Lake Myrtle Elementary School’s annual spring musical took place on May 10 and 11 at the Center for the Performing Arts at Wesley Chapel High School.  “Lights, Camera, Action” starred Lake Myrtle’s primary grades and was scripted, choreographed and directed by the school’s music teachers, Mrs. Van Liew, Mr. Riddle and Mr. Alvarez. Principal Kara Smucker and Vice Principal Jennifer Heptig welcomed the crowd and expressed their appreciation to the parents for their willingness to donate $3 per student to cover transportation fees to and from Wesley Chapel High School for rehearsals.  “This is …

On May 13, fifth-grade students at Lake Myrtle Elementary School visited Disney’s EPCOT.  This annual field trip marks the students’ last year in elementary school. The children and their chaperones were given free reign of the park and enjoyed all of EPCOT’s amenities.  I was lucky enough to be a chaperone on this trip. As it turned out, my son’s classroom had exactly 11 chaperones for its 22 students.  Having only one additional child in my care made it possible for us to get around the park quickly and enjoy almost all of the rides, snacks and shows before our departure time of 4 p.m.  We …

I am by no means a pack rat, but there are a few items that I simply cannot get rid of.  These include playbills, ticket stubs to Broadway shows, remembrance cards that I have been given at baptisms, communions and funerals as well as birthday and holiday cards. Over the years these kinds of items have found their way into drawers and closets all around my house. My New Year’s resolution to get organized prompted me to clean out those drawers and closets and find a new home for the mass amounts of memorabilia. It was a simple project really. I just bought a few plastic storage containers, …

Last summer my family and I spent a month in New York City. My husband had to work for an extended period of time in the city, and since the kids were out of school, we tagged along for the ride. One of the things that worried me was that although my children would be growing culturally by visiting museums, parks and shows, they would lose some of the basic reading and writing skills that they had developed the previous school year. I knew that trying to get them to sit down with a book in a 300-square-foot apartment when one of the liveliest cities in the world was just steps away would be …

I am not a morning person. If it were possible, I would send my children to afternoon school just so that I could sleep in every morning.  For a long time, I struggled just to start my day. Things only became harder when my husband, who is in charge of packing lunches and making breakfast, started traveling for work.   At first, the kids and I were always running late, often eating breakfast in the car on the way to school. No matter how early I got up, I simply could not get out of the house on time. After one particularly stressful day, I realized that my morning routine was a 20-step …

Parenting a fifth-grader has been one of the biggest challenges I have faced yet. It seems as though this is the year where the maturity gap is the widest among his classmates. There are boys who still watch cartoons and boys who follow sports. There are girls who like kittens and girls who want to marry Justin Bieber. Little by little, I have seen the kids' friendships grow as far apart as their interests. I stopped by my son’s school last week to join him for lunch, and on more than one occasion he said “hi” or waved to a classmate only to be ignored completely. My heart sank and my blood …

When I was pregnant with my son I’d often turn to my older sister for advice.  My nephew, her only child at the time, was almost 13, and it was not uncommon for her to answer my questions with “I can’t remember.”  I would get so frustrated with her, “How can you not remember how many weeks pregnant you were when you felt him kick?” or “What do you mean you don’t remember his fetal heart rate at 20 weeks?” Fast forward 11 years, and I find myself in my sister’s shoes. Now that my children are in fifth and second grades, I am so far removed from all things baby and toddler that I almost feel as…

Spring is quickly approaching. This is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love how the weather in Land O' Lakes is almost perfect, warm but with an occasional cool breeze. The best part about spring is having the kids home for Spring Break.  I am fortunate enough to be able to be home during their vacation, and I plan to use this opportunity to create lasting memories. One of the biggest challenges during any school break is making sure that the kids have enough activities to keep them from vegetating in front of the television all day, but not keep them so busy that they need a …

Valentine's Day is typically a couple's celebration, but since it falls on a Monday this year, finding a sitter on a school night might be out of the question. Here are four fun ways you can celebrate as a family around town: Movie Night: Take the kids to Cobb Theaters Grove 16 to see "Gnomeo and Juliet." This animated take on the classic Shakespearean tale is both romantic and hilarious! You are sure to come out of the theater with a smile! Share a Meal: Stop by Pizza Villa and order a large pizza to share. Adding cheesy garlic bread and a cannoli will make a typical Monday night dinner into…

No matter how much you love your husband and kids, there comes a time when you just want to hang out with girlfriends. If you are anything like me, “Ladies Night” at a bar or club just isn’t appealing (nor is the idea of the reciprocating “Guy’s Night” your husband will probably request afterward.) Here are a few fun and inexpensive ways to spend time with your friends. Sewing circle:  I know this sounds like something that 80-year-olds do, but in the age of television shows like "Project Runway" and "The Fashion Show Ultimate Collection," young women and men all around the country are being …

Even though I was not quite ready for the kids to head back to school, I was really looking forward having the house all to myself again, even if only for a few hours each day. I was finally going to take down the Christmas tree, catch up on laundry, and maybe even meet a friend for lunch.  By Tuesday, my to-do list was written and I was gearing up for a productive week with the kids back in school. Lo and behold, that would also be the day my second-grader came home sick from school.  She walked in through the front door, plopped down on the sofa, and immediately fell asleep. The next day my…

Wonderland is located just 30 miles south of Land O' Lakes, but only for a few more days.  "Wonderland:  A New Alice.  A New Musical" has been headlining Ferguson Hall at the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (formerly the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) since Jan. 5.  Its final Tampa Bay performance is on Sunday, Jan. 16.  The musical, which originally opened in Tampa last year, will debut on Broadway's Marquis Theater April 17.  Because I am lover of all things Broadway, and thanks to my e-mail subscriptions to the Straz Center and Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall (both of …

It's the first week back to school for Pasco County after a long winter break.  I don't know who is sadder, the kids or me. After 18 glorious days of sleeping in, the alarm clock was not my friend this chilly Monday morning. But alas, soon after being serenaded by Elvis Presley’s “Here Comes Santa Claus” (I should probably change my alarm ringtone) I was out of bed ready to face the new day - the kids, not-so-much. Eventually my two zombies did make it downstairs for milk, waffles and a little Zack and Cody before class. Being the diligent mother that I am, I quickly emptied out their take-…