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We had our first fire of the season last week. The kids asked for hot chocolate and marshmallows. The leaves are doing that swirly thing in the air that makes me so happy and we have a daily discussion about Halloween costumes. Fall is in full swing.
Limited finances doesn't have to mean limited family connection. Here are a few low cost ideas for your crew:
1. Acorn Families- Gather acorns or any other round or oval shape things falling from your trees and create a family. We drew faces on ours with sharpies and then hot glued them to sticks we found. It was fun to see the kids different faces and shapes of the acorn variety.
2. Pick apples and pumpkins- Go on an off day to your local produce of picking choice at the end of this harvest season. There are still a few apples and tons of pumpkins. Pack a picnic lunch and take the long way home so you can soak in the beauty of the changing leaves.
3. Turn off the lights. Start a fire or light lots of candles and turn off your lamps for the night. Tell stories and drink apple cider. Make cookies earlier in the day to share. Play charades, twenty questions or even indoor hide and seek, your kids will love the play and will barely miss being unplugged for an evening.
4. Share a meal. Invite a family over for dinner. Pick a neighbor or your child's friend and share the cooking or have a potluck. Have a lego or polly pocket dinner, put a bowl of legos on the table just like the food. Every person can take a few pieces and make something in between bites. Take a picture of each person's creation at the end of the meal. Kids love when something fun ends up in an unexpected place.
5. Go on a moonwalk. Bundle everyone up on a weekend night and take an evening stroll to look at the moon and stars. A full moon is the best but not necessary. Learn about constellations and try to find them together. Buy one pack of glow in the dark star stickers and create your own sky in your kid's bedroom when you return. Moonwalks make for great memories.
Got any other favorite family connections? Please share in the comments.
Alas, summer is almost over. We have been having some cooler weather around here but I fear the 80's are coming back a few more times before the chilly nights settle in. Even so, there are lots of things to help your kids to start making the transition to fall.
1. Let them prune the shrubs. Oh, don't look at me like that. Everyone likes to wield a large pair of scissors. Give them the thrill of the week by letting them cut back those azaleas.
2. Make an apple pie. Sure we are still getting our apples from the big box store, courtesy of last year's harvest because the apples aren't quite ready yet here, but the only thing more fun than pruning is using a marble rolling pin. And bonus points for the mom who has a rolling pin for each boy.
3. Wax the car. I have no idea why this is a good idea but it seems to be a fav in our house. I'll admit the kids are determined to hose each other down at every opportunity so preserving the paint on the car makes this a win-win.
4. Give the kids the camera and let them capture their fancy. I find that Ethan has a fantastic eye for the unexpected. Sure you can have 760 pictures of a leaf but it's digital!!
What special fall activities do you have planned?
Photo courtesy of Kimberly.
I went to the craft store to pick up some things for the trip. It was only when I reached for the glue that I realized I had lost my mind. Glue? In a car? The worst thing that has ever happened to me is getting a minivan. I treat it like it is the living room. Derek freaked out and said, "You can't give the kids a glue project in the car. That is crazy." He is exactly right so I put that glue right back and bought those alphabet stickers in the tub. I think there are about 500 in there and there appears to be an inordinate amount of X's. Whatever. There will be a lot of kisses on paper then.
I also bought those dollar paddles with the ball attached on the stretchy string. I envision getting to the West Virginia border before someone figures out how to bounce the ball so hard that it extends to his brother's seat and most likely on his head.
I proposed an elaborate tubing system between the seats so the boys could send their cars back and forth but then I was reminded of that special on television about people getting impaled in car accidents with things like tissue boxes. I think we'll have to settle for the usual imaginative play instead. When I told Ethan we were going away, the following conversation ensued.
K: Ethan. Did you know we are going on a road trip this week?
E: What do you mean?
K: We are going to drive to Chicago this week.
E: Where is Chicago?
K: About 700 miles away.
E: But we can't, Mom.
K: Why can't we?
E: I'll probably have to go to the bathroom.
K: We can stop if you need to go.
E: Mom. I needed to go to the bathroom for so long today and you wouldn't stop the car.
K: That's a good point. But I promise that I will stop to let you go to the bathroom on our road trip.
E: After a long time?
K: Probably.
I'm really going to work on that. No one wants to be remembered as the parent who wouldn't even let the kids out of the car on gas stops (looking at you, Grandpa). Did your parents stop the car when YOU needed to go?
Jack has been asking to pick cherries for over a year now. Cherries were perfect for him because it was a combination of his love of tree climbing and fruit. Picking is the one activity that proves to be lovely over and over again for our family.
We headed towards the mountains in Virginia to find the orchard.
Josiah made cherry origami on the way. Aren't they cute?
The trees were almost done but we found enough to make it fun.
Lucy always picks the flowers too.
Favorite quotes of the day:
Lucy- "This is love..." (comment about the mountains)
Jack- "You know, I'm thinking we should probably grow our own cherry tree because it would be better for the earth. Then we wouldn't have to come ALL the way out here and use our gas. Gas is bad for the earth you know...so don't spit out those seeds okay? we need them!"
What's happening over there? What are you guys doing this summer?
Josiah has a knack for finding cool crafts from various places. The penny launcher has to be one of my boy's all time favorites and great for boredom blues. Here is what you'll need:
balloons
scissors
toilet or paper towel rolls
electrical tape or duct tape
pennies
a pen (Josiah insisted you need this to write your name on your launcher so you don't lose it)
Cut the balloon in two. Throw away the bottom half.
Place the top part of the cut balloon over one end of the paper towel roll.
Wrap the electrical tape around the tube to secure the balloon. Cover the entire roll.
Here's what it looks like when it is all finished.
Drop your penny in the bottom, pull back and let her fly!
Jack always likes to show me how much hot air he has after.
Pure launching joy!
Pinching the pennies this summer? Wondering how you are going to make it through the summer with kids at home with no cash for camp or a vacation?
Here are a few ideas to make this summer fun on any budget:
1. Take a pool tour- Can't afford the local pool membership? Ask your friends if you might be able to join them as a guest or use their own pool. The trick is, ask a few friends. I know, it's total mooching but I bet your friends would be happy to relieve you from the heat wave that is summer. If this feels horribly presumptious, suggest a trade. Offer to trade for a meal delivered to their door or babysitting. Exchange pool time while picking up the mail, dog sitting/walking while they travel and wouldn't be using the pool anyway.
2. Invest in popsicles- Go straight to your local price club and buy mass amounts of Flav-or-ice or other kid favorite popsicles. Let your kids eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, well, maybe just for snacks. A lot of snacks. A little water, food coloring and sugar never hurt anyone right? These cheap treats will keep everyone happy and kids will say, "Remember the summer mom let us eat all those popsicles? That was awesome!".
3. Take advantage of the free stuff- Most movie theaters offer a free movie once a week before the regular shows. We pack away a tiny ziploc of candy, juice boxes and buy popcorn at the theater. Any bowlers in the family? Check out the cool program where kids can bowl free for the entire summer.
Most local parks and recreation centers have all kinds of great concerts and programming during the summer, look local.
4. Pick something- Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, oh my! Picking fruit and vegetables can be fun and save your grocery bill. There is nothing like being on a farm, grove or patch and picking your food right from the ground, bush or vine. Pick-your-own is a great site to help you find a farm near you.
5. Commune it up- We're all in this together. Gather your friends and gaggle of kids and do the summer together. Create your own at home camp with art activities, slip-n-slide, and afternoon movie showings. Kids will tribe up and parents will delight in the shared company. Prepare a meal together to split and send home for dinner and the day is done. Many hands make light work. It is the village at it's best.
Do you have any ideas for enjoying a thrifty summer? Share them with us in the comments.
Last year five and a half year old Declan decided he wanted to have an art sale in his backyard. He and his friends would make the art, hang it up on the clothesline and then invite all the parents to come over and buy their art. For how much? one parent asked. Just a quarter. Or a penny. Declan the tenderhearted capitalist replied--because he likes to drive a hard bargain like that.
This postmodern twist on the traditional lemon stand caught on in the neighborhood, and then some kind mother suggested they turn the art sale into an online auction AND donate the proceeds to charity. Charity? Why not? Declan and his mom, Aimee Greeble, decided to donate all their proceeds to help the environment and the Annual Kids' Earth Day Auction was born. Declan got to have his art sale and become a tenderhearted capitalist and a kid-philanthropist all on the same day.
This year PBS Supersisters are lending a hand and inviting you to join our kids in submitting art to the auction and bidding on your favorite finds. This year all the proceeds go to The Nature Conservancy and in honor of the auction we'll be giving away a book a day from the delightful Barefoot Book series. All you have to do is follow us on Twitter and help spread the word about the auction. We'll select a new winner everyday for the next nine days.
More information available here.
It's been brought to my attention that my life appears to be, well, dreamy, chock full of meaningful art moments and conversation. There's something you should know my friends. The truth is for every dreamy moment there are 3 in which someone is complaining, crying, arguing and I wonder why I even suggested such a project in the first place. Remember this?
So here are the tips I've learned in squeezing out the moments in life and cultivating opportunities for connection.
1. Let your children lead. Projects always go better when the kids decide what and how we are going to do something. Ownership makes everyone responsible and creates space for everyone to contribute.
2. Start with a question. Ask your kids what they think about a particular topic or how they can approach a task. You can offer options after to guide the process.
Ex. I have a problem, can you guys help me? What do you think we should do about...?
How should we celebrate...?
3. Let it be. If everyone has a horrible time on your kindness mission, or they fight over color choices for your group art project, it's okay. Not every experience will be perfect or lovely. These are opportunities to navigate group dynamics, personal growth, or just be in a family funk together. Don't give up, keep trying.
4.Leave some space. Some of the best moments just happen on their own. It's the beauty of letting life unfold before you.
What are your tricks for creating family togetherness or meaningful moments? Tell us dear ones in the comments.
I always feel like Thanksgiving somehow gets lost in the shuffle between Halloween and Christmas. It's the less glamorous holiday but it continues to be my most favorite.
My sisters and I have to call each other a minimum of 684 times preparing for the day and that's if we are spending it together. Lord only knows the number if we are not.
It is a tradition to talk excessively about what time to put the turkey in and how it is never ready on time anyway. Who cares about the turkey, it's all about the side dishes. The recipes no longer exist on a 3x5 card, you must track down my mother or a younger sister with a better memory. These are the things that make a holiday.
As the years go by, I find myself marking experiences that bring us together in my own little family. Sometimes they are carefully crafted and others just spontaneously happen, some make their way into memory boxes and other just live in our thoughts.
I saw the idea of making a Thankfulness tree around the web the last few days and
thought it might be fun to make with the kids.
Of course, any project with hopes of success should start with a snack.
And then there is the token be-careful-with-the-scissors warning.
The boys cut out the leaves while I cut out the tree.
Here are the leaves, we wrote what we are thankful for on them.
This is my very nobby tree.
A few things we are thankful for: Legos, little sisters, the blackberry (papa's choice), pizza, facebook...
Our not finished tree, we thought we might take it with us on Thanksgiving day so everybody can add to it.
Who knows, it might be the next treasured tradition?
What are your Thanksgiving family traditions? Any new ones you are working on cultivating or do you prefer the kind that unfold on their own? do share...
It's my favorite time of year. The air is getting crisp(er), the leaves are starting to change and the humidity seems to finally be gone. Having spent the better number of my years in a climate void of autumn, I find myself going a little overboard. Maybe everyone in the family isn't interested in taking that 3 hour drive to see the fall foliage, but no one will be complaining when we finally get there. Here are some other ideas for fall fun.
- Take the kids on a corn maze adventure. I remember when a corn maze was a corn maze. You started out at one end and hoped for the best. Now the corn mazes can go for acres and some even have scavenger hunts on the way. One local farm has a hay maze that is better suited for smaller children. Whatever the size of the corn maze, you are sure to have stories to tell by the time you find your way out.
- Go apple picking. It seems like I am addicted to apple picking since you have been subjected to three posts related to apples. What can I say? The kids LOVE to go apple picking. Fruit for snacks and endless recipes to try. Pies, applesauce, tarts, cakes. You name it. Apples rock.
- Pick your own pumpkin and gourds. We never seem to get around to the carving but it is so much fun to have the house decorated with different sizes of pumpkins and crazy curly gourds. Sure the kids may think they are balls and you spend every day "reminding" them not to throw the pumpkins, but the fun factor will always win.
- Simmer up some mulling spices to make your house smell like fall. High end gourmet stores sell some divine mulling spices but this is where I confess to doctoring up regular old apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves and a little nutmeg. Simmering the concoction on the stove for even just an hour can leave my whole house smelling delicious.
So what do you do to get into the autumn feeling?
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