and the Berenstain Bears remain

When I found out today that Jan Berenstain passed away over last weekend I couldn't help but feel saddened. The mark that she and her husband, Stan, left on my life personally and on every child who picked up their books will be forever remembered. 

If your childhood was anything like mine, your bookshelf was packed full of Berenstain Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstain. They were well-written, appropriately illustrated, and written with every intent to teach children life lessons in a way that children could understand perfectly. I remember reading about picking healthy food wisely, being fearless going to the dentist, having a baby sister being born, doing your chores, peer pressure, cleaning your room and many more. Book collections of this volume are hard to come by and the quality is pristine. I know when I have children one day I will utilize the lessons given by Stan and Jan in there ingenious lives. 

halloween baby!

Holy crap! This is quite possibly the best costume I've ever seen...ever. It's no secret that I love this guy so when I saw this costume via Cup of Jo I giggle out loud a little. I'm pretty sure that if I have a son one day, he'll wear something like this year round! It just looks so cozy too. The way this little guy is playing with the whiskers doesn't make it any easy to deny this being adorable.

If you have a son, maybe I can borrow him for the holiday? Do you plan on wearing a costume? What about the little ones in your life? One of my best friend's sons is going to be Woody from Toy Story which is pretty cute too!

interesting and controversial

[painting by Pablo Picasso via we heart it]

When you think about all of the things happening in this world that need fixing it can feel really daunting. Like, how could we ever get to the point of feeling that all is well?

Childhood malnutrition is one of those problems. If we can't even get everyone water, how could we possibly solve malnutrition? This NY Times article is so interesting to me. It makes solving this problem seem so easy, just so obvious. It seems the cure to malnutrition is breast milk: all natural, easy, self-sustaining breast milk.

Read the article. What do you think? It reminds me of the controversial story of when Selma Hayek was in Sierra Leone in 2009 and breastfeed another woman's baby. Americans were freaked out over it and yet it seems that the World Health Organization would applaud her.

starfish

[photo via myseastory}

I've mentioned the kid's camp that I volunteer at but felt the need to share a little more after I found this photo of a starfish which reminded me of the sterling silver starfish we give out to each new volunteer upon completion of their first year and a gold on upon completion of their fifth. The camp is set up to serve, as perfectly as possible, a selection of the population of foster children in Los Angeles between the ages of 7 and 11, many of whom have been abused in ways that we never want to hear and that no one should ever have to experience. Our goal is not to heal them or change the experiences that they have had but rather to give them a week of pure childhood fun and love. There are currently over 60,000 children in California alone who need our help. The task can sometimes seem daunting and since we can only around 40 to camp every year, we can sometimes feel a little helpless. Like we won't be able to make the difference that giving our love can make.

This poem was written by C.A. Milbrant and provides the encouragement we so often need.

While walking on the beach one day,

I saw starfish by the score. 

And everywhere I looked it seemed,

I saw a thousand more. 

Then what to my surprise appeared?

A boy of nine or ten; 

and as the starfish washed ashore,

he threw them back again. 

I smiled at such a futile task to save this population,

"One fish won't make a difference son. You can't change this situation."

He stooped and picked up one more fish, then looking right at me, 

"I can make a difference for this one, sir," and returned it to the sea. 

So I went and gathered all my firends, my brothers and my cousins.

We joined in with that little boy and saved starfish by the dozens. 

There are still many to be rescued, many "starfish" on life's shore.

Let's make a difference like that lad, by saving just one more.

Not all of our children can be "saved" from the life that has been dealt to them. However, they can be saved by being given the hope that love can soothe the pain. 

This poem doesn't just speak to the week that we, volunteers, are able to play the role of love-givers to these little kids, but it also speaks to the love, joy, and peace that we can bestow on each other during every moment of life, if we so choose.