-up, water bottles, coffee mugs, and bags. We love that you can wash the costumes and track jackets and the labels stay put.

As a club we have labeled our core batons using the tag mates. We have also labeled club equipment like banners, and music discs.”

Q4: Do you run any other fundraisers throughout the year?

“We run several fundraisers during our twirling year as we are a non-profit club that needs to raise several thousands of dollars just to cover our coaching and facility rentals. Many athletes also compete at a Canadian and sometimes International level.

In the past we have done bottle drives, meat orders, cookbooks, local mall seasonal decorating, golf tournaments, barbecues, poinsettias, and grocery cards. Obviously we also fundraise with Mabel’s Labels. It is one of the easiest fundraisers to sell and you feel like you are selling something that people can really use.”

Thank you for providing such great insight, Rhonda. We hope it inspires many groups that fundraise with Mabel!