Little Adventures Academy (also known as Buttons & Bows Early Learning) has been in business since 1985, though owner Mandy Stephens has owned it for 3 years.

Mandy and her staff of five provide child care for ages 6 weeks to 12 years.  Mandy has plenty of experience in this field, and has been involved in child care since she was 16 years old.  Before buying Little Adventures, Mandy worked in three child care facilities, all in the Hall County area.

With a motto of:  "Your Child is Our Child,"  Little Adventures Academy is a very family-oriented facility.  The smaller classrooms allow the staff to become closer and develop more personal relationships with their children.  Parents and staff both describe the Academy as a very friendly, inviting facility.  Its family-oriented atmosphere is a huge draw-card - people entering the facility immediately feel comfortable and at home.

Little Adventures Academy is open Monday through Friday from 6am to 6pm.  Payment is made via cash or checks, and families pay either weekly or bi-weekly.

Mandy's community involvement doesn't end at running this superb facility.  She is also actively involved in helping out with extra-curricular activities in local schools...

Contact the Little Adventures Academy:

4317 Thompson Bridge Rd, Gainesville, GA 30506

Phone: 770-532-4901

Email: liladventuresinc@bellsouth.net

This is a simple test designed to indicate whether people have too much stress in their life.

It's a picture of two dolphins.  The two dolphins appear normal when viewed by a stress-free individual.  This test is not accurate enough to pick up mild stress levels.

It's quite simple.  If there is anything that appears different abouth the dolphins (ignore the fact of the slight color differences) it is often an indication of potential stress related problems.  Differences, if any, may indicate the source of your stress.

Sit upright and viewing the screen head-on, take a deep breath, breathe out and then open the picture and look directly at it.

If there is anything out of the ordinary then you should consider taking things a little easier...

http://bblmedia.com/sports/01.html

Our family is one of many planning a camping trip along the shores of Lake Lanier this Memorial Day weekend.  With a 6 year old and a 14 month old, water safety is a big concern for us...

According to the U.S. Army Corps of engineers, approximately 6,000 people drown in the U.S. each year.  Most drowning victims had no intention of being in the water, and most people drown within 10 to 30 feet of safety - what a scary thought!  It is therefore very important that you and your family learn to swim.  It is also important to follow some simple yet crucial guidelines if you are going to be near the water.

The following water safety tips are taken from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website.  They merely cover the basics of water safety.  For a more detailed look at water safety, please follow the link provided to the website: http://lanier.sam.usace.army.mil/WaterSafety.htm

Swimming Safety Tips

• Learn how to swim.
• swim in designated swimming areas.
• swim with others - never by yourself.
• watch children closely at all times.
• never dive or swim in unknown waters.

Boating Safety Tips

• Always wear a life jacket.
• Check your boat for all required safety equipment.
• Take a safe boating course.
• Check the weather forcast.
• File a float plan with a friend.
• Check you electrical and fuel system for gas fumes.
• Follow manufacturer's suggested procedures before starting up.
• Carry a navigation chart
• Follow the navigation rules of the road.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

                                   Hey!  Where's the other worm - I'm missing a worm!!!

High school seniors--and their parents--are eagerly anticipating an important day in their lives: receiving their high school diplomas in the tradtional graduation procession. Below is the graduation schedule for Hall County schools.

School	Graduation Date	Time	Location
Johnson High	Fri., May 23, 2008	7:00 pm	Free Chapel
North Hall High	Fri., May 23, 2008	7:00 pm	Georgia Mountains Center
West Hall High	Sat., May 24, 2008	11:00 am	Free Chapel
East Hall High	Sat., May 24, 2008	11:00 am	Georgia Mountains Center
Chestatee High	Sat., May 24, 2008	3:00 pm	Free Chapel
Flowery Branch High	Sat., May 24, 2008	7:00 pm	Free Chapel
Lanier Career Academy	Wed., May 28, 2008	7:00 pm	Hosch Theater, Brenau

In lieu of Sunday being Mother's Day, I thought all the mothers, mothers-to-be and grandmothers would get a kick out of reading this - as a mother of 2, I certainly did!

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 2 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 2 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives.

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to Emergency.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewellery, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to read a book with the children each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 8:00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name.

Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labour, each child's favourite colour, middle name, favourite snack, favourite song, favourite drink, favourite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.


If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right To be called Mother!