Happy Earth Day 2009

Today is Earth Day! Today, we work hard to celebrate the fact that we only have one Earth, and we are the only ones responsible for taking care of it. This is a great opportunity to teach our kids responsibility about not wasting and about what kind of care our planet needs if we are going to inhabit it for years to come.

I think it’s pretty critical that we make this fun for children. Today I read an article at TreeHugger.com entitled, No Kidding, One in Three Children Fear Earth Apocalypse. It revealed that more than half the children surveyed fear natural and ecological disasters that can make the planet completely or nearly uninhabitable. This depressed me (and needs to go on that very, VERY long list of why we need to turn off the TV).

Rather than terrorizing our children with this talk of doom and gloom, why not empower them? It was heartening to read that children did worry about things like safe and clean water and air. We can use Earth Day, or week, or year to remind kids that it is up to us to make this a better place, and give them hope and confidence.

In light of this, let’s celebrate Earth Day 2009. What family fun activities are you doing together to help recognize this important day? I did a little search and here are some great fun family activities to celebrate Earth Day. Even if you can’t get started until the weekend, there are great ideas for your family:

• I found this great website, Earth Day Network, which gives information and FAQs about Earth Day and some of the events taking place in our nation’s capital. Click “Find Events” to locate what’s going on in your area.


• For those of us in the great state of Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to find a park to visit. Click on the “Calendar” link and navigate to April 22nd to find special events going on in state parks today.


• EarthDay.gov also has all kinds of information on going green. Check out what you can do at home to teach your kids about saving the planet.


• This fantastic site has all kinds of crafts you can do with your kids for Earth Day. Cookies anyone??


• From the Green Parent, here are seven (easy) ways to celebrate Earth Day with your kids. And of course, you can use these activities throughout the year.


• Kaboose is a just a great site for fun kid activities. Their “Earth Day 2009” section is sorted by Crafts, Food, Home, Games, Coloring Pages, Projects, Fun and Lessons so that you can easily find the best activities for your family.


• Here is another link with fun activities from DLTK’s Crafts for Kids.


• Go out and take your kids to see Disney’s “Earth”. Disney will plant a tree in your honor if you do. (I’d like to actually see them plant my tree, and not just promise it, lol…)
  

Have you got any special family activities planned for today or for this week? How do you tell your children about the struggles the planet faces? How does your family help protect our Earth?

Trying to Create a Budget Family Vacation

This year, I am not entirely sure we can take a vacation, but I really need it. The last year has been stressful and exhausting. I’ve made a list of some great options for low budget family vacations. Hopefully, one will pan out for us!

Florida
My husband told me that they are offering very low cost deals on flights to Florida from our area. Clearwater Beach is one of my favorite spots and it is chockfull of activities for families. The girls would love a pirate cruise! We’ll lie on the beach for a bit, and when that gets boring (usually by the second day), do some tourist local site seeing, such as boating, dolphin adventures, and we can visit the Clearwater Aquarium. Fish activities are a favorite for my kids. This is my top choice, but I thought I’d look up some other options, in case Clearwater is all booked up. (This happened to us last year.)

Virginia
Williamsburg, VA is a great area to vacation. A year or two ago, we went to Jamestown. Believe it or not, the kids had a great time there. Amelia climbed in and out of the boats and loved the real Pocahontas exhibit. Before we had kids, we went to Colonial Williamsburg, which is a lot of fun on the 4th of July. And, although I did say I would stay away from theme parks, Water Country USA is my favorite. (No small recommendation from a lady who doesn’t swim!) It’s a bit of a hike, but you CAN also drive down to Virginia Beach. Not only that, but the drive to Virginia is not bad from where I live, so we can avoid air fare altogether.

New England
Another choice is for us to journey north. It’s a bit of a trek, but places like Cape Cod are have awesome sites like Mystic Seaport. I have great family memories of visiting there and Boston and Plymouth Rock. Kids on the Cape provides a lot of information on things for kids to do at Cape Cod.

South Carolina
Further south again, we have Myrtle Beach. I’ve heard great things about affordable vacationing here, but it’ll probably require a flight out. Battleships, parks, beaches, a children’s museum and Ripley’s aquarium – that all sounds perfect!

I know these activities will add up, but if we could get reasonable air fare and affordable accommodations, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than our usual Disney vacation! No crazy theme park crowds, schedules or over-priced food. And of course, we can take our family vacation and create a PhotoBook so the kids can have great memories of the trip. It’s so easy to create one. Just upload your photos with Webshots, click “Create Products”, “Photo Books”, and start creating a book. You can write captions on every page to recapture the moments of vacation. Even budget family vacations can have beautiful memories!

What budget family vacations have you taken? Any recommendations? Air fare is low now, so feel free to share fun family activities anywhere in the US!

Gardening with My Family

Well, at long last, this weekend, my family got to plant the blueberry plant that I purchased weeks ago from Home Depot. Between the cold and the rain, there has not been a clear day to do it. Saturday was perfect; unfortunately I was sick as a dog. However, we did stop by Home Depot to pick up gardening tools. We were disappointed to find that they did not yet have the kid’s gardening supplies in stock. They had plenty of potting soil, bricks, and gardening tools, so we packed our supplies into the car.

I’m lucky that I have a corner property in that one side of our house gets sun for most of the day. We picked a section of our lawn to sacrifice for plants. Now, I’m a city girl, and the one time I did try to work on my lawn (dealing with nasty weeds), it was a nightmare. I ended up frustrated, overworked and tired. This time, however, I got right into it and so did the kids and my husband. I was amazed at how incredible it felt to get right into the dirt and “become one with the Earth”! I enjoyed every minute of it, including getting filthy, getting too much sun, lifting heavy bricks, and furiously digging up grass and rocks. I am definitely putting down gardening as one of our fun family activities!

My husband helped by digging up the roots and rock, and laying some of the bricks in a rectangle to section off a mini-garden. I tore out the grass with tools and hands. It was a little heart-breaking given how hard it is to get our grass to look good at all! The kids went crazy with the grown up sized shovels, pulling out earth and rocks. Amelia got close up and shouted, “Oh, look!” when she saw ants in the dirt. She was thrilled. Then I put in my blueberry plant and covered it with potting soil. My awesome babysitter has started a small farm of plants in my playroom, and if the good weather holds (fingers crossed), she will be planting those with the kids tomorrow. I may even go out and join them on my lunch break.

I guess I’m starting to understand and enjoy nature. I’ve been reading for a long while now that kids today are missing the healthy outdoors, and are trapped indoors for too long with video games and TV shows. They forgot that parents actually have this problem much worse than children! I do work, but outside of work, I spend typically 4 hours a day in front of my PC. Add that to my 40 hours of work, and compile it with nasty seasonal allergies, and you can imagine how starved my natural body must be for sunshine, grass and even dirt. Now that I’ve discovered that gardening is a fun family activity, I will be heading out there more often. Next time, I’m trying peppers!

For now, I’ll be content with this:

Have you gotten your hands dirty planting fruits, vegetables, or flowers around your home? Share your pictures with us.

Moving Closer to Bringing Home our Dog

Well, today is the big day – our dog gets fixed! As I’ve mentioned before, we adopted a dog from our local humane society a few weeks ago and they are supposed to operate today. When we went to see him on Saturday, he was sick and he spent most of the time cuddling with us (how sweet). Viruses go around the pound quite easily and so we have to wait to hear if the operation is proceeding today. I did manage to take some photos of our new Jack Russell. Without further ado, here are pictures of our new family dog, formerly named “Coco”:

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We are renaming him Helo, after the Battlestar Galactica character (my idea), although hubby is giving me some trouble about it. Helo is 10 months old and is, to my relief, already housebroken, which puts him very close to be being the best dog for my family. We need to get a dog trainer, or so we’ve been informed. (Someone mentioned click training the last time I posted about this.) I have no idea how to go about finding the right trainer or what it will cost, and since my kids have special needs that may figure in selecting a trainer.

I Googled finding a dog trainer and got some interesting results:

• Choosing a Dog Trainer: The US Humane Society has some very good basic tips for thinking this out.


• They also have a link to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), who have an article, “How to Choose a Dog Trainer,” and a service that helps you select one.


• Over at DogLogic, they have an article “Choosing Dog Trainers who Train People”.


• And here are some “Points to consider when choosing a trainer” from PetEducation.com.

The next things we’ll need are pet supplies. We already have the dog dish, but we need a good place to buy items (after all, a dog needs his toys!). An online shop may be a better choice for us. I know some of these places already:

• 1-800-PetMeds: They offer discounts on pet medications. I assume they are worth a try; can anyone tell me their experience with them? How does it work with the prescriptions?


• PetSmart: I have a store relatively close to me, which may be good for grooming, but it would be nice to get my supplies online. Although it’s nice to know dogs are welcome in the store!


• PETCO: I don’t have one of these stores by me, but I can go online. I didn’t realize they sell pet medications as well.

UPDATE: He won't be fixed until Sunday the earliest, sigh. Not sure we can get him, then before Wednesday (their only late night). Oh well :-(

Please help me out with my new dog and share in the comments:

• more tips for finding a good dog trainer


• online pet supply shops you recommend

Looking forward to finally bringing home the best dog for our family!

Getting Your Family to Visit

Now that spring is on the horizon, I feel like it’s time for a family event. The trouble is, my family is extremely busy and does not like to come out this far west. How can I change that?

Here are a few tips that I’m going to try to set up a small, family event in my home:

• Picking a date. This can be tricky. My sister can come if I give her enough notice, my niece and grand-nieces can make it if I do this after school is out, and everyone else will just have to manage around their vacation schedules. The trick here is not to wait on EVERYONE to respond because some people never will.


• Making it a theme party. I don’t have a pool or even a fence in my yard, but maybe I can have some kind of themed fun. We live near a great butcher, maybe we can make a fun sausage-grill day? (They have all kinds of flavored chicken sausage.) I also live near two wineries; maybe some of us can do a wine tour while the others watch the kids? I could always buy a margarita maker and have a flavored margarita party!


• Send invitations. I’d like to use one with a photo, like this one. I figure if I put adorable kid photos in it, they might be more likely to come! I can customize the text so it doesn’t say “birthday party.” Maybe just a fun party? Balloons can be put up inside. We have absolutely NO birthdays in the summer but it can be fun anyway.


• Invite a LOT of people. Of course, my neighbors are all welcome. They are really a fun bunch too! And I’ve got my out of town friends as well, they love a great party. I always would rather have MORE than less come.


• Have everyone bring something. I always hate to ask, but I’m discovering that people seem to prefer to bring an item with them. That also makes them at least a little committed to coming.


• Other attraction ideas. I just had a great idea: what about a photo party? Everyone in my family has a great deal of photos. If everyone could bring some, we could all share stories about this or that. If they were okay to leave them overnight, I could make photo books for everyone. It’s easy to just scan them into my computer, upload through my Webshots Desktop, and then create an album in PhotoWorks. They run lots of specials too, if I time it right, and then everyone can get a nice Christmas gift!


• The overnight stay with, of course, a full pancake breakfast. I always let my guests stay overnight, don’t you? For me, it’s a lot of fun. We don’t have the biggest house in the work, but we can sure make a lot of people fit.
  

What other great ideas for family events, gatherings and parties can you share? What do you do to get family to come out and visit?

I LOVE My WiiFit

As you all know, part of keeping up with my “healthy family” agenda has been getting and using a WiiFit. When you buy the balance board, it comes with a list of exercises: yoga, strength, balance, and aerobics. The more you do, the more you unlock, so it challenges you to keep going.

I’ll be honest: I’m only getting on my WiiFit about twice a week for 30 minutes, and I know I can (and should) be doing more. When I work out, I have more energy, I sleep better, and frankly, the exercises are fun. The time flies by, especially when I’m doing my favorites (hula hoop and boxing). My worry was that I wouldn’t do the exercises properly since I don’t have a live trainer or a mirror to watch my actions. But like most exercises, the more you do it the more you get it. (I’m also helped by my past experience with aerobics and yoga, so I know what you need to do.) If I was stiff or sore in the beginning, I’m not anymore.

There are also things that I’ve learned:

1. My posture is improving. There are a group of balance exercises, which, combined with yoga, have improved my posture, after only a few times on the board. I can feel when I’m slouching. That alone is a great benefit.


2. My thighs are getting stronger. I won’t say I have cuts; I know how long that takes to accomplish. But I can actually feel a muscle that I didn’t even know existed. It’s a little sore from working out but it sure feels good.


3. The kids love to mimic me. How cool is that! Amelia stands next to me doing the Warrior Pose or the Lunge. I love it!

In my quest for a more healthy family, my biggest issue is getting my husband to get on it more. He comes home late from his new job, so it’s not so easy. Perhaps we should compete? See which of us can unlock more goodies or meet our goals faster? Or perhaps there is a game we can buy that allows physical competition? Good questions, we’ll have to see where that leads.

Of course, the weather is getting warmer, so family walks and outdoor activities, like gardening and our new swing set, will take center stage for a while. Chris has a bike with an attachment where he can put the kids, and it’s also more work to pull. We’ll be taking trips to the local parks as well.

I’m also going to have to work on healthy eating again, now that Easter is done. The temptation to eat fattening summer foods (hot dogs and hamburgers) can be pretty strong, but at least the butcher has some healthier choices. Last week’s dinner, made with Buffalo chicken sausage, was loved by all!

What activities do you have on board for the summer to help get your family healthy and fit? Do you have any recommendations on how to encourage family members who have a busier schedule? Share your stories in our comments!

10 Practical and Easy Tips To Save your Family Budget

Economically, the last 8 months have been very difficult on my family. Carrying two mortgages with an unemployed husband was not easy, but we have managed to make it through. I thought I would pass on a list of tips that have helped us save money over the past few months.

Here are some tips to save on your family budget:

1. Coupons. Yes, I did blog about this before, but now it’s becoming a habit for me to find coupons every time I go to the store. I discovered that my local grocery store does double coupons up to $1. They can be a little more expensive for some products, but the extra savings add up. Be sure not only to visit sites like Coupons.com, but also visit your favorite vendors and sign up for specials. I highly recommend setting up a special email for this, so you can sort out any spam you might received.


2. Quit the gym. I’m not kidding about this one. There are so many good ways to work out nowadays. Invest in a bicycle now that spring and summer are coming, or just start walking or dancing. Or buy a Wii and get Wii Fit– for the cost of it, you could buy a lot of gym memberships.


3. Pull the kids out of daycare. In my area, daycare is nearly twice as expensive as hiring an in-home provider. Find out if it’s the same in your area. Plus, you don’t have to transport your children, nor do have to make separate arrangements if you are stuck late at work. And you can have one person that you can trust to care for your kids.


4. Buy a bag of Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks coffee at the grocery store. Yes, they sell it there, and yes, it is more expensive than the other brands. But an $8 bag of Starbucks gives you a lot more coffee than a $4 visit, and you can always add flavored creamer to jazz it (purchased with a coupon, of course!).


5. Save coupons and swap with friends and neighbors. We all get coupons we have no interest in or use for, especially for competing brands off the register at the supermarket. Why not swap for the coupons you really use?


6. Shop at markets. My neighbor went to one recently while I was out at a meeting and offered to buy me some clothes. For about $15, she purchased about 10 items for me. Wow! Next time, I’m going with her.


7. Shop for produce at local produce markets. This tip also came from my neighbor. If you go at the end of the day, they give you great deals on what’s left. Now that it’s market weather, time to try it.


8. Grow your own produce. I’m no green thumb, but between looking for fun activities for the kids and my sitter’s own interest, we’re going to be growing quite a few things that I like this summer.


9. Eat out when there’s a deal. A local chain is offering a “Stimulus Package:” for about $20, they give you more food than a family of four can eat in a night and charge a quarter or so for the take out containers. The local ice cream shops all offer two-for-one deals, or coupons, or freebies. You have to participate in local events (such as Easter egg hunts) to take advantage of these deals, or look through your local small-town publications.


10. Put your ATM or credit card on a rewards system. I got lots of Amazon gift certificates after I did this with my bank card. If you come across an offer like this, sign up.

These are just a few things that go a long way to saving a family budget. What tips do you have to add? Share them in the comments.