24th Annual Cabernet for Connoisseurs

The 24th Annual Cabernet for Connoisseurs raised more funds than ever before to support families of children with life-threatening illnesses! Thank you to the event committee, led by co-chairs Scott Miller and Jeff Smith; the 38 Napa and Sonoma vintners who poured incredible wines; Chef Mourad Lahlou for cooking an amazing dinner; entertainer Kelly James; auctioneer Charles Antin; the 100+ volunteers who helped make it all happen; and to the many, MANY generous donors who made this the most successful Family House fundraiser yet!

Rain Rain Go Away - Rainy Day Activities

Rain! Rain! Go away! Come again some other day…!

While the rain is a good thing for our beloved state and our all-to empty reservoirs, it may be keeping us (and our kids) in doors more than usual. UGH! What to do???

Since Spring is most definitely in the air, maybe it’s time to start some Spring cleaning? Maybe it’s time to renew or reboot some family rituals that may have been delegated to that “back burner.” Here are a few suggestions that may help to make these rainy days a bit more fun.

Spring Cleaning!

Have a quick family meeting. Decide on a few things:

1.       Come to a consensus (as best you can) on which room in your home could really use a thorough cleaning.

2.       Decide who gets to choose the FIRST song that’s played as you clean.  Singing while you clean makes it so much more fun and way more time efficient. Make sure to alternate the family member who gets to choose the song so everyone has fun! Before you know it, the room you chose to clean is spotless and it’s on to the next one!

3.       Make clear what each family members responsibility is while cleaning

4.       Provide safe and easy to use cleaning materials and….

5.       BLAST THE MUSIC-and HAVE FUN!!!

Simon Says - Reboot Family Game Night! 

This might be a fun, indoor, rainy-day game for kids and parents of all abilities. One person is designated “Simon.” (It may be fun to use your child’s name like, “Sarah says”, or “Jonathan says” if they are directing the game) Remember how it’s played?

1.       One person is designated “Simon”, the others are players.

2.       Standing (or sitting) in front of the group, “Simon” tells players what they must do. However, the players must only obey commands that begin with the words “Simon Says.”

3.       Example: If Simon says, “Simon says blink your eyes” then the players must blink their eyes.  But if Simon says, “blink your eyes” and the players obey that command, they’re out of the game.  Why? Because “Simon” didn’t say “Simon Says.”

(Re)Create a Bedtime Ritual

 If you haven’t already, or are in need of something new, create a bedtime routine for yourself and/ or for your child in order to prepare for bed each night. You can get creative and make it work for you. Maybe at a certain time of night, all screens get powered down, and relaxing music is put on at a low volume. Or maybe after your child takes a bath, you meet on your bed for story-time. Or while your child is preparing for bed, you take 5 minutes and take a few deep breaths and offer yourself a hug filled with deep gratitude for having made it through another day.  Sometimes a new ritual or a small change to an old one can be just the thing to make our lives feel a bit refreshed and renewed.

What are your ideas for beating the rainy day blues?